"I Have Such a Deep Love for Canada": Gavin Rossdale Talks Bush, Big Shiny Tunes and Casino Rama

Bush frontman Gavin Rossdale is bringing the band to Casino Rama on July 26, with JJ Wilde opening the show.

Ahead of the date, Rossdale sat down with Rock 95's McCully for a wide-ranging chat that covered everything from his recovery routine to what it means to be one of the defining voices of Canada's Big Shiny Tunes era.

JJ Wilde Gets the Rossdale Seal of Approval

JJ Wilde has performed Rock 95's Birthday Bash before, so we had to ask if Rossdale knew her work. He does, and he's a fan.

"Everyone's raving about her and I'm getting the Janis Joplin vibes," Rossdale said. "Raunchy blues and super cool. Can't wait to hear her sing."

Rossdale has been on both sides of the opening slot over the years, and he says pairing the right acts together matters more than people realize.

"If you support the right band, like people that like Bush will like JJ, it's a good mixture," he said. "I've done tours where I opened for people and I don't think it was the right choice, because our music was so far apart. In this situation, I love it when it's aligned."

Ice Baths, Peptides and Keeping Up With Wellness Trends

Rossdale is open about how seriously he takes recovery on the road, and he admitted the sheer volume of wellness advice out there can be a lot to sort through.

"It used to be boring, gluten, non-gluten. Now it's peptides and cortisol levels," he said. "I go through airports rattling with all my supplements. I had to ask ChatGPT what I was taking and why, just to whittle it down to what was actually essential."

One habit he swears by: daily ice baths after shows.

"Forty-two degrees, three minutes. I sit there like, holy moly. But after three minutes I get out and I feel like a million dollars," he said. McCully, a longtime ice bath advocate himself, may have finally found an ally.

A Meniscus Tear, a Full Show and Stem Cell Recovery

Touring injuries are part of the job, and Rossdale shared a story about tearing his meniscus mid-show.

"I felt something go in my left knee, basically a semi-tear of the meniscus, and I still had a whole show to do," he said. "I was limping, leaning on the other foot, and then you overlean on that leg too. It was a nightmare." He came home to stem cell treatment, PRP and physical therapy, and says the knee is fully healed now.

The Most Personal Bush Record Yet

Rossdale has said before that this latest record is his most personal, and he told McCully it came from a deliberate choice to stop deviating into outside stories and stay with his own perspective.

"I just kept a lid on what I was thinking and figured, just be yourself, be open, be honest, be as vulnerable as possible," he said. "By being as individual and navel-gazing as possible, you find the universal truths. If you start out trying to find something universal, it ends up void of personal experience."

How Touring Shaped His Parenting

McCully flipped the usual question and asked how rock and roll has influenced Rossdale's parenting, rather than the other way around.

"The sacrifice was always them," he said. "My way of redressing that balance is to be the best father I can and the most present father when I'm home." Rossdale, who splits custody with his children post-divorce, says the time away from them has only deepened how much he values the time they do have together.

Life as the Face of Canada's Big Shiny Tunes Era

Bush's contributions to the Big Shiny Tunes compilation series remain a defining moment in Canadian music culture, and Rossdale says he doesn't take that lightly.

"I have such a deep love for Canada," he said. "What an honor to be part of people's lives like that. Now I have a bit more of an overview of my life, and to be treated like that, to have that kind of audience and affection, is something you never forget."

What to Expect July 26

Rossdale's message for longtime Bush fans heading to Casino Rama is simple: expect the band at its best.

"We've sort of been on this journey together," he said. "You grow up through things, life, losses, births, deaths, marriages, divorces. We've been through a lot, so I just love the idea of coming and being the best we've ever been."

Bush plays Casino Rama on July 26 with JJ Wilde opening.