New York
November

The English band Bush, with its handsome frontman and radio-ready, Seattle-esque sound, appears to be one of those groups people either love or hate. So the almost 6 million fans who bought the first Bush album will probably feel right at home with the new follow-up, "Razorblade Suitcase," and the many millions more who declined to make that initial purchase can continue muttering under their breath. As for Bush itself, here's an update.

JOE PERRY, Aerosmith: So here it is, the winner of the 1996 Viewer's Choice Award... Bush, Bush.

ROBIN GOODRIDGE, Drums: We're always about two steps further up the success ladder than we thought we were. We always thought we were just about getting there and everyone would say, "No, you're there." And then we'd say, "Yeah, when we sell a million records," and someone would say, "You've sold a million records."

MTV: Six million, actually, the first time around. And now Bush is back with its second album, "Razorblade Suitcase," and if it sounds familiar, well, there's a reason for that.

NIGEL PULSFORD, Guitar: Obviously we are the same 4 people and we are gonna sound like us, but other than that, there was no conscious effort to repeat the success of the first album.

MTV: To record "Razorblade Suitcase," Bush enlisted Chicago iconoclast Steve Albini, the same man who recorded the second major label album, by that other band, Nirvana.

GAVIN ROSSDALE, Vocals: Everyone was like, "Steve Albini, you're crazy to work with Steve Albini." And I was like, hold on, he's made my favorite records, I've liked him for loads of time, he records bands really well... shut up.

MTV: Bush has been dodging Nirvana-comparisons ever since the band released their first album.

DAVE GROHL, formerly of Nirvana: Bush is one band that I think really sounds like Nirvana.

MTV: ...And this new Albini collaboration seems unlikely to silence the scoffers.

GOODRIDGE: I don't think we're particularly derivative. I think that we don't sound like them and the fact that we've been successful is more to the fact that we don't sound like Nirvana.

MTV: Of course, the way they sound isn't the only obstacle Bush has faced in their quest for credibility.

ROSSDALE: Obviously, I prefer it when people come up to me and say, "That song changed my life" instead of, "I really like your hair."

MTV: But then, Gavin hasn't exactly been shy about those "Tiger Beat" good looks, either.

GOODRIDGE: We are what we are, you know. We just plugged in and played. We haven't really sculpted ourselves, we've just played what we played and let it happen.

KURT: Bush will play "Saturday Night Live" next weekend, and we'll be airing a "Bush Uncovered" special this Tuesday at noon and 10:30 PM.