BUSH Frontman Likes Being Able To Go From Playing Metal Festivals To Sharing Stages With Pop Bands

In a new interview with Audacy Check In host Remy Maxwell, BUSH frontman Gavin Rossdale discussed the heavy musical direction of the band's upcoming album, "The Art Of Survival". He said: "People are always talking about the state… 'Where's rock music? What does it mean to anyone?' And to me it's always just like the best… It's like counterculture.

"And this is so funny when you play these massive festivals and massive shows, but it's this underground thing. And I like the danger of it.

"I go from metal festivals to festivals with pop bands; we just change stuff up. I just like the heavy stuff. Our stuff's not metal, it's just heavy… And it creates its own sound. And I like that. I'm always trying to discover things.

"When I play regular, standard-tuned guitars right now I'm, like, 'Mmmm, don't know about that.' As soon as I play my drop[-tuned] guitars, I'm, like, 'Yeah, baby.' … The whole [new BUSH] record is drop C… It's nice to have that, because people… It's just subliminal —in your system, it just feels so heavy. And you can either choose to scream on it — some guys are really good at screaming; some guys are really good at dog-barking — that's not my thing. I just like melody. I like interesting cultural crashes."

BUSH wrote and recorded what would become "The Art Of Survival" during 2022, reteaming with Erik Ron (PANIC! AT THE DISCO, GODSMACK) who produced "Flowers On A Grave" and the title track for 2020's "The Kingdom", and collaborating once again on two tracks with film composer, musician, and producer Tyler Bates ("300", "Guardian Of The Galaxy"). The central theme speaks to both the human spirit's resiliency in the face of trials and tribulations as well as the band's own enduring place as rock outliers.

Rossdale previously stated about the upcoming LP: "Instead of being mournful or self-piteous, this is about the success stories of humanity's survival against the odds. People just find a way to push through. We've all obviously suffered in varying degrees. I think the nature of life is the art of survival. Everyone is being tested all of the time, but we find a way. In recent memory, we've made major strides and shown great resilience in the face of war, endless instances of racism, gender politics, a pandemic, and a melting pot of what we've experienced. For me, 'The Art Of Survival' encompasses all of this."

Rossdale told Germany's Radio Bob! about the musical direction of "The Art Of Survival": "I think I had so much fun to make it heavy that I just stayed heavy and stayed with heavy tuning and strong riffs — stuff [that will go over well at] festivals. I just like it to be exciting and really driving. So it's similar to the last one. If you liked the last one, that level of heavy, then it's like that."

Four months ago, Rossdale told Australia's May The Rock Be With You that he had written 18 songs for BUSH's next album. He also said that he tried to keep the musical direction of the new BUSH music similar to that of "The Kingdom". "It's all like that," he said. "I like that. So I've kept it in that vein. That was the launchpad. That was it. I was, like, 'I'm off.' I've got maybe two ballady, two softer songs, slower songs, but they're weird."

He continued: "I've got a studio in my house now and it's been such an amazing time. You have the tools at your fingertips now to make songs and make music. It's just staggering. It's so much fun."

Hitting the road on one of the hottest rock tours of the summer, BUSH will join ALICE IN CHAINS and BREAKING BENJAMIN for a massive North American jaunt, rolling through amphitheaters and sheds coast to coast for eight weeks. The tour kicks off on August 10 in Burgettstown, Pennsylvania at The Pavilion at Star Lake, visits major markets everywhere, and concludes on October 8 in Mansfield, Massachusetts at Xfinity Center.