Author(s): Jeff Apter

Biographies & Memoirs

The Orange County band was formed in 1986 by Eric Stefani and John Spence who soon recruited Eric's younger sister Gwen as co-vocalist. With the addition of Tony Kanal on bass, No Doubt launched a 20-year career that would fuse ska, grunge, alt.rock and shades of other musical genres into a unique mix. The 1987 suicide of John Spence resulted in the battlefield promotion of Gwen Stefani to lead vocalist, a shift that would prove a launch pad for her future solo career and media celebrity status.