No Doubt Turned Studio Into Darkroom for Gwen Stefani

When it comes to writing new music, No Doubt's Gwen Stefani has always been a night owl, only able to compose when she stays up into the wee hours. But when it came to penning the band's forthcoming comeback disc, 'Push and Shove,' the mother of two young boys didn't have the time available to lock herself in the studio overnight. So bassist Tony Kanal came up with a plan: transforming the recording studio in his house into a virtual darkroom.

"We had to black out all the windows and this beautiful view of Los Angeles so Gwen could pretend it was night," the Kanal tells The Sun. "But it worked. Once we wrote the song 'Undercover,' this massive weight lifted off our shoulders and we knew we could do it."

Stefani says working around her busy schedule wasn't easy, but ultimately, they pulled it off. "I'd be there from 4pm after being up all night with [youngest son] Zuma," she adds. "Tony was a lifesaver as I was so exhausted ... He inspired me and helped me because I didn't have the luxury of time. In the past I'd never write a song before the sun went down. This time I had to be home for when [older son] Kingston got out of school."

The result, 'Push and Shove,' hits stores Sept. 25.