Keith Urban's former manager Greg Shaw, who worked with the future superstar for all but 12 months from 1986 to 2000, must have had a few laughs along the way, because he's taking those experiences and turning them into a web-based comedy series.
Shaw tells Australia's ABC News that the first of the five "webisodes" of the series, titled 'RockDogs,' will premiere Oct. 2. "It will be riddled with most of my experiences with Keith Urban and the other bands and people I met who gave me scenarios of situations," says Shaw, adding that "there will be lots of Keith Urban stories coming out in RockDogs."
Shaw says more than $100,000 had been spent developing the project over 17 years, and that it was originally planned to do the series with clay animation. Ultimately, the first five episodes were shot over two days using local Australian comedians working for free.
Shaw reveals that he and Keith first mutually split in 1998 when the singer-guitarist took on US management. They teamed up again a year later, but the relationship was strained due to Keith's stint in rehab for drug use.
"I left Keith's management the first time and bowed out as I said I would never stand in the way of his career," Shaw said. "I bowed out and came home and Miles Copeland took over. Miles Copeland was managing Sting, The Police and also managed the Go-Gos. Twelve months later when Keith ended up in rehab, I quit both my jobs here and went back to America to take up management with Keith once again. That's when I said: 'We're working six days a week and I am hanging around until I get you No. 1, because we came to America with the belief that you are a superstar'."
In addition to his work with Keith, the Brisbane-based entrepreneur has been the tour manager for legendary songwriter Burt Bacharach and pop-soul superstar Roberta Flack.
