Gwen Stefani admitted recently that as much as she has loved her solo career, it was never meant to be a permanent arrangement.

“It just feels so much more natural being back in this mode,” she said. “The solo records allowed me to indulge my girly side but it was never meant to be taken seriously. It was just like an art project that kept going longer than I expected. The group never ended – we always knew we’d come back to make this album.”

With No Doubt recently releasing their sixth studio album–“Push And Shove”–after four long years of preparation, it’s seemed to fans like a project that would never see the light of day. Between various band members having children and Gwen’s hugely successful solo albums (not to mention her clothing line), it took a while for everyone to be able to get in the same room, let alone write an album.

“I was just burned out. I’d done the two [solo] albums, the two tours, I’d had the two babies – there had been a lot of output in those years [since Rock Steady]. When you first have a baby your life doesn’t really change,” Stefani said. “You’re tired but it’s nothing compared to when they grow and they’re humans and they need you. By the time we were making this record my toddler was becoming a little guy and school, and oh my God, it was super challenging.”

If anyone had any doubts as to whether or not the band would make it through all those life-changing events, the group lays those fears to rest with the news that they will be bringing all eight of their children on tour with them when the time comes. That’s dedication.