They make Howard Stern “feel funny,” have a name most people don’t understand and can be seen on MTV every five minutes of the day, but the Goo Goo Dolls are only starting to enjoy the fruits of a 12-year folly.Starting out as a band in Buffalo, N.Y. in 1986, the Goo Goo Dolls have traveled a long and winding road that has led them to a place where they can count chart-topping albums, sell-out tours and get international recognition among their accumulated rock n’ roll bounty. With a new hit album, “Dizzy Up the Girl,” and garnering the position of the opening act for some of the dates on the Rolling Stones’ U.S. tour in 1999, the band shows no sign of disappearing from the public eye in the near future. A love of music and influences as diverse as Triumph, the Beatles and Ramones was what first drove John Rzeznik (vocals, guitar) and Robby Takac (bass, vocals) to form the band. Their early releases “Goo Goo Dolls” and “Jed” gained them a strong following in Buffalo. Though much more aggressive in nature, these releases provided a sound base for the band’s characteristic style. After releasing “Hold Me Up” and “Superstar Car Wash,” the band started to receive increased exposure as well as many comparisons to the band, the Replacements. Even today the band sometimes finds itself living in the shadow of the Replacements, but Rzeznik considers it more of an honor than an insult.”Yes, they are a major influence on us,” Rzeznik said, “but they are also one of the greatest American bands of the past few decades.”After experiencing a bit of mainstream success with “Name” from the album, “A Boy Named Goo,” and a guest spot on “Beverly Hills, 90210”, the band was primed for something big. With the addition of a new drummer, Mike Malinin, they set out to make their new album “Dizzy Up the Girl.””This is the record we wanted to make for four years,” Rzeznik said.Spawning the hits “Iris” and “Slide,” the new album has thrust the band into the spotlight, but not without negative consequences. Heavy rotation and exposure have also earned the band plenty of criticism. Takac described the public perception of the band as two schools of thought.”Basically, people are really happy for us or they say our popularity is unjust because certain other bands haven’t made it big,” said Takac. “Very few people want to give you credit once you get popular, even though we stuck it out as a band for 12 years.”Sticking it out and taking chances is also what makes the band so appealing. Stints on “Beverly Hills, 90210” and the “Howard Stern Show,” as well as reworking the Major League Baseball theme for broadcast television have been some of the projects that many bands today won’t even consider doing.”We do all kinds of things because its fun,” Rzeznik said. “It’s too bad that a lot of people are afraid to try things because they think they’re too cool.”There will always be critics, but even while riding the coattails of success the band has managed to keep themselves grounded and try to keep things in perspective. Still calling Buffalo their hometown and preferring smaller venues to hockey arenas, the band has taken all of it in stride. Today’s subdued ballads coexist alongside the more aggressive sounds of their early material but the Goo Goo Dolls have not lost their edge. So whether it was a few beers talking or sound advice, when Takac says, “Don’t f*** with me, I’m from Buffalo!” people should take heed.