It's not easy being the headliner at a show in which everyone knows Bruce Springsteen will follow as the unannounced guest. However, that's how it was for Johnny Rzeznik when he performed at the Light of Day benefit show at the Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank in January.
"That experience is daunting at best and downright terrifying at worst," Light of Day organizer Tony Pallagrossi said. "But Johnny was fantastic. This was Johnny's fourth time at Light of Day and it was so great watching Johnny sing with Bruce. He's certainly part of the Light of Day family."
The cast and characters of Light of Day are from the Garden State or are honorary New Jerseyans, such as Joe Grushecky.
Rzeznik is in the latter category.
It's not uncommon for recording artists to leave New Jersey for Los Angeles. However, the opposite move is rare. And then there's Rzeznik. The Goo Goo Dolls primary singer-songwriter left the City of the Angels for Westfield, New Jersey a decade ago.
"I love where I live since I can walk to places and just hang out and be part of what is going on," Rzeznik said. "When my wife and I found out that we were having a baby, we decided that we had to get out of Los Angeles. It's not a healthy culture for a kid to live in a city where when you meet people and you get their resume immediately. I'm in a good place, where I live and how I feel."
It's not just lip service. After the Goo Goo Dolls headlined Holmdel's PNC Bank Arts Center in 2023, Rzeznik held court with his Westfield pals. Rzeznik was surrounded by firemen and teachers backstage.
Rzeznik fits right in when it comes to Asbury Park, where the Goo Goo Dolls made their 1991 debut at the Fast Lane. "They played here so much that they were part of the Asbury Park community," Pallagrossi said. "I remember that show at the Fast Lane."
The Goo Goo Dolls fit in since they are a gritty, blue-collar rock band without a trace of pretense. Some emerging entertainers change their names to sound cool. However, Rzeznik, Goo Goo Dolls and bassist Robbie Takac, sounded more like guys in a plumbing company than rockers.
A generation ago Rzeznik and Takac were struggling. Broken down vans, bad record deals and a lack of progress marked the first decade of The Goo Goo Dolls. Much went wrong before everything changed a year after the band's breakthrough album, "A Boy Named Goo" was released in 1995.
"A lot of bad things happened," Rzeznik said. "But we just persevered."
What kept the Goo Goo Dolls together is Rzeznik and Takac's relationship.
"We have a bond," Rzeznik said. "Even though Robbie and I don't get along sometimes, we still have that bond and it goes back to those days when we were barely getting by."
There were times that the tandem thought about giving it up but Rzeznik and Takac continued. "I think part of it was due to the fact that we had no idea what we would do if we didn't make music," Rzeznik said. "If you cut my fingers off, I wouldn't be qualified to do anything. I have no marketable skills."
But the easy-going Rzeznik didn't have to worry about a back up plan. The punk band from Buffalo crossed over to the pop realm. The poignant acoustic ballad "Name" reached the top five of the Billboard pop chart in 1995. The Goo Goo Dolls reached another echelon thanks to another ballad, "Iris," which was included in the "City of Angels" soundtrack. "Iris" spent nearly a year on Billboard's airplay charts, including a mind-bending 18 weeks at number one, and was nominated for three Grammy Awards.
"Slide," "Broadway" and "Black Balloon," which was nominated for a Grammy, were also part of the hit parade. The Goo Goo Dolls have 19 singles that reached the top ten and have sold more than 15 million albums.
"We've had a lot of failure but we've had a lot of success too," Rzeznik said. "Then we had a little bit of failure followed by some success. You just have to keep on working at it."
Rzeznik knows on occasion that he wrote a quality song but often has no idea if a freshly penned tune is up to snuff. "It's a strange thing when you write these songs about what's good and what isn't," Rzeznik said. "I just get a feeling. Sometimes the hair will stand up on my arm after I wrote something. When I wrote Broadway' I thought that was a good song since it's a good story and I thought it was something people could relate to. And then there's "Iris." I wasn't sure about "Iris." It's odd since it's the biggest song we have."
"Iris" closed the Light of Day show. "Name," "Better Days," "Broadway" and "Slide" were among the songs Rzeznik delivered before a raucous capacity crowd. Rzeznik, who strummed along on a variety of acoustic guitars, proved to be adept at engaging the audience.
"Johnny's performance was spectacular," Pallagrossi said. "I was so impressed with the quality and craftsmanship of the songwriting. Experiencing those hit songs stripped down to their bare bones was amazing. He has written great lyrics and wonderful melodies. It took me back to that Fast Lanes show when I was running that place."
For those who missed the early days of the Goo Goo Dolls, the band returns in September for Sea.Hear.Now in Asbury Park.
It's a hometown gig for a guy who is content, which is not a given since Rzeznik is in a band that's sold more than 15 million albums. It's not uncommon for folks breathing that rarefied air to want more but Rzeznik is grounded and thrilled with his situation.
"I couldn't be happier," Rzeznik said. "My wife (Melia) is from New Jersey. We have this beautiful daughter (Lily) and we're raising her in New Jersey. It's special. I get to be in the band that I love to be in and bring up a child in a really cool place. It doesn't get better than this."
If you cut my fingers off, I wouldn't be qualified to do anything.
My wife (Melia) is from New Jersey. We have this beautiful daughter (Lily) and we're raising her in New Jersey. It's special... It doesn't get better than this.