John Rzeznik

Goo Goo Dude 2003

John Rzeznik, Ocean Way Recording Studios, LA 2003

How did the name Goo Goo Dolls come about?

Oh, we got that out of an old True Detective magazine. There was an ad for a toy, a doll’s head—you put your fingers inside it and you could make all these funny faces.

You’re from Buffalo, New York—is there something special about that city in preparing a person for the real world?

I think that the greatest asset of being from Buffalo is that you always know where you stand. You are always sure of who your true friends are. It’s a very honest place, and it establishes a strong work ethic. That’s something that I try to carry with me wherever I go. In a way, it’s a lot to live up to. Sometimes you feel like people from everywhere else are lazy, just because they don’t want to work 12 hours a day, 7 days a week.