00:00 [APPLAUSE]
00:03 All right, before we hear from you, Gwen,
00:27 we have three friends of yours who
00:29 would like to say a few words.
00:30 Our first speaker is record label founder and entrepreneur.
00:34 Please help me welcome to the stage legendary music
00:37 executive Jimmy Iovine.
00:39 [APPLAUSE]
00:42 I didn't get to know I stand next to Gwen.
00:55 So anyway, in 1991, a fellow named Tony Ferguson
01:00 came to my office.
01:02 And he said, there's this incredible ska band
01:06 that I want you to see.
01:07 I said, oh, from Jamaica?
01:10 He said, no.
01:11 I said, oh, they must be from England.
01:13 No, they're from Orange County.
01:15 He said, Orange County?
01:16 [APPLAUSE]
01:17 OK, well, there you go.
01:20 So anyway, I go and see this band.
01:24 I go see these four people playing literally
01:28 like a hurricane.
01:30 I couldn't hear the songs.
01:31 I couldn't hear the singer.
01:33 I didn't quite know if they were good or not.
01:35 But they had a phenomenal energy.
01:38 And those were the days where you
01:40 would sign a band from a record company based on energy, heart,
01:45 feel, and potential.
01:47 It wasn't like today where they have 3 million people watching
01:51 their TikTok song or something like that.
01:54 It was the old days.
01:57 But there was something unique.
01:58 The singer was performing with reckless abandon,
02:03 like there was no one within 10,000 yards of her.
02:08 And she was a blonde young girl.
02:10 And she didn't care if we were there, who we were,
02:13 what it was.
02:14 She just was fearless.
02:16 And I said, you know, this is something
02:19 that if we water it, over the years,
02:23 it could be really-- could be a Redwood.
02:25 Could be incredible.
02:26 So we signed them.
02:29 And about three or four-- remember, this is a time,
02:31 1991.
02:33 This was-- on the label were like Her and Tupac.
02:38 And we just-- this was a year before the big bang
02:42 of the chronic with Dr. Dre at Interscope.
02:45 So these were early, early days.
02:47 We were feeling our way around.
02:49 And somehow or another, with all the groups and everything,
02:53 no doubt and Gwen became my job.
02:57 And lucky me.
02:58 So I've had--
03:01 I've had floor seats for Gwen Stefani for 33 years.
03:06 [CHEERING]
03:08 And it's been an incredible show to watch,
03:11 to watch her grow and move, but yet stay the same.
03:15 Heart, soul, caring, talented is all her.
03:19 Getting more talented every day.
03:21 Watching that was incredible.
03:23 Went to do her solo records.
03:25 I mean, we had everything.
03:26 Excitement, ups and downs, even a few tears
03:30 when she went into the studio with Dr. Dre to cut Blow
03:34 Your Mind, when she had to do the vocal.
03:37 Dre's a perfectionist, so we had a tough day that day.
03:40 But she did an incredible job.
03:42 And the solo career was just extraordinary.
03:47 And it's been an incredible, incredible show.
03:50 And Gwen, I love you.
03:53 You didn't disappoint.
03:54 You overachieved as usual.
03:56 Heck, the whole world loves you.
03:58 God bless you, baby.
03:59 [CHEERING]
04:00 I love you.
04:01 Thank you.
04:02 Thank you so much.
04:03 [CHEERING]
04:06 [MUSIC PLAYING]
04:10 (whooshing)
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