Song drops ahead of joint summer tour
Goo Goo Dolls and O.A.R. have teamed for a new cover version of Tom Petty’s song “I Won’t Back Down.” A soaring collision of two alt-rock linchpins, the reimagined track arrives just before both groups join forces on the road this summer. Kicking off July 24th, Goo Goo Dolls’ The Big Night Out Tour features O.A.R. as the special guests throughout the entire first leg, with Fitz and the Tantrums supporting on the second leg this September.
“I’m so excited to finally hit the road this summer with Marc and O.A.R.; it’s going to be an amazing night of music and fun.” says Goo Goo Dolls frontman John Rzeznik. “We decided we wanted to give our audience the best night of their summer, and we are so proud to have teamed up not only for the tour, but to record one of our favorite songs together in Tom Petty’s ‘I Won’t Back Down.'”
“It has been so great working with Johnny and the band on ‘I Won’t Back Down,’ adds O.A.R.’s Marc Roberge. “Tom Petty’s music has been such an inspiration for us and a meaningful part of our musical journey. We’re looking forward to playing it out on the road for what will be a very special summer of music”
Traversing through major outdoor venues coast-to-coast, the North American run will see Goo Goo Dolls delivering career-encompassing sets that feature songs from their new album Chaos in Bloom along with other hits from their complete discography including the indelible hit “Iris,” which eclipsed one billion streams on Spotify last year. The band will be partnering with Joe Torre Safe At Home for the tour, a nonprofit founded in 2002 by Ali and Joe Torre to provide healing and education services to youth who have been traumatized by exposure to violence including domestic violence, child abuse, teen dating abuse, and sexual assault to help break the cycle of violence.
The first album of their career to be produced by frontman John Rzeznik, Chaos in Bloom finds the band continuing to evolve just as they have for nearly four decades together. Consisting of 10 tracks including singles “Yeah, I Like You” and “You Are The Answer”, Chaos in Bloom is an album of biting sarcasm, stadium-ready choruses, and the type of spear-sharp songwriting that’s led them to becoming one of the most influential alternative rock groups of all time.
