Rossdale embraces rock challenges

Bush frontman Gavin Rossdale has waded into the debate over the future of rock music – after Gene Simmons declared the genre dead.

The Kiss star recently claimed music had been “murdered” by those who refused to invest in the next generation of artists, and said illegal downloading had devalued recorded work to near-zero.

That led to responses from Robert Plant, Poison’s Rikki Rockett and Twisted Sister’s Dee Snider.

Now Rossdale tells Howard Stern (via Blabbermouth): “I don’t think it’s dead. Nothing is ever dead in music – it just takes the right record.”

He namechecks the Foo Fighters and Queens Of The Stone Age as bands who continue to push boundaries – and says he aims to do the same himself.

Rossdale says: “When I go in to make a rock record, the challenge to make it interesting and to make it matter to people is even greater.”

And he also believes studio work still has an important role to play.

He adds: “I sold a lot when records were selling and I’ve accepted that to make a record is like a calling card.”

Bush release sixth album Man On The Run next month.

Freelance Online News Contributor

Not only is one-time online news editor Martin an established rock journalist and drummer, but he’s also penned several books on music history, including SAHB Story: The Tale of the Sensational Alex Harvey Band, a band he once managed, and the best-selling Apollo Memories about the history of the legendary and infamous Glasgow Apollo. Martin has written for Classic Rock and Prog and at one time had written more articles for Louder than anyone else (we think he's second now). He’s appeared on TV and when not delving intro all things music, can be found travelling along the UK’s vast canal network.