Goo Goo Dolls frontman Johnny Rzeznik is engaged to be married to his girlfriend of eight years, Melina Gallo. The couple met at a New York City record store signing and now plan to wed over the summer.
Speaking to CNN.com before performing at U.S. President Barack Obama’s Creative Coalition Inaugural Ball in Washington, D.C. on Monday he said, “I’m getting married in July, and I’m looking forward to that. It was one of those situations like, ‘I’m not going anywhere. Grow up, get married, have a good time.’ So that’s what we’re doing.”
“I quit drinking. “And that lightened up my perspective on the world quite a bit.”
Rzeznik says this is the first time he’s spoken publicly about his demons.
“It’s a strange thing to even talk about because it’s such a cliched thing. You’re having trouble with alcohol and you’re depressed. The whole world is depressed and has problems with alcohol, so it’s just a question of whether you decide to do something about it or not. But when I was down in it completely, I was the most selfish, self-pitying person that I knew – and my life was amazing,” he says shaking his head.
His new outlook has helped his relationship with his bandmates, bassist Robby Takak and drummer Mike Malinin.
“A lot of bands have friction. We just keep ours covered up really well,” Rzeznik confides. “I’ve learned over the past two, three years that it’s very important to say you’re sorry. Admit you’re wrong as soon as you can, if you ARE wrong. And try to be magnanimous when you’re right.”
“I think our last album was kind of a bummer,” he adds, chuckling ruefully. “But the only way out is to go through, so that was going through. And now we’re out on the other end. It’s a pretty good day.”
This will be the 47-year-old rocker’s second marriage – he divorced former model Laurie Farinacci in 2002.
Here’s the music hitmaker with fiance Melina Gallo at The 14th Annual Race To Erase MS Themed ‘ Dancing To Erase MS ‘ held at Hyatt Regency Century Plaza six years ago.