Pre-concert interviews: Evanescence & Bush

It ain’t easy being a rock star. If the pressure from labels and fans doesn’t wear you down, the booze and travel will. 

Evanescence and Bush have faced upheaval over their illustrious careers. Both bands have seen almost wholesale turnover in personnel and Bush sat out most of  the last decade.

Before taking a hiatus to start a family, Gavin Rossdale’s post-grunge rock kept him at the top of the charts (well, in the United States at least). The band has sold in the neighbourhood of 15 million records. 

Amy Lee has ruled the alternative rock charts for years and was named the “Hottest Chick in Hard Rock” in 2011 by Revolver Magazine. The Evanescence co-founder and lead vocalist has helped make them one of the most successful woman-led rock acts of all time. The band has sold over 20 million albums. 

Evanescence and Bush will share the AX-Korea stage on Feb. 17. Tickets are available for the bargain-basement price of 132,000 won. 

In separate e-mail interviews with Groove Korea, Amy Lee and Gavin Rossdale shared their thoughts on how they have evolved as musicians, helped along by disruptions in their personal and professional lives. 

The bands share a similar narrative. 

Over the last decade Evanescence has had to cope with the loss of a number of key members. David Hodges left in 2002 and co-founder Ben Moody departed one year later, followed by guitarist John LeCompt and drummer Rocky Gray in 2007.

After picking up a few replacements, Evanescence hasn’t skipped a beat. (Well, there was a bit of a break in there). Their new album, the self-titled Evanescence, debuted at No. 1 on four different Billboard charts. 

“I’m always changing, and so is our music. I think you can hear our growth as a band on the newest record; me pushing myself vocally and having confidence in our sound, which means knowing who we are enough to be able to play around a little,” said Lee. “It’s still Evanescence, but with all these new sounds.”

Lee said The Open Door tour at the end of 2007 left her exhausted. 

“My life had been all about Evanescence since I was a teenager — just jumping straight into the next thing every time. While taking a hiatus, I just poured myself into a normal life and rested. But I couldn’t help but play music.

“Evanescence was a huge part of me — naturally. It was not just this thing we invented. So we came back together,” she added. 

It’s a similar script for Bush. After a split in 2002, original members Nigel Pulsford, Dave Parsons and Gavin Rossdale pursued their own projects. It wasn’t until 2010 that the band was reborn with the additions of Chris Traynor and Corey Britz. “And the new lineup feels amazing,” said Rossdale. “The main thing that I’m so grateful for is how much I like them. That’s the best place to make music from. (Chris and Corey) make me one lucky singer because I get to experience both of them, and they make the old songs sound better.” 

The album The Sea of Memories was released last September and “The Sound of Winter,” reached No. 1 on the Billboard charts. “It’s like a new incarnation; (“The Sound of Winter”) is getting so much love on the radio and people are really digging it,” added Rossdale. “It’s a kind of bridge from the old to where we’re going musically.” 

Amy Lee said that Evanescence is going to focus on having some fun this year. “We’re making it a goal to just go to all those countries where we have fans. That’s sort of our goal for this year — to go everywhere and tour all the places we’ve never been and see the world. Have some fun.

“Now we’re a tighter unit than ever and that core — the band — is the driving force of the songs and the sound,” said Lee. “We took the best songs we had, added more, and reworked them as a group. They’re stronger than ever.”

When Evanescence and Bush hit the AX-Korea stage on Feb. 17, it will be their first time performing in Korea. 

Following is the interview with Gavin Rossdale.

What’s different about Bush’s sound now compared to 15 years ago? 

I love the classic Bush sound, though it’s all about my dumb voice and a heavy guitar. But that’s my thing! We chose very-Bush style tracks like before for our fans. The more it is simple, the more fans like it.

In terms of the way I’m making the music, it is drastically different. When I first started, I would do songs on acoustic guitar, or just like with a drum machine or a distorted guitar in my room. 

How has the process changed? Do you still make music for the same reasons you used to?

Now I’ve got the point where I work backwards. If I sit down with an acoustic guitar I just end up playing a Neil Young song. I don’t gravitate toward that kind of songwriting, because I find it more fun to play Pink Floyd. So I just immerse myself with any instrument in the studio. Get a melody by any means necessary. I often start with drums and bass and sing on that and then add the guitar afterwards. It’s really rare that it comes from the guitar actually, just because I like the warmth of the bass. It’s a really intriguing way to write.

And where will that take you? Where would you like to see Bush in a decade? 

For our music style, today, I am mining the past for clues to the future, and have come up with an album that reflects both sides of that time quotient. 

When making music, you have a choice to repeat what you’ve done or move on. It would’ve been safe to just rework (1994’s debut album) Sixteen Stone over and over, but what kind of life would that be? I like the idea of art changing, developing and morphing and we’ll be on it.

How has being a father influenced your evolution as a musician?

I think musicians are so emotional and when it comes to me, I’ve gotten more so after being a father. Everything I do and say is changed by them. I want my sons to see me play and think: “That’s wicked.” At the moment they just want to march around the house to the song from the Jungle Book. We do that about 17 times a day. 

And lately I’ve heard from people that I’ve become more caring and less selfish. I think it’s because of them.

In an interview with FaveCulture last year, you said “The journey that we’ve been on, however painful, however happy, is who we become.” Can you share with readers a couple of the happiest and most painful moments in your life?

My marriage to Gwen has been nothing but happiness. Actually, when I’m on tour, the worst thing is not waking up next to her. It’s painful. But who has a life without pain? 

And the worst moment was last year when our son Zuma was hospitalized after a fall. He broke his arm after taking a tumble from a countertop at home. It was a heart-breaking night for everyone. It was one of the worst nights of our lives. It was one of those freak events. A freak accident. He’s fine now. It’s almost worse for us as parents. The kids are never alone and you turn your back — it takes a split second.

What do you do, or where do you go, to escape?

Gwen and my favorite beach place to visit is Zuma. That’s in California and it’s so beautiful. My little boy was named after the fabulous spot. And I love spending my free time playing tennis. There are a few things that I do well — tennis is one of them. I play in the morning and love it. 

Can you talk about the freedom that running your own label gives you, as opposed to the limitations and expectations that come with being tied to a major label? 

Even by the time of my solo records, leaning on a record label was like getting in the ring with one arm tied behind my back. The Sea of Memories is Bush’s first indie effort since the early 1990s. Running our own label has been so liberating — taking away all of those dinosaur elements and feeling alive and sprightly and ready for anything, rather than being attacked by a pack of hyenas. 

In my line of music it’s just a no-brainer. Given that, you have to say “OK, how do we keep it as modern and progressive as we can?” It just seemed like the logical way, and the freedom is immense.

Anything in particular you look forward to ahead of your first visit to Seoul?  

This is the first time we’ll visit Korea and we have a lot of fans there. We’re honored and looking forward to meeting them!