Tony Kanal: The Triumphant Return of No Doubt 

When No Doubt took the Coachella main stage in 2024 for their first performances in nine years, they showed a new generation of fans why their ska-punk-pop-alternative magic had so massively defined the ’90s. Over the course of two weekends, the band — bassist Tony Kanal, vocalist Gwen Stefani, guitarist Tom Dumont, drummer Adrian Young, as well as longtime accompanying musicians Gabrial McNair and Stephen Bradley — delivered precise, energetic performances that brought back memories of their early days, captivating millennials and Gen Zer’s alike with hits like “Hey Baby,” “Spiderwebs,” “Sunday Morning,” “Don’t Speak,” and the empowering-as-ever “Just a Girl.” When it was over, the music world was abuzz with talk of the legacy band that stole the show, and many assumed that we wouldn’t hear from No Doubt for another decade.

Which made it all the more surprising when the Orange County icons announced last fall that they’d be doing a residency at the Sphere in Las Vegas. Along with his bandmates, Kanal spent seven months helping orchestrate and curate what would end up being 18 shows in Vegas. Relearning his early bass lines, with their up-tempo, fretboard-spanning 16th-note runs, reminded Kanal of his days as an eager teenager with something to prove. (Thanks to his vegan lifestyle and workout regimen, he can still pull off songs like “Tragic Kingdom,” “The Climb,” “Trapped in a Box,” “Running,” and “New” while jumping all over the stage and swinging his bass.) Going through the back catalogue also inspired Kanal to choose the most tonally precise models from his vast collection of Yamaha BB basses; the result was an album-accurate showcase of the punchy, mid-range tone that has been the foundation of No Doubt since the band’s formation in 1986. The Sphere shows, which ended in June, were a huge success, but for the 55-year-old bassist, they were more than a series of performances. They were the culmination of a lifetime of playing music with his bandmates. 

“I’ll remember a lot of things about these shows, but what I’ll treasure most is looking at each other every night before we played and saying, ‘Here we go! We get to do this again! How fortunate are we?’ It made us emotional to know how lucky we were to do this for 40 years with our best friends. Those moments will be embedded in my mind forever.”

When the band started, I was 16 years old, and in my mind, I still think I’m a teenager when I’m onstage. I still want to do the things physically that I was doing back then. 

How does it feel to be on the other side of the Sphere residency? 

It feels surreal. This last week, I’ve been sleeping in, unpacking, and taking it easy. I’ve been giving myself the grace of coming back down to earth. I’m back to real life now, doing things like laundry, loading the dishwasher, and driving my girls to summer camp. Being at the Sphere was so fantastic, and the feedback we got was so positive. People were having a communal experience of joy, and we felt it. There was so much excitement, and for it to be such a celebration… It was just beautiful, man. 

What stands out the most about your Sphere residency? 

One of the great things was that so many of our friends from the early days, as far back as 1987, were at the shows. My daughters were at 15 of the 18 shows; my whole family was there. Everyone’s families were there. We did a thing called the No Doubt Experience, a pop-up that lasted for six weeks. It was essentially a No Doubt museum filled with all the stuff that we’ve collected over 40 years. The after-show parties were amazing because we would have so many friends from all the different years of our band. I’m still riding on a high from it. 

I’m sure your perspective has shifted being able to process everything. 

I haven’t done any interviews since these shows, so being able to talk about it is cathartic. Now that I’ve been able to process it, I can tell you all this from a retrospective kind of view. It feels very healthy. 

How did the Sphere gigs first become a reality? 

We’d been talking about playing the Sphere for a good year prior to us announcing it. After Coachella, we wondered what we’d do next, and we couldn’t really decide on anything. Then the Sphere came up, and it was so different and futuristic and outside of our comfort zone so we considered it. When we decided to do it we were only seven months away from opening night. Every waking moment was put into every aspect of this show. 

Opening with “Tragic Kingdom,” my favorite song to play, was so unexpected, but it really set the tone for what people were about to see. It was a rollercoaster ride from start to finish. 

Did you start woodshedding immediately?

As soon as we knew it was on, Tom, Adrian, and I got together in Adrian’s basement and began to rehearse. We started hammering out the songs, woodshedding, and getting our chops ready. His basement is so dialed in! We’d do “dad hours,” where I’d drive in at 9:00am, we’d jam for three hours, and I’d hit the road before LA traffic started. That was the first stage. We knew this was going to be a very physical show, so we got in the best shape that we could. When the band started, I was 16 years old, and in my mind, I still think I’m a teenager when I’m onstage. I still want to do the things physically that I was doing back then. 

Did you have to go back and relearn a lot of your lines? 

I did. I’d sit at my desk in my office with a little Yamaha practice amp, and I’d watch old videos of us playing. I also used Ultimate Guitar to see the official bass transcriptions. In case of emergency, I’d actually watch people break down the parts on YouTube, and I’d be like, “Oh yeah! That’s what I did there!” [laughter]

As you were shedding and rehearsing, you were also working with the production team, right?

Exactly. We had worked with Silent House Productions and producer/director Baz Halpin on previous tours. They had already done the Eagles and the Backstreet Boys at the Sphere. We started by coming up with a setlist for the run — creating content based on what the songs are, because it’s a narrative — so the setlist order had to be locked in sequence. Luckily, we were all on the same page. From the moment we decided to do it, there were so many Zoom meetings, in-person meetings, and conference calls. From there, we got into band rehearsals in a studio with all six of us. We spent a lot of days focusing on the songs and arrangements, and then we got into production rehearsals at a sound studio on a stage that was the same as one we were going to have at the Sphere. There’s a mini-Sphere here in Burbank right near the airport and it’s ¼ scale of the real thing. We went there to see what it would look like when it played out.

The setlists were filled with hits, but you also busted out early work, deep cuts, and songs you hadn’t performed in decades.

Because we were telling the story of No Doubt, we wanted to dive into some of the older songs, stuff we don’t normally play. When we were coming up with that setlist, we gave it to Baz, and he was the one who decided which song was going in which act. He was looking at it from a visual perspective, and we were looking at it from a musical, show-pacing perspective. It was a leap of faith, but it worked really well because we were trusting somebody very talented to tell us where to place the songs. Opening with “Tragic Kingdom,” my favorite song to play, was so unexpected, but it really set the tone for what people were about to see. It was a rollercoaster ride from start to finish. 

If you look up, you can see everything going on above and around you, but it can make you dizzy, so you learn to focus forward while you’re playing.

The shows were two-hour, 21-song sets that spanned four acts, all heavily choreographed and orchestrated. What was that like for you onstage each night?

Onstage at the Sphere, the sound is different than anything you’ve ever experienced because the speakers are behind you. At most venues, the speakers are on the side, but having the speakers behind us made for a delay the entire time. We put a sample PA behind us in rehearsal to start getting used to how it would feel. Everything had to be played to a click track — including the punk-rock songs, which we’d never played with a click — so we created click tracks and time codes that felt natural. When Tom, Adrian, and I got together we noticed where we’d naturally slow down a fill going into a chorus, for example, and we adjusted the click track accordingly. The clicks would then create a time code, which we’d give to the production team so they could lock in the visuals. Once we committed, it had to be exactly that. It took a ton of rehearsal for us to get it. 

How did you match your tone from the albums? 

At the Sphere, there’s no onstage amplification, so the cabinets you see are glorified drink holders, and we used in-ears. I had my GK 800RB head for my tone, with the DI coming out of that; that gave me the midrange. I’d roll off some of the tone for the reggae stuff, but even on those songs, my tone is cutting through. I got my clean bass tone from a DI signal from a Radial JX44 V2 switcher. The third source was from the Kemper Profiler we used to dial in a bass tone that emulated the GK. I rarely use pedals, but we used the effects from the Kemper for some songs, including some chorus on the bridge for “Underneath it All,” when I go up high. On “Ex-Girlfriend” there’s distortion over the guitar solo, and some octave and flanger for the part after the guitar solo. On “New” there’s a phaser on the bridge. I don’t have a pedalboard onstage, so Dave Bernson, my longtime tech, triggers those for me. 

You get nostalgic looking back at what we wrote and thinking about the time we wrote it. I get to enjoy my favorite parts from 40 years of bass lines.

The scale and production of these shows was tremendous. Were they as you imagined they’d be? 

It was all that and more. We were so lucky to have had this creative team that had worked there before and knew how far we could push it. It took so many people to make this happen — we ran credits at the end of the show and there were hundreds of people on that list. It was like making a movie. 

What was the immersive visual experience like for you onstage? 

If you look up, you can see everything going on above and around you, but it can make you dizzy, so you learn to focus forward while you’re playing. I love that it’s an open floor there, too. Most of the people in the front are there to really see the band. We’re focusing on the people on the floor and they’re making eye contact with us, like a regular show. I avoided looking up a lot, but we knew what was going on and what people were seeing. 

At Coachella, we were on a hidden platform for a few moments before we went onstage. It was just the four of us, crouched down, and the only thing we could see was each other. There’s this long history that we’re so fortunate to have together, and in that moment, we could really feel it.

Do you get nervous before shows? 

I wouldn’t call it nervous. The feelings as I hit the stage were anticipation and excitement; there are some nerves, but there was so much rehearsal going into both Coachella and the Sphere shows that we felt prepared. 

How did you feel before playing the first No Doubt show in nine years? 

At Coachella, we were on a hidden platform for a few moments before we went onstage. It was just the four of us, crouched down, and the only thing we could see was each other. There’s this long history that we’re so fortunate to have together, and in that moment, we could really feel it. There’s such a strength and power in that. 

What’s it like being in your 50s and playing the parts you wrote as a teenager?

It was fun to relearn those songs and go back to the catalog. You get nostalgic looking back at what we wrote and thinking about the time we wrote it. I get to enjoy my favorite parts from 40 years of bass lines. “Trapped in a Box,” which we wrote when I was around 20, is a busy bass line. Back then, I was jumping around all over the place. To get back to playing that was a trip. I have some intricate, busy bass lines, and then a song like “Underneath it All,” which is all about the space in between the bass notes.  

You recorded that with Sly & Robbie, right?

Yes. Robbie Shakespeare produced “Underneath it All” and “Hey Baby” in Jamaica. Robbie’s thing was that less is more. He taught me that the space in between the notes is just as important as the notes themselves. That’s an important lesson. When we were recording “Underneath it All” Robbie wouldn’t let me punch in. If I fucked up halfway through, he’d make me start again. 

When we were recording “Underneath it All” Robbie [Shakespeare] wouldn’t let me punch in. If I fucked up halfway through, he’d make me start again. 

Which songs felt the best for you to play onstage? 

It’s so hard to pick because the reactions were so visceral to each song. Act 3, where we broke it down a little more, had “Simple Kind of Life,” which I love to play. With the heartfelt visuals, that was really special. “Don’t Speak,” of course. We did an acoustic version of “Running,” which was really fun. That, paired with the electronic feel of that song when we recorded it, gave it a different, earthy flavor, which was cool to juxtapose how people experience that song. I also love playing the bass line of “New.” I start with keyboard bass and then switch to my electric. “Hella Good” is so damn fun. I mean, they all really are. 

How did you go about choosing which basses to use? 

Over the years I’ve collected so many Yamaha BB basses. For every tour or big show, Yamaha has made me a custom model, so I have this whole collection of beautiful basses, all patterned after my original BB 1600. I give Yamaha all the specs and they recreate it for me. That way, I’m at home on every bass I play. I brought a dozen basses to the Sphere rehearsals. My bass tech, Dave, has been with me forever, and he’s just the greatest. He’s my backbone onstage. He and I go through my basses and decide which ones are best to use. I use my main bass, which Yamaha made for me before the 2009 tour, on most of the songs. In rehearsals, I narrowed it down to five or six basses. For the 5-string songs — “Hey Baby,” “Simple Kind of Life,” and “Ex-Girlfriend” — I use my Music Man StingRay 5-string, and for “Running,” I used a Fender Kingman acoustic bass.

Tell us about the two new custom BB’s Yamaha made you for the Sphere shows. 

They made me a sparkle bass that I used on “End It on This.” I worked with them on getting the right shade of sparkle and finish. During rehearsals, Gwen told us that she was bringing back the iconic “Don’t Speak” dress from the video, and she asked me if I could get a polka dot bass for that song. Yamaha kindly put that together too. 

You’ve stayed loyal to Yamaha your entire career. What is it about their basses that you love so much? 

Once I figure something out, I stick with it. It’s the same with my amplification. If I have something that makes me feel comfortable and it feels good, I don’t need to search for something new. I mean, I’m always down to try new shit, and it’s always fun to experiment, but I just love the Yamaha stuff. 

When it was time for me to buy my first bass, Gwen’s dad who worked for Yamaha was able to get me an employee discount. I borrowed some money from my dad and bought my first BB 1600.

How did you first start playing Yamaha basses? 

I was a junior in high school when the band started and back then I was playing my school jazz band’s bass, a Rickenbacker. When it was time for me to buy my first bass, Gwen’s dad who worked for Yamaha was able to get me an employee discount. I borrowed some money from my dad and bought my first BB 1600. That became my bass. When we went to Japan for the first time in 1995, I found a BB 3000 that I had never seen in the States. Right around then, Yamaha reached out to me and that’s when that relationship started.

A lot of your bass lines are technically tricky and move all over the fretboard. Who were your early influences?  

When I was young and full of adrenaline and testosterone, I was trying to prove myself, so I played busy, busy bass lines. At the same time, I was influenced by the stuff I was listening to at the time — the Cure, the Specials, English Beat, and the Smiths. It was really melodic stuff that took up space. As I got older, I gave it a little more space, but the melodic thing was what really fueled me. I wanted to write things that stood up on their own. 

As a rhythm section, you and Adrian are absolutely locked. What it is like to play alongside him after all of these years?

Man, playing with Adrian is the best. We are telepathic. There are things we can do because we’ve played together for the better part of 40 years. You can’t manufacture that. You can work your ass off as a rhythm section, as we do, but those years of playing together is something so rare and so precious. I love playing with him, and there are parts in the set, especially in Act 3, where we just fucking dug in. There are parts where I would go up and literally fist bump him. Having Adrian next to me takes my performances to the next level. 

No Doubt started in a garage, and it was us against the world. It was a very personal story. People related to the break-up and hardships throughout our journey; those very personal things changed the trajectory of the band, and the audience could relate to it.

What’s inspiring you to create music at this point in life? 

I’ve been writing for TV and film for the last few years. I have to thank my good friend Blake Neely, a great composer, who introduced me to it. We began working together six years ago; and we scored the movie Purple Hearts for Netflix in 2022. I’m currently doing all the music for the Tim Allen show Shifting Gears. We just got picked up for season three. Everything is centered on bass. That’s been really awesome to be part of, and it’s completely different kind of composing for me. At this point in my life, I want to do things that inspire me and feel great. That’s a good place to be. I’m always excited for what the future holds and how we’re going to rise to the occasion. 

What keeps the music of No Doubt relevant? 

We were fortunate to break at a time when you weren’t competing for attention with so many things. We were on MTV, one of the few places to watch alternative music, and we were on radio stations across the country, which is how people got their music before streaming. We imprinted on that generation and that generation passed it on. We didn’t know how we’d be received at Coachella, but there is a multi-generational relationship to our music. No Doubt started in a garage, and it was us against the world. It was a very personal story. People related to the break-up and hardships throughout our journey; those very personal things changed the trajectory of the band, and the audience could relate to it. Maybe our songs take you back to a time when the world wasn’t as complicated and challenging and dark.  

If No Doubt were teenagers starting out right now, would you have the same success?

I have no idea. All I know is that when we were trying to break, we knew what we needed to do: Be a great live band, always strive to be better, and get people to hear our music. We tried to get a record deal, tour, and do all those steps; we had the advantage of youth. But everything is very different now and the steps aren’t necessarily the same. 

Is No Doubt looking for the next mountain to conquer after Coachella and the Sphere? 

No. We feel very fulfilled. If we had ended on Coachella, we would’ve been happy. The Sphere would’ve been icing on the cake. I don’t know what’s next. We’re just basking in the joy of what we were able to accomplish and seeing where life takes us. 

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