Lancashire Telegraph (UK)
Darren Hayes
by Jemma Dobson
September 27, 2007

Picture caption: SOLO: Darren today

We spoke to former Savage Garden frontman Darren Hayes about his early musical flair, the band break-up and his new life as a solo artist.

I REMEMBER being four years of age and singing was the only thing I truly wanted to do," said Darren Hayes.

"It just made me so happy and the truth is I thought everyone wanted to be a performer.

"My dad told us that if my brother and sister and I practised we could become a family group, like the Partridge Family or The Jacksons.

"I think he was pulling my leg but I believed him."

Darren started writing songs from the age of 13 and performed in countless school musicals but it was wasn't until he reached 22 that he got his first gig after answering an advert to join covers band, Red Edge, where he met Daniel Jones - the other half of Savage Garden.

The pop duo were propelled to stardom in 1997 with such singles as To The Moon and Back and Truly Madly Deeply.

Together they sold a total of 23 million albums worldwide before splitting in 2001.

The following year Hayes went solo and released his first album Spin, which immediately sold two million copies worldwide.

Darren said: "My solo career is a continuation of what I did with Savage Garden.

"We split because Daniel had a change of heart. He didn't want to be in the public eye anymore.

"I'm a front man by nature so my job now is the same as with Savage Garden.

"The only difference really is that I'm completely in control of the artistic direction.

"My sound has changed. It's more electronic and I've grown up, so that makes a difference.

"It's like comparing the first Madonna album to Ray of Light - completely different but there's a thread that connects the music.

"I appreciate the songs we came up with as Savage Garden and I still perform many of them to this day.

"But I think my music today is much more complex because it's the music of a 35-year-old man."

These days Darren promotes himself very differently and is one of the few artists to have made the switch from music label-driven marketing and promotion to a new world of self-released albums, track giveaways and MySpace pages.

"I am a very open person and I enjoy connecting directly with my audience." he said.

"For that reason, MySpace and blogging are things that come very naturally to me.

"I think my fans appreciate my honesty and I like that what I say is presented from me and not a press release written by someone else."

Last year Darren, who was divorced from his wife in 1998, came out publically as gay and announced his civil partnership to boyfriend Richard Cullen.

He said: "Contrary to popular opinion, I was not worried about upsetting my female following when I came out.

"I never saw myself as a heart-throb but an artist.

"At the end of the day my sexuality is something that really only had significance to me but I had just decided to announce my civil partnership mostly as a political statement and I wanted my audience to know I was proud of my relationship."

Now his Time Machine tour is travelling around the UK before a repeat production in his native Australia, but Darren, who has lived in London in recent years, says there is something special about performing in England - especially the north.

"I've always loved performing in England. My partner is from Nottingham and out of London I feel a real connection to the north.

"The people remind me of my family back home. It's a very warm greeting when I play there."

"This tour is the biggest production I've ever had in my career to date.

"When we finish the last show in England the whole thing gets freighted over to Australia.

"I then spend the end of the year in America doing promotion. It's a busy year."

Darren Hayes is playing The Lowry, Salford Quays, on Sunday, September 30. Details from the box office on 0870 787 5780.

2:51pm Friday 28th September 2007

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