The headline of the Billboard article said it all: “Like They Never Left.” The story, which ran in the Oct 29, 2011 issue, hailed the return of mega-platinum rock band BUSH, who had just self-released The Sea of Memories, their first album in 10 years and wasted no time returning to the top of the charts. In fact, they did it in grand style: the album’s lead single, “The Sound of Winter,” made rock radio history by becoming the first self-released song ever to hit No. 1 at Alternative Radio. “The Sound of Winter” also holds the distinction of being the reunited group’s first No. 1 single since 1999’s chart-topping hit, “The Chemicals Between Us.”

“It's the most brilliant start we could have imagined,” says Bush vocalist/guitarist Gavin Rossdale. “Having a No. 1 song at radio is a testament to not only the band, but the great team that surrounds us, the support at radio and of course, the tireless fans who give us daily oxygen – we’re thankful for it all.”

The band (Rossdale, guitarist Chris Traynor, drummer Robin Goodridge, and bassist Corey Britz) supported the album with a whirlwind media blitz and tour, which included performances on “Jimmy Kimmel Live” and “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” as well as concert specials for DirecTV’s “Guitar Center Sessions” and HDNet and a sold-out international tour. Tickets for some of the shows sold out in under a minute.

“It's really humbling because you never know what to expect,” says Rossdale. “I had no idea that it would go like this. I just wanted to make a great record.”

That record, The Sea of Memories, is steeped in the notion that one has to know where they came from to know where they’re going. “We are the sum of everything we’ve done -- right, wrong and in-between,” says Rossdale. “We’re all victims, and benefactors, of our past.” And Bush should know. The British-born band has had more success over the course of their first half-dozen years than most artists do in a lifetime. From Sixteen Stone to The Science of Things, they made some of the most successful rock albums in recent memory. The seminal outfit also forged a sound that would come to characterize an entire decade.

Today, Rossdale is mining the past for clues to the future, and has come up with an album that reflects both sides of that time quotient. On The Sea of Memories, he’s resurrected the band with drummer Robin Goodridge, guitarist Chris Traynor and bassist Corey Britz. “When making music, you have a choice to repeat what you’ve done or move on,” says Rossdale. “It would’ve been safe to just rework [1994’s debut album] Sixteen Stone over and over, but what kind of life would that be? When you’re driving down the road, you’re focused on what’s in front of you; you don’t really think to keep checking in your rear view mirror. I like the idea of art changing, developing and morphing.”

The Sea of Memories is drenched in Bush’s trademark intensity and driven by Rossdale’s emotive, bittersweet vocals, but it’s also infused with an immediacy that pushes the album into new, compelling directions. From their lead single, the atmospheric powerhouse “The Sound of Winter,” to the rapid-fire exuberance of “All My Life,” Bush reveals itself as a re-energized band. It’s a fresh mindset that’s at least partially influenced by events surrounding the making of this record.

Rossdale thought they had finished the CD late last year after recording with producer Bob Rock (Metallica, Aerosmith). But creative differences with its label led to an amicable parting of ways and the band left with album in hand and a choice of places to call home. While their team fielded offers from a plethora of labels, the band went back into Rossdale’s home Kingston Sound studios in LA and emerged with five new songs. “I didn’t want to get caught up in the process of signing a new deal,” says Rossdale. “I wanted to keep moving and creating. We had good ideas and wanted to flesh them out.”  

It was during this re-energized state that the band decided to take control of the reins and release the album themselves. Thus, The Sea of Memories is Bush’s first indie effort since the early 1990s. Rossdale’s own imprint, Zuma Rock Records, issued the album through an exclusive partnership with eOne Music, with earMusic handling the European release. “It’s been a relief and a breath of fresh air,” says Rossdale of making the leap from a major label, and being able to work under fewer creative constraints. “There’s a pressure that comes with being on a major. If you’re nurtured and looked after properly, it gives you the freedom and confidence to be creative, and from that comes good results. But it can also be disheartening. This feels good. This feels right.”

After the release of Golden State in 2001, Bush began unraveling from a grueling tour schedule and pressure brought on by their own success. Guitarist Nigel Pulsford finally begged off touring altogether, and in 2002, left the band to spend more time with his family. Bassist Dave Parsons soon followed. “There was no big bang,” says Rossdale of the break-up. “We did it in a very English way—quietly.”

Rossdale spent the next eight years pursuing new projects—from forming the band Institute in 2004 (which also included guitarist Traynor) to launching a solo career in 2008. Still, a Bush reunion was never that far off in his thoughts. “My delay in reuniting the band was really waiting for Nigel to come back, but he just didn’t want to tour anymore,” says Rossdale. “It was like ‘What am I going to do?’ As much as I wanted to wait, I also like to be in the studio and perform. So Institute and then my solo career were much more by default then by design. And I felt a bit off-kilter. It all felt less powerful, and just less all around. As long as I make music, I’d much rather make it under the name Bush than my own.” Says Robin Goodridge of the reunion: “I always knew Bush would make another record.  It was only a matter of time before the itch got too much for some of us. When you have something that great, it never leaves you.”

The Sea of Memories has a foot in Bush’s past and its future: a balance the band was determined to strike if they were to connect with loyal fans and reach new listeners. “I was a fan of Bush, so I wanted to do the music justice,” says Corey Britz, the newest member, though no stranger to the camp, as he’s played with Rossdale on various projects over the past few years. “Bush has always had a particular feel, and I hope to get as close to the mark as possible. I’m proud, nervous, and excited to be a part of a band that I have been a fan of for so many years.”

Guitarist Chris Traynor has played with Bush since the Golden State tour. He was also part of Rossdale’s ensuing band, Institute, and on the singer’s more recent solo projects. “I think every Bush record has been sonically and stylistically different from the last,” says Traynor. “The engine that drives the band, and makes it Bush, is Gavin's songwriting and singing. The ever-expanding vocabulary and musical territory of the band has to do with his overall vision as an artist. I really respect the fact that Gavin is driven to push forward and progress musically.”

The freedom Rossdale has found musically on The Sea of Memories also translates into his lyrics. Throughout the record, he offers up poetic, colorful and often ironic narratives on day-to-day living—sometimes biographical, sometimes not. “I think the record has that balance of living: the struggle, romance, loss, desire, aspirations,” says Rossdale. “Like the song ‘All Night Doctors,’ I enjoyed writing a dialogue, showing a snapshot of someone else’s life. For most people, happiness revolves around what they’ve achieved. But success is really about how they reconcile their aspirations with where they actually land in life. That balance has always intrigued me. I’ve found that depression, stress and worry is almost always rooted in the past and the future. But there’s a lot of riches to be found in the moment.”

It's not easy to find a success story as genuine as Creed's in popular culture these days when considering all of the carefully scripted rises to glory and the falls that inevitably follow careers built on hype. If any band in recent years can claim to have ascended strictly on its own merits, it's Creed. This Florida-based band went from zero to sixty, (or, more accurately, from zero to selling more than twenty million albums) by virtue of a combination of finger-on-the-pulse songs and powerful live performances. Their debut album, My Own Prison, has sold over six million albums to date. Creed's sophomore effort, Human Clay, debuted at #1 on the Billboard charts and has gone on to sell more than 10 Million copies. The band's third release, Weathered, also debuted at #1, selling more copies in its first week than any other rock release in 2001, and tying the record for the longest run at the top following a #1 debut.

"With My Own Prison, I knew we had the talent to get a record deal and I knew we had songs good enough to get played on the radio, but I never had any expectations of reaching this many people," says Creed's frontman Scott Stapp.

Nonetheless, the band's success has been truly phenomenal. Creed was the first band in history to have four #1 Rock Radio singles from a debut album. On the strength of their singles, including the crushing title track and the more pensive "What's This Life For," Creed topped countless year-end charts and was recognized as the Rock Artist of the Year at Billboard's 1998 Music Awards. Their debut album was also the #1-selling Hard Music album of 1998 on SoundScan's Hard Music chart.

With the release of their second album, Human Clay, Creed upped the ante yet again. "Higher," the first single from their 10-times platinum sophomore release, broke the Active and Mainstream Rock airplay records for the most consecutive weeks at #1, holding the coveted spot for eighteen weeks. Furthermore, Creed was recognized once again as the Rock Artist of the Year at Billboard's 1999 and 2000 Music Awards. Human Clay 's first three singles ("Higher," "What If" and "With Arms Wide Open") again achieved #1 status, setting a record with a total of seven consecutive #1 Rock Radio singles.

"We're the type of band that functions really well under pressure and the only pressure that we recognize is our own. We definitely wanted to top ourselves [after the My Own Prison album]," says Stapp. "We wanted to make a really great record. The band's goal has always been to make records that are solid from start to finish; records that take you through an entire range of emotions." Guitarist / co-writer Mark Tremonti added, "We always kept in mind that we had to write for ourselves because as long as we are proud of it, our fans will be as well. We try not to set any other goals above and beyond that." While Stapp grants that the band's increased resources had some impact on the structure of Human Clay, it's clear that Creed's evolution is far more than just a matter of dollars and cents.

Once again, Creed has returned with an album of songs that collectively offer the listener a passionate journey of emotive energy. Tremonti and Stapp's collaborations stand among the select few that seem to effortlessly draw the listener in and truly move the spirit through the simple art of expression. The lead single, "My Sacrifice," opens with a signature Mark Tremonti guitar intro and then envelops the listener with the mood and power no other band today commands.

For Weathered, Creed once again turned to longtime friend and producer John Kurzweg to ensure that they captured the anthemic guitars, dramatic vocals and bold lyrics that have made the band's brawny-yet-intimate sound a radio staple for several years. The band also decided to invite Kirk Kelsey, their longtime live sound engineer, to co-produce the new material. Together with Kurzweg and Kelsey, Creed recorded the new album in a home studio just outside of Orlando. Drummer Scott Phillips commented, "We've done our previous two albums in home studios and have felt that this is our best creative environment where we can feel comfortable and creative as a band." Guitarist Mark Tremonti performed all of the bass guitar tracks on Weathered and a few special guests made passionate contributions to the album. On "Don't Stop Dancing," the band was joined by the Tallahassee Boys' Choir and Amie Stapp. Regarding his sister's appearance on the album, Stapp noted, "I had been looking for a female vocalist for awhile and it dawned on me that I didn't need to look any farther than home." On "Who's Got My Back?," vocalist Bo Taylor, an archivist at The Museum of the Cherokee Indian, makes a special appearance on the invitation of Creed. Taylor mentioned, "I really like Creed's music because they are asking questions that all human beings should ask as they look outside of themselves. Music touches people and Scott contacted me to celebrate where he originally came from and to reconnect with his ancestry. It speaks volumes about his character that he reached back and made this statement and it means a lot to me personally that he did this."

"I think my lyrics are very direct and understandable," says Stapp. "People can relate to that, so that's something I didn't want to move away from. At the same time, we're a little bit older and more mature now and we've been through a lot in the past few years, so we are looking to put things across in a way that reflected that." Co-writer Mark Tremonti added, "We wanted to take our sound and expand on it. I think Weathered is the most diverse, dynamic record we have written to date."

Creed's reputation for dynamic and passionate live performances has led to consistently sold-out shows. Over the past four years the band has played to more than four million fans worldwide. "We were out on tour for a long time and wherever we went, there were people telling me how much certain songs meant to them and how they felt so close to them," says Stapp. "That means more to me than any other kind of attention. It's important to feel as if you're doing something worthwhile and in this band, with Mark and Scott, I feel like I am." On a similar note, drummer Scott Phillips added, "Our success has been dictated by the fans. They are the most important thing in the band's life. The three of us feel blessed to have such a great following of people. It's amazing to me when I sit behind the kit during a show and see the passion and emotion displayed by the audience."

In January 2002, Creed embarked on a world tour that will bring them to over one million fans throughout the year. The year began with a trek across North American arenas in January, after which they touched down in Australia and New Zealand in July. The band will then return to the U.S. for a Summer / Fall stadium tour. When asked before the tour about his feelings on getting back on the road and in front of the band's fans, guitarist Mark Tremonti replied, "Personally, I can't wait to get back on tour. It is something I truly enjoy and can't live without. It has been too long since we played a full blown show." Scott Phillips mentioned, "It's been over a year since we've had a chance to perform in front of a crowd. Our experiences in previous years have been amazing and we can't wait to continue that feeling."

In 2000, Creed's presence on television and their impact on end-of-year award shows were undeniable. The band released their VH1 Behind The Music special, taped and released VH1's Storytellers with The Doors and garnered numerous awards. In November, Creed earned two awards at the Radio Music Awards and the fans bestowed four awards on the band at the My VH1 Awards. They also received the award for Rock Artist of the Year, for the third year in a row, at the Billboard Awards in December. The writing team of Mark Tremonti / Scott Stapp kicked off 2001 by winning a Grammy Award for the band's composition, "With Arms Wide Open," a deeply personal song that was inspired when Stapp learned he was going to become a father.

Stapp is also continually besieged with requests to help with a variety of fund-raisers and charities and helps whenever and wherever he can. He has started his own charity, the "With Arms Wide Open Foundation" in an attempt to help underprivileged children and to be able to give something back to the communities that have supported Creed.

Damian Robert Nesta Marley, also known around the world as “Junior Gong” and more recently as “Gongzilla” was born in 1978 to parents Bob Marley and Cindy Breakspeare, Miss World 1976.  As a young adult, he developed a passion and a gift to speak for those who cannot always speak for themselves. A self-proclaimed ‘Spiritual Revolutionary’, Damian has worked assiduously to carve his own niche in music history and to add a new perspective to the Marley legacy for the 21st century. 

At the age of 13, Damian began performing in a group called “The Shepherds” which comprised of Shiah Coore (son of Third World guitarist Cat Coore) and currently a member of his band, and Yashema Beth McGreggor, daughter of reggae singers Freddie Mcgreggor and Judy Mowatt and then began touring with his brothers, Stephen, Ky-mani, Julian and Ziggy. 

By 1996, Damian had already made his stamp as a different kind of Marley when he released his first solo album “Mr. Marley”, a heavily dancehall-influenced album produced by his brother Stephen Marley.  His second album “Halfway Tree” was released in 2001 by a major record label and showcased Damian’s unique gift for blending dancehall, reggae and hip-hop styles.  This album won Damian much recognition and remained on the Billboard Top Reggae Album Charts for 158 weeks and earned him his first Grammy for Best Reggae Album in 2002. 
While honored by this recognition by the global music fraternity, Damian continued to work in the studio, laying the groundwork for the tracks that would become his highly anticipated album, “Welcome To Jamrock”. The lyrics in this album presented Marley as a true spiritual revolutionary, as he used his talent to evoke a spiritual change while trying to enforce a better way of thinking.  He is described as “rhyming with the conviction of a street preacher with the intellect of a university economist”.  

Damian’s hit single “Welcome to Jamrock” was listed as one of the Top 100 Songs of the Decade by Rolling Stone, and at the 2006 Grammy Awards, he won Best Reggae Album and Best Urban/Alternative Performance for Welcome to Jamrock. Damian is the only Jamaican reggae artist in history to win two Grammy Awards on the same night. He is also the only reggae artist to win in the Best Urban/Alternative Performance category at the Grammy Awards. The New York Times called Welcome to Jamrock the “best reggae song of the decade.” 
Welcome to Jamrock led the pathway to Damian’s critically acclaimed collaboration with Nas for 2010’s much lauded album “Distant Relatives” – a project which explored the relationships between reggae, hip-hop and Africa. The album title refers not only to the bond between the artists, but the connection to their African ancestry, which inspired the album both musically and lyrically. USA Today referred to the album as a “potent and often provocative collaboration” and by Rolling Stone as “an Afrocentric winner.” The album debuted at Number 5 on the Billboard Top 200 Album Chart and Number 1 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, Rap Albums and Reggae Albums charts, with Billboard heralding the album as “a dynamic hybrid.”    

The Distant Relatives Tour kicked off in 2011 and saw Damian traveling and performing for thousands of fans all over the world, including South America, Europe, The United Kingdom, The Caribbean and North America.  

Damian continued to cross musical boundaries in 2012, as he went on to partner with Skrillex for their groundbreaking track “Make It Bun Dem”, which Rolling Stone called “a monster mash up of dubstep and dancehall” and has led to several remixes of the original version.  Damian recently released two other singles; “Set Up Shop” and  “Affairs of the Heart” which both received widespread airplay. 

Damian continues to tour with his band all over the world as a way of entertaining and healing as he continues to spread the message for those whose voices cannot be heard. He is working with his brothers Stephen and Julian under their Ghetto Youths International Label, to discover, develop and sign gifted artistes by applying their musical talent and vast experience to create new and different styles of music.  

Damian is currently in the studio working on his upcoming solo album.

Pete- vocals/guitar. Sam- drums. Dean- bass.

Veronica is following