Today I received a message from user Bailey, who forwarded a couple of very interesting articles focused on John’s first wife, Laurie Farinacci.
A few months ago I wrote a post about Laurie, a somewhat obscure character from the band’s past. You can read the post dedicated to her right here. It’s a riveting analysis of the relationship between the two, but moreover, it’s an insight into how Laurie had a profound impact on the Goo Goo Dolls’ evolution in the years spanning from 1993 to 1997, hence during that intense (for better and worse) period within which the music group was pushing harder than they ever did towards public recognition.
Laurie was also the inspiration behind many of the best tracks the band ever recorded, and remained a point of attention even after her and John rendered their divorce official in 2002.
The first article is from 1996, and it is pictured below. It’s from a magazine called “Playgirl”. In there, John briefly talks about how Laurie looks like, and expresses his opinion about the typical relationship between band members and female fans who fall in love with their idols.
The second article is from 2000. Bailey did not send a picture of the written part, but instead sent a photo of John which appeared in it. This is a 1998 picture of him.
In the interview, the lead singer speaks out his mind about the separation from Laurie, which had happened three years earlier. The interview confirms what we already knew in terms of the reciprocal respect between the two individuals, even after their careers put themselves in the middle of their love story. I am not going to repeat myself, and invite you to read the aforementioned blog post about Laurie for more details.
Originally taken from here. (Archived version here).
Goo Singer and Wife Separate
February 10, 2000
Johnny Rzeznik of the Goo Goo Dolls confirms that he and his wife, Laurie, have separated. But it’s not what it sounds like.
“We’re not separated to get divorced,” Rzeznik explains. “She’s going to college. We’re separated like, ‘I’m going to school, you’re doing this, we’re not going to see each other much. Let’s see what happens when both our lives settle down a little bit.'”
Laurie, whom Rzeznik married during the mid-’90s after they had been dating for many years, is studying at Buffalo State College, the singer-guitarist’s “sort-of alma mater” (“I spent three years there, all freshman”), to be a high school English teacher. Rzeznik applauds his wife as “a brave woman. I told her, ‘You’re gonna have to get a flak jacket.’ Maybe I’ll get her shooting lessons for her graduation. But she’s all into that thing; she’s unbelievably altruistic. I was like, ‘Don’t you want to be a shrink? You’re so good at it; you’ve been dealing with me for 10 years!'”
But Rzeznik says that ultimately, the ability to support Laurie in her pursuit is a way to pay her back for backing him during the many lean days of the Goo Goo Dolls’ road to stardom — the group is currently nominated for a Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocal Grammy for the hit “Black Balloon.”
“She never wanted to get in the way of me doing this and always supported it,” he explains. “That’s the nicest part about [success], being able to pay people back who did right by you.”
Thanks a lot Bailey for the precious material!
Temple Of Goo - The rarest Goo Goo Dolls releases, for real Goo fans only 
That photo is the one that appears in the Guitar World magazine of February 1998, since it appears with the same green glitter stratocaster guitar!!!
Thanks, will make a correction
Oh really? I found this ages ago and I noticed that. I love that guitar. He plays it during that one Jay Leno show in 1996 when they were performing Long Way Down. I know he used it during the Dizzy tour and he put on the GGD Dizzy hazard sign sticker. I have more pictures of him with it if you want me to send them to you. I’m going to look for that issue of Guitar World. . .and if I never find it, I guess I’m buying it and I’ll scan the picture and interview in for you.
It’s amazing, you should upload the photos to the blog.
I need to find some records of the band from 1997, which could be before Dizzy Up The Girl was released, I’m very interested in material from mid 1997 to early 1998.
Especially if there are pictures from the December 31 performances on The Hard Rock, Orlando, 1997.
Memphis Fair in September 1997 or RockCandy Seattle 1998, since I’m interested in knowing what songs they actually played.
Greetings from Chile and long live the Goo Goo Dolls
Wow that’s a very different description of their situation than the one he tells now!
I’m his ex brother-in-law and friend. It’s not that dissimilar but he did leave a few points out. His inability to clean up is what drove Laurie out. He did it, thankfully, years later. He’s a great guy still regardless of how their marriage broke. She would have stayed had he done what he did years later.
Hello. Could you check with Laurie if she would be interested in an interview with the Temple Of Goo? We can agree upon topics to discuss beforehand, and leave the personal matters aside if she wishes to do so. Given the nature of this blog, which mainly focuses on pre-Dizzy Up The Girl material, I would say a discussion about trivia and curiosities related to the years 1990-1997 would be quite nice. (I would personally flood her with questions about my favorite album, Superstar Car Wash).
I know she was (and probably still is) the source of inspiration for many amazing Goo Goo Dolls songs. Her insights into the band’s evolution would be very interesting.
Regards.
I will ask her. I remember the first day she told me who she was dating. I was in the local music industry and, as a bif brother would, I scoped him out. I went down to the Continental (local punk venue) where he was a barback and introduced myself. LOL.
Knew immediately he was a good guy.
Although, I had met the band previously at another venue that they were playing at the same night my friends band was playing. That was their earlier, barefooted on stage, days.
Interesting bit of history. According to my research, Laurie and John were well known at the Continental, and a good number of people who used to frequent that venue back then reported they were “madly in love with each other”. I guess I’m happy for John. During my various researches, I discovered that back then he had a lot of issues, especially monetary, and I’m sure Laurie did a great job helping him out any way she could. I also believe the stability she brought upon him helped shape their forth release by maximizing the band’s potential, in a way. And it shows. Just a wild speculation of mine.
Ive heard the same from a dozen old fans.
The huge leap of improvement in John’s SSCW lyrics is something Ive always figured Laurie might have influenced. (the English teaching degree attests to a mutual love of words) Plus, there are a few old interviews where he credits her for getting him off drinking back then. We fans probably have a lot to thank her for tbh. I hope she’s happy and doing well!
That’s unfortunate that he decided to change after all of that happened. I’ve heard that he and Laurie were quite the love birds. Oh and just wondering that orange and green scarf he had…did she knit that for him? I heard from someone that she did and he seemed to wear it a lot.
I know, it’s pretty sad. They were definitely love birds. They remained friends for quite some time, even after the divorce and even after he remarried. I do remember a bad point backstage after a show in 2010-2013ish. Have never brought it back up to know the details.
oof yeah some of those stories trickled down. :(((( Sorry to hear there was any truth to them.
Hi there. Well, I mean dissimilar in that more recently John has said he left and they were already divorced in 1997 and she didn’t support him. He’s obviously revising the story now tho. lol He does seem like a good guy at heart despite some difficulties. I wish he had cleaned up earlier! By all accounts Ive heard Laurie was a huge force for good in his life and amazing person.