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Keith Urbanis one of the biggest names in country music today, but his musical journey started in a very different place.
During an interview onThe Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon, Urban revealed that he wasn’t always playing country music. In fact, he was once part of a heavy metal band!
Urban’s love for music began when he was very young.
His mom played a big part in getting him started. She entered him in singing competitions, and he won a few of them.
Along the way, he taught himself to play the guitar, which would later become his most famous skill.
But not many people know that one of his first bands wasn’t playingcountry music—it was playing metal!
The Band Called Fractured Mirror
The metal band Keith Urban joined was calledFractured Mirror, named after a song byAce Frehley, the guitarist for the legendary rock bandKISS.
Frehley’s song, “Fractured Mirror,” is an instrumental track that appears on his solo album from 1978.
This was the year when all four members of KISS released their own solo albums. At that time, Urban was around 15 or 16 years old.
He was just discovering heavy metal music, and he became a fan ofIron Maiden, one of the biggest metal bands in the world.
This led him to join Fractured Mirror as a guitarist.
Source: Instagram/ keithurban
Country Meets Metal: A Strange Mix
Even though Urban was into metal, he was still listening to a lot of country music.
He became a fan ofRicky Skaggs, a bluegrass musician known for his fast and precise guitar style called “chicken picking.”
This style of playing is very different from what you would hear in a metal band.
It uses a lot of fast, sharp notes, and is more common in country and bluegrass music.
While playing with Fractured Mirror, Urban was torn between two worlds: the heavy sound of metal and the light, fast picking of country.
During one of their performances, they were playing a song bySaxon, a British heavy metal band, and they gave Urban a solo.
Instead of playing in the usual metal style, Urban started using his chicken-picking technique.
This didn’t go over well with the rest of the band. The lead singer looked at him in confusion, wondering what he was doing.
Fired from the Band
Not long after thatperformance, the band decided that Urban’s style didn’t fit with their heavy metal sound, and they fired him.
Though his time with Fractured Mirror didn’t last long, this experience showed Urban that his heart was really in country music.
A Different Path to Fame
Getting fired from the metal band turned out to be a blessing in disguise.
Urban’s unique guitar style, shaped by both metal and countryinfluences, helped him stand out when he returned to playing country music.
Over time, he became a global superstar in the country genre, winning awards and gaining millions of fans worldwide.
What Happened to Fractured Mirror?
After Urban left, there isn’t muchinformationabout what happened to the band Fractured Mirror. The group seems to have faded away.
However, there is now a band from Indiana that uses the same name, but there’s no known connection to the band that Urban was a part of.
Although Keith Urban’s time in heavy metal was short, it played a part in shaping the musician he became.
Today, he is famous for hit songs like “Blue Ain’t Your Color” and “Somebody Like You,” and he’s known for blending different musical styles into his country music.
His guitar skills, especially his fast and precise picking, are often praised as some of the best in country music. But Urban’s journey tosuccesswasn’t easy.
After moving from Australia to Nashville in the early 1990s, he struggled for a few years before his career finally took off.
And his unique background, which includes that brief time in a metal band, has helped him become the star he is today.
Keith Urban’s Personal Life
Keith Urban has been happily married to actressNicole Kidmansince 2006.
They met at an event in 2005 and quickly became one of Hollywood’s most well-known couples.
Together, they have two beautiful daughters: Sunday Rose, born in 2008, and Faith Margaret, born in 2010.
Urban often shares how important family is to him, describing his wife anddaughtersas his greatest source of joy and inspiration.
Urban has been open about his struggles with addiction, which began at a young age.
He faced challenges with alcohol and substance abuse, but with thesupportof Kidman, he sought help and entered rehab.
Urban has been sober since 2006, crediting his wife’s love and encouragement for helping him through his toughest moments.
He often speaks about the importance ofmental healthand how being open about his experiences has helped him heal.
In addition to his family life, Urban enjoys spending time on his farm in Tennessee, where he finds peace and relaxation away from the spotlight.
Urban’s love for his family and his commitment to staying grounded are essential parts of who he is, both as a person and as an artist.
Keith Urban’s time in a metal band may seem surprising given his success in country music, but it highlights his wide range of musical influences.
Though his stint inFractured Mirrordidn’t last, it played an important role in shaping his unique style.
Blending elements of metal and country, Urban developed a sound that set him apart and paved the way for his rise to stardom.
His journey is a great example of how unexpected experiences can lead to discovering one’s true path, proving that sometimes what seems like a setback can actually be the start of something greater.
Last Updated: September 30, 2024
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