The Goo Goo Dolls were formed in 1986, when Robby and Johnny met. Originally under the name the Sex Maggots, the Goo Goo Dolls were a much harder rock band then they are now. The original drummer, George Tutuska was let go and the new drummer Mike Malinin was hired. Back in 87, Johnny Rzeznik and Robby Takac met at Buffalo State College where they both attended. Robby played heavy metal bass guitar and Johnny played punk rock guitar. They were the perfect partners. Robby’s cousin knew a drummer (George), so the three hooked up to form the Sex Maggots. They were asked to play a gig at a local club if only they changed their name.
So they saw an ad for a Goo Goo Doll, and decided to borrow the name. Over the next eight years they came out with 4 albums, First Release, Jed, Hold Me Up, and Superstar Carwash. Johnny and George were not getting along very well. Right before the release of their 5th album, A Boy Named Goo, Johnny quit the band due to the difficulties between him and George.
Robby would not let Johnny quit the band, so he went to Georges house and told him he was out of the band. A couple of weeks later, the two remaining Goos had auditions for a new drummer. The first person to audition was Mike Malinin. They heard him play and hired him. The critics heard the song Name from the album A Boy Named Goo. That song got them big fame.
But in 1997 Johnny got a serious case of writers block. Then he was asked to write a song for the movie City Of Angels. He wrote the song Iris in one hour. The next album came out in 1998, Dizzy Up The Girl. It was a smash hit! The album had five singles; Dizzy, Slide, Broadway, Black Balloon, and Iris. Then in 2001 they chose 22 songs from all of their albums to put on a greatest hits CD. It was called What I learned about Ego, Opinion, Art, and Commerce.
In April of 2002 they came out with Gutterflower with 12 smashing songs! They include Here Is Gone, Big Machine, and What a Scene. They started their touring for Gutterflower in May of 2002.
