In the last four years, not many bands can brag that they?ve had as much success as the Goo Goo Dolls. Racking up numerous Top 10 hits, including “Name”, “Iris”, “Black Balloon” and “Slide”, the boys from Buffalo, New York are at it again with their latest release, Gutterflower. Goo Goo bass player Robby Takac sat down for a chat with State Hornet Music Editor Adam Varona earlier this week to talk about their current tour (which hits Concord, CA tomorrow at the Pavillion), their past and their future.

Adam Varona: People seem misled into believing the Goo Goo Dolls were straight punk until “Name,” but it?s always been a hearty mix.

Robby Takac: Exactly. Like James Dean is a pretty ballad. It?s funny, you want to bring people along with you but you can?t. And the people who do stick with you become really, really, really big fans. We?ve tried to be as big as possible as far as keeping our growth going. We try to hang onto that. In a lot of ways it sorta bit us on the ass. Like some people come to our shows and they only know four songs and they?re like “what the fuck is going on?” Which I think is kind of a victory for me because it changes people?s perspective on pop music. Which is why I liked the (What I Learned About) Ego record. It?s a backwards retrospective. There might be some guy vacuuming or some lady feeding the baby, listening to “Unaddicted”?and how bizarre is that? But if we stayed there (punk) it would?ve been kinda creepy. You got to keep spinning your wheels.

AV: You?re skimming the country with Third Eye Blind and Vanessa Carlton this summer. Why those acts?

RT: We?re playing big places so we find some bands that people will part with a few dollars to go and see. People aren?t spending money like they used to so we were trying to find a package that was pretty cool. We talked to a few people like Garbage. Then Third Eye Blind talked to us and said they needed to get their pumps going. So that was cool. Then Vanessa came to us, and she still has that wide-eyed way about her, which is really cool. Yea, it?s been a great summer and a good tour. There?s been no personality conflicts or anything, definitely a good summer.

AV: You guys are known for your energetic live shows. After 14 years of playing in the band how do you keep it fresh?

RT: Well, Johnny and I have been friends for a long time, before the band even. We sorta know each other well enough but are different enough from each other to keep it new.

AV: Lots of bands produce albums like crazy. You guys have always seemed to take your time, like it?s been 4 years since Dizzy Up The Girl. Is there a specific reason for taking this route in album releases?

RT: There?re tons of reasons. One is we don?t write too much on the road. We sort of like to get back in a stable environment before we write again. Also, this record was slated for release in November and we were supposed to turn it on Oct. 1- and we were on track. Then Sept. 11 happened and it slowed it down. We basically were paid $2600 a day from Capital to sit and watch TV all day. Then we took a break and did some benefit concerts. And we couldn?t release in January, we had to wait for the next quarter to start. And to be honest with you, we had to play some smaller shows to get deals with the big venues.

AV: I was perusing the Internet the other day and saw that PetitionOnline.com has a thread that hundreds of people have signed, pleading Warner Bros. to release “You Never Know” as a single. When are we graced with the first Robby Takac mainstream single?

RT: (laughs) I don?t know. I don?t really think about that, you know. I?m loving life right now, you know? I think it would be selfish of me to think about that. I mean, if it happens some day, it happens some day. I just feel blessed to be in the situation I?m in.AV: Any new music that?s caught your ear lately?

RT: Uh, let?s see. What have I bought recently? I just got a record by a band called Zero Seven that I really like. I like that Dirty Vegas record, that?s really cool. Abandoned Pool?s record is really good. It?s a year old now, but I really like that record. That David Gray record is kinda cool. There?s a lot of cool stuff out there. I?m actually starting to dig the DJ dudes right now, like Moby. It?s not that I?m into that music, but I think they seem to be putting out records that are interesting. That?s my beef with a lot of the bands putting records out right now. They put out 12 songs that are trying to be hits. It?s only about the song and not the music. AV: You went to college and you were a disk jockey. Was that your major?

RT: Broadcasting, yeah. I kinda moved on to working in studios now. I own a three-studio complex in Buffalo, which I?ve actually never been to but I hear it?s great. Supposedly it?s running well. I?ve never run a business besides this before, though. Some buddies of mine are helping me run it. I?ll get a chance to go down there once the tour is over.AV: What?s next after the tour?

RT: We?re going to finish this then we got a week of Television to do, like four. Then we go to Australia, Japan, and Singapore to do shows. Then back to the states for theater shows, like 3,000, 4,000 seat theater shows. Then we?re going to go to England and do some shows. Then back to here to play some pig races.

AV: Pig races?

RT: Yea, we?re playing some state fairs and stuff with a buddy of ours.

AV: So, when do you get a break?

RT: Ah, no breaks for the dudes from Buffalo. Hey, you?re coming out to the show, right?AV: Yea, the twelfth.

RT: Great. Hey man, we love Concord. You know why we love Concord?

AV: Why?s that?

RT: Because they got some great green there, man.