INSTITUTE Band has different name, similar sound

Despite having different bandmates, Institute has the same tortured vocal style as Bush.
By JOHN BENSON
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
With '90s post-grunge act Bush decidedly behind him now -- the band quietly called it quits a few years ago -- singer-songwriter Gavin Rossdale had a choice to make: go solo or start from scratch.
"There were some times when obviously I thought about [going solo] a lot," said Rossdale, calling from Boston. "But I just like the excitement you get with a band and the camaraderie, and I don't know ... I could have done it solo but it felt weird calling it under my name."
After hooking up with ex-Helmet guitarist Chris Traynor, the pieces quickly came together for new band Institute, which recently released its debut album "Distort Yourself." Despite a new name and new band mates, the sound is relatively Bush-like, with the same tortured Rossdale vocal style. Starting anew with a band is one thing but you have to think he tried to distance himself both vocally and stylistically from his former, platinum-selling act.
"Probably so and probably too much for myself," Rossdale said. "In a weird way, it's never going to sound that much different and at the same time, I have to try to make it sound different. But I sort of mellowed from that now."
Knew it was special
Early on Rossdale, who is married to No Doubt vocalist and solo artist Gwen Stefani, said he knew Institute was something special when the group wrote album track "When Animals Attack," which is slightly harder and more modern sounding than anything the singer recorded in the past. So far concertgoers have warmed up to the new material but that often comes after Institute rips through a few choice Bush singles. Rossdale and company open for U2 Dec. 10 at Cleveland's The Q.
For the time being, the singer finds himself back at square one, incessantly promoting the new band and hoping audiences make the transition from Bush to Institute. Unfortunately, the reaction among the CD-buying public has been tepid, giving Rossdale plenty of time to second-guess his decisions.
"I don't know, I probably should have done it under my name," Rossdale said. "I've yet to be totally vindicated. I've stuck my neck out a lot with this and so far I haven't quite connected yet to the radio with the success I enjoyed with Bush. It's a little destabilizing but to be alive is to be destabilized, right? Yes, I am slightly destabilized but that's not a bad thing. It keeps things lean and mean."