GAVIN ROSSDALE — on cooking for Serena Williams and being besties with Jack McBrayer

Summary

Dinner’s on Me with Jesse Tyler Ferguson Episode Summary: Gavin Rossdale — on Cooking for Serena Williams and Being Besties with Jack McBrayer Release Date: March 18, 2025

In this engaging episode of Dinner’s on Me with Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Jesse sits down with renowned musician Gavin Rossdale to explore their shared history, Gavin’s illustrious career, and the creative process behind his new TV show, Dinner with Gavin Rossdale. Recorded at Seobin, a favorite family restaurant in Koreatown, the conversation weaves through personal anecdotes, musical journeys, and culinary adventures, offering listeners a deep dive into Gavin's multifaceted life.

1. A Shared Past: Connecting Through a Home

The episode opens with Jesse reminiscing about the profound connection he felt upon meeting Gavin, rooted in their shared history of living in the same Los Feliz house. Jesse reveals, "We shared the same house in Los Feliz... Justin and I built that home, filled it with love, and made eight years of incredible memories there" (09:00). This shared space was previously home to Gavin and Gwen Stefani, adding a layer of nostalgia and personal significance to their meeting.

2. Gavin Rossdale’s Musical Journey

Gavin delves into his early days in music, discussing his initial struggles and inspirations. He shares, "I had two bands, neither of which I wasn’t really good enough or able to do music to... I began writing songs myself, and that allowed me to be a bit closer to what I wanted to do musically" (14:58). This introspection highlights his evolution from struggling artist to the frontman of Bush, influenced by legends like John Lydon and David Bowie.

3. Navigating Success and Challenges

The conversation touches on Gavin’s experiences with sudden success and the pressures that come with it. Reflecting on his solo album, Gavin admits, "I never felt like I was about to take on the world at any point... but I felt really good that I had made a record" (24:17). He candidly discusses the loneliness that can accompany fame, emphasizing the importance of camaraderie and shared success within a band setting.

4. Dinner with Gavin Rossdale: Combining Culinary Arts and Conversations

Gavin introduces his new TV show, Dinner with Gavin Rossdale, explaining its concept of cooking for friends while engaging in meaningful conversations. Jesse draws parallels between their projects, noting the similar essence of connecting over a meal. Gavin humorously recounts an episode where he mistakenly served Serena Williams dishes she dislikes, stating, "I deconstructed a taco... but she doesn't like tomatoes and avocado. It was like a riddle" (35:55). This anecdote underscores the challenges and spontaneity inherent in hosting a show that blends cooking with personal dialogue.

5. Culinary Preferences and Collaborative Cooking

The duo discusses their favorite cuisines and dishes, with Jesse expressing his newfound love for Indian cuisine. Gavin shares his obsession with Korean food, highlighting the soulful and bold flavors that resonate with him. They explore the intricacies of Korean dishes at Seobin, with Gavin praising the restaurant’s braised black cod: "The braised black cod has cod, Korean radish, moo kabocha, squash, rice cakes, onions, some other veg... It’s just kind of become like a la dish" (35:05). This segment not only showcases their culinary tastes but also emphasizes the importance of food in fostering connections and storytelling.

6. Balancing Personal Life and Professional Pursuits

Gavin opens up about balancing his career with fatherhood, mentioning his friendship with Jack McBrayer, who has become a staple in his family gatherings during holidays. "Since I got divorced and was raising the kids on my own, he's come to every Christmas and Thanksgiving that I do with my kids" (38:58). This insight into his personal life highlights the support systems that sustain creative individuals through various life stages.

7. Reflections on Art, Influence, and Legacy

Towards the end of the episode, Gavin reflects on his artistic philosophy and the impact of his music. He shares heartfelt stories about how his songs have served as lifelines for fans, stating, "I've had so many times where people tell me they were on an edge. This record saved them... It gives my life an incredible sense of meaning" (47:14). This profound connection between artist and audience underscores the enduring legacy of his work and his commitment to authenticity in his art.

8. Looking Ahead: Future Projects and Tours

Gavin discusses his upcoming tours and projects, including tours supporting his latest album, I Beat Loneliness. He elaborates on the album's inspiration and the creative process behind it, noting, "The more honest I can get and the further inside myself I can get, the more chance there is that you'll connect to it" (48:46). This forward-looking segment provides listeners with a glimpse into Gavin’s ongoing evolution as an artist and his plans to continue engaging with audiences both musically and through his television endeavors.

Notable Quotes:

• Jesse Tyler Ferguson: "We shared the same house in Los Feliz... Justin and I built that home, filled it with love, and made eight years of incredible memories there." [09:00]
• Gavin Rossdale: "I had two bands, neither of which I wasn’t really good enough or able to do music to... I began writing songs myself, and that allowed me to be a bit closer to what I wanted to do musically." [14:58]
• Gavin Rossdale: "I've had so many times where people tell me they were on an edge. This record saved them... It gives my life an incredible sense of meaning." [47:14]
• Gavin Rossdale: "The braised black cod has cod, Korean radish, moo kabocha, squash, rice cakes, onions, some other veg... It’s just kind of become like a la dish." [35:05]
• Gavin Rossdale: "I never felt like I was about to take on the world at any point... but I felt really good that I had made a record." [24:17]

Conclusion

This episode of Dinner’s on Me offers a heartfelt and insightful conversation between Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Gavin Rossdale, blending personal history with professional insights. Listeners gain an intimate look at Gavin’s journey through music, his experiences in hosting a cooking show, and the personal connections that shape his life. The episode beautifully captures the essence of sharing a meal as a metaphor for building relationships and understanding one another.

Transcript

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

The other day I was making lemonade with my sons, Beckett and Sully, and Beckett is a little bit of a perfectionist. I'm not sure where he gets that from. It's me. It's definitely me. But he was getting really upset about the seeds falling into the juice and it was turning into a bit of high drama. Now listen, there's an easier way to do this. Who knew? Wonderful Seedless lemons are a 100% naturally seedless lemon variety. They're juicy, zesty, bright, and everything you love about lemons minus the See, that's right. No more seeds floating in your lemonade or Diet Coke or getting caught in your teeth when you take a bite of salad. Frankly, that's just a hazard. Wonderful Seedless Lemons are available nationwide at retailers such as Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, Walmart, Kroger, as well as select Costco outlets. Look for Wonderful Seedless lemons at your local retailer or visit wonderfulseedlesslemons.com to learn more. So picture this. You're running a business and suddenly you realize, oh no, you need to hire someone. Like yesterday. You've been there, right? But don't panic. I got you covered. Just use Indeed. Why waste time on other job sites hoping someone notices your post? Indeed's Sponsored Jobs helps you stand out and hire the right person and fast. Here's how it works. Sponsored Jobs bumps your post to the top of the page for all the right candidates. That gets your post in front of the eyes of the people you actually want to h. Indeed just makes hiring so much easier. I remember a time when finding the right person felt like a full time job in itself. If only I'd used Indeed back then, I could have avoided so much stress and maybe even found time to, I don't know, go to cooking school. Oh, and also, there's no strings attached. With Indeed sponsored jobs, there are no monthly subscriptions or long term contracts. You only pay for results. Want to know how fast they are? In the time it's taken me to tell you this, 23 hires were made on Indeed. 23. Yeah, that's pretty impressive. There's no need to wait any longer. Speed up your hiring right now with Indeed. Hi, it's Jesse today on the show. You know him as the lead singer of the band Bush and more recently, his new cooking show Dinner with Gavin Rossdale, which premiered last month. It's Gavin Rossdale.

[Gavin Rossdale]

It's funny, when I wrote the song Glycerine that I have, I wrote it really quick and I was really concerned that I just appropriated someone else's song. I was like, whose song is this? I was playing it to my friends and my band. Is this someone else's song? Because this sounds more grown up than I've managed to this point.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

This is dinner's on me and I'm your host, Jesse Tyler Ferguson. Meeting Gavin Rossdale was a thrill for so many reasons. I mean, some obvious, but some also very personal. He's a legendary musician, a bonafide rock star, and as I quickly learned, an incredibly down to earth guy. He's also launching a new TV show called Dinner with Gavin Rossdale where he cooks for his friends and interviews them over a meal. Which, as someone who has documented many vulnerable conversations with people over meals, felt oddly familiar. But beyond all that, I had an even more personal reason for wanting to meet him. He once lived in the house where I built my family. Justin and I built that home, filled it with love, and made eight years of incredible memories there. And selling it was very bittersweet. We needed a space that was better suited for our growing family. But I still think about it almost every single day. I mean, so much happened in those walls. And long before we lived there, Gavin and his then wife, Gwen Stefani called it their home. They started their family there just as we did. And even though I'd never met them, I often found myself wondering what their years in that beautiful house were like. As a longtime fan of both no Doubt and Bush, it was surreal to think about the music, the moments, the history that that space had held before us. I mean, did Gwen Stefani ever belt out Don't Speak in the shower? Did Gavin write a Bush song in my old bedroom? Did they too struggle with the mystery of where all the Tupperware lids disappear to? Anyway, I always knew if I was ever lucky enough to meet Gavin Rossdale, it would absolutely be the first thing I would wanna share with him. Hi. Hello.

[Gavin Rossdale]

Hi.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Hi. How are you?

[Gavin Rossdale]

Blessed to see you. Good to see you.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Thanks for coming.

[Gavin Rossdale]

Thanks for having me.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I brought Gavin to Seobin, a renowned family restaurant located in the heart of Koreatown that was also a favorite of the beloved Jonathan Gold. A painting of gold adorns one of the walls. As a tribute to the late great restaurant critic. We ordered their braised short rib and black cod, two of their signature dishes, along with the monkfish soup. When I asked Gavin to come on the show, he requested that we go out for Korean food. He loves Korean food for its bold, soul warming flavors. And listen, as a fellow foodie, I could not have Been more on board. My favorite ingredient in this meal were the garden grown jujubes in the braised short short rib that came straight from the backyard of the restaurant's owner and founder, Jennifer Pack. Okay, let's get to the conversation. How are you?

[Gavin Rossdale]

I'm obsessed with Korean food.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I know, I know. This was your suggestion. Have you been here?

[Gavin Rossdale]

No.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Oh, I haven't either. But I mean, I'm looking at the wall and it seems like we came to the right place. You know about Jonathan Gold, right?

[Gavin Rossdale]

Yeah, of course.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, anything he likes, if he's given his stamp of approval for it, like, we're good.

[Gavin Rossdale]

Yeah. I based a lot of my eating off of his. Hundred. Yeah, 100. And he's. His specialty was always the interesting hole in the walls.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah, yeah. I'm excited. I'm happy you're a foodie. Yeah, yeah.

[Gavin Rossdale]

Well, it's good for your podcast.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

It is, it is. And I also feel like, you know, we're obviously gonna talk about your TV show, but, like, it feels like it's basically just another kind of iteration of that, like just having a conversation over a great meal. I'm not cooking for you, which, you know, you do on your show, but it's so fun. I was telling Joanna when they were pitching me ideas for this podcast, I think Sony's. One of the ideas was that I would be cooking for people and then interviewing them over the meal, and it's like, oh, God, no. The stress of having to, like, you know, multitask while I'm, like, boiling things. I was like, it wouldn't work, but yet that's exactly what you're doing. So I definitely want to talk about that.

[Gavin Rossdale]

It's quite masochistic in his own way. Sometimes we've got to. Careful of the bites we take.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yes, of course. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Gavin Rossdale]

I always like a big bit of cheesecake.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

But, yeah, I definitely. I love cooking, but I can't even imagine doing that and then having a conversation with someone and then taping that and having people watch it as a TV show, which is exactly what you're doing. Odd. What is it? Rockstar Kitchen Chronic.

[Gavin Rossdale]

Now it's Dinner with Gavin Rossto. It is, I swear.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Is it really?

[Gavin Rossdale]

Yeah. Cause Rockstar was taken, so I was like. And then dinner's. Yeah. So I apologize.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Is it a font? Is this.

[Gavin Rossdale]

No. And it's not. It's Dinner with Jesse. Is that right? It's Dinner with Jesse cooked by Gavin.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. That's incredible. I love that we Basically have the same concept. On the podcast version of your TV.

[Gavin Rossdale]

Show, they got the single word that everyone. The dinner would. Heston Blumenthal at a restaurant in London.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah, yeah.

[Gavin Rossdale]

He's one of my heroes.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yes.

[Gavin Rossdale]

So I was like, dinner. But, guys, there's already that. They said no. It's so simple. There's literally no. You can't ever.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Gavin Rossdale]

So I apologize. And anyone gets confused, come to me. I'll send them right to you.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Likewise.

[Gavin Rossdale]

So sorry.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Likewise. It's like, when people would come up to me sometimes convinced that I was Simon Pegg, and, like, they would make me take a photo with him, and I was like, I don't even have an accent. Like, he has an accent. I don't. I don't sound like him, but I would just finally, like, you know, take a photo. And I was like. And I finally met Time, and I was like, listen, I get stopped for you all the time, and I'm just. I just want you to know I'm really kind. I'm really kind, and I'm like, if people think I'm you, I'm really representing us in the most positive way.

[Gavin Rossdale]

Right, right, right.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Gavin, did you know that we have something very intimate in common?

[Gavin Rossdale]

No, but how great do you not know this? Gone.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Can you have any Guess what it might be?

[Gavin Rossdale]

No. That sounded way too big of an introduction.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

That was an introduction. The introduction's already happened. We shared the same house in Los Feliz.

[Gavin Rossdale]

Really?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Aberdeen.

[Gavin Rossdale]

Aberdeen Avenue.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I was there for almost eight years.

[Gavin Rossdale]

Wow.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Gavin Rossdale]

Okay.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Gavin Rossdale]

Okay.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I think you and Gwen lived there, and then there was. You sold it to someone, and then someone else bought even after that and did a little bit of renovation on it. And then I bought it from her, this woman, Laura, who's the founder of Laura Bar, and she's a chef, and so she redid the kitchen to be a chef's kitchen.

[Gavin Rossdale]

Really?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

So I don't know if, like, when I moved in, it all looked exactly like it did when you were there, but I think that huge parts of it, like the pool. The pool is there.

[Gavin Rossdale]

That was important.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I know that you all built. So I have photos of me in this. I have to show you these pictures. But, like, you know, there's always the pool that Gavin and Gwen built, and there was. Up by the observation deck. There was, like, a little observation deck. I don't know if you remember this one.

[Gavin Rossdale]

We tried to develop that area.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

We developed it a little bit more.

[Gavin Rossdale]

Nice.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

We developed, like, we put a fire pit up There. But what we had to cover up was there was a little piece of cement that had your names in it. Do you remember putting that in there?

[Gavin Rossdale]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Established.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah, yeah.

[Gavin Rossdale]

Oh, man.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah. So it's really wild. I was so. I mean, do you. I mean, I have such great memories about that house. I mean, we moved into this house right after we got married, Justin and I, in 2013. So many big moments happened there. We had our first child while living in this house. The first, like, six months of the pandemic, we were there. We ended up moving because there were so many stairs, and I was just nervous about raising kids there. So we ended up moving. But when I sold the house and we went to go do a final walk through of the place and it was completely empty, to tell you, like, I had the most guttural cry of my life would be an understatement. I had such intense feelings about that home. Do you have special memories of that place?

[Gavin Rossdale]

Oh, unbelievable memories. Because that was just such an exciting time. I was there for a number of years when we just were together. I was there when we first got married. We had our first kid there. Gwen did do a beautiful job on the nursery and then.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Which room was the nursery?

[Gavin Rossdale]

Down the hall on the right.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

That's where our nursery was. Yeah, yeah.

[Gavin Rossdale]

Down the hall on the right. And, yeah, that house has fantastic memories. We used to have amazing New Year's Eve parties every year. We never knew what to do, so it was easy to make the party come to us.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Gavin Rossdale]

And so fantastic times. People would come out and. Yeah, that was right at the height of everything. Really fun, work wise. It was a really great time for us. So I have a great memory of that house.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Gavin Rossdale]

Great memory of that house. Yeah, I did, you know, I ate so many times. We ate so many times at Farfalla that we did have to say, are there any other areas where we can get food?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Gavin Rossdale]

So, yeah, really beautiful time.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah. I mean, I just. It's such a special place for me. I would still get your Restoration Hardware catalog that would show up with your name.

[Gavin Rossdale]

I hope you put it good to use.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I did, yes. I ordered several things. Anyway, I want to start off by asking you. You know, I, first of all, am a big fan of your music. I mean, one of my favorites of yours is your solo album, which I don't know if, like, how you feel in your catalog of albums, but I love.

[Gavin Rossdale]

Thank you.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I love Wanderlust.

[Gavin Rossdale]

Yeah. I feel super proud of that sometimes. I'm aware that people. When you have a rock band, nobody wants you to be a solo singer. Yeah, just nobody wants it. I don't do it. And I basically on a side project band. Before that, my band was taking a break and then I had a bunch of songs ready to go and I was like, okay, so we gearing up. What are we doing? And they're like, we're still enjoying this time. We don't want to work for now. So I'd seen. I'd been inspired by Gwen and she'd done an amazing job with her solo career. So I thought, oh, that's possible. But with her, of course, she made it possible because effortlessly going into pop like that, for me, it was a different thing. So as soon as I'd play shows, people were like, when's the band getting back together? How's it getting in trouble? But I really. What was weird is that I worked with some really amazing people on that record and much more collaborative. Outside writers, outside people. And that made it really fun and I enjoyed it, but I just. It felt so awkward having. I'm English, right? I don't know if you knew that. So having my name said on the radio just felt so alone compared to all these years of being in a band and the camaraderie of a band. It just felt like, yeah, I suppose if things went really right. We had a big song with Love Remains the Same People go, yeah, that ballad's great. But there's something great about the shared success when you have with your band mates, you know? So if I felt like I had a big hit record for nine weeks, number one song, but just I didn't know who to celebrate with.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah, yeah, you know. Hi, welcome.

[C]

Would you like some barley tea?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Sure, yeah.

[C]

Hot or cold?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I'll do cold.

[Gavin Rossdale]

Hot, please.

[C]

Yeah, absolutely.

[Gavin Rossdale]

We're a perfect pay. See.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I'm sort of fascinated with the beginning of your time as a musician, you know, while you were kind of figuring out maybe your voice. And before Bush, I mean, you had a few attempts at other bands and you worked with other people.

[Gavin Rossdale]

Two other bands toured a bit. I had two bands, neither of which I wasn't really good enough or able to do music to. I sort of just did the top lines and sang stuff.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

So you didn't write any of the music?

[Gavin Rossdale]

No, I did. I didn't. I didn't play music well enough at that point. They wouldn't let me. You know, I could sort of like struggle through a couple of songs here and there. I'd kind of Figured out the two bands I didn't want to be in because I didn't like the music was a bit. Yeah. Wasn't quite what I wanted to do, and I couldn't. It wasn't like, enough like the bands I liked.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

So who were your inspirations at that time?

[Gavin Rossdale]

Well, like, Public Image, you know, John Lydon and sort of, you know, Matt Johnson from the. The. The Fall. That kind of stuff's a bit more kind of leaning. Much more indie leaning. So that didn't work out. And then. So then I sat down, I began writing songs myself, and that allowed me to be a bit closer to what I wanted to do musically. Do you know what I mean? If you can imagine. So it's like being an actor also managing to write your own script.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Right. Well, only you can hear what's in your head.

[Gavin Rossdale]

I could really fashion what I wanted to do.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Gavin Rossdale]

And so that was it. And. And thank you so much. Oh, pictures and everything.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I love when there's pictures. What are some of your favorites here?

[C]

Okay, so my personal favorite is probably the. Which is the braised black cod. But our other specialties are also braised short ribs, like the galbijim. We're also really famous for our soy marinated raw crab. Yeah. If you're feeling adventurous. The crab is really fun. The cod is.

[Gavin Rossdale]

It's cold, right?

[C]

It is cold.

[Gavin Rossdale]

Yeah. Yeah.

[C]

That's the only cold and raw dish on our menu.

[Gavin Rossdale]

I got a shock. Well, I ordered that before at another place, and I was like, you thought it'd be warm? Whoa.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah, yeah.

[Gavin Rossdale]

Cause the piece of the crab. So you went to, like, the shell. So you went to kind of like. Yeah, those shells. It was interesting.

[C]

It was a little bit of work. You have to be. I don't want to work in the mood for it. Yeah, I don't want to work today.

[Gavin Rossdale]

You know, you don't want to cook? Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Listen, I'm obvious. The point of this is I'm very lazy.

[Gavin Rossdale]

Yeah.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Okay. I think I'm gonna do the short rib.

[C]

Yeah, absolutely. Would you like it spicy or original?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Spicy.

[C]

Okay, let's talk about less than a hot Cheeto.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Less than a hot Cheeto. Spicy. Oh, I can do spicy.

[C]

Okay.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[C]

It's not like Thai or Indian.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Like, you know, I mean, I love spicy, but I'm also a redheaded white boy, so I do sweat quickly.

[C]

No, no. The spicy's like.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

But I love it, but I don't wanna torture myself.

[C]

No, Superman.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I can do this.

[Gavin Rossdale]

Great. Can I get. Because. Can I get this? The monkfish soup.

[C]

Of course.

[Gavin Rossdale]

But I really want to try your black cod. So maybe we can, like.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[C]

Just. Yeah. Share for the table the spicy soup cod and then the monkfish stew. Perfect.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Now for a quick break, but don't go away. When we come back, Gavin talks to me about being a quote unquote art jock and about his day job painting dentist office before he made it big. Okay. Be right back. I don't know about you, but when I was a kid, one of my favorite errands was going to the deli counter with my parents. I'd press my nose against the glass, watching as they sliced the perfect cut of turkey or ham. And if I was lucky, I'd get a sample handed over the counter like a little gift. Now, as a dad, I love the idea of recreating that experience with my own kids. Picking up some Boar's Head Oven Gold turkey or Smokemaster beach with smoked black forest ham and some aged cheddar for a picnic in the park. Because there's making a sandwich and then there's crafting a sandwich. Boar's Head uses premium whole cuts of meat, hand trimmed and slow roasted to perfection. Every flavor is carefully chosen and every recipe is crafted with purpose. So when I want a meal to be truly great, I choose Boar's Head. And I know when we spread out the picnic blanket, just like I did when I was a kid, it'll be a meal worth remembering. Boar's Head, committed to crafts since 1905. Discover the craftsmanship behind every bite at Boar's Head.com February is here, which means some of you snowbirds are packing up and heading somewhere warmer. I've been traveling a lot myself. I'm actually scouting some spots for a very special upcoming episode of Dinners on Me. And let's just say Salt Lake City is looking very promising. All thanks to Airbnb. And if you're leaving town for the season, why not let your home do a little work while you're off enjoying the sunshine? With Airbnb's new local co hosting feature, you can have a trusted local take care of everything, guest messages, check ins, even keeping things stylish so you can relax, knowing your home and your guests are in good hands. So go ahead, chase that warm weather and let your home do the work for you. Visit Airbnb.com host for more information. And we're back with more dinners on me. When you were younger, did you. Were you a writer? Did you write poetry? Were you like, I know that you Were interested in athletics, I think, right at the.

[Gavin Rossdale]

Yeah, I'm an art jock.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Are you? Yeah.

[Gavin Rossdale]

So I, like, love my sport. I love tennis, I love soccer. But, you know, I also love art and music and poetry. So I had to be very careful who I would let know my music tastes when I was growing up, because you weren't really allowed to. Where I grew up, loving David Bowie was not really the scene, but. Yeah.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Why he's so cool? Just because he's a little, like, little.

[Gavin Rossdale]

Yeah.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Little edgy, maybe a little.

[Gavin Rossdale]

I grew up surrounded by a lot of ignorant people.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, my son loves David Bowie. We. Our nanny is British. And so, you know, I say, you know, let's play some David Bowie. He's like, it's David Bowie, dad. Cause that's how he's learned how to say it, from the British nanny.

[Gavin Rossdale]

It's funny. Cause my mother's maiden name is Bowie.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Oh, really?

[Gavin Rossdale]

And he's David Bowie.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Gavin Rossdale]

So he's the real. The Bowies of Scotland are Bowie and David Bowie.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Gavin Rossdale]

Go figure.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Well, first of all, how did Bush come together?

[Gavin Rossdale]

How Bush came together was just a. I was lonely, had a few songs, looking for guitar players to work with. And a friend of mine introduced me to the guy that came, ultimately the guitar, Brian Bush. And we just literally built up, I don't know, 12, 15, 20 songs. And then it was like, well, should we get a. Should we see if anyone wants to flesh these out and play them as a band? Then we got a few people, tried them out in some terrible rehearsal rooms around London. And then we got this lucky break to be on a TV show in England for unsigned bands. And that really became a video for us. And that got sent to someone in America who signed us to a small label in the Valley. And we made that record, you know, made that record. Kind of was proved wrong for a bit because we lost the distribution deal. So I went back to work. I had a day job like a regular person.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

What were you doing?

[Gavin Rossdale]

I was a painter.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Oh, no way. Painting houses or.

[Gavin Rossdale]

That week, that month, I was doing 11 dentist offices.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Wow.

[Gavin Rossdale]

In Magnolia.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

What's it like, you know, having that? It's, you know, you have this creative outlet, you have this music. You're super proud of writing, and you want to obviously catch on and become this thing. And then I felt like a real man.

[Gavin Rossdale]

I felt like I had to be responsible for stuff. And my. I couldn't. I wasn't getting arrested with music. And so I just. Just doing what anyone does, which is work to.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

It was always hard because I took a lot of survival jobs when I was first starting off, and it was for me. And I don't know if you ever felt this way, but, you know, in those breaks when things were percolating and then I would have to. It felt like I had to take steps back to then pay. Do something to pay the bills and so I could eat. And it was. For me, it was hard just because as an artist, you're putting so much of yourself into this stuff that when it doesn't catch fire right away, it sort of feels like a personal front. At least that's how I felt.

[Gavin Rossdale]

Yeah.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Gavin Rossdale]

Life's tough, right? You're right. I totally feel you. It's horrible. But, you know, the alternative is to just completely give up, and the alternative is to not pursue things. And in many ways, I spent a long time either failing or getting my act together. And, you know, so much of it is dependent on the zeitgeist or being in the right time, the right place. And so. And having had a career now for a number of years, you know, there are times when, you know, warm, hotter times, you know, times you come out. So I just think it's just about. You have to write the best song you can, perform it best, you can sing in tune. Don't be a jerk. You know, try and get along with people and just see what happens. And that's all you can do, you know?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah. When did you sort of feel like you had had some success with it? I mean, I know as, like. As an actor, like with Modern Family, people always ask, like, when did you know it was a success? And, like, I don't know. I kind of always.

[Gavin Rossdale]

Season two.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah, season two.

[Gavin Rossdale]

Right.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Or even from, like, when we shot the pilot, I was like, this is a really good show. So I have a specific moment I could pin it on. But with, you know, with music, I know that you kind of create it in a bubble for a while, and then it, you know, has to get mixed and engineered, and then it gets put out, and then you sort of wait and see how it takes off. It sounds to me like you sort of felt as you were creating the music that there was something different about the way it made you feel and, like, as some sort of a way to, you know, release what's going on inside. And it felt like a really good outlet for you. But was there a moment when or like, when a certain song was written that you're like, oh, this is it. Like, I found my voice.

[Gavin Rossdale]

Well, it's funny, when I wrote the song Glycerine that I have, I read it really quick and I was really concerned that I just appropriated someone else's song. I was like, whose song is this? I was playing it to my friends and my band. It's like, is this someone else's song? Because this sounds more grown up than I've managed to this point. And so I felt I had quality then, but I. I never felt like I was about to take on the world at any point. I just felt like I was. I hadn't wasted all those previous years of devotion to music that I would end up with a record. Cause I sort of figured even when I went back to do the dentist offices, I didn't know this was possible. So therefore I was a bit confused by it. But I still felt really good that I had made a record. I met. My aunt, had a record by this guy, Colin, unknown guy, but she had the record. And he came around to the house. I was like, how's the guy who made a record? That's so cool. He made a record. Had no connection to what the potential was, because that's the brilliance of being young. You know, you can be so dumb. It's brilliant.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

You know, I was watching you sing Listerine on the Jimmy Fallon show recently. I guess It's Bush's 30th anniversary, right? This year. Yeah. What is it like going back to your early stuff as the artists you are today?

[Gavin Rossdale]

You know, I mean, there's a lot of time for a lot of people. We have such an interesting, like, generational thing of the shows. We go from really young people who've. We have, you know, hit songs on the radio now. And yes, some people listen to radio and that brings in a really young crowd who don't even know the older stuff. And then you have the people that know the older stuff. Didn't even know there were new records out because they do not listen to. To the radio.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Gavin Rossdale]

I love that. That. That generational thing. It goes on. I mean, on over 30 years, you could have, like. Lots of. You have two or three generations. Yeah, yeah, yeah, Definitely two.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah, for sure. What do you. What do your kids think of your early stuff?

[Gavin Rossdale]

My early funny stuff.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Gavin Rossdale]

I. I don't. I'm too busy being dad. I don't ask them. Thank you so much. They don't. I don't.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Do you have an overlap in musical tastes?

[Gavin Rossdale]

Oh, yeah. My oldest son is a play obsessed with the pumpkins, the Deftones. He's an amazing guitar player, great singer. I love his songs. And sometimes he'll say things like, that's a really cool show, dad. Like, you say that, you know, I'm like, oh, my God, it's the best news ever.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Gavin Rossdale]

I never. I don't. I've been around people who seek approval. I don't seek approval. You know, if you come and see my show, I'm not gonna say. I say, do you want a drink? I'm not gonna say, what do you think of the show? Do you like the bit when I was doing that? Do you like. You know.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Well, that's just.

[Gavin Rossdale]

It's painful.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Anytime you ask anyone what they think, set yourself up for, like.

[Gavin Rossdale]

But I hear that. I've experienced that quite a bit where people do that. You hear it and they're dressing. I'm just like, no. What are they supposed to say? It'd be so good if they're like, it was all right. That dull bit in the middle where I went to get a drink.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Well, and my parents are brutally honest. Like, they don't have that ability to fake it at all. So, like, if they don't like something, they would just tell me, and it always would kill me. And I was like, but I asked. I put it upon myself. I asked, right? Yeah. Now for a quick break, but don't go away. When we come back, Gavin tells me about the time he accidentally made Serena Williams a meal of all of her least favorite foods and how he and Jack McGrayer have spent every Christmas and every Thanksgiving together since they've met. Okay, be right back. This episode of Dinners on Me is brought to you by Nissan. These days, it feels like the world and our lives are moving at hyperspeed. I mean, that's why I love doing this podcast. It's a chance to slow down, to truly connect with another human being and to enjoy the feeling of actually being in the present moment. On that note, I am very excited that Dinners On Me is partnering with Nissan, because Nissan understands that sometimes the greatest rush comes from not rushing at all. And with the all new Nissan Murano, you can enjoy an unapologetic refuge amidst the daily hustle and bustle of life. The Nissan Murano is not just a vehicle. It's a space where you can take a beat to catch your breath and re energize to be in the present moment. And trust me, this is the moment you'll want to be in and drive in. The Nissan Murano features an elevated modern interior design and A bold new exterior look plus the expansive panoramic moonroof adds tons of natural light to the roomy cabin. With massaging leather appointed seats to help melt away the tension of the day and ambient moonlighting with 64 color options to set the vibe just right. What's not to love? So thanks again to Nissan for sponsoring this episode of Dinner's on Me and for reminding us to take a moment and breathe. Learn more about the all new nissan [e-mail] Panoramic moonroof, ambient lighting and massaging leather appointed seats are optional features. Elevating your style used to mean breaking the bank, but with Quints you get high end, versatile pieces of prices you can actually afford. Now you can upgrade your style by snagging killer luxury essentials that sync with your vibe and your wallet. Quince has all the must haves like Mongolian cashmere sweaters from $50, iconic 100% leather jackets and comfortable pants for every occasion. The best part? All Quint's Items are priced 50 to 80% less than similar brands. By partnering directly with top factories, Quince cuts out the cost of the middleman and passes his savings on to us. And Quints only works with factories that use safe, ethical and responsible manufacturing practices along with premium fabrics and finishes. I love that. I personally love the activewear. The flowknit breeze performance tees easily transition from working out to running errands. I'm also eyeing the performance button button down that would be great for those long travel days. It also has up 40 sun protection, so you know, that's pretty cool. Indulge in affordable luxury. Go to quints.com JTF for free shipping on your order and 365 day returns. That's Q-U-I-N-C-E.com JTF to get free shipping and 365 day returns. Quince.com JTF and we're back with more dinners on me. I sort of feel like Bush is kind of like the, the band version of Curb youb Enthusiasm because it's like you guys will like go away. You'll do another like, album. You'll go away. Like, should we do another one now? Like, sure. Like, it's just, it's, it feels like a, you just keep like popping. First of all, yeah, you have so many albums, but you had a big hiatus in the middle when you were, you know, where you were. And first of all, what are those conversations like when you want to like move on from a band or if you want to like Go do your own thing. I mean, is it like breaking up with someone?

[Gavin Rossdale]

Yeah, but it's always been me. People breaking up with me.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

They, they broke.

[Gavin Rossdale]

Yeah, it's always been people leaving me because I'm, like, weird and Scottish and so I'm like, just keep going and like, just keep trying and just keep, keep on keeping on.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

They're about to go on tour again next month, right?

[Gavin Rossdale]

Yes. So a lot of tourists. Canada, South America and America and then Europe.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

This tour, though, it's in support of your new album that hasn't come out yet.

[Gavin Rossdale]

Well, yeah, everything's now everything in support of the new album is about to come out, or the greatest hits that just came out, or everything is just in support of the concept of Bush.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Right, right, right, right, right, right. But the album, the one that you're, I guess, mixing right now.

[Gavin Rossdale]

Yeah, that's about to come out.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Right.

[Gavin Rossdale]

But there'll be a single out for those shows.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Okay. And that album, let me tell you what I remember. I read what the album name is.

[Gavin Rossdale]

This is the idea. I got it from Institution.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

It goes through my head. Yeah. You take what you like and what comes out is like, just like a general idea of. So I want to say I figured out Grief. That's not the name of it, but that's the general idea, right?

[Gavin Rossdale]

Yeah.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

And now I'm telling you what it's actually called.

[Gavin Rossdale]

I think we can get a bit catchier with it.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Wait, let me see if I wrote, I wrote it down here.

[Gavin Rossdale]

I can tell you if you want.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

But, yeah, tell me.

[Gavin Rossdale]

I beat loneliness.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I beat loneliness. See, it's sort of the same idea, though. It's just not as eloquent. I'm like the super literal version. This looks incredible. Thank you for cutting up all my meat.

[C]

Yes, of course. So that's the kaibichin, the braised short rib. There's mousse of the Korean radish, shiitake, mushrooms, carrots. There's a little bit of the tteokbokki style rice cakes, and there are jujubes in there that my mom grows at her house enjoying.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Really incredible.

[Gavin Rossdale]

What's your favorite place to go eat?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I've really been enjoying Indian food recently. Growing up in Albuquerque, there was a lot of big flavor. And I, I, I didn't eat, you know, I didn't eat Mex, I didn't eat a ton of Korean. I didn't eat Indian. I, I was basically just only eating Mexican food. And I love that spice. I love the big flavor. I love the boldness. Of it. So when I discovered, you know, Korean and Indian, when I moved to New York and I had all this. This. This great food available on your block. On my.

[Gavin Rossdale]

On your block?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah. Literally right there, I just. I lost my mind for everything. I, like, went crazy Ethiopian. Like, I just, I.

[Gavin Rossdale]

The.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

The world was suddenly open to me, so I. I really, truly love anything with big flavor. Yeah. So I don't know. I mean, I, I. I'm so happy you chose this place because. Delicious.

[C]

This one is my personal favorite. It's the braised black cod. I'm going to try to make a little bit of space between. So the braised black cod has, of course, cod, Korean radish, the moo kabocha, squash, rice cakes, onions, some other veg as well. Cod is actually not very traditional in Korean food. There's no cod in Korea. So we do have the more traditional versions, which would be like, the cutlet fish or, like, belt fish version. We also have one with a mackerel, but we put a lot of kimchi in the one with the mackerel to offset the oil. I know, right? Next time you have to come back and try the mackerel. I love it. But the cod, so beautiful here. It's just kind of become like, kind of like a la dish. I want to say you can get the brazed black cod elsewhere. That's also really good. But, yeah, that's my personal favorite. Enjoy.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Beautiful.

[Gavin Rossdale]

Thank you so much.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

When you're cooking for your guests on your show, how many episodes have you shot, by the way?

[Gavin Rossdale]

6.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Do you like? How do you choose what you're gonna feed each person?

[Gavin Rossdale]

I asked them for a list of likes. I got into likes and dislikes because when I didn't do likes and dislikes, and Serena gave me a really short list that didn't include Serena Williams.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Gavin Rossdale]

Yeah. And didn't give me two things on her list. Was. It was really fun. It was like tacos, chicken, cake, healthy, no sugar.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Wait, wait. This is all contradictory.

[Gavin Rossdale]

Yeah. And I was. I had to figure it out. It was like. It was like a riddle.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Sugarless cake.

[Gavin Rossdale]

It was like a Morse code.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Which one of these words doesn't belong?

[Gavin Rossdale]

So what happened is I deconstructed a taco.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Okay.

[Gavin Rossdale]

I kept healthy. But I put. I did one. I did a. This tomato salad that I learned, I was told by a friend of mine, Dominique Cren. Who's a Dominique.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

She's so talented.

[Gavin Rossdale]

So she had told me this. This dish her mom used to make her, which was a dish of Uncooked tomatoes, raw tomatoes, and confit tomatoes. And you do it up to. You have a hot tomato and a cold tomato in there with a lemon creme fraiche. So I made this. I wasn't gonna make it as a. I made it as a side dish, but we made it as a starter. Whatever. So it was a starter. And then I did a deconstructed taco. I did a really nice bit of fish, and then I did a bit of pineapple that I burnt the pineapple, charred the pineapple to go with the fish, and then put a little avocado mousse down the center. And it turns out she's so great. She said it on the show. But before she let anyone know, she doesn't like tomatoes and she doesn't like avocado. This is my show. I'm like, oh, my God, kill me. So after that, I was like, make sure we know what they don't like. Why did we not ask them that? That was, like, the dumbest thing that I failed to ask people what they don't like. So that was good. But she did like that she ate the tomato salad. But she's a great person, so she could be still retching in private when she thinks about it.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

But I don't think so. You have great guests in your first six episodes. Bush, Shields, and Jack McBrayer, who's a buddy of mine.

[Gavin Rossdale]

Jack is the best.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Isn't he great?

[Gavin Rossdale]

Yeah, he's wonderful. He's a really good friend of mine. He's been helping me a lot recently. Do all my audition tapes. Yeah, for everything. I mean, all the different shows I've been trying or movies I've been trying to get in. I have to say, I think he's a horrible director because I haven't got one. So.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Is he making you. You just gotta talk like me, Gavin?

[Gavin Rossdale]

No, he actually is super helpful, and.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

He'S such a great guy.

[Gavin Rossdale]

You know, if I'm at a. You know, really not good. He gets me just sort of just head above water of average. And I think I did a couple of good takes. So I. And I was like, every time I think, this is it, you know, by about, I'm. I start to, you know, you're a professional actor, so different. But people like me who come in and out of it, we need to rev up. So I. I need, like, by about my fourth take, I'm really. I'm starting to motor. Take five and six. I'm money. So whenever I'd go to rehearse Auditions, you know, that'd be take one and two. This is really hard.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Gavin Rossdale]

So the only moves I ever did, I did get a couple, but generally I get them if I was given them and then I would do the part, you know, so auditions. But Jack always helped me with that and got me a lot better than I was, but not good enough to actually land the roles. But what's so sweet about Jack? I'll give you a fun insight to Jack.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Gavin Rossdale]

Since I got divorced and was raising the kids on my own, he's come to every Christmas and Thanksgiving that I do with my kids.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Oh, really?

[Gavin Rossdale]

He comes to them and he comes to them. And so we just had him for Christmas, we had him for Thanksgiving, and he. The last Thanksgiving he sent in, I posted on my Instagram a little while ago. But he sent me an invoice for his presence. So Jack and you know, Selma Blair. I had known that was the hardest thing to get people to come because I knew I could show up. I knew I'd. I'd figure out how to make a plate of food, ask him a few questions that I hope we'd have fun with, and we'd be off to the races, just film it and that's it. Now I get to stay home, do something fun, get to speak, have a voice, you know, be myself. And it took a number of years to get that happening. You know, it's quite. TV's not easy to make.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

No, no. But also, I mean, it's the same sort of thing with this. You know, I obviously want people to come on and have a nice time, but also have a good experience. And, you know, it's. I'm the one driving the conversation. I'm sure you feel the same pressure.

[Gavin Rossdale]

I'm having a great time, by the way.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

You're doing a great job. Sounds like you are.

[Gavin Rossdale]

Well, because I'd be like at the end of the evening with a cooking show I'd be doing. I'd be like. That was maybe for four hours. That's four hours of, you know, one on one and drinking. And most of it was 5 out of 6 were alcohol based.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

How do you do that? I can't drink on this and keep the conversation on track. How do you keep the conversation on track if you're both drinking?

[Gavin Rossdale]

Depends what you mean by track. It just which track you want to be on.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

A different track. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Gavin Rossdale]

I think I'm like the other track. Yeah, I'm English, you know, we like. We sort of.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah, I know.

[Gavin Rossdale]

You drink and you Eat and you drink.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I'm gonna be staying in London for four months. I'm doing a play at the National. Wow. And I'm gonna be staying in Battersea, which I don't know anything about. You just nodded quietly, so it makes me nervous.

[Gavin Rossdale]

No, I had two thoughts that happened.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Okay.

[Gavin Rossdale]

One is it's a bit far, but that's okay. There's actually a restaurant in Clapham which is next to it.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Oh, I know Clapham. Yeah.

[Gavin Rossdale]

Called Trinity. And the chef there is one of my heroes. I follow him. And you got to go there.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Gavin Rossdale]

Best food.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Okay.

[Gavin Rossdale]

Trinity. Yeah. That's great. It's just along the embankment. It's beautiful. Yeah. National's incredible.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Gavin Rossdale]

Wow.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Gavin Rossdale]

Was that. What does that feel like when you get the gig? When you found out you got it? Did they. Do you have to audition, or did you.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

No. Well, first of all, I've always wanted to work in London. I've always wanted to do a show in the West End. Although I guess Nashville is not technically the West End. But it's a. It's a show by Stephen Sondheim that was done in New York called Here We Are. It was his last show that he was writing when he passed away, and it's actually unfinished. And the book writer and the director, Joe Mantello, finished the show and put it up in New York, and it was great. I saw it in New York. I know what the piece is. I know, like, kind of the tone of the whole show. And actually, when I saw it, I had some friends on the show, and I went backstage, I said, I'm actually so jealous that you all get to do this. Like, this is such a cool piece of art. And so when the director asked me to do it in London because the guy who originated the part in New York can't do it, I was like, oh, this is incredible school. Yeah, totally. I'm really excited. And I get to work in London for the first time, so.

[Gavin Rossdale]

That is amazing. London's incredible.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah. Do you think that, you know, as you're about to go on, although it sounds like you've kind of been on tour for a while, but you're about to do another whole life, another five months out on the road? I mean, how do you compare yourself to, like, when you first started 30 years ago with the band? I mean, do you. Is it the same Rush? Is it the same, like, what are the crowds like?

[Gavin Rossdale]

It's just such an incredible way to live that if. When you get them right and you get the shows right, it just. I mean, you. You've done Broadway, and you understand that feeling of, I can spend the whole day wandering around, you know, South Dakota, thinking, where's my life going? And then I play a show and I go, it's going right here. This is where it is. You know, there's something so great about that. I mean, my touring ahead is not consecutive, by the way, because I have kids, so I have to have them a lot, half the time. So it's spread out across a year, but it's a lot. I love it. And I think that there's two types of people that really. In terms of that. One, people that want to tour and give it all they got, or people that have to tour and reluctantly tour and phone it in. You know, you've seen plays where people aren't in it. And it's fun for me, the. It's only fun for me to try and improve the show. It's not fun for me to repeat the show. There's no fun in that. But I think that when I'm playing live or I think alive, I mean, I do the whole set list is all thinking about other people. I wouldn't do it. Just myself. I'm thinking about what. From the moment someone walks into the moment they leave an hour and a half later, what's the experience like? Everybody wants to avoid that. That middle bit where everyone gets bored. And so here's the new song, and someone goes, I'll get the drinks.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Gavin Rossdale]

You know, anybody wanting to think, are you guys hungry? You know, Right. Too many songs in a row. If the songs aren't any good and people are buying food as well as drinks in that gap, when are they playing? Come down. You know, so what are some of.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

The best live shows that you've seen that you're inspired by?

[Gavin Rossdale]

Usually ending with you two involved. So watching the effect on the crowd, I do like.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Did you see them in Vegas?

[Gavin Rossdale]

Yeah.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah, me too. The Sphere. That's really incredible.

[Gavin Rossdale]

Yeah, it's incredible. You know, there's such a wonderful band, wonderful people, amazing songs, and just. Just phenomenal. When I was in Institute, I toured with YouTube, so I watched them every night. Yeah, they took us. I never went with Bush, but I went twice with Institute, with YouTube, so that was just. And to just be traveling with them, and I just got to watch them every single night.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I think that, you know, Bush is definitely synonymous with, you know, grunge, although some people call it post grunge. I don't know the difference between the.

[Gavin Rossdale]

Two does help people to signpost and flag things. But there were so many influences that were ungrungy that I was like. It was a bit. It was a bit of a blanket. Well, I mean, everybody. We're all reduced to, like, three sentences, right?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

True. That's true. And you also. How. Where was Nirvana at that point? Was that. Were they.

[Gavin Rossdale]

Well, he had just.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

He just passed away.

[Gavin Rossdale]

Passed away? Yeah. So we came out with a record and got in a lot of trouble for fulfilling a. A space in the world that he effectively had vacated. I didn't. You know, that was. You know, it felt weird to be coming out in the time of where he had. He had left. You know, I was excited to. You know, you can't help idealize or romanticize. You're gonna, like. I'd be like, I'm gonna meet. Maybe I'm gonna meet them one day.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Did you ever meet Cobain?

[Gavin Rossdale]

No.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Oh, wow.

[Gavin Rossdale]

He had passed away. I mean, he. Yeah, I was making the record, and I was like. I was making 16 stone. It was devastating.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Was he someone that was a influence for you?

[Gavin Rossdale]

Yeah, he's massive. He's incredible. I mean, he's inspired a whole entire generation. So it was awful. And then, you know, my kids went to school with Dave's kids, so he's got three girls at one school and three boys, so we spent a lot of time. I spent a lot of time with Dave at school assemblies.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Wow.

[Gavin Rossdale]

You can see us now. And Paul Stanley from Chris Kiss.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

There needs to be a documentary about that.

[Gavin Rossdale]

Yeah. Chris Cornell.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

The Hot Dads of rock.

[Gavin Rossdale]

Well, there's this. There was a. There was a. An assembly went to. I sat with Chris Cornell, and then Dave was there, and Paul Stanley is hilarious.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

It was like, you know, at a school assembly. That's incredible.

[Gavin Rossdale]

Yep. Look at that. Between Chris and Kurt and Chester, you know, that's why, you know, I beat loneliness. I think that if I could reduce myself to something really. A few sentences. I love the idea that I have a band that can provide comfort, you know, my kind of music. It's. You know, sometimes I wish I was as good as, like, party bands, you know, like, some people can write, you know, will I am. And I got a feeling. It's just such a great song, but it just. It doesn't. Anytime I try and get into that zone, I just don't sound good. I need to be complaining about something and then be challenged about something and then resolve it. It's never doom and gloom. It's always sort of accepting that life is really hard. And so I've taken that on. You know, I have a lot of people that come up to me from shows in the daytime when I see them, and I get a great comfort from the music. You know, it's the biggest compliment when people want to tell me that they've begun poetry. It saved them. I've had so many times where people tell me they were on an edge. This record saved them. That record saved them. So when you have that, it's an incredible. It gives my life an incredible sense of meaning. The funniest thing about being a writer is that the more honest I can get and the further inside myself I can get, the more chance there is that you'll connect to it. Yeah, it's so weird because you think that by disappearing for someone and diving into a well of yourself that you're going to alienate someone or distance yourself.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

But actually it's become inaccessible.

[Gavin Rossdale]

It's by accessing those feelings, emotions and those words you can put into things that make people connect with you. It's wild. Yeah, I'm super excited for people to hear it. And that title, I've had it for a minute because I wrote is actually a song on there called I Beat Loneliness. So I got it from there. I was like, oh, I don't know if I can improve that. Normally I don't like doing a song, an album title from a song. I'm like. Like, it's a cop out.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Gavin Rossdale]

It's a great chance for a writer to sort of have an overview, like take a drone of their work and be like, crystallize it in some form. Like the art of survival was that. But this, I was like, ah, God dang. I'm like dumb myself in here because I'm not going to beat that. And I don't want to beat that. And I just thought the idea of Bush, I beat Loneliness. The only thing that screwed it up is I was. I thought we should definitely about time we should do a picture of the band on the COVID Because no one's seen the band on the COVID for so long. I don't think we've ever done that. I thought, this is time for now, you know, how many more have you got? Let's do something to shake it up. And I thought, oh, dear, should it be We Beat Loneliness? He Beat Loneliness. It's like it fucked it. And so I was like, but I can't not have the title.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Well, I just. I think there's something really, I think, impactful and interesting about people who are you know, constantly morphing and becoming these new versions of themselves and are influenced by the people who, you know, consume their art. I think it's really cool to see all these twists and turns you're taking. And now this new TV show, which is called Tell Me Again because I have the wrong.

[Gavin Rossdale]

Another Night with Jesse. Dinner with Gavin Rossdale. I put my.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

You put your whole name on there. Dinner with Gavin Rossdale.

[Gavin Rossdale]

You did Dinners on.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

We wouldn't have enough room on my microphone. And it's on Vizio. Vizio. Watch Free Plus.

[Gavin Rossdale]

Yeah, I think that people are. People have responded really well to it. It's an incredible bluff. Yeah, I can do that. Sure. You know, of course I can't.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

You seem like you know what you're doing. I watched the teaser.

[Gavin Rossdale]

Well, I just thought it could be interesting and fun to hang out with these people, and they're so good that of course you can just ask. Let them talk and film them. Yeah, that's what we did.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Should be very proud of yourself. It's really cool. Thanks for doing this.

[Gavin Rossdale]

I loved it. You're fun. The meal is fantastic.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I've been a big fan for a very long time, and I love that we shared an abode. Not together again. I don't want people to get the wrong one.

[Gavin Rossdale]

We shared a nursery even.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

We shared a nursery. Yeah. Yeah.

[Gavin Rossdale]

Again, that was Kingston's nursery.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

That was Beckett's.

[Gavin Rossdale]

Beckett.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Beckett's. Yeah. Yeah.

[Gavin Rossdale]

Wow.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I know. God, I love that house so much.

[Gavin Rossdale]

That's beautiful.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I'm gonna show you some pictures. It's a beautiful home that I found. Thanks for doing this. Appreciate it.

[Gavin Rossdale]

Thanks for having me.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

This episode of Dinner's on Me was recorded at Sobin. Next week on Dinners on Me. You know him as my brother in law from Modern Family. It's Phil Dunphy. Ty Burrell. We'll talk about his life in Utah, the moment where we first met, and the story of how he adopted his two daughters. And if you don't want to wait until next week to listen, you can download that episode right now by subscribing to Dinners on Me. Plus, as a subscriber, not only do you get access to new episodes one week early, you'll also be able to listen completely ad free. Just click Try free at the top of the Dinners on Me show page on Apple Podcasts to start your free trial today. Dinners On Me is a production of Sony Music Entertainment and a kid named Beckett Productions. It's hosted by me, Jesse Tyler Ferguson. It's executive produced by me and Jonathan Hirsch. Our showrunner is Joanna Clay. Our associate producer is Alyssa Midcalf. Sam Baer engineered this episode. Hans Dale. She composed our theme music. Our head of production is Sammy Allison. Special thanks to Tameka Balance Kolasny and Justin Makita. I'm Jesse Tyler Ferguson. Join me next week. I don't know about you, but when I was a kid, one of my favorite errands was going to the deli counter with my parents. I'd press my nose against the glass, watching as they sliced the perfect cut of turkey or ham. And if I was lucky, I'd get a sample handed over the counter like a little gift. Now, as a dad, I love the idea of recreating that experience with my own kids. Picking up some Boar's Head Oven Gold Turkey or Smoked Master Beechwood, smoked Black Forest ham and some aged cheddar for a picnic in the park. Because there's making a sandwich and then there's crafting a sandwich. Boar's Head uses premium whole cuts of meat, hand trimmed and slow roasted to perfection. Every flavor is carefully chosen and every recipe is crafted with purpose. So when I want a meal to be truly great, I choose Boar's Head. And I know when we spread out the picnic blanket, just like I did when I was a kid, it'll be a meal worth remembering. Boar's Head. Committed to crafts since 1905, discover the craftsmanship behind every bite at Boar's Head.

[Gavin Rossdale]

Com.