Keith Urban visits with Katie Neal at the Audacy Studios at the Hard Rock in the heart of Nashville!
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00:00We're back again, hanging out with Keith Irvin. How are you? How have you been?
00:03Nice to see you.
00:04It's good to see you too. I feel like, you know, when you're out working an album and
00:08promoting a record, the goal is to be everywhere. And I feel like you have been everywhere lately.
00:13Like every podcast, every TV performance, like I just feel like you have been all over the place.
00:18Good.
00:18Do you feel? Yeah, right? Good.
00:21Yeah, I think, yeah, you do. You almost have to be in 10 times the amount of places
00:27as before, because there's so many more areas that people are listening and watching.
00:33It's not centralized anymore.
00:35Right. It used to probably be like one big, you know, a couple of TV hits and it was all
00:38the things. But now it's like every little content studio, all the different things, I'm sure.
00:42Yeah, I mean, there's so much to watch and listen to. There's no way we can get to it all.
00:50No.
00:50And it's not, and it's actually got nothing to do with the quality of it.
00:53We just haven't gotten to it yet.
00:55We just haven't gotten to it. I actually read yesterday,
00:57they say that we now spend a quarter of our life consuming content. I just thought of that when
01:01you were saying that, because it's like, you can't, yeah, you can't get to all of it. And
01:04then we still spend that much time.
01:06Yeah. I mean, how many shows have you got on your to watch list?
01:09Oh, like an endless.
01:11Yeah. Cause friends are like, have you seen? And you're like, you haven't. Oh,
01:13you got to watch that. And I'm like, okay, I'll just, I'll put it in the pile.
01:16Right. What's next up on your list?
01:18I'm going to get to it, but it doesn't mean the show is not good. It just means you haven't
01:21gotten to it yet. It's crazy.
01:23Like what's next on your list that you haven't watched?
01:25We just started the penguin. Oh, so a couple of eps in on that.
01:28Is it? It looks so creepy. Like his makeup looks so good. It scares me.
01:33Okay. I will add that to the pile. That's really good.
01:36That's awesome. But no, I was thinking about how, you know, you have just been in this space,
01:39like working with this album. And I always feel like when I've got like thing after thing,
01:43after thing, it's like always kind of hard for me to like stay healthy and not get run down.
01:47So like, what are the things that you do on a daily basis, the basis that like help you stay
01:52like, you know, cause I'll get sick if I like I'm running for six days straight.
01:55Yeah. And I do. Um, and you just like, I wasn't, I, I got a cold right before I had to do this
02:02thing with Jelly Roll. We had, we got to perform our song together, but I was like, man, I'm
02:08struggling through this. So you just like, he's just like eating Sudafeds and doing whatever you
02:13got to do and sort of avoiding everybody and trying to just get through it. But I mean,
02:18the show goes on. I mean, I can't call a sub to come and fill in for me.
02:22Yeah. I think that's one thing a lot of people don't realize is they're like, Oh,
02:25what a glamorous life. And it's like, it is, it's really amazing. But also like,
02:28if there's no one else who can do what you do.
02:30No. So, um, I do everything I can to try and stay healthy and, but more than anything,
02:36I think you learn to work through being not well.
02:38Yeah. That's probably the biggest thing. Well, album's been out a couple months now. What have
02:43been some of like the initial or surprising reactions that you feel like you've heard from
02:47people that maybe you weren't expecting or just fun things?
02:50A feeling that it's the whole record people like instead of just a handful of songs. That's a
02:55really good feeling. I haven't had that maybe since Ripcord to that degree. So that's an
03:00amazing feeling. Yeah. I think the songs are really connecting with everybody and
03:06just the meet and greet feedback that I get from people seems to be a lot of different songs. It
03:12isn't like everyone's hitting one song. Uh, that's another good feeling too. Yeah. Different
03:17songs speak to different people. I was, I was listening to your interview with Rob Lowe last
03:22night and I've heard some snippets from other stuff and it's been like really interesting to
03:25see like who connects with the single the most. I feel like that is such a widely like relatable
03:31experience for people. So I'm sure that's been one that's been at the top of the list that people.
03:35Yes. Yeah. Um, but again, it's some things you have to hear them a lot of times before
03:41you go, I really liked that song, like took the 20th listen. And you know, we, I think we all
03:46have that with certain songs. Oh, for sure. I'm not sure about that song. I'm not sure about that
03:50song. And then at some point it just clicks and you go, I walk around singing that song. Well,
03:54I really liked that song. You go, it's been out for six months. Right. Or it's just the headspace
03:58that you're in when you hear it. Like I had someone that I was like, you need to listen to
04:03Megan Roney, listen to Megan Roney. She was like, I just don't get it. She went through a breakup
04:06and she was like, I get it. There's just certain things like that. Or I say that with Taylor Swift.
04:11Like if someone's like, I don't get it. I'm like, you just haven't sure the right album hasn't hit
04:15you at the right point in your life. Oh, totally. And it's so crazy that like the difference in what
04:20you'll hear. Her whole reputation album was like years ahead of its time. Years, literally years
04:26ahead of its time. I remember when it first came out and I was like, Oh, I really wanted like a
04:31happy. And then now when I listen to it, I'm like, what's this? Yeah. You hear it so differently.
04:39It's an amazing album. It's a go figure. It really is. So by the time this airs,
04:44you will have already played your last show of 2024. What are you looking forward to and
04:50having a little bit of time off for the holidays? I love touring. Like love it.
04:56Um, I should have been touring in 24 because I did an album in 23. That was called 615.
05:03It's a lot of numbers here. Um, and I ditched that record and ended up doing this album called
05:09high, but it meant I had to push off touring into 24. So I feel like for two years, I've been waiting
05:16for 2025 to happen so I can get touring. So I'm, I'm just, everything, everything is focused on
05:23next year for me as far as like the tour. Yeah. Was there anything that you'll do though? Like
05:29when I think about like, I'm trying to get through like CMA week chart freeze and then I'm like,
05:34I'm going to do all this stuff around the house. I'm going to read a book. I'm going to do,
05:37do you have stuff like that that you're looking forward to? Like once you have a minute,
05:40I'm not refurbishing, I'm sort of bringing back to life a really great studio here in town.
05:45Really? Yeah. Um, which has been a project since the summer. Um, and now that I'm pretty much off
05:51the road, I'm down there every day and that's a really extraordinarily exciting project for me.
05:57That makes me really excited to hear that. Cause I can't remember who I was just talking
06:00to recently about how there's so many great studios that are closing or people aren't
06:05willing to make the investment in them. And I, that's so cool. You are doing that because there
06:10are stories if like the, if the walls could talk are just unimaginable.
06:16And this is a studio where I made a lot of records, a lot of, um,
06:19a lot of records over the years. So, um, finally became for sale and I jumped on it.
06:25That's amazing. What have you learned in the process of like refurbishing
06:28a studio that maybe you weren't expecting or didn't know?
06:30I know more about mold remediation than I ever want to know ever again.
06:35It's always one of those things, right? You're like, I can't wait to like get the equipment
06:38and the cool stuff and all that. And then it's like, well, we've got mold.
06:41Yeah. And then I've learned about industrial air conditioning units and power and plumbing.
06:46And I've just learned way too much about all these things.
06:49But we're ready for your Renault show.
06:51Yeah. Yes. But it's been riveting because at least it's, uh, it's a studio. It's an
06:56amazing studio. And, um, I'll just probably live in there once, uh, once it's up and running.
07:02I love that. I love creative spaces that are built for that. Cause I feel like it,
07:06just the energy, like you live and breathe differently in there.
07:08Yeah. And it's my passion. Being in the studio is my passion. I know a lot of
07:11artists that don't really care. They'd like to get in and get out, get the record done,
07:15move on. But that's my hobby as well. Like literally being in studios is where I'm very,
07:20very happy. I'm equally happy there as I am on stage.
07:23Oh, that's amazing. We're going to switch gears just a little bit because I've got you on
07:28around Christmas time. Um, so having grown up in Australia, obviously like we both know that
07:35it's summertime in Australia. I think some people are always like shocked to think of that. So your
07:38Christmases looked a lot different. Like I'm sure you were spending time at the beach or outside.
07:43What was your first Christmas stateside like where you got to experience like a snowy
07:48white Christmas? Oh, that was in the nineties. My first white
07:51Christmas was in Wisconsin. Oh yeah. I was dating a girl who lived in, well, she lived in LA, but
07:58she was from Madison. And so she invited me back to her parents' house in Madison to spend Christmas
08:05and new year. Um, that's a bit nippy up there. Yeah. So you're guaranteed a white Christmas
08:11in Madison, Wisconsin. Oh my God. It was so fun though. That's a fun town.
08:15Madison is a fun town. It is. It's a great place. And I always feel lucky when we do like,
08:20what was it three or four years ago now that we had snow in Nashville on Christmas Eve? Like,
08:25will we ever get that again? And then I always feel like every kid's got that one present they
08:31can remember from being a kid that like Santa brought that just sticks out over everything
08:34else. What was that gift for you? Oh gosh. And if you don't have one, it's fine.
08:40Nothing comes to mind really fast. That's fine. It's more memories. I think it's more,
08:44it's more like places we're at and who's there and family and things like that. Those things
08:50stick in my memory far more. Yeah. I think as like the older I get, the more I'm like,
08:55obviously they, like you hear that growing up, it's less about the gifts and more about just
08:58being together and being at that point in life. I always look forward to just like doing stuff
09:02with the family and the family traditions. Do you guys have anything that you did growing up
09:06or that you do now that's always like fun that you look forward to?
09:09It depends where we are. Cause we, you know, we're obviously we live here in Nashville.
09:14We have for a long time. Um, so it's home, but we, every, every now and then we get back to
09:20Australia for Christmas as well. And like you said, they're just night and day. I mean, it's
09:23the middle of summer down there and it's the middle of winter here. So, um, and I've, I'm
09:28happy both places, either one. I mean, I've got such a good rhythm with whatever season we're in
09:34for Christmas. That'll be so fun. And then what about like holiday foods? Like,
09:38what do you look forward to eating? Like I know when I'm going to Christmas dinner,
09:41I'm like, I want like everything. I eat everything. Yeah. Yeah. There's nothing I
09:47won't try. Yeah. Thanksgiving. Do you have a good, like a favorite dish?
09:51Um, yeah, I like the, uh, like the marshmallow casserole thingy, whatever the sweet, you know
09:57what I mean? That had to have been a culture shock. The first time you saw one of those,
10:01it was a good culture. I'm sure. What about like in the Midwest? It's like a big thing. My aunt
10:06will do like a jello salad. I don't know why it's called a salad. My first Thanksgiving actually was
10:11with a family who it was the Crane family. And I was, I was friends with a guy called Billy Crane
10:17and his brother was the guitarist in Charlie Daniels band. And so the Crane family, very,
10:24very, very Southern. That was my first Thanksgiving. And it was, it was the greatest
10:28experience because first of all, I realized like you, I make sure you don't eat two days before
10:33Thanksgiving. Don't eat anything for two days because not only are they going to be like
10:38eight dishes all brought by all the relatives, but all the relatives are watching to see if
10:43you eat their dish. Yes. Especially you. You're like the guest of honor.
10:47And Billy Crane was sending me, oh, you got to try this. You got to try that. And I'm like,
10:50I'm good. And I go, no, no, no. You, I'm saying you have to eat because they're watching.
10:55You had to be like, this is like Thanksgiving in the movies that you see.
10:59It was awesome.
11:01After the holidays, you've got your Vegas residency.
11:04Yeah. We're back there in February.
11:05I was going to say, so I'm sure like itching to get on the road like you are. What are you
11:07excited about Vegas shows? I always think it's fun to ask that because you get to do things in Vegas
11:11that you don't normally maybe get to do. Yeah. New songs for sure. And particularly,
11:16obviously ones off this record that have been out now that people know that was trying to sing along
11:21when they didn't know the words. So it's, it's good that they'll know the words now.
11:24That's gotta be a good feeling though. When you see people trying to get it,
11:27you're like, you're almost there.
11:29It's the best. Yeah. Especially when it's a brand new song and you're debuting it for the first
11:32time and you watch them by the time the second chorus comes around trying to sing it. It's great.
11:39And then you're going to be hosting Nashville's New Year's Eve bash and performing.
11:43Yeah.
11:44Are you, are you a New Year's resolutions person?
11:47Not a resolution guy, but I love New Year's Eve. I love the countdown. I've always loved
11:50the countdown. It's a big deal to me. I think it's because I've spent, I mean,
11:54I quit school when I was 15 and I was playing in bands right away. So from the age of sort of 15,
12:00I've always played in bands and we've always played on New Year's Eve because you were,
12:05back in the day you would earn like triple your fee if you played New Year's Eve. So every band
12:09wanted to play New Year's Eve. So I'm used to playing New Year's Eve. I'm not used to celebrating
12:14New Year's Eve anywhere, but on a stage. So it feels really good to be back on a stage.
12:19I was going to say, I'm probably like, if you're at home on New Year's Eve, you're like,
12:22this is pretty boring.
12:25Yeah. It's nice for a long period of time. And then, then I'm like, okay,
12:28let's play. Let's play. So we'll be in Nashville. I think it's going to be a bit nippy this year.
12:32I, yeah, it's probably going to be cold. I have a few rapid fire questions for you
12:37before we wrap up. What was your first tattoo and when did you get it?
12:41Oh, first tattoo is on my right shoulder and it's an eagle. And I got it for my 23rd birthday.
12:49Oh really? When you said you dropped out of school at 15 and you were in a band,
12:51I was like, he probably got tatted.
12:53No, I didn't. I didn't. I wasn't interested in any of that until later.
12:58What's your most recent one?
13:01Most recent one I think is this, this, this guy here, which I got when I was in Vegas
13:05last year. But yeah. Do you have any?
13:10I have two. You can't see them. They're hidden. I'll tell you after this.
13:16It will be funny.
13:18Are they spring break tattoos?
13:20They're not spring break tattoos, but ones like the day I turned 18 tattoo. And then I've actually,
13:24I've got one on my wrist, but it's in white. So like only I can see it.
13:27No, really?
13:29I'll show it to you after this. Like it really is.
13:30Do you need like a black light to see it?
13:33No, I just wanted it to be really, really light. Like I, I get sick. I feel like if I had dark
13:38ones, I would get sick of seeing them. But this one, I like forget about it. And then the moment
13:41that I need to remember it, it's there. But otherwise, yeah. And it's like faded over time.
13:45And they told me that it would, but I didn't care. What about go-to fast food meal?
13:51Oh, burgers, cheeseburger. Yeah. Every time.
13:56If you can only drive one car for the rest of your life.
13:59Oh no, please don't say that. It's like playing one guitar.
14:03The guitar won't know. I might not even know the car if you say it.
14:06I don't know. There is, I, you know, no, there's no such thing.
14:11No.
14:11Not as one. Not for me.
14:13What's your favorite car to drive every day?
14:16It changes, you know, I like, I just like driving different things. I don't like tiny,
14:20huge, electric, ICE, like all the combination, like pathetically no horsepower, ridiculous,
14:29crazy amounts of it, all the above.
14:31I love that you enjoy that so much.
14:34Yeah. I just like drive. I always loved driving. My dad loved cars,
14:37so I definitely inherited that from him.
14:39So is it more of a driving thing or do you like, actually, do you work on cars?
14:42I don't work on cars. It's the experience of being, I think it's one of the, it's a,
14:46it's one, it's one of the first places where you have real isolation and privacy in your life.
14:51You know, you, you, you, you, you get your first car at whatever age you get it at.
14:56And a lot of the times you're still living at home and you realize this is, I, I can do and
15:02say anything in this little space. I can bring a friend with me and we can talk and no one can
15:07interrupt us. No one's going to come barging in. We can go anywhere we want. It's an, it's amazing.
15:13It's an amazing little pod of privacy.
15:16It always drives me crazy now. Cause I have, I have friends who have kids who are driving
15:19and they, or they could drive and they're like, they don't want to drive anywhere.
15:22Yeah.
15:22They don't, I'm like, how could you not want to?
15:25Yeah. I mean, I guess you can get Uber and all these different things now and just get people
15:29drive you around or whatever. But I like the, I like the space. I like the private space,
15:33the independence of it. I love listening to music in cars, having conversations in cars.
15:38Yeah.
15:39Crying in cars, whatever.
15:41All the emotions in a tighter space, right?
15:43Like I'm more likely to cry on a plane or in the car than anywhere.
15:46Yeah. It's perfect. Get it out, move on. It's great.
15:49Keith, thank you so much. It's great to see you as always. Good luck on New Year's Eve.
15:53Cool red boots, by the way.
15:54Thank you very much.
15:55They go with the leopard skin.
15:57Thank you. Good to see you.
15:59You too.