A band named Goo . . .
                          and the sound of success

By: Matthew Smith

     The Goo Goo Dolls have waited long enough.

     The band from Buffalo with Johnny Rzeznik at lead guitar,
Robby Takac on bass and Mike Malinin at drums has waited nine
long years and five albums, but they have finally achieved
national success.

     The band started out playing in clubs in and around Buffalo.
Slowly they gained a following: first locally, and then farther
away, until now any kid who watches MTV has heard of them.
     
     A few weeks ago, the band reached a career high when they
appeared on the Billboard Music Awards. The host of the awards
was Jon Stewert, who remarked, "That was the Goo Goo Dolls, a
great album and a great song."

     Of course, the album he was talking about was "A Boy Named
Goo," and the song was their chart-smasher, "Name." On Nov. 11,
the song sat atop both the U.S. singles chart and the Modern Rock
singles chart, and now, over a month later, the song remains in 
the Top 10.

     The song also broke into MTV's buzz bin, recently appearing
in 38th place on its Top 100 Videos of the Year show. The Goos
also played "Name" on "Late Night With David Letterman" on Dec.
21.

     But overall, "Name" is pretty light stuff for the Goos. Most
of their songs have more punch, with faster beats and heavier
guitars.
     
     The Goo Goo Dolls are by no means a one-hit wonder. In the
Nov. 30 Rolling Stone magazine reader's poll for the best album,
"A Boy Named Goo" was no. 16. That's not bad considering the
group's previously unsuccessful albums. For example, "Superstar
Car Wash" received critical praise but flopped everywhere except
in the Buffalo area.

     Other songs that have been successful around here that might
get national attention soon are "Flattop," "Only One" and an
excellent remake of an old INXS tune called "Don't Change."

     Despite their great success in 1995, things look even better
for Buffalo's Goo Goo Dolls in the future. USA Today recently
chose them to be the most successful band of 1996.

     My congratulations go out to the Goos, who are taking the
country by storm.

 Matthew Smith is a 10th-grader at Orchard Park High School.