CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Amidst a pandemic, civil unrest and nasty political terrain, many are looking for a better world.

Count Bush's Gavin Rossdale among them. That's what he's writing and singing about on "The Kingdom," Bush's eighth album, which comes out Friday, July 17. Rossdale's viewpoint is utopian in some ways, ideological in others, and angry at times. It's the voice of an American by choice; Rossdale, who co-produced the album, was born and raised in London and moved to the U.S. after Bush's multi-platinum breakthrough during the mid-90s, marrying and having three sons with Gwen Stefani (the couple divorced in 2016).

Bush was planning to support "The Kingdom" -- whose "Bullet Holes" was featured in the film "John Wick: Chapter 3 -- Parabellum" -- on the road this summer with Breaking Benjamin, a trek that's been postponed until 2021. In the meantime he's doing what he can to get the word, and the music out, including a livestreamed concert on Saturday, July 18, while quarantining at home in California.

What did you setout to do with "The Kingdom?"

Rossdale: I was so excited about making a record. I wanted to do a record where every song could be slipped into the set, every song was a banging, huge, heavy-hitter, and it would be an irrefutable record. If the last record (2017's "Black and White Rainbows") could be bruised and dense, I wanted to make an irrefutable record about survival and strength and really falling into the whole Zeitgeist of now, a record that's the sign of the times.

Is it a sign of your own times as well?

Rossdale: The record was really about sort of emancipation and strength and resolve in the face of challenges. Getting divorced and death apparently are the two worst things that can happen to you; I didn't die, and I come through it and I live a different life and I'm grateful for the life I have. I probably should get a girlfriend so my kids can see me with a girl -- wouldn't that be nice? (laughs) But I don't want a different life, no.

"Flowers on a Grave," the latest single, certainly alludes to some dark times.

Rossdale: I always write about longing and desire and, yknow, empathy. The song I write is what Im looking for. Ive had one or two major girlfriends since I got divorced, and its so weird; When youve been divorced and you go back and fall in love with someone and they f*** you over as well...I guess I just had a sense of loneliness and loss, and theres Flowers on a Grave. But in my world, with my audience, it became like the soundtrack to their COVID, the whole thing about isolation. I wrote it before COVID, obviously, but its about feeling emotionally isolated, physically isolated, and people are using that in their own way. Thats what lyrics should do; They should be like a tint of paint, and people put them where they want in their own lives. I just make the colors nice.

It's interesting that so many of the songs on "The Kingdom" do connect directly with what's going on now -- kind of prescient, even?

Rossdale: (laughs) I wouldn't take credit for that, but I do feel like it could be a useful record for people, like the soundtrack to a peaceful protest. "The Kingdom" is meant to represent a place for like-minded people, a sanctuary away from the judgment, the self-righteous people, the racists, the homophobes -- all the people who are stunted in their thinking and that make the world a bad place and make it difficult for other people. I wanted a place where you could sort of share ideas and converse with people, so it was just sort of a utopia. The state of the country was really disjointed, and I was tapping into that.

The perspective is very American, coming from someone born and raised in Britain. How does that affect your outlook here?

Rossdale: Y'know,I love America. When I came to America, it gave me life. It's a land that gave me everything, so it really matters to me. I see America as, literally, the most beautiful land of opportunity, and I found my life here. I fell in love. My children are American. My ex-wife and the mother of my children is obviously American, and I'm always immensely grateful to her. So I'm very protective of (America). I love living here, and I Love this country. But, like anywhere, there's no society that cannot improve -- that's the nature of evolution, and 2020 has been an incredibly powerful, painful year but also the most incredible, beautiful chance for growth. You think of George Floyd's daughter and that wonderful footage of her saying, "Daddy changed the world." My goodness, if this could be a better place, thank goodness for that.

You spoke about wanting "The Kingdom" to hit hard, musically. It certainly has the feel of what we'd call a "classic" Bush album.

Rossdale: It's funny to say "classic Bush" because, actually, it's the most aggressive Bush. I've never done an entire record of detuned guitars, never, but somehow it seems to be punching on the nose in ways that maybe is consistent with earlier stuff. It was just me experimenting with lots of different tunings. All these metal bands or rock bands -- like Slipknot, which is an incredible band -- are playing with very low tunings to make the sound very dark and wide, so I would get into those things and go to work and tune a guitar a different way and see what it sounded like. It's just amazing to find yourselves in these very deep, dark tunings. It's quite difficult to find a melody. It's a challenge. It takes a minute.

In lieu of concerts will you make more videos to promote "The Kingdom?"

Rossdale: We did one for "Bullet Holes" and one for "Flowers on the Grave," and we're about to shoot one for "The Kingdom." That's pretty unusual. Back in the day we'd do five videos for an album, when people would buy albums -- but now no one buys them. So it's hard to expect anyone to overly spend on a big video, but I am looking forward to doing a video for the next song.

So what have you been doing with your down time?

Rossdale: I'm trying to keep the focus on the record coming out, but I had my kids, so keeping them occupied and letting them have some fun. I'm a single dad, just living the dream. And playing a lot of guitar and reading some good books -- all the usual stuff. And looking forward to when we can get out there and do some more.

Bush celebrates the release of its new album, The Kingdom, with a streaming concert at 9 p.m. Saturday, July 18, at BushOfficial.com. Fifty cents from each copy of the album sold during the livestream will be donated to When We All Vote, with the band matching fan donations.

Originally posted here:

Gavin Rossdale talks new Bush album, upcoming concert livestream, fatherhood, pandemic & more - cleveland.com