By Joshua Maloni

GM/Managing Editor

Of all the posts Bush frontman Gavin Rossdale has enjoyed over his stellar career – musician, actor, fashion designer – there is one profession he still pines for: Painter.

“Every decorator has this affliction. You walk into a house, and you look up at the ceiling, and you go, ‘No, I wouldn’t have done it like that’ (laughs),” Rossdale said in a phone interview.

“By the way, it’s the same if you have a fashion line,” he explained. “Everyone's like, ‘Oh, I would have done it like that.’ Everyone does that stuff.

“Sometimes I miss the simplicity of it. You know, what I liked about it, is that, when I was working as a painter, I was simultaneously trying to be musician, obviously. And the hardest thing I always found about being a musician was there was nothing. I couldn't get a break; couldn't get signed. I was failing on failing. You know, get demo time, not get record deals; demo time, no record deal; shows, no record deals. And it was such a weird existence, because there was never any success. There's no closure. You know, I'll write another song. Someone might like it.

“And the best thing about doing the painting was that, you know, you had a house or an office, and had over the weekend to paint these offices so people wouldn’t lose work. So, you go in on a Friday afternoon and you’d paint all weekend. You’d use the light; you’d paint through the nights. And you'd have a deadline to meet.

“I could finish things. You know, I start the room, I start the house, I finish it. And there's something really nice about that – that music could never give me. And here I am, still doing music, unfinished, no end in sight (laughs). But now it's a beautiful thing, because I get to do it with a lot of people watching.”

Rossdale is feeling more reminiscent these days, as his band, Bush, celebrates the release of “Loaded: The Greatest Hits 1994-2023.” He (vocals, guitar), Chris Traynor (guitar), Corey Britz (bass) and Nik Hughes (drums) are touring in support of 30 years of hit songs – and taking Jerry Cantrell and Candlebox along as special guests. The show visits the Artpark Amphitheater on Aug. 17. Visit www.artpark.net for tickets.

Bush “Loaded” image courtesy of 2b Entertainment

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Long-opposed to career compilations, Rossdale admitted, “I have a really persuasive manager who just made me see it a different way. And you know, there's so many ways you can look at any one thing. I think that I've been scared to have greatest hits because I thought the 26 hits wasn't enough. I was like keep going! (laughs)”

He explained, “My manager was like, ‘Treat it like a celebration, and that's what you're doing.’ So, in a sense, this whole tour – this whole process – is about celebration and about where we've been.

“What makes me most happy … is I have a lot of people who were there right from the get-go, but I also have a lot of people who have just come on with us, certain road people who literally weren't even born. They were born in the aughts. The 2000s. So, it's so incredible to have that wide range.

“When I would tour with Institute, my band – my side project – I toured with U2 twice. And what got me was the range of people, young fans to older fans, and that's the mark where you’ve really touched the culture; where you've transcended kind of specific age groups and just made music that people connect to.”

WATCH:

Bush photos by Shervin Lainez // courtesy of 2b Entertainment

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Of course, it helps to make connection when you’re one of rock music’s great modern-day frontmen. Rossdale’s vocal talent, swagger and Hollywood good looks propelled him into superstardom.

“I think that, for me, I always think about it as trying to be the most kind of electrifying performer I can be,” he said. “Some people say that’s not really a kind of genre that exists so much anymore. I don't know. I’m sure it does because, if you’re the front person of a band, you’re the front of the band.

“I just always try to find ways to be as interesting as possible – and I always turn it back on myself. When I go see a show, what do I want? What I want is for that singer to kind of grab me, figuratively, by the throat – grab me by the heart – and just pull me in.

You’re responsible to the audience. … I don’t shuffle around – just walk from one spot to another. Everything is imbued with an electric current. Otherwise, you know, it’s not entertaining. I think that we have a responsibility to be entertaining, sonically, and how we present ourselves on stage.

“That’s how I see it, and everything is always a challenge – against myself, to be more interesting than I was last night. To sing better than I sang last night. To connect better than I did last night.

“That’s what’s kept me going all these years – play every show like it’s your last show you’ll ever play.

“I’m into performance. I’m a performance artist.”

Bush “Loaded Tour” image courtesy of 2b Entertainment

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A new grandfather, Rossdale’s also concerned about the world his future generations will find when they’re his age. As such, he’s become more outspoken in his political and cultural views.

“I believe that, if each of us contributed to this world in some meaningful way, you'd make for a better world,” he said. “And when we have the big trouble in the world, it’s terrible people that are stealing from others and taking life away from others. I just wanted a life where there was valuable contribution, along with everyone else, and that idea is that you have this incredible, incredible life, this incredible world. It sounds pretty simple and dumb in some ways. But it's a really simple life aesthetic – life mantra: Live with meaning, and be a contribution to the world.”

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In concert

^{Bush photo by Shervin Lainez // courtesy of 2b Entertainment}