And of course its sonic identity marked a huge turning point for the Goo Goo Dolls. The band had started in the 80s as a punk rock group and, after a few albums, had begun adding more and more pop elements, softer melodies, and more accessible moments alongside its harder sound. That had already annoyed part of their older, harder core audience when they had their first major hit with “Name” from A Boy Named Goo. So releasing another rock ballad like “Iris” meant risking even further alienation from their veteran fans. But as Rzeznik said to Songwriter Universe, from the moment they heard it come alive in the studio with a 16 piece string orchestra, they understood there was no going back