Former Bush guitarist shepherding young band

LONDON (Billboard) - Former Bush frontman Gavin Rossdale is not the only veteran of the British rock band with new product on the racks.

Bush lead guitarist Nigel Pulsford, who exited in 2002, is back as producer, arranger and occasional guitarist for U.K. alt-rock outfit Furlined. The band issued its debut album, "Love Comes in Canisters," in the U.K. in April, and is now playing British clubs.

Bristol-based Furlined was formed by Pulsford's longtime friend, singer/songwriter Neil Crossley, and classically trained cellist Tegan Thomas in 2004, subsequently adding bassist Graham Dalzell and drummer Greg White.

Despite having a producer whose band's U.S. sales are close to 11 million albums, Crossley found record company interest hard to attract. "I did approach a couple," he says, "but the people I contacted were so negative." As a result he set up his own label, Concave, and is also handling the band's management and booking.

"To give yourself a chance in this business, you need to be obsessive," Pulsford says. "When we started Bush, Gavin and I worked so hard -- that's what Neil's had to do too."

Rossdale, meanwhile, released his debut solo album "Wanderlust" last week.

Reuters/Billboard