Gavin Rossdale on difference between 90s crowds and now

Gavin Rossdale has a unique perspective on live music as he's performed for more than three decades performing for crowds all over the world.

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The 57-year-old musician recently joined the Wildride with Steve-o podcast to talk about the big and not-so-big differences he's observed with live crowds since getting his start in 1992.

"I think in the beginning, when we began, the audiences were nuts and more insane," Rossdale said. "When we play big festivals it feels the same, it's cool, it's just people going crazy. I think it's the person [performer's] job whether you’re doing stand-up, whether you’re doing music — you have to be entertaining and the better you are, the more out-there you are, the more they relax and just lose themselves."

While the crowd losing themselves in the music may look more or less the same, Rossdale admitted the crowds nowadays are a lot *ahem* cleaner.

"I think that maybe the 90s was a little more chaotic, little bit more stage diving and stuff like that — now everyone's more, sort of worried about COVID with the antiseptic," he said. "’Here, put this Purell on before you hit the stage,’" he mocked.

Along with wipes and Purell gel, modern-day fans also have their cameras in tote, making for one of the biggest differences — capturing the moment instead of being in it.

"I used to have a lot of people come on stage for the last song and it was really fun," Rossdale said. "When I did it recently… They [fans] came on stage for like, this triumphant moment and it was like, ‘Yeah! We’re all here together.’ I look over and everyone is f***ing filming," he laughed.

"On stage. I mean, you’re now part of the performance, it's not about you capturing the moment — you’re in it."

Hear more about Rossdale's observations between then and now plus his addiction to Xanax, Bush's new album, and more on the latest episode of the Wildride podcast above.

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