Adrian talked to ESPN about the new album,golf and touring.
Adrian Young’s golf game likely will take a hit as his band No Doubt will start promoting its new CD “Push and Shove,” which is out today.
Young, the wild-child drummer of the band fronted by Gwen Stefani, has loved the game of golf since he was a teenager. In fact, golf came before drums.
“I started playing golf as a high school freshman and playing drums as a junior,” said the 43-year-old Young, born in Long Beach, Calif. “I’ve only gotten better in recent years.”
Young is being modest when he says he doesn’t have the skills to turn pro. As a high school graduate, he had a 10 handicap. Today it’s 0.
“I’d have to work on it a little more to really compete,” said Young, who has played in a few celebrity events. “I’d love to be out there and compete on a mini-tour or something. I’d need to dig in week in and week out to stay consistent.”
During the long break of No Doubt — roughly 2001 to 2009 — Young got really good at the game. But he says right now the focus is the band and the new album.
“Around 2009, we reunited and started touring again and we began writing new material,” Young said. “When we mixed new songs with older songs on stage it’s all started to come together. And when we got in the studio, it all fell into place.”
And that’s “Push and Shove,” the band’s sixth studio album. It already has spawned a hit single in “Settle Down,” and the next song, “Looking Hot,” is starting to get airplay.
And the band will be performing a few shows by the end of the year and hit a tour in the spring.
“We love that connection with the audience,” Young said. “The way we’ve been playing it takes us back to where we were originally — a live band.”
And Young said he’s toned down some of his look and wild antics on stage.
“I’ve always had a lot of energy. We all kind of do,” Young said. “It’s gone away a little bit. You can’t act like a 20-year-old when you’re in your mid-40s. You feel ridiculous, let alone look ridiculous.”