The Band’s Moved Past O.C. . . . Way Past

The success of “Tragic Kingdom” changed everything for the members of No Doubt, and the Anaheim band’s expanded world view is evident even in the title of their new album, “Return of Saturn.”

The phrase “Tragic Kingdom” summarized the dour outlook on romance expressed in most of that album’s songs of relationships gone kablooey. But it also was a play on “Magic Kingdom” that reflected their Orange County roots--as did the cover photo of a crate of rotten oranges--growing up in the shadow of Disneyland, with all that that implied philosophically and culturally.

By invoking a celestial allusion with “Return of Saturn,” No Doubt signals the more worldly perspective the four musicians gained from spending 2 1/2 years visiting some of the farthest parts of the planet.

That new foundation of experience and the connection with people from around the world seem to affect lifelong Orange Countians Gwen Stefani, Adrian Young and Tom Dumont and British-born O.C. transplant Tony Kanal far more than selling an estimated 15 million copies of “Tragic Kingdom” worldwide.

While in the Middle East, for instance, they decided to trek several hours across the desert to visit Jerusalem.

“In the middle of the desert there was this military checkpoint, and there were all these guys with machine guns,” Dumont recalled. “We pulled in, and our driver talked to them for a second and explained who we were, and one of the soldiers started singing ‘Don’t Speak’ to us. That’s just the oddest experience--to be so far from home, in a place we consider to be so exotic, and see how far music reaches.”

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At the outset of the “Tragic Kingdom” tour in 1995, well before the hit single “Don’t Speak” sent album sales through the roof, Stefani said, “I remember telling my mom, ‘You guys are gonna be really upset because . . . we’re going to be gone a long time--we’re going to be gone for two months on this one.’ I was gone for 2 1/2 years.

“But it was amazing because we got to experience so much,” Stefani said. “I never even thought I’d leave Orange County, let alone be playing to people in places like India, Israel and Spain.”

The musicians said they are proud of their Orange County roots and for helping spread O.C. music around the planet. Still, when they got back, the musical shot heard ‘round the world that was “Tragic Kingdom” allowed them to declare financial and cultural independence. It was time to assume their separate and equal station among the powers of the pop-music world.

Now, none of them live in the county where they met and became friends and musical partners. Stefani and Kanal have homes in L.A.’s Los Feliz district near Griffith Park; Dumont is in Long Beach, and Young and his bride, Nina, live in Lakewood.

“I love it. I love the whole Long Beach area,” Young said. “It’s got more culture than Orange County. It’s almost a big city.”

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The band members, however, have struggled at times with their move into the big leagues.

“When ‘Tragic Kingdom’ came out and we started getting popular,” Dumont said, “we talked about it a lot. We were worried: What are the local fans going to think about hearing ‘Don’t Speak’ on KIIS-FM? It was a big thing for us. And we read the OC Weekly, and how some people resent that the ‘O.C. Sound’ is us and whatever else it is.

“I think,” he added, “that’s kind of behind us now.”

So, it appears, are the jabs No Doubt has taken from some longtime fans after they struck pop-music gold.

“After the success of the last record and the hugeness of ‘Don’t Speak,’ I think for a while some people wanted to disown us--especially the younger fans,” Young said. “I think now, for some reason, it feels to me like we’ve almost kind of got it back. People in Orange County really seem to [care] about what we’re doing now.”

Added Stefani: “It feels really good. People seem to be real cuddly right now. Everybody’s kind of saying, ‘Come back; it’s OK. You’ve been gone a long time, but it’s OK!’ ”