Bush bandleader Gavin Rossdale recently sat down with AXS TV’s “Stranded” to lay out the five essential albums he would take with him were he stranded on a deserted island.
But perhaps surprisingly — he is a famous post-grunge rocker, after all — only one of the records the Bush singer and guitarist chose could really be considered a rock album.
The rest run the gamut through Rossdale’s eclectic musical taste, as he explained in the video interview.
The remaining four albums he chose contain some slight traces of rock, but they are mainly either electronic, jazz, soul or blues-based.
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That’s because the Bush mastermind’s five Desert Island discs are David Bowie’s Blackstar (2016), Tricky’s Maxinquaye (1995), Amy Winehouse’s Back to Black (2006), U2’s The Joshua Tree (1987) and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds’ The Boatman’s Call (1997).
Do you know which album is the rock album?
Gavin Rossdale’s Desert Island Discs
Indeed, only one of those albums could be considered a straight-up rock effort. While the late Bowie was undoubtedly a rock star, his swansong Blackstar is an experimental jazz record that contains touches of art rock, free jazz and folk-pop, among other enigmatic strains.
Further, Tricky’s Maxinquaye is trip-hop and electronic, the late Winehouse’s Back to Black is a soulful R&B and neo-soul pop effort, and The Boatman’s Call is Cave’s entirely piano-based statement of somber folk, blues and jazz ruminations.
Yes, that leaves The Joshua Tree — U2’s ’80s pinnacle — as the sole LP Rossdale chose that could be filed explicitly under rock.
But don’t take our word for it — watch the video below.
What Are Gavin Rossdale’s Five Favorite Albums? (AXS TV’s Stranded)
Top 30 Grunge Albums of All Time
