Gavin Rossdale, the lead singer of Bush, is sitting at a table in our office rolling a J of CBX’s Cereal Milk hybrid. He’s tan, relaxed, and feeling good.

Although he was hoping for a “quiet, lazy summer,” he’s now got an album out. A long tour booked. And a cooking show.

“There goes my idyllic summer,” he says with a grin.

As a teen in the UK, Rossdale ran away to London to join the punk rockers and new wave circus. Heavy doses of the Sex Pistols, The Clash, the Buzzcocks, Joy Division, and My Bloody Valentine. He thought: Writing songs might be a good life for me. “I was always a reader, so writing lyrics was something I felt I could do—but I had no idea about my voice.” When Rossdale first landed in Britain, Rolling Stone was quick to knock Gavin’s vocal style. Later, they ate those words.

After discovering cannabis (he confirms the name Bush is at least one nod to his beloved plant), his creativity bloomed. “Cannabis takes me to new dimensions, creatively and spiritually.”

After one sesh, he put on a Pixies album. It resonated and he felt he could find his own unique voice. “It was all coming together,” he says.

Bush came on the scene in 1992 and by the end of the decade the “post-grunge hard rock” band had sold over twenty million records. The new record, I Beat Loneliness, is a melancholic, compassionate, and reflective sonic journey. “Life is hard for everybody. Period,” Rossdale says. “I write a lot about mental health and all the ups and downs we go through.”

He finishes rolling the J and leans back. “You know, suicide rates are insane. People are hurting. And my gig is to write songs about people, their feelings and what they live through.”

What gets him through the storms?

“Cannabis helps. A lot!”

He places the J behind his ear, puts on his shades, and disappears into the blinding LA sunlight like a puff of smoke.

Follow along as we play a little word association.

DREAM SESH BUDDY

David Bowie! I would have loved to share a J with him. He was so unique and creative and fascinating. I don’t know if he smoked cannabis. I know he smoked cigarettes. (Gavin’s band opened for Bowie in 1995.)

FIRST TIME

Growing up in England in the 1970s and early 80s, good cannabis was hard to find. One night I was with this girl at her riding stables, and she had some potent Californian weed. After smoking it I remember driving home and sitting at one stoplight for what seemed like a century. I was thinking, “I think the lights have changed a couple of times.”

PARTAKING HOUR

I like to have a few puffs in the studio and write songs. I think I probably use it medicinally—for anxiety and self-medicating. Cannabis takes the edge off; you can just relax. I like to play tennis after smoking, too!

WHY CANNABIS

I find it creatively really helpful. You know, the rhythm of how you speak or sing will change when you are partaking. It can completely change your sound and vibe. And you can be free and goofy.

DISPENSARY

I like Stash. They are helpful and always seem to have the top flower. Plus, it’s close to home and they know me.

ON STAGE OR NOT ON STAGE

I’ve used during rehearsals but you don’t want to go on stage too high. There’s nothing worse than when you’re on stage and you’re too high. What fucking chorus was that? Was it chorus one or chorus two? I’ve had a few of those moments. I don’t like it when your whole psyche goes flying.

NO-NOS

I never smoke in front of my kids. I very rarely wake and bake; it can be a fun thing if you’ve got a free day, nothing going on.

PAIRINGS

There’s nothing like having an ice-cold beer while smoking a J. It’s fantastic.

FAV STRAIN

CBX’s Cereal Milk hybrid. I love the smell, the high, and how it makes me feel. It’s loaded with terps and THC.

GO-TO MUNCHIE

I like Cadbury chocolates. But I also like to eat Greek yogurt bowls with fruit, drenched in agave. Mmm... good.

LOUNGE

I have been to the Astor Club a few times and had a blast. There’s a Maui Wowie strain they had that was fantastic, and some very terpy Northern Farms top-shelf flower.

OUTDOOR OR INDOOR

Outdoor.

CANNABIS & SEX

I’d like to try horny goat weed. Yeah, I’ll take some of that.

EDIBLE

I like the Lost Farm gummies—or Starbursts. I am a 40-50 mg guy.

TOPICAL

I hurt my ankle on stage and was in a lot of pain and one of the crew gave me some Papa & Barkley salves and it really helped me heal—but nothing beats an ice bath!

DABBING

I’ve only dabbed a few times. I really like the Puffco rigs. They are works of art. So that’s kind of fun.

KEANU REEVES

I never smoked with him while working on Constantine. He’s an interesting man. But we kept it very professional.

HASH

I like the hash holes, sometimes called donut holes, but they can be very strong. A donut hole is essentially a joint with a rolled-up hash snake delicately placed on a bed of flower, then wrapped so the hash sits in the middle of the joint, completely surrounded by the flower.

VAPE

I like the PlugPlay. Dependable and easy to use.

PRE-ROLL

I don’t do them. I can roll a pretty good joint!

Bush is on tour! Get tickets here: BushOfficial.com/#tour

Photographer Viktorija Pashuta @viktorija_pashuta / Director/Cinematographer Joshua M. Chérie Chery @m.cherie._ Stylist Jesse J Guillen @jessejcollections / Agency @sixkla / Grooming Ayae Yamamoto For Exclusive Artists @ayaeyamamoto Production Coordinator Cassidy Cocke @cassidy.ac / Gavin’s Shirt Pas Une Marque @pasunemarque

1 CBX Cereal Milk Cannabiotix.com 2. Stash StashStudioCity.com 3. Dream Partaker David Bowie 4. Cadbury Chocolates Cadbury.Co.UK 5. Lost Farm Gummies KivaConfections.com 6. Puffco Rigs Puffco.com 7. Papa & Barkley PapaAndBarkleyHemp.com 8. PlugPlay PlugPlay.com 9. Astor Club NY TheBillys420.com