Rossdale not beating around Bush’s music

Kirk Baird

Thursday, Oct. 25, 2001 | 8:21 a.m.

Music trivia question: Other than frontman Gavin Rossdale, name the other three members of the rock band Bush.

This is not meant to demean the trio, or indicate they are not as important or less musically inclined than Rossdale. (For the record, they are Dave Parsons, bass; Nigel Pulsford, guitar; and Robin Goodridge, drums.)

It's just that the singer/guitarist, with his poster-boy looks, raspy voice and famous girlfriends, receives all the press.

But to borrow from an old sports cliche, there's no "me" in band, or group for that matter. So Rossdale listened when the other members of Bush, which performs tonight at Hard Rock's the Joint, expressed a desire to return to the band's grunge-era roots over its recent techno-influenced direction.

"Contrary to what people assume, we are in a band," Rossdale said in a recent interview from Burbank, Calif. "The band didn't like going in that direction (and) I got outvoted. Everybody wanted to make it a more traditional approach.

"I would have done a little more (experimenting), probably, if it had been solely me. Put it like this, if I wanted something bad enough, I could have found a way to get it done. But the band wanted to do more a straight-ahead (rock) record, and it's good results."

Those "results," which can heard on "Golden State," released to record stores Tuesday, are more in line musically with the band's debut album, 1994's "Sixteen Stone."

Which is not a bad record to emulate, considering it's Bush's most successful album to date, selling more than 6 million copies as it cranked out the radio staples "Everything Zen," "Machinehead," "Little Things" and the No. 1 single "Glycerine."

Describing the new record's sound as "sort of changing, but not changing," Rossdale said that there was no conscious attempt on his part to try and top the group's previous efforts.

"I've always just wanted to write a song better than the one before. I'm just simply trying to improve," he said. "We've had the runaway record ... and it's a great feeling and you're on top of the world. And sometimes you have to do a record where that doesn't happen."

The singer/guitarist is specifically referring to 1999's "The Science of Things," an album directly influenced by the popularity of techno music in the band's native London.

Although a platinum seller, "Science" suffered from the lack of publicity necessary to market such a musical departure from an established band.

Consequently, the album was largely ignored.

But, Rossdale said happily, those troubles are behind the band. Bush has left financially troubled Trauma Records for Atlantic Records, and is beginning a world tour to support an album he's particularly fond of.

Plus, there's the fact he's one of rock's reigning hotties, who just so happens to be dating an equally attractive lead singer in No Doubt's Gwen Stefani.

Even with the added publicity of his sex appeal, Rossdale remains the consummate team player, not allowing his heartthrob status to overshadow the group.

"I think sometimes it can be seen to undermine the band. If it's used in a way that discredits the band, then it's no good. If it's used in a way, like, 'Oh, here's a picture of Gavin and Gwen,' then I don't give a (expletive). After all, we're just (expletive) entertainers."