The Unlikeliest Comeback: Gavin Rossdale Returns to Rock Radio

Back in the post-grunge era in the '90s, nobody — not Scott Weiland, not the dudes from Candlebox — was more maligned than Bush frontman Gavin Rossdale. Labeled as a wannabe from the start, his band still made four albums and sold millions of records on the back of huge singles like "Machinehead" and "Swallowed." When Bush broke up, Rossdale formed a Helmet-channeling band called Institute and was known more as Gwen Stefani's husband than as a musician. Now, he's back with is first official solo album called Wanderlust and a hit single in the keyboard-driven ballad "Love Remains the Same." "People are already sending me letters saying my new music is gay," Rossdale says. "Apparently the only way to be hetero is to play a guitar."

What happened to Institute?
That was my first solo record, but beause it had such a band feel, I thought it'd be cooler to give the group a name. And then the irony of it is that it would have be much better choice — it's either Bush or Gavin Rossdale, because it's just too much to start a new fucking thing. Marketing disaster. So that's my Tin Machine period.

What's different about Wanderlust than Institute or Bush?
I think every record is an antidote to the previous record. I mean, if you're smart, you keep them all the same, and you have a big career. I'm always a bit too stupid. I'm trying to change things and be progressive but in fact I was just destroying what I'd done before. People should learn from my lesson.