Tony Kanal came to prominence as the bassist for highly successful alternative rockers No Doubt. Since then, he has stayed plenty busy writing and producing for others as well as performing in new-wave supergroup, Dreamcar, with AFI frontman Davey Havok. Kanal purchased his Los Angeles-area home in 2005 from the now late actor, Heath Ledger, and the bassist is having trouble with a stalker who thinks Ledger is still alive and living on the property. According to TMZ, Kanal filed for and received a temporary restraining order against George Leonardopoulos. Kanal said the man has “terrorized his family for the past few months with unannounced and unwelcome visits,” according to TMZ.
Leonardopoulos has apparently visited the home numerous times since late January and hopped the gate once to get onto the property. The TMZ article says: “Leonardopoulos allegedly said it was gravely important he be let in to pop into their garage so he could ‘wake’ Heath — telling them if ‘you know what is good for you, you will let me in.’” Kanal also said they’ve seen the stalker wielding a large stick and a knife, and that they have called the police on him in the past. Leonardopoulos apparently lived at the house previously, and he has told the Kanal family he still thinks Heath is living there and alive. A judge singed off on the restraining order last week, and it’s in effect until a hearing later this month. Leonardopoulos has to stay 100 yards from the Kanal family and their property until a resolution is reached.
No Doubt’s last album was 2012’s “Push and Shove.” They have sold more than 33 million records worldwide but remain on hiatus. Vocalist Gwen Stefani spoke about the future of the group with Rolling Stone in 2016: “I don’t know what’s going to happen with No Doubt. When Tony [Kanal] and I are connected creatively, it’s magic. But I think we’ve grown apart as far as what kind of music we want to make. I was really drained and burned out when we recorded that album [2012’s Push and Shove]. And I had a lot of guilt: ‘I have to do it.’ That’s not the right setting to make music. There’s some really great writing on that record. But the production felt really conflicted. It was sad how we all waited that long to put something out and it didn’t get heard.”
