Darren Hayes Interview
B105 Radio Station, Brisbane, Australia
"Hour of Power" with Robin Bailey & Deano
Thursday 31 January 2002

(Big Thanks To Sonya for typing this transcript up for us!)

Robin: Darren…how are you??

Darren: Robin…how are you???

Deano: Hello Darren…its Deano here as well.

Darren: Are you guys still giving away the secrets to Survivor and all those shows?

(They all laugh to agree…)

Darren: Yeah…I think I heard that…my sister said to me that….. Robin, you are a bit naughty sometimes ..cos you people what's gonna happen.

Robin: But I warn them….I say to them that I am going to say it & if they don't want to know…just turn the radio down. That's fair enough isn't it??

Darren: Laughing……Yeah…but I got you then now didn't I??

Robin: Yeah you did!! Now Darren, I saw you do an interview with Richard Wilkins a couple of weeks ago when you were in Australia…

Darren: Yep….

Robin: And out of all the time I have met you….out of all the times I have worked with you…..I have never seen you as relaxed as I did on that TV screen last week…

Darren: Right…yeah…well I feel pretty good…I do, you know…… & I think that I am 30 this year and I am at the stage in my life where…you know…even though it's only, well this is only the third album I've made…..I've been doing this since I was 18, um….& I am, you know, ever since September 11 a lot of things changed in my life in terms of perspective. I really am grateful just to be alive and to be making music & to be…you know, for this to be my job…, so I don't really have anything to complain about.

Robin: Did you ever think, after the September 11 thing, cos you were over in the States …that you wanted to come home??

Darren: Oh God….every day! I mean I still do. It's funny about living in America cos I just ended up here, it wasn't like a conscious choice. I thought I'd live in New York for a little bit…then my life kinda changed and I ended up here & it was just easier for me in terms of the travel. You know, Savage Garden were such a global band that we were flying so much that it became impossible to get back to Australia all the time & so I kinda ended up here & yeah, Mum & Dad rang me up as soon as it happened….I mean…I was almost on one of the flights that crashed actually, so it was very close to home for me & the first thing I thought of is that I just wanna be home..you know….

Deano: Hang in there, we'll be back to one of Brisbane's favourite Sons…Darren Hayes shortly when we'll be asking him all about his new song 'Insatiable'.

Robin: So Darren, are you happy with your new song 'Insatiable'??

Darren: You know….I really am…I just um.. I just finished the latest version of the video for Insatiable…

Robin: Yes…we need to talk about that….

Darren: Yeah, that's funny….um I …you know, I am really in love with this album, you know, I just finished rehearsing my band that I am going to be taking around the world…you know, life is pretty fun & good at the moment.

Robin: So….was it a hair thing ??? What was the problem with the video…????

Darren: (scoffs & laughs a bit) It wasn't at all!……This is so funny to me….(laughs again)…My Mother rang me up…….that is a complete lie and if you've ever been one of those people that questions what is written in the papers or the gossip columns, cos I have always been one of those people…well I am here to you that sometimes it's just crap…it's bull. (they are all laughing) Um…..that is not what happened at all…I mean, the reality is that we shot a video and it kinda sucked!! (laughing again)…it's true…it just kinda sucked! Um & you know, it wasn't even me, I mean I was one of the first people to say "I don’t think this is very cool" & you know, my management, my record company, they all kinda went "you know, you're right"…& you know, it's a bummer and it's not the first time this has happened to me actually, we did..I think we shot 3 videos for "truly"…you know, it happens a lot in films, sometimes you just don't know what you've got until you look at the edit. But, um, it just kinda wasn't that cool and we did one that I finished about a week ago , so you'll get it very soon in Australia & I love it! & I am happy to say my hair is still blonde!

Deano: But Darren please, just tell us that it didn't cost $700,000.00 dollars!?!

Darren: I don't think it cost anywhere near that to be honest! (they all laughed) The thing is…I think it was expensive for an Australian video, but you have to understand that it is money that ultimately it comes out of what I earn and I have always been somebody that, you know when Savage Garden toured for example, we never really made a lot of money touring cos I spent money on the fans…on the product. I always felt it was best to give people the best that you could possibly do & if I made money it was through my songs , through song writing. I still feel like that. I wanna give the best! I wanna make the best thing that I possibly can do & to me music videos & touring, um, they are worth spending money on because they are around forever.

Robin: Well, lets talk about 'Insatiable'. You would probably know that it debuted at No. 3 on the ARIA charts last week??

Darren: You know that is the highest debut I've ever had in, like the music history, you know for a single. Even Savage…we didn't have a single that debuted that high?

Robin: Really??

Darren: Yeah! We had songs that went to No. 1 but they never entered, I think "I knew I loved you" entered at No.4.

Robin: So…How did you…tell us the story behind 'Insatiable'…you obviously wrote it yourself???

Darren: It's one of those magical songs I guess cos it was written really quickly. The essence of this songs is that, you know…I was kinda falling in love & it was about that… the feeling of just an unquenchable desire for someone.

Robin: So…it's based on a true story, its like from your heart? It's something that happened to you??

Darren: I can tell you when I sing it now I am thinking about someone, but when I was writing it, it was more of a fantasy if that makes sense??

Robin: So…um I've gotta talk about that high voice my dear…were you wearing really tight pants??

Darren: You know I don't know what's happened to me, but um, it's called falsetto and it's, you know, I've always had it. I sang 'the animal song' falsetto & 'I knew I loved you' did it, but again, its getting stronger & higher & higher & hey….I don't know??

Robin: Go you good thing!

Darren: (Laughs)

Deano: Hey Darren, tell us about your brand new Album 'Spin'. I believe it is due out March 18??

Darren: Yeah, I'm pretty excited about it?? I um, there is a bonus track in Australia called um…oh, I can't tell you what it is called yet…

Robin: Yes you can!!! Tell us……!

Darren: There's an extra track in Australia…there's some amazing remixes..actually we just got another today of 'Insatiable' by the Metro Boys…which I am in love with! So I am probably going to send it to you if you want to check it out….but um, it's good, it's very…the album has love songs on there like 'Insatiable' whatever, but it is also quite electronic & sexy in parts I mean it's , I think it's a logical extension of where I've come from musically & it really reflects, I think it's pretty current. I think it's a pretty current sounding record.

Robin: But it's not, I mean there won't be an obvious comparison to Savage Garden, you see it as like your identity & a new thing??

Darren: Um…I hope that there would be. I mean, I am very proud of Savage Garden and I think obviously its my voice & my lyrics & my melodies & the way I write songs so you would..you know, me collaborating with Daniel is one kind of music, me collaborating with someone else, it has familiarities, because the pieces that were me have remained & then, you know it sort of grows. So….I don't think it is the sort of record that you would be…its not too shocking, but I think its one of those things that people who listen to it like my music have said "that’s exactly what you should have done", that is most of the comments I get back from people. It like "Ohhh, that's great, that is exactly where I thought you would have taken your career."

Robin: So Darren…..when are you coming home??

Darren: March or April. I mean I am definitely coming home for the release of the album. Um you know, I'll be doing some performance & some showcases and stuff and I hope that um…cos we are going to rehearse the band in Australia, a lot of the band I have are gonna to rehearse there & I hopefully towards the end of the year, I'll do a full scale tour.

Robin: By home, I mean to Brisbane not just Australia.

Darren: Yeah…Brisbane.! (laughs!!)

Robin: Well…people are very possessive of you Darren & they wanna know where you are gonna be & what you're doing.

Darren: (Laughing still) everyone I am related to…you know I know about 5 people in America???. It's whats so funny about it!! And I go home all the time..Ummm… The great thing this year, was that my whole family came here to America for the first time for Christmas, but I've been going there for years. I mean, I spent the previous Christmas in Byron Bay. That is when I started growing my hair & looking like a hippie! Um I love it you know & I am probably going to end up back home, it's just that at the moment, I've working out of America its necessary at the moment, but I miss it.

Robin: So we can expect to see you hanging out round the Queen Street Mall in sort of March/April time, is that what you're telling us??

Darren: Probably…I mean, It's funny, it's hilarious, I get hassled all the time. Its funny at home because I am not really anything special, most people would know me or went to school with me or you know, I served them when I worked at the video store or Woodies, the record store, so you know…they go "oh there's that guy from Savage Garden…whats his name again???? Darryl Haines???"

(They all laugh at that!)

Robin: Now, one piece of goss that I did hear that I wanted you to either confirm or deny, is about Star Wars. Now, I know you are a Star Wars nut, I know you do the best Ja Ja Binx impersonation that you have ever heard, were you, or offered, or did you get the opportunity to do any cameos in the Star Wars Episode 2??

Darren: Well, I can talk about it now thank god. I had to sign a confidentiality agreement…..are you ready for it??

Robin: Go on….

Darren: Not in the film!!(sigh) No, I'm not. They were shooting the entire time were on tour for Affirmation, so it wasn't even possible, but they met me, I had a casting meeting….you know, I auditioned & walked around the set & they were adorable! You know, I got to meet the producer & they actually…..Skywalker ranch and Lucas's facilities are right near where I live in America & so, I am kind of a bit of a local, so it was a bit of a favour I guess that they did for me. I'm not in it, but hey, you never know, maybe I'll be in the third one.

Robin: (laughing) Yeah…have they heard your Ja Ja Binx impersonation??

Darren: (Does some Ja Ja Binx) nah…they never heard it, but I can do Yoda & Darth Vader. You know, I wanted to play a dead body, a corpse , a rock , a tree..nothing

Robin: You didn't care….

Darren: Apparently, NSYNC are in it??

Robin: No they're not! They've been dropped cos on the web site apparently everyone got up in arms about it, so they took them out.

Darren: There you go! It's better to be not in it than to end up on the editing room floor!

Deano: (Tries to get Darren to do Darth Vader impression, but he won't do it)

Darren: No…I won't do it, but can we start a new rumour, right here on B105??

Robin: You can start whatever you like???

Darren: Lets say that I declined. I was in the movie…OK and I decided that due to the recent NSYNC furore to be removed from the film.

Robin: You are bigger than Star Wars Darren Hayes!

Darren: (laughs)

Deano: Darren is the sixth member of NSYNC??

Darren: Love it!

Deano: Nah…that's not a rumour, that's just awful!

Robin: Darren, I am going to ask you this and I know you probably won't care as there has been so much talk about the split of Savage Garden. Is there anything you wanted to say, cos I can't think of anything to say & we've talked about it a number of times & I don't really care anymore….

Darren: No….I mean its been printed to death and a lot of it was just crap & bull…um, it's just so negative & none of it really was. The reality is I think we are the happiest I think we have ever been. You know, I am really proud of what Daniel's doing & what he has achieved & you know, it was a natural progression & the one thing that I do regret is the way it was presented because the sad thing was at home…it was one of the only places in the world that the media picked up on it & kind of tried to turn it into a bit of cat fight between us and there wasn't a cat fight, & that's it, so you know I am grateful that people just kind of stuck in there & I am happy that I don't have to keep going though it. I'm happy, he's happy. Thanks for caring.

Robin: You're a happy boy! You sound happy, you look happy, you've got long blonde curly hair, what more can we say??

Darren: Exactly… get a hair cut maybe, but that's it!

Robin & Deano: Thanks Darren…see you in a couple of months.