Q&A from ShowbizSpy
Questions & Answers with Keith Urban
Posted on Aug 29 07
Paul Millar
Welcome to the Questions & Answers Page on Showbiz Spy.
This week, Showbiz Spy asks Keith Urban about his music, his private life and much much more.
You’re in the middle of your Love, Pain and the Whole Crazy World tour, so let’s begin by talking about your live shows. How would you say they have evolved over the past decade?
That’s a good question. They’ve certainly gotten bigger. It’s not all cerebral what we do, it’s just sorta organic evolving so I don’t quite know how to quantify that. It’s seems to get a little freer every year.
Your fan base has certainly evolved and grown tremendously. You’ve recently attracted a lot of non-country fans. Why do you think that is?
I think that’s happening with a lot of country artists these days. Certainly for me, it’s more about the songs. They should defy genre … like ‘Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.’ It’s a song that everybody loves to sing. And I think country music has a lot of that type of song, as well, that defy genre.
What would you say is one of your songs that gets the best response from your live audiences?
‘You’ll Think of Me’ is really high on the list, because there are a lot of jilted people out there. (laughs)
You’ve made a real conscious effort to incorporate breaks into your tour, in order to balance work with your personal life. Being the workhorse that you are, was that hard to do?
No, it’s come quite easily. Balance is about adjustments, so occasionally it tips to far and you have to adjust it. But that’s life. Right now, I have an enormous amount of gratitude for where I am in life. And I still have a lot of passion and hunger for creating more music and touring. But it seems to be more focused. In the past it was more running from things, because I didn’t really have a life outside music … Getting on the bus and touring was my life. And when that was not around, I felt myself a bit lost at times, because that was all I had. And my life is now much more balanced, which is wonderful.
I read on your website that you think of yourself as a “work in progress.” What have you yet to accomplish that is an immediate goal?
That’s quite a long list. Being a good husband is high on the list for me. And I’m anxious to get back into the studio in the next year to start work on the next record. But right now, touring is just exhilarating for me. Adding to the songs on our setlist is a huge gift for me … putting the setlist of songs together that everybody who comes to the show seems to know. Consistency and trying to reach new musical places that I haven’t reached before. I still have a lot of that want to define what it is that I want to do.
Are you finding any time to write on the road?
No, I haven’t had any desire to write on the road. This tour is very intricate … It’s a two-hour show, and it’s got a lot of detail, musically and visually. The tour is being tweaked all the time, too. I’m always looking for ways to tweak it. So between that and flying as much as I am doing, my creative brain is all about the tour right now. I think if my past is anything to go by, later on in the tour - likely in the next few months - is when musical things start to come together. If the tour is set in motion, the musical things will start to come. That’s what’s next. I tend to do one thing at a time creatively.
What’s on deck as far as albums go? Is it almost time for a greatest hits collection?
We’re actually working on that for next year, and we’re hoping to add a couple of new songs. Very early next year is the plan to have that out. But so far right now, we’ve got this song (’I Told You So’) doing great on the charts. Hopefully [there will be] another single or so off this record (’Love, Pain and the Whole Crazy Thing’), because we’ll be touring through May of next year. I’m just having a blast touring.
We hear you’ve been tapped to write the theme song for the epic movie, ‘Australia,’ that your wife is shooting right now. Have you started writing?
Is that true? Wow, that is the first I’ve heard that. That’s fantastic!
Really? We’re breaking this news to you right now?
Yes! Quite literally, this is the first time I’ve heard that.
Well, you better start writing!
About seven years ago, I asked Kenny Rogers to name one up-and-coming country star he sees as having a real chance at longevity in the business, and he named you. Who’s the one new artist you think has a shot?
There’s a girl called Sarah Buxton who wrote ‘Stupid Boy,’ and I just love her voice. And I feel good that if she keeps on the trajectory, she could really make some great music. Jedd Hughes is another guy who’s on my label, and I love his take on things. He’s got like a Gram Parsons meets West-Coast country vibe, and he’s a great guitar player. There’s a bunch right now that I really love. Nashville’s kind of bubbling up a bit.
Anyone you’re listening to that might surprise us?
I seem to spend a lot of my time putting compilations together. I just got an iPhone, and I’m filling it full of playlists.
Oh! You got the iPhone? Have you mastered it yet?
It’s so user-friendly! I will put my finger on something and think, ‘I wonder if it’ll do that?’ And it always does. So I’m impressed.
We’ll send Apple this interview and let them know that Keith Urban endorses the iPhone … We could make you some money here!
I’m totally sold. It’s like an appendage now. I don’t leave anywhere without it. So I’m just looking here, and I have Jackson Browne, Crowded House … and who I’m really digging right now is the Traveling Wilburys. I just love that record. It’s really full of country songs. ‘End of the Line’ is a country song. We’ve been jamming a few of their songs at soundcheck, and they’re a blast to play.
Posted on Aug 29 07
Paul Millar
Welcome to the Questions & Answers Page on Showbiz Spy.
This week, Showbiz Spy asks Keith Urban about his music, his private life and much much more.
You’re in the middle of your Love, Pain and the Whole Crazy World tour, so let’s begin by talking about your live shows. How would you say they have evolved over the past decade?
That’s a good question. They’ve certainly gotten bigger. It’s not all cerebral what we do, it’s just sorta organic evolving so I don’t quite know how to quantify that. It’s seems to get a little freer every year.
Your fan base has certainly evolved and grown tremendously. You’ve recently attracted a lot of non-country fans. Why do you think that is?
I think that’s happening with a lot of country artists these days. Certainly for me, it’s more about the songs. They should defy genre … like ‘Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.’ It’s a song that everybody loves to sing. And I think country music has a lot of that type of song, as well, that defy genre.
What would you say is one of your songs that gets the best response from your live audiences?
‘You’ll Think of Me’ is really high on the list, because there are a lot of jilted people out there. (laughs)
You’ve made a real conscious effort to incorporate breaks into your tour, in order to balance work with your personal life. Being the workhorse that you are, was that hard to do?
No, it’s come quite easily. Balance is about adjustments, so occasionally it tips to far and you have to adjust it. But that’s life. Right now, I have an enormous amount of gratitude for where I am in life. And I still have a lot of passion and hunger for creating more music and touring. But it seems to be more focused. In the past it was more running from things, because I didn’t really have a life outside music … Getting on the bus and touring was my life. And when that was not around, I felt myself a bit lost at times, because that was all I had. And my life is now much more balanced, which is wonderful.
I read on your website that you think of yourself as a “work in progress.” What have you yet to accomplish that is an immediate goal?
That’s quite a long list. Being a good husband is high on the list for me. And I’m anxious to get back into the studio in the next year to start work on the next record. But right now, touring is just exhilarating for me. Adding to the songs on our setlist is a huge gift for me … putting the setlist of songs together that everybody who comes to the show seems to know. Consistency and trying to reach new musical places that I haven’t reached before. I still have a lot of that want to define what it is that I want to do.
Are you finding any time to write on the road?
No, I haven’t had any desire to write on the road. This tour is very intricate … It’s a two-hour show, and it’s got a lot of detail, musically and visually. The tour is being tweaked all the time, too. I’m always looking for ways to tweak it. So between that and flying as much as I am doing, my creative brain is all about the tour right now. I think if my past is anything to go by, later on in the tour - likely in the next few months - is when musical things start to come together. If the tour is set in motion, the musical things will start to come. That’s what’s next. I tend to do one thing at a time creatively.
What’s on deck as far as albums go? Is it almost time for a greatest hits collection?
We’re actually working on that for next year, and we’re hoping to add a couple of new songs. Very early next year is the plan to have that out. But so far right now, we’ve got this song (’I Told You So’) doing great on the charts. Hopefully [there will be] another single or so off this record (’Love, Pain and the Whole Crazy Thing’), because we’ll be touring through May of next year. I’m just having a blast touring.
We hear you’ve been tapped to write the theme song for the epic movie, ‘Australia,’ that your wife is shooting right now. Have you started writing?
Is that true? Wow, that is the first I’ve heard that. That’s fantastic!
Really? We’re breaking this news to you right now?
Yes! Quite literally, this is the first time I’ve heard that.
Well, you better start writing!
About seven years ago, I asked Kenny Rogers to name one up-and-coming country star he sees as having a real chance at longevity in the business, and he named you. Who’s the one new artist you think has a shot?
There’s a girl called Sarah Buxton who wrote ‘Stupid Boy,’ and I just love her voice. And I feel good that if she keeps on the trajectory, she could really make some great music. Jedd Hughes is another guy who’s on my label, and I love his take on things. He’s got like a Gram Parsons meets West-Coast country vibe, and he’s a great guitar player. There’s a bunch right now that I really love. Nashville’s kind of bubbling up a bit.
Anyone you’re listening to that might surprise us?
I seem to spend a lot of my time putting compilations together. I just got an iPhone, and I’m filling it full of playlists.
Oh! You got the iPhone? Have you mastered it yet?
It’s so user-friendly! I will put my finger on something and think, ‘I wonder if it’ll do that?’ And it always does. So I’m impressed.
We’ll send Apple this interview and let them know that Keith Urban endorses the iPhone … We could make you some money here!
I’m totally sold. It’s like an appendage now. I don’t leave anywhere without it. So I’m just looking here, and I have Jackson Browne, Crowded House … and who I’m really digging right now is the Traveling Wilburys. I just love that record. It’s really full of country songs. ‘End of the Line’ is a country song. We’ve been jamming a few of their songs at soundcheck, and they’re a blast to play.