More than 30 years on from their debut, London alt.rock legends Bush are gearing up to release album number 10. Previewing what’s to come with new single The Land Of Milk And Honey, frontman Gavin Rossdale reveals why he’s been writing “uplifting” messages about mental health, maintaining high standards as a band, and how the record has “no potholes, so to speak…”
Bush have just unveiled The Land Of Milk And Honey, the brand-new single from their forthcoming 10th album, I Beat Loneliness. Following April’s 60 Ways To Forget People, it’s a similar muscular effort from the Gavin Rossdale-fronted rockers – but while both these cuts point towards a very serious record, the singer had a good time during its creation, whether things went well or not.
“Sometimes I fuck up,” says Gavin, lifting the lid on the making of I Beat Loneliness. “But the way that I fuck it up, I feel adds to it and gives it this man-and-machine thing.”
Here, Gavin tells us even more, detailing the inspiration behind both singles, the importance of still releasing full-length albums, and what constitutes success these days…
What would the Gavin who made Sixteen Stone in the mid-’90s have thought of Bush one day getting to make a 10th album?
“The funniest part about this band is that, if you think about it, the least commercial idea you can have is to do that kind of rock music in London at a time when Britpop was the thing. So if you had any intention of being successful, that was probably the dumbest move to make. It’s pretty wild to have now made a 10th record all these years later. What I like about [I Beat Loneliness] is that it feels just as vital. That’s what I’m most proud of.”
Does it feel like making an album – a format we’re increasingly told is becoming obsolete – is similarly rebellious these days?
“Yeah! I think a body of work is what it’s about when it comes to being an artist. You need a body of work so that people can decide if they want to come and see you live. If you just have one song with four billion streams but no other songs, no-one is going to have the confidence to come and see you. It’s ridiculous for me to try to be connected to what young bands are doing, though – for me, releasing albums is about maintaining quality and doing the best live show we can. Music continues to be an incredible journey of exploration, with each record allowing me to experiment with these wild sounds.”
You previously released 60 Ways To Forget People, and now we have The Land Of Milk And Honey; how representative are these tracks of I Beat Loneliness?
“What came together beautifully – more so than ever and I’m not sure I really know why – is that the record sits together really well from start to finish. It’s probably the most cohesive, connected, interconnected record that I’ve ever made. And it’s really personal. Now, normally when people say that it’s personal it’s in relation to a terrible solo record or something. But I felt really compelled to make this record the way that it is, the subject matter and looking at myself. It works really well as a record – the tracks are all really reflective and part of the same journey. And they all stick together. There are no potholes, so to speak – no acoustic wallows.”
What can you tell us about what 60 Ways To Forget People is about?
“For me, it’s about certain betrayals. You wonder: do you have a specific amount of time you’re meant to know someone and then you drift apart, or are there people you’re meant to know forever. I was thinking about people who have drifted in and out of my life between good times and bad times. I’m really loyal – if I’m with you then I’m with you. Betrayal is an interesting thing.”
Meanwhile, The Land Of Milk And Honey is a biblical reference, isn’t it?
“I’m an atheist, but I grew up in the church, meaning I had to go when I was at school. I think it’s the most beautiful language, and I find myself going back to it again and again, because it suits my temperament. I’m not sure much beyond that. I just like how certain things sound. We had a track called Just Like My Other Sins on an early Bush record, but I can’t remember which one [it’s their sixth, 2014’s Man On The Run].”
I Beat Loneliness is a fascinating title, and seems to allude to an impossible task…
“Specifically speaking, it’s this honest appraisal of this attempt to beat loneliness and not wallow – just live your life. We all have challenges, and there are moments when there’s a great deal of loneliness. It really touched me, this idea that’s full of hope and good intent, to think that you could beat loneliness – because, of course, as you say, it’s this impossible thing to do.”
There’s another great track called We’re All The Same On The Inside, which looks at our similarities – that we all win, we all lose, we all love…
“I do this cooking show [Dinner With Gavin Rossdale], which has been a fun experience. You see these different people who have all been through their stuff. There’s something really powerful in knowing, when you’re struggling the most, that everyone is struggling. It’s really important. The whole record is based on mental health – my mental health, my hopes and aspirations – but it’s uplifting and not maudlin. It’s not self-help stuff. Maybe I’m beyond help, I don’t know.”
What’s the significance of the album artwork?
“My mum had passed a few months before, so it felt fitting that I dedicate the record to her. When I thought about what she’d love the most, I thought of peonies. I’d always loved [visual artist] Man Ray, and so I got into designing using AI. It was fun, though it was limiting in certain ways because you put these ideas in and get something back, but I’m not good enough to manipulate them once I get them back, which was a bit of a fuckery. This is the only cover I’ve made, but it’s probably a case of one and done.”
You’ve suggested that this new record is successful because of how proud you are of it. Have you had to recalibrate what success looks like over the years?
“Of course, because otherwise you have mad expectations. It’s worse than a jungle out there – people seem to live in labyrinths, where they don’t change what they know and what they think. So, it’s a challenge. We’ve just come back from South America. And we’ll be playing up until February next year, in Japan and Australia, so playing everywhere. But you can still bump into someone after being on tour for six months and they’ll say, ‘What have you been up to?’ And you think, ‘Fuck! I’ve been out there killing myself!’ What a waste of time to have expectations. But the good news is that we keep the quality there.”
I Beat Loneliness is due out on July 18 via earMUSIC. Catch Bush supporting Volbeat in the UK later this year – get your tickets now.
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