Institute's Gavin Rossdale
Photo: MTV News

All Gavin Rossdale wants to do is take his band, Institute, out on tour.

Normally this would be a no-brainer. After all, Rossdale's former band, Bush, sold more than 11 million albums during their late-'90s heyday, and he is married to that Gwen something-or-other from No Doubt. Plus, his new band features members of influential alterna-rock acts Orange 9mm and CIV, and their debut album, Distort Yourself, was produced by Helmet's Page Hamilton.

But it's not that easy. After all, Rossdale's been off the scene for almost five years now, and during that time he's watched his wife's career eclipse his. And Helmet, though they released an album just last year, haven't been a viable force since 1994's Betty. So basically, with Institute, Rossdale is starting over at square one — though with considerably more clout than your average new band. Which puts him and his group in a rather unique position: They're sort of a headlining act and sort of an opening act, though they can't be both.

"Right now, we're looking at several different scenarios and deciding whether or not we are going to do our own thing or take a slot opening for someone," Rossdale said. "Sometimes I think that the best way to build up a fanbase for Institute is to do what Bush did: just tour our asses off. But then I don't think that we'd want to open for a lot of acts today.

"Of course, there are a few acts I'd consider opening for, like Depeche Mode on their world tour or some sort of band like that," he continued. "But I also think that the idea of us opening for someone like My Chemical Romance — who I actually like very much — would obviously be kind of sad."

So that's where Institute find themselves today, with a record on the shelves (Distort debuted at #81 on this week's Billboard albums chart) and no tour to speak of. But Rossdale hopes that will all change, especially with the band's first single, "Bullet Proof Skin," rising up the rock radio charts like, um, a bullet.

"It's good that radio has been playing the song, because it's my one chance to leap back into the public consciousness, to tell them, yeah, I'm back," Rossdale said. "And it's kind of an interesting song to be played on so-called 'modern' rock stations because it's a song about modern life as a treacherous jungle. It's about survival in 2005, about the pressures of life in the city and how you need bulletproof skin to make it out alive. It's a really primal song about survival."

The whole primal theme is alive and well on Distort Yourself, from the thundering herd of stallions that grace the album's cover to the song "When Animals Attack" to the guttural, growling guitars and pounding drums that sound like a saber-toothed tiger battling a woolly mammoth in a fireworks factory. It's a running theme that Rossdale fully acknowledges (he even dedicates the album to his bulldog Winston, who died last year).

"Well, yeah, we're a primal band, with power and strength. When I listen to our music, I get this vision in my head of rust. I think we're a rust-colored, powerful, modern rock band," he laughed. "We're primordial, we're primates, it all sounds like a massive primal scream. And I can't be happier with it."

Hopefully his fans will be able to witness the primal rock and roll circus in the near future. Rossdale's instinct tells him it will happen soon, and — much like an animal — he's choosing to go with that. He's always taken pride in living his life based on his instincts, and from his success with Bush, his marriage to Stefani and his new opportunities with Institute, it seems to have paid off.

"It's funny because people think I'm some sort of cardboard cutout, some celebrity. And while I do live in the spotlight, I try everything to avoid falling into that mindset," he said. "I always tell people to go with their gut feeling. Instinct is everything. It's basically how I've lived my life, and it's pretty much worked for me."

• Institute
• Gavin Rossdale

Paul Wall's <i>The People's Champ</i>
Photo: Atlantic / Wea

Twice Tippin': Houston's scorching hip-hop scene might finally reach its tipping point this week with Paul Wall's much-ballyhooed major-label debut, The People's Champ. A limited-edition config couples the standard disc with a chopped-and-screwed version, but if you're living on the cheap this week, the chopped-and-screwed mix will be released separately on September 27. Songs include: "I'm a Playa" (featuring Three 6 Mafia), "So Many Diamonds" (featuring T.I.) and "Internet Going Nutz."

Meow Music: The purr-lesque Pussycat Dolls sashay into record bins at last this week, hoping Busta's rhymes on their "Don't Cha" single will help them scratch their way into the top five. Top-shelf producer Ron Fair spices up the Dolls' PCD with some Wurlitzer piano, and the PCD Orchestra nibbles here and there. Songs include: "Wait a Minute" (with Timbaland), "Beep" (with Will.I.Am) and "Tainted Love/ Where Did Our Love Go."

Mac Attack: A somber, gray cover photo adorns Paul McCartney's Chaos and Creation in the Backyard, but it's still a lot more attractive than the heavily pixilated art that muddied up 2001's Driving Rain (which prompted a re-release for that reason). A special edition of Chaos — this one in red and with no photo — has a doc, studio cuts, instrumentals and more. Songs include: "Jenny Wren," "Riding to Vanity Fair" and "English Tea."

Stepping It Up: Switchfoot have poured their love of Dylan, the Shins and harmonica into Nothing Is Sound, and they muse about everything from "social entropy" to democracy. Fans should switch over to the video side of the DualDisc, which has some in-the-studio stuff. Songs include: "The Shadow Proves the Sunshine," "Happy Is a Yuppie Word" and "Lonely Nation."

Mind the Gap: Like the Democrat running for 96th House District in the Ohio Congress, Charlie Wilson of Gap Band fame is also actively seeking support. He found some as of late in R. Kelly, Justin Timberlake and Will.I.Am, all of whom appear on Charlie, Last Name Wilson. Tracks include "Floatin' " (with Timberlake), a remake of the Guy ballad "Let's Chill" and the dancefloor banger "So Hot."

Welcome Back, Rockers: Gavin Rossdale returns with new project Institute and their debut, Distort Yourself; "Flagpole Sitta" breakthrough bygones Harvey Danger issue King James Version;Spin Doctors make a "WTF?"-like return with their first album in six years, Nice Talking to Me; and last but certainly not least, the fittingly named double-disc Return of the Champions finds Queen revisiting 27 ballpark and arena faves with Bad Company crooner Paul Rodgers.

We're in the Money: Pink Floyd fans will be thrilled this week, what with David Gilmour — in the flesh — helping B.B. King celebrate his milestone birthday on 80. (Sheryl Crow, John Mayer, Eric Clapton and Elton John also help with the candles.) Also, prog meisters Adrian Belew (King Crimson) and Alan White (Yes) salute Floyd with a two-disc tribute, Back Against the Wall; and Dar Williams and Ani DiFranco lift their lighters for a cover of "Comfortably Numb," featured on Williams' My Better Self.

Song Titles of the Week:

The honor this week goes to Sigur Rós, who can't seem to get enough of this imaginary "Hopelandic" dialect of theirs. Takk ... features the title track, "Glosoli," "Hoppipolla," "Mea Bloanasir," "Se Lest," "Seaglopur," "Milano," "Gong," "Andvari," "Svo Hljott" and " Heysatan."

Other notables:

Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley's Welcome to Jamrock and DJ Quik's Trauma: While these two disparate artists don't have a beef we're aware of, who'd get the TKO if they did? The youngest Marley son has Nas, Bobby Brown, Black Thought and Eek-a-Mouse in his corner; revered hip-hop vet Quik's got Game, Ludacris, Wyclef Jean, Chingy, Nate Dogg, B-Real, Jodeci and T.I. Set, point, match: Quik.

Dandy Warhols' Odditorium or Warlords of Mars: Although expectations couldn't be higher for an album with a title like this, the Dandys had to scrap a bonus DVD they'd planned on including with the release. "For reasons we cannot mention, [the DVD] was scrapped by someone in the department called 'legal,' " they posted on their Web site, adding that they might wind up selling the thing themselves. (As it is, you can watch the whole program on DandyWarhols.com.)

Cave In's Perfect Pitch Black: After a short-lived affair with RCA, Boston bashers Cave In are circling back to their original label, Hydra Head, and original metalcore sound — which has become, well, something of a phenomenon since Cave In turned to a softer, more prog-oriented sound. If you're interest is piqued, head over to PerfectPitchBlack.com, where they're streaming the album — all 10,000 decibels of it.

New Releases:

• A Dozen Furies - A Concept From Fire (Sanctuary)
• Jon Philip Alman - When You Get Home (LML)
• Shawn Amos - Thank You Shirl-ee May: A Love Story (DualDisc; Shout! Factory)
• Antigone Rising - From the Ground Up (Lava)
• Aphasia - Fact & Fiction (DRT)
• Apollo Sunshine - Apollo Sunshine (spinART)
• Baby Mongoose - Enter the Baby Mongoose (Dionysus)
• Badi Assad - Verde (Deutsche Grammophon)
• Bag - Bag (Sanctuary)
• Devendra Banhart - Cripple Crow (XL/Beggars)
• Cecilia Bartoli - Opera Proibida (Decca)
• Baumer - Come on, Feel It (Astro Magnetics)
• David Benoit - Orchestral Stories (Peak)
• Steve Blanchard - Northbound Train (LML)
• Blue Rodeo - Are You Ready (Rounder)
• Blues Traveler - ¡Bastardos! (Vanguard)
  Buy Now: ¡Bastardos! (Vanguard)
• Michael Bolton - Til the End of Forever (Passion Group)
  Buy Now: Til the End of Forever (Passion Group)
• The Bomb - Indecision (Thick)
• Brakes - Give Blood (Rough Trade)
• Brides of Destruction - Runaway Brides (Shrapnel)
• Pieta Brown - In the Cool (Valley Entertainment)
• Dee Dee Bridgewater - J'ai Deux Amours (Sovereign Artists)
• Cantoma - Cantoma (Quango)
• Cave In - Perfect Pitch Black (Hydra Head)
• Sam Champion - Slow Rewind (Razor & Tie)
• Tracy Chapman - Where You Live (Elektra)
  Buy Now: Where You Live (Elektra)
• Cherry Monroe - The Good, the Bad & the Beautiful (Universal)
• Choppa - Da Real Choppa (Body Head Entertainment)
• CocoRosie - Noah's Ark (Touch & Go)
• Dana Cooper - Made of Mud (Virtual Label)
• Dandy Warhols - Odditorium or Warlords of Mars (Capitol)
• Doug Cox & Sam Hurrie - Hungry Ghosts (Northern Blues)
• Cranes - Particles & Waves (with bonus DVD; Manifesto)
• Dengue Fever - Escape From DragonHouse (M80)
• Diamond Nights - Popsicle (Kemado)
• DJ Quik - Trauma (Mad Science)
  Buy Now: Trauma (Mad Science)
• The Double - Loose in the Air (Matador)
• Ebony Eyez - 7 Day Cycle (Capitol)
• The Enlightened Family - A Collection of Lost Love Songs (Voodoo-Eros)
• Eugene Edwards - My Favorite Revolution (Flagship)
• Tim Fite - Gone Ain't Gone (Anti-)
• Jack Foster III - RaptorGnosis (Muse Wrapped)
• The Fray - How to Save a Life (Epic)
• Freakwater - Freakwater Is ... Thinking of You (Thrill Jockey)
• From Monument to Masses - Schools of Thought Contend (Dim Mak)
• Gas Huffer - Lemonade for Vampires (Estrus)
• Howe Gelb - Arizona Amp and Alternator (Thrill Jockey)
• Giant Drag - Hearts and Unicorns (Kickball)
• Gio - Gio (Universal Latino)
• Go Betty Go - Nothing Is More (Side One Dummy)
• David Gray - Life in Slow Motion (ATO/RCA)
  Buy Now: Life in Slow Motion (ATO/RCA)
• Brian Lane Green - Waiting for the Glaciers to Melt (LML)
• Carlos Guitarlos - Hell Can Wait (Nomad)
• Mats Gustafsson and David Stackenas - Blues (Atavistic)
• Harvey Danger - Little by Little (Phonographic)
  Read: "Remember 'Flagpole Sitta'? Harvey Danger Return"
• Annie Hayden - The Enemy of Love (Merge)
• H.I.M. - Greatest Lovesongs Vol. 666 (Universal)
• HorrorPops - Bring It On! (Hellcat)
• Institute - Distort Yourself (Interscope)
  Read: "Gwen To Holla Back On Gavin Rossdale's Muscular New LP"
• Iron & Wine/ Calexico - In the Reins (EP; Overcoat)
• Jacknife - Moment of Reckoning (Zero Sum)
• Jessy - Rain (Water Music)
• John 5 - Songs for Sanity (Shrapnel)
• Marc Johnson - Shades of Jade (ECM)
• Syleena Johnson - Chapter 3: The Flesh (Jive)
• George Jones - Hits I Missed ... And One I Didn't (Bandit)
• The Juliana Theory - Deadbeat Sweetheartbeat (limited edition; Paper Fist/Abacus)
• Eugene Kelly - Man Alive (Sympathy for the Record Industry)
• B.B. King & Friends - 80 (Geffen)
• KMFDM - Hau Ruck (Metropolis)
• Lake Trout - Not Them, You (Palm Pictures)
• The Like - Are You Thinking What I'm Thinking? (Geffen)
• Little Brother - The Minstrel Show (Atlantic)
• Lonestar - Coming Home (BNA)
• Patty Loveless - Dreaming My Dreams (Epic)
• Manfred Mann's Earth Band - 2006 (Friday)
• Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley - Welcome to Jamrock (Universal)
• Paul McCartney - Chaos and Creation in the Backyard (Capitol)
  Buy Now: Chaos and Creation in the Backyard (Capitol)
• Mr. Greenweedz & G. Riot - G-Strings (All Natural Inc)
• Nada Surf - The Weight Is a Gift (Barsuk)
• Neon Blonde - Chandeliers in the Savannah (Dim Mak)
• Numbers - We're Animals (Kill Rock Stars)
• OOIOO - Gold and Green (Thrill Jockey)
• Lorenzo Owens - After the Show (D-Town)
• John Parish - Once Upon a Little Time (Thrill Jockey)
• Maceo Parker - School's In! (BHM)
• Jimmy Ponder - What's New (High Note)
• Princess Superstar - My Machine (!K7)
• Pussycat Dolls - PCD (A&M)
  Read: "Pussycat Dolls: The New Spice Girls?"
• Queen + Paul Rodgers - Return of the Champions (two-disc live set; Hollywood)
  Buy Now: Return of the Champions (Hollywood)
• Bonnie Raitt - Souls Alike (Capitol)
  Buy Now: Souls Alike (Capitol)
• Rasputina - A Radical Recital (live; Virtual Label)
• The Reigning Sound - Home for Orphans (Sympathy for the Record Industry)
• Rosebuds - Birds Make Good Neighbors (Merge)
• Charlie Sexton - Cruel and Gentle Things (enhanced; Back Porch)
• Sigur Rós - Takk ... (Geffen)
  Buy Now: Takk ... (Geffen)
• Simple Minds - Black & White 050505 (Sanctuary)
  Buy Now: Black & White 050505 (Sanctuary)
• Skarp - Requiem (Alternative Tentacles)
• Mercedes Sosa - Corazón Libre (Deutsche Grammophon)
• Smif 'N' Wessum - Reloaded (enhanced; Duck Down)
• Soulive - Breakout (Concord)
• Spin Doctors - Nice Talking to Me (RuffNation)
• Steep Canyon Rangers - One Dime at a Time (Rebel)
• Stellastarr* - Harmonies for the Haunted (RCA)
• Bob Stenson, Anders Jormin, Paul Motian - Goodbye (ECM)
• Stretch Arm Strong - Free at Last (We Put Out)
• Stacy Sullivan - Cold Enough to Snow (LML)
• The Sun - Blame It on the Youth (Warner Bros.)
• Super Furry Animals - Love Kraft (XL/Beggars)
• Switchfoot - Nothing Is Sound (DualDisc; Columbia)
  Read: "Switchfoot Look Like California Raisins After Video Shoot"
  Buy Now: Nothing Is Sound (Columbia)
• Rosie Thomas - If Songs Could Be Held (Sub Pop)
• Ali Farka Touré & Toumani Diabaté - In the Heart of the Moon (Nonesuch)
• Turn Me on Dead Man - God Bless the Electric Freak (Alternative Tentacles)
• Trapt - Someone in Control (Warner Bros.)
• U-God - Mr. Xcitement (Free Agency Media)
• The Vandermark 5 - The Color of Memory (Atavistic)
• Paul Wall - The People's Champ (Atlantic)
  Read: "Paul Wall Puts His Album Aside To Help Hurricane Survivors"
  Buy Now: The People's Champ (Atlantic)
• Dar Williams - My Better Self (Razor & Tie)
• Charlie Wilson - Charlie, Last Name Wilson (Jive)
  Read: "R. Kelly Is Worth Waiting For, 'Uncle' Charlie Wilson Learns"
  Buy Now: Charlie, Last Name Wilson (Jive)
• CeCe Winans - Purified (Epic)
• Wooden Wand & the Vanishing Voice - Buck Dharma (5 Rue Christine)
• Xbxrx- Sixth in Senses (Polyvinyl)
• Trisha Yearwood - Jasper County (MCA Nashville)
• Various artists - Cry Wolf (with Bloc Party, Cake, Low, others; Lakeshore)
• Various artists - Back Against the Wall (Pink Floyd tribute; Cleopatra)
• Various artists - Mean It Man (Thick)
• Various artists - Music Is My Art (Ubiquity)
• Various artists - Old Skars and Upstarts (Disaster)
• Various artists - We Reach: The Music of the Melvins (Fractured Transmitter Recording)
• Various artists - "Elizabethtown" soundtrack (RCA)
  Read: "Cameron Crowe Requests My Morning Jacket 'Freebird' For Film"
• Various artists - "Just Like Heaven" soundtrack (Columbia)
• Various artists - "Thumbsucker" soundtrack (Hollywood)
  Read: "Elliott Smith, Polyphonics Bring Balance To 'Thumbsucker' Soundtrack"

Notable reissues:

• Joan Baez - Blessed Are ... (Vanguard)
• Joan Baez - One Day at a Time (Vanguard)
• Dieter Scherf Trio - Inside-Outside Reflections (Atavistic)
• Donovan - Try for the Sun: The Journey of Donovan (three-CD box set with DVD; Epic/Legacy)
• The Ex - Singles. Period. The Vinyl Years 1980-1990 (Touch & Go)
• Jimi Hendrix - 20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection (Experience Hendrix/ Universal)
  Buy Now: 20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection (Universal)
• Jefferson Starship - Red Octopus (with bonus tracks; RCA)
• Elton John - Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy - Deluxe Edition (Island)
• B.B. King - Original Greatest Hits (Capitol/EMI)
• Manfred Mann's Earth Band - Criminal Tango (with bonus tracks; Friday)
• Manfred Mann's Earth Band - Somewhere in Afrika (with bonus tracks; Friday)
• Barry Manilow - The Complete Collection and Then Some ... (box set; Arista)
• Motörhead - Bomber and No Remorse (deluxe editions; Sanctuary)
• Shattered Realm - Broken Ties ... Spoken Lies ... (new track, new cover, remastered; Eulogy)
• Sonic Youth - Goo - Deluxe Edition (with bonus disc; Geffen)
• Today Is the Day - Sadness Will Prevail & Live Till You Die (Relapse)
• Van Zant - Get Right With the Man (DualDisc; Sony Nashville)
• The Warriors - War Is Hell Redux (two new studio tracks; enhanced video; remixed and remastered; Eulogy)
• Buckwheat Zydeco - 100% Fortified Zydeco (Shout! Factory)
• Various artists - Keats Rides a Harley (Warning Label)
• Various artists - "Friday: 10th Anniversary Edition" soundtrack (two CDs; Priority)

DVDs:

• Chesterfield Kings - "Where Is Chesterfield King?!?!" (Music Video Distributors)
• Dance Hall Crashers - "Live! At House of Blues L.A." (Kung Fu Films)
• Genesis - "The Video Show" (Rhino)
• Jimi Hendrix - "Live at Woodstock" (two DVDs; Experience Hendrix/ Universal)
• Led Zeppelin - "Inside Led Zeppelin: 1968-1980" (Classic Rock Legends)
• Lydia Lunch - "Willing Victim" (Music Video Distributors)
• Samhain - "Live 1984 - Stardust Ballroom" (Music Video Distributors)
• "The Dick Cavett Show: Ray Charles Collection" (Shout! Factory)
• "Metallimania" (Plastic Head)
• "The Work of Director Anton Corbijn" (Palm Pictures)
• "The Work of Director Mark Romanek" (Palm Pictures)

Coming Attractions:

September 20:

• David Banner - Certified (Universal)
  Buy Now: Certified (Universal)
• Coheed and Cambria - Good Apollo, I'm Burning Star IV, Volume One: From Fear Through the Eyes of Madness (Columbia Records)
• Disturbed - Ten Thousand Fists (Warner Bros.)
  Read: "Disturbed Songs Will Be 'United In Anger' On Third Album"

September 27:

• Ryan Adams & The Cardinals - Jacksonville City Nights (Lost Highway)
• Sheryl Crow - Wildflower (A&M)
  Buy Now: Wildflower (A&M)
• Lil Kim - The Naked Truth (Atlantic)
  Read: "Lil' Kim's Wrath For 50, Foxy Has No Bounds On Naked Truth"
  Buy Now: The Naked Truth (Atlantic)

October 4:

• Fiona Apple - Extraordinary Machine (DualDisc; Epic)
  Read: "Fiona Apple's Long-Delayed LP Slotted For October 4 Release"
  Buy Now: Extraordinary Machine (Epic)
• Franz Ferdinand - You Could Have It So Much Better (Epic)
  Read: "Set A Man On Fire, Name Next LP — Franz Ferdinand Do Whatever They Want"
  Buy Now: You Could Have It So Much Better (Epic)
• Nickelback - All the Right Reasons (Roadrunner)
  Read: "Nickelback Go The John Mellencamp Route For New Video"
  Buy Now: All the Right Reasons (Roadrunner)

• Paul Wall
• Pussycat Dolls
• Switchfoot
• Paul McCartney
• Sigur Rós

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• Fall Out Boy
• Audioslave
• Nickelback
• Seether
• Cold