Gavin Rossdale of Bush Interview – New Album, Tour & Denver Show
I had the chance to catch up with Gavin Rossdale of Bush ahead of their upcoming tour, and we covered a lot of ground – from the band’s new album I Beat Loneliness to how those songs take on a different life once they hit the stage.
It also felt a bit full circle for me. The last time I photographed Bush was over a decade ago, and revisiting their music now (especially through this new record) brought that history back in a really meaningful way.
Bush has been part of the alternative rock landscape for decades, and one thing that came through right away is how much that history still shapes the way Gavin writes and performs. This new album leans into more personal territory, touching on mental health, resilience, and the kind of honesty that has always connected with fans.
We also talked about what it feels like to bring those songs into a live setting, the balance between heavy riffs and melody, and yes – a few memories of playing Denver over the years, from Red Rocks to much smaller rooms early on.
Header photo by Chapman Baehler.
Interview with Gavin Rossdale of Bush
Aimee:
Let’s get right into it. I love the latest album, I Beat Loneliness. I’ve listened to it a lot actually, and it feels really personal. Did it feel like that when you were making it, or where did the inspiration come from?
Gavin:
Yeah, I mean, the challenge of writing this record, the 10th record for us, which I thought was a really auspicious number… so I was like, “What’s the best thing I can bring? What’s the most authentic, honest combination of all these years I can bring?” And I thought, “Myself. Bring myself!”
Quite often before, I’ll start a bunch of songs and then be like, “Oh my God, stop talking about yourself. It’s embarrassing,” and not let myself use the word “I” or something. So I’d find subjects or base it on a book or a character or whoever, whatever.
But this time, because of the further exploration of mental health and the openness of people expressing themselves around mental health, I thought maybe some perspective, maybe my own truth, would be a good thing to explore. I’m quite honest about life having been quite difficult at times, and challenges don’t seem to end. They seem to… just when you think things are great, a train goes right across your track. And everyone I know deals with these things. So I thought having a record that honored that reality was the best thing I could offer. And again, the irony of going as far into myself as possible got me to a more universal place than I could have imagined.
And I’m always full of hope. I think that life is incredible. I feel terrible for people who feel trapped and lost. That despair can be enormous. I also like to be useful. When I meet people in my daily life, they talk about the effect of my music on them, the effect of the words. Nobody asks me where I get my shirt from or where I get my shoes. No one cares. It’s always a story about their journey that was difficult and how they found comfort, solace in the music. But I’m always really clear to point out that we just provided the soundtrack to the work they did, or the courage they had to pull themselves out of that hole.
Aimee:
Absolutely. Well, and I had actually asked on Threads what I should ask you. A lot of people talked about lyrics and saying that you touched them with for years – and even decades. So that reinforces what you were talking about. And I always feel like you’ve had these heartfelt lyrics, but then they kind of turn into these anthems that when you’re live, you’ve got people singing their hearts out. I mean, is that just your style, or is that on purpose, or does it just come out like that?
Gavin:
Yeah! I wish I was a bit better at music, so it would be less… that I could do that more consistently. I don’t know. Yeah, I like the music to be really heavy, but then add melody. I love melody. I grew up on tons of melodic music, so I love to juxtapose the heavy riffs and find melodies in there. And so that singability is just, it’s like ear candy. I love candy more than I should. [laughs] To be honest, all my favorite bands, if you took Tool or the Deftones, it’s not their kind of obtuse really hardcore songs screaming songs I like the most. I like the ones that you can whistle and hum, and they live in your brain. I think melody’s good because melody is romantic. It’s romantic. Like, I love Fugazi, and “Waiting Room” is my favorite song of theirs because they got this hook. I like hooks. I can’t help it.
I think Stevie Wonder’s a genius, and he’s nothing but hooks. I’m always trying to get melodies going. And ironically, with heavier music and with riffs, it’s actually harder because the chords tend to change much less. So you have to be far more inventive where you put the melody or else it just sounds like a blues song or something like that. It’s not a lilting wild melody. So that’s always my challenge is to keep the music hard and interesting, yet find melody in there.
Aimee:
Interesting. Okay. And with the new album, when you take these songs on the road, what changes in front of a crowd for you? How does that translate to these things that you’ve been working on…
Gavin:
Yeah, it’s a great point, a great question. What comes out, weirdly enough, is liberation, is ultimate gushing like an opening of a dam. Playing all those songs, it feels water-like, over the crowd and then back to us. There’ll be times when I was on the last tour in Europe, and I had a great experience in Europe. But I played to a lot of people that maybe didn’t know the band that well. So it was really fun.
Aimee:
Wait, really?
Gavin:
Well, we played to Volbeat‘s crowd, which is a specific band.
Aimee:
Oh, okay. That makes more sense.
Gavin:
Yeah, they’re from Denmark. So I played for 36,000 people in Denmark. If I went to Denmark on my own, I would not, sadly – don’t tell anyone – but I would not have 36,000 people at my crowd. It wouldn’t happen.
Aimee:
I’ll keep it our little secret.
Gavin:
Thank you. [laughing] But I was thinking… it was actually super liberating because it just let the music be forced to speak for itself. And that gave it a new lease of life because it was no longer, “Well, I got to play that. That song was number one, and that wasn’t a single.” It doesn’t matter. It’s like, what are people going to love? What’s the tempo? What’s the feeling? What’s the chorus? What’s the payoff? I mean, a chorus is the payoff. Everything else is the journey to the payoff.
And sometimes I am frustrated that there’s an intro, there’s a verse, and there’s a chorus, and there’s another verse, there’s a chorus, and there’s middle eight. It’s so hard to get away from that format simply because it’s what works in our DNA. It’s what our minds want. We’re okay to go to that section twice, but, oh, I’m going to need to change now. If you want me to stay in this song with you, I need to change somehow. And so you find yourself slightly in that thing, and you try not to do it, but when you’re making the songs and the music, there are just moments where I can’t help it.
Aimee:
But then you get a chance to change it when you’re doing it live. You get to experiment and play it in different ways, is that what you mean?
Gavin:
Well, no, I think when you play in front of people, they just give you the confidence to just own it and to love it even more, that it just takes on its own power.
Aimee:
That makes sense. Well, and so I’m based in Denver, and you’re coming through on this tour. Do you have any memories of playing in the Mile High City?
Gavin:
Oh, loads. First off, of course, Red Rocks. Most wonderful venue and we’ve played it a number of times. When I’ve been there, I found placed to do yoga and play tennis and made friends there. So I know my way around Denver a bit because of those people. And that’s what I love, knowing people on the ground while I’m on tour. So you go into that city and you can see those people and you know they’re going to come to show. It’s always great to have a couple of days off there.
Aimee:
Somebody mentioned that you had played the Mercury Cafe in 1995, and to me that’s insane because that is the tiniest place. Do you have any memory of that? I mean, it’s so long ago.
Gavin:
Well, the thing is, I just remember all of that tour, what was the most exciting thing is that, I’m English, so I had no expectations, and it was drilled into me to not have any expectations. So just to be coming on tour in America with my band and everything was taking off. I thought that the kind of music we made only belonged in clubs anyway. So for me, they were like, who played here last week, Sonic Youth? Oh my God, who’s coming next week? Oh, Hole or The Pumpkins, Nirvana played here. So no, I saw myself in a… I was thrilled to be in the lineage. It was an honor for me to play those clubs. I mean, what was I even doing? I’m from North London, and I’m at normal club in Denver, it was a big deal. That was such a big deal.
Aimee:
That’s awesome. So outside of music, what’s something small in your life that’s making you happy?
Gavin:
Well, he’s not so small, but my dog. I got a dog about nine months ago, and I’m now actually a dog handler. Is my main job. So he’s bringing me a lot of joy. Also – the growth and the maturation of my children, I mean, I missed them as babies, but there’s something magical about…
Aimee:
They’re like teenager age, right?
Gavin:
Yeah. I have a 12-year-old, a 17-year-old soon to be 18, and a 19 soon to be 20. And I got a note from my little boy last night when I went to… I was really tired and they were playing video games as they’re off school. I was like, “My God, I’m so going to go bed,” and then he sent me this thing last night. It was just so… [Gavin picks up phone and reads text] “Go to bed. Thank you for being the best dad ever. Love you so much.” So sweet. I was like, I just couldn’t believe it. Of his own volition just writes that kind of stuff. It makes me feel so good. That makes me feel like a success. So, I’m happy to be a really good dad to them, and also have this beautiful career where I get to be a working musician, you know?
Aimee:
So great. OK, there was one question that came up on Threads several times, I’m sorry if you’ve been asked this before, but there’s a line from “Glycerine” that several people wanted to know what it meant, “when we rise, it’s like strawberry fields.”
Gavin:
“When we rise, it’s like strawberry fields.” Well, obviously strawberry fields is in our DNA from the Beatles.
Aimee:
Yeah, I was like, it’s kind of obvious to me.
Gavin:
But I like the duality of it… like we were talking about. I mean, I love strawberries. “When we rise, it’s like strawberry fields…” and the beauty of the Beatles or running in a strawberry farm. I love this question though, because I’ve got another point about that… one of my biggest compliments I ever got was – my eldest son is a musician, a fantastic writer – and he’s just recorded his first EP. And one of the songs is called “Strawberry Fields.”
Aimee:
Oh, that’s so great.
Gavin:
It’s so sweet and he never said anything about it.
Aimee:
I have a 23-year-old, so I’m going through this, when you relate to your child as an adult and it’s very different feelings, right?
Gavin:
Exactly. So the fact that he kind of honored me by using a line I nicked from The Beatles, it was so great.
Aimee:
Love that. And I have to tell you that “Machinehead” is my favorite song.
Gavin:
Oh, good.
Aimee:
I feel like it’s dystopian, but also not. Again, like we were talking about before where “yeah, it’s dystopian, but I feel good singing it.” You know what I mean?
Gavin:
Yeah, because that’s ME. I think that the world is so challenging and it’s not easy for anybody, but we find our way through. “Dystopian.” I love that. I should have used that all these years. That’s what it is. It’s clunky, it’s got that vibe.
And here’s a good point – and you tell me what you think, so we have a set of 40 songs we’re choosing from, right? The band is suggesting starting this tour with “Machinehead.” And I said, “I’m totally down with starting with Machinehead. But we can’t do the whole tour starting with Machinehead. That seems crazy.” And my guitar player goes, “Well, the fans will love it.” So it’s just funny, like you came to see a show and that’s just Denver, we start with Machinehead. I almost don’t want to deny anyone that in other cities, so he’s probably right, right?
Aimee:
Yeah, it’s hard these days because people look up the setlist and then they’re like, “Oh, I’m expecting Machinehead first.” I do it because I’m a photographer, so I like to know when a song’s going to be for photography. But I do think that that is a problem where people maybe expect things, but in the end, I think you should play what you want to play.
Gavin:
Yeah. Well, it’s between me and him. So it’s like he’s an equal vote to me. I thought, we always want to be interesting so the set will change every night. There’d be five, six, seven or eight changes every night because we have areas where some songs have options and then of course we’d always play Machinehead, for example. So I don’t know. It’s this age-old thing of wanting to be interesting. Metallica is well known for playing three stadium shows and there are three completely different sets.
Aimee:
But they’re playing within the same place for those three days. You know what I mean? So I don’t know. I think you should play whatever you want… as long as you play Machinehead first. [laughs]
Gavin:
[laughs] That’s what he’s saying. You sound like Chris [Trayner] now. I think I just lost the vote.
Many thanks to Gavin for his time and candor. Here in Denver, the show will be at the Fillmore on May 3rd. Get your tickets now!
As part of the album artwork, BUSH are including helpline numbers for anyone struggling with suicidal thoughts, and partnering with the app WeConnect to offer real-world support for mental health, behavioral health, and substance use.
Bush 2026 Tour Dates
Apr 7, 2026 – UPMC Events Center – Pittsburgh, PA
Apr 9, 2026 – The Anthem – Washington, DC
Apr 10, 2026 – Brooklyn Paramount – New York, NY
Apr 12, 2026 – MGM Music Hall at Fenway – Boston, MA
Apr 14, 2026 – Red Hat Amphitheater – Raleigh, NC
Apr 15, 2026 – Skyla Credit Union Amphitheatre – Charlotte, NC
Apr 17, 2026 – Mississippi Coast Coliseum – Biloxi, MS
Apr 18, 2026 – Brandon Amphitheater – Brandon, MS
Apr 21, 2026 – The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory – Irving, TX
Apr 22, 2026 – Freeman Coliseum – San Antonio, TX
Apr 25, 2026 – Stagecoach Festival – Indio, CA
Apr 28, 2026 – Theater of the Clouds – Portland, OR
Apr 29, 2026 – WAMU Theater – Seattle, WA
May 1, 2026 – Maverik Center – West Valley City, UT
May 3, 2026 – Fillmore – Denver, CO
May 5, 2026 – Vibrant Arena at The MARK – Moline, IL
May 6, 2026 – Oshkosh Arena – Oshkosh, WI
May 8, 2026 – Azura Amphitheater – Bonner Springs, KS
May 9, 2026 – Ozarks Amphitheater – Camdenton, MO
May 12, 2026 – Hard Rock Live – Hollywood, FL
May 13, 2026 – The BayCare Sound – Clearwater, FL
May 15, 2026 – FirstBank Amphitheater – Franklin, TN
May 16, 2026 – Sonic Temple Festival – Columbus, OH
May 22-24, 2026 – BottleRock Festival – Napa, CA
May 24, 2026 – Napa Music Hall – Napa, CA
Jun 5-7, 2026 – Rock Am Ring – Nürburg, Germany
Jun 10-14, 2026 – Download Festival – Derby, UK
Jun 19, 2026 – Graspop Metal Meeting – Dessel, Belgium
Jun 27, 2026 – Blackbird Festival – Cardiff, UK
Jul 6, 2026 – Parco Delle Caserme Rosse – Bologna, Italy
Jul 11, 2026 – Forestglade Festival – Eisenstadt, Austria
Jul 16, 2026 – Mystic Lake Amphitheater – Shakopee, MN
Jul 19, 2026 – Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre – Tinley Park, IL
Jul 24, 2026 – Steven Brown Sports Complex – Brantford, Canada
Sep 17, 2026 – Spark Arena – Auckland, New Zealand
Sep 20, 2026 – Riverstage – Brisbane, Australia
Sep 23, 2026 – Hordern Pavilion – Sydney, Australia
Sep 25, 2026 – John Cain Arena – Melbourne, Australia
Sep 27, 2026 – Adelaide Entertainment Centre Theatre – Adelaide, Australia
Sep 29, 2026 – HPC Arena – Perth, Australia
Oct 23-25, 2026 – Shinedown’s Lunatic Luau – Miramar Beach, FL
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