The ‘wild west’ themed video quickly came under fire for using stereotypical imagery such as smoke signals, tee-pees and feather headdresses to represent Native Americans. No Doubt fan forums reportedly filled up with threads such as “Appropriating Native American culture”, leading to the band’s decision to take down the clip.

No Doubt also issued an apology via their official website, explaining that they never intended to offend anyone. Although No Doubt have removed the video for Looking Hot, the clip does still remain online. Music Feeds has chosen to include the clip in this article not in an attempt to offend anyone, but rather to allow you to draw your own conclusions.

Read: No Doubt’s Public Apology

As a multi-racial band our foundation is built upon both diversity and consideration for other cultures. Our intention with our new video was never to offend, hurt or trivialize Native American people, their culture or their history. Although we consulted with Native American friends and Native American studies experts at the University of California, we realize now that we have offended people. This is of great concern to us and we are removing the video immediately. The music that inspired us when we started the band, and the community of friends, family, and fans that surrounds us was built upon respect, unity and inclusiveness. We sincerely apologize to the Native American community and anyone else offended by this video. Being hurtful to anyone is simply not who we are.

Watch: No Doubt – Looking Hot

http://vimeo.com/52784706

No Doubt launched the lawsuit back in 2009 after it was discovered that a bonus feature, or something players must unlock, gave gamers the option to use the avatar of band members, for example Gwen Stefani can be unlocked to perform the Rolling Stones song Honky Tonk Women, a tune telling the tale of prostitute sex – something the band did not want to be associated with. No Doubt have claimed that various other band members could be unlocked and used to perform other band’s songs; herein lies the beef.

The band had granted a limited licence to Activision to use their likeness, but a judge has now ruled that they took their limited access too far, stating that “this was a commercial agreement that granted a limited license to Activision for use of No Doubt’s character likenesses in songs, all subject to No Doubt’s prior approval. Activision’s exploitation of the intellectual property was subject to the terms of the agreement. Having agreed to its terms, Activision cannot be heard to claim that its use of the property in ways expressly prohibited by the agreement is protected by the First Amendment.” Says the LA times

No one has spoken on the band’s behalf yet, but the case had been sided with the band pretty much since the beginning. Back in 2011, a state appellate declared: “that the avatars appear in the context of a video game that contains many other creative elements, does not transform the avatars into anything other than exact depictions of No Doubt’s members doing exactly what they do as celebrities.”

Activision claimed that they were in the clear under the 1st amendment act (freedom of speech) – but that obviously didn’t fly. The state supreme court maintained the state appellate’s claims, and denied Activision’s plea to have the case totally dismissed.

During a recent interview with Music Feeds, the band’s long-term drummer Adrian Young, aka the dude with the Mohawk, confirmed that Australia will not be missing out (like we are oh so accustomed to) on this particular reunion tour.

Young stated: “We’re planning on coming back… Now that the record is done, we’re going to tour through the US next, that will be summer for you guys, then we will be heading overseas.” This would suggest that the band will be in town hopefully sometime around our winter. It would also suggest that we would be next in line after Europe, but hey, still nothing to complain about.

The band clearly have fond memories of our land, with Young also adding, “It’s a great place to party, from my memory”, which is funny, and true.

You can read the whole interview right here.

Earlier this year, Soundwave boss AJ Maddah was looking good to book the band for Soundwave, though after weeks of speculation the band was ruled out with Maddah claiming, ‘We did try”.

The band’s first album since 2001′s Rock Steady was released September 21. Be sure to get your hands on Push and Shove; it’s time to start learning all the words.

Read tweet: https://twitter.com/iamnotshouting/status/226358997433847808

Currently in London with the band for the first time in almost 10 years, Young is clearly loving being back on the horse. “Everything is just so exciting again,” he said, which got us talking about other re-kindled experiences such as studio time with the old bandmates, “Well, to be honest, it’s exciting not to be in the studio, because we were in the studio for a while making this record. But it feels good having the actual physical CD in hand, and playing some of these songs live on television; it’s great, and all that, getting ready for touring.”

Now that Push and Shove has had a couple of days to air and resonate amongst fans, Young explained how the release had been received by those who had been waiting with bated breath for the album: “This was the first time that we put out a record with instant feedback, you know, in this digital age. I was reading some reviews and most people seem to dig it, but the thing about being in a popular band is that people are just going to want to hate. It is all part of being in a popular band. But we just like making music together, you know.”

Throughout the recording process of the album, there were numerous reports from the band and sources close to them that getting back into the groove of this wasn’t so easy. Young explained why this time round may not have been as smooth as previous recording sessions: “We probably recorded many of the songs 2 or 3 times, and changed them up along the way, whereas previously we would kind of settle in on a style for a song and record it and move on. But this time I think that, especially with our producers, they were pushing us to dig deep and experiment and make sure that for the final result we really turned over every stone, if you know what I mean.”

We explored this a little further. With their subscribing to such a specific genre, the conversation took a turn towards where they drew inspiration and ideas for their music, and whether or not that inspiration is still there a decade later: “For most of our records we draw from 80s music. That’s music that we used to live on and that hasn’t gone away. We still draw from that, and it’ll probably always be that way. You always end up making music that you’ve been listing to.”

Young did continue to explain that the band’s priorities had shifted during the break: “There were previously no children in the band, now there are 9, you know? Scheduling and all that became so hard. So with that, having to grow up, your priorities do change. The rules are different.” This is something that surely influenced the process.

So did one of the biggest bands to emerge from the 90s feel the gaze of the world on their backs while they were writing and recording? Young explained that the pressure “is always there. There’s always some sort of pressure, with each record. I mean, I don’t think we felt massive amounts of pressure, but we really did feel it. In the past, when we’d be like ‘lets just get an album out soon’ and keep the momentum going. This time we’d taken such a long time between records, I’d say the rush had gone away, I’d say there was even less pressure.”

After months of reunion news and recording news, we got to the brass tax of things: No Doubt’s next Australian tour, and when it will be.”That’s a really good question. I’m not 100% sure. We’ve toured there before and we’ve really loved the shows we’ve played there. It’s a great place to party, from my memory”. I assured him that it still is a great place to come party. Young continued to say, “We’re planning on coming back… Now that the record is done, we’re going to tour through the US next, that will be summer for you guys, then we will be heading overseas.”

The general vibe on the current climate in the band seems to be more grown up, but by no means boring; if anything, it is more fun than ever. Now with a new release fresh from the print that, despite the gap, fits in perfectly next to its older brothers, the band is living up to their title in more ways than one as they climb back into their throne and are once again crowned kings (and queen) of punk rock, and of that there is No Doubt.

The tune follows hot on the heels of previous singles Settle Down and Push and Shove, which are also set to feature on the album, which is coming to you through Interscope. This will be the band’s first studio effort since 2001, when they began to lay low after the release of their last album Rock Steady.

It turns out that it was a little more tricky to shake off the dust than they first thought, with frontwoman Gwen Steffani telling MTV that “we don’t know what we’re doing. Everything’s basically a series of accidents and mistakes”.

Stay tuned for more updates from the album, and sure-to-arrive-soon tour dates. (Fingers crossed)

http://youtu.be/xHIVh-NLesE

Stefani has always been a bit of a night owl and is known to only be able to compose songs when she stays up into the early hours of the morning.

However, with her two young sons Kingston and Zuma keeping her busy, Stefani didn’t have the luxury of locking herself in the studio overnight.

So, as Diffuser reports, bass player Tony Kanal came up with a grand plan – and transformed the recording studio in his house into a dark room.

“We had to black out all the windows and this beautiful view of Los Angeles so Gwen could pretend it was night,” Kanal told The Sun.

“But it worked. Once we wrote the song Undercover, this massive weight lifted off our shoulders and we knew we could do it.”

Stefani said fitting in studio time with her busy schedule wasn’t easy, but ultimately, the band pulled it off.

“I’d be there from 4pm after being up all night with [youngest son] Zuma,” she adds.

“Tony was a lifesaver as I was so exhausted … he inspired me and helped me because I didn’t have the luxury of time.

“In the past I’d never write a song before the sun went down. This time I had to be home for when [older son] Kingston got out of school.”

No Doubt’s first album in over a decade – Push and Shove – will be out September 25. For more details on the record and its tracklisting, click here.

Stefani has made the claims as No Doubt prepare to release their first album in ten years – Push and Shove – later this month.

Following the band’s last studio album Rock Steady in 2001, Stefani made two hugely-successful solo records during the band’s hiatus – Love Angel Music Baby and The Sweet Escape.  She created the albums with mega-famed producers Dr Dre and The Neptunes.

“It was fun to experiment and work with outside writers but it was intimidating,” Stefani told The Sun.

“Walking into a session with somebody you think is a genius, and they’re sitting there going, ‘I work with everyone – what have you got?’ And you’re, like, ‘Not much. I don’t even know how I wrote a song’. It’s such a vulnerable situation to put yourself in.”

Stefani went on to say that her solo phase is now out of her system – and she’s extremely happy being in No Doubt.

“I never need to do that or want to do it again. I’m happy being in No Doubt. And it’s nice to have a record where there’s no fat on it.”

Their new album is the band’s follow-up to 2001′s Rock Steady, and features 11 tracks. Diplo, under his other moniker of Major Lazer, recently released a remix of their first single Settle Down and this version makes things a bit more club friendly, as remixes often do.

The video for Settle Down was released in July and saw the band once again team up with Sophie Muller, who oversaw the clips such as Don’t Speak and Simple Kind of Life. There’s no word yet on whether she will also handle the video work for the new single, so we’ll just have to wait and see.

Push and Shove Tracklist

01. Settle Down
02. Looking Hot
03. One More Summer
04. Push And Shove (prod. Diplo)
05. Easy
06. Gravity
07. Undercover
08. Undone
09. Sparkle
10. Heaven
11. Dreaming The Same Dream

NME reports that the album will feature 11 tracks – including first single Settle Down, which is the opening track – along with other previously rumoured songs Undercover, Easy, Heaven and Dreaming the Same Dream.

The band enlisted Diplo to take care of production duties on the title track, with the rest of the album produced by Mark ‘Spike’ Stent.

Push and Shove is due for release on September 24. It’s No Doubt’s first studio album since 2000′s Rock Steady.

No Doubt - Push and Shove tracklisting:

Settle Down
Looking Hot
One More Summer
Push And Shove
Easy
Gravity
Undercover
Undone
Sparkle
Heaven
Dreaming The Same Dream