Today Show Interview Oct 9th 2001

Richard Wilkins entertainment news, TODAY had an exclusive interview with Darren Hayes on the break up of Savage Garden and then Darren gave him a tour of Walter's studio complex in California where Darren recorded his solo album, SPIN (it's also where Affirmation was recorded). He also talked about his new music. "Today" aired the interview in two parts. The first part was aired October 9 and the second part on October 15. They put the videos up on the internet. Here are the links: Part 1 And Part 2

Richard = R
Darren = D

R= Well late last week Darren Hayes announced that it was officially over for the band Savage Garden, which has sold more than 20 million albums worldwide. Now based in San Francisco, Hayes dropped the bombshell during an Interview promoting the imminent release of his solo album "Spin". He blamed the break up on Daniel Jones' long absence from the band and said that they effectively broke up over a year ago. However Jones called a press conference on Friday in Brisbane and claimed that he had no idea of the demise of Savage Garden, he said he heard the news on the radio and was forced to ring Hayes for confirmation. Now I've just got back from San Francisco courtesy of Road Show Music and caught up with Darren Hayes to find out exactly what happened.

* breaks to Affirmation video *

D= Well it is important to let people know that honestly it wasn't my choice, ah, you know when I joined the band I was 18 or 19 I would have stayed with Daniel forever, you know, the first time that he wrote a song apart from the amendment I thought he has cheated on me, laughs, I mean it was pathetic, it was dramatic, umm, but you know I am naive and you know that's just the kind of person that I am. He made me grow up definitely! He forced me to sort of get real and realize this is a big industry and in some ways I think he groomed me for this day, I mean he looked at me and realized that maybe one day I'd be doing this on my own and I have to thank him for that and I just hope that the fans can understand that, I'm not the kind of person, I'm not the kind of person that is Sensational, I'm not someone who would hurt someone, or um you know break up a band and not tell the other person, I mean come on, it's ridiculous, it's ludicrous, it's simply not what happened.

* breaks to Moon and Back *

R= Do you like each other?
D= We don't know each other, honestly, I mean we have this... I respect him, I think he's super-talented, I think he's fascinating, he fascinates me, but I've never really gotten close enough to him to hang out with him. You know the first time I was ever really hanging out with him I bought him a birthday present, he was kinda a little shocked, because if was almost a little too intimate and he's had this way with me and with certain people in his life of keeping a healthy distance and that distance probably keep the creative partnership alive.

* TMD video *

D= I have a lot of compassion for Daniel and I don't want to drag our inner workings out thru public eye, I think throughout this whole thing I want to retain some dignity, cause I love and respect him and I love and respect what he and I achieved but, you know, fame, traveling, those things were elements that didn't make him happy, you know I cared about him and when you see your friend, the first time we were here in this guest house doing the photo shoot for Vogue Australia, he just wasn't into it, his heart wasn't in it, he was unhappy and he came to me and he said look, way back then I don't think I can do this.

* shows a report on Nickleodeon report *

D= The last time I saw Daniel was at the last show we did which was in Cape Town, I have spoken to him a couple of times on the phone, but it was a sad show, you know I cried on the stage, it was, ah it was sad, you know even the last couple of days even for me its, its started to sink in, that WOW this era has gone, but you know I have to put a positive spin on it and just say thank God for that opportunity, thank God for that start we were given in Australia and the fans that we have and the fact that here we are I'm doing everything I always wanted to do, right from a kid, I'm still making records, I'm going to play you some later, you'll get it. He's the happiest he's ever been, he's in love, he's producing great music, I love Aneiki and everything that they are doing, to be honest its an album that I would buy, I wish I didn't (something here I cant quiet hear due to Aneiki new song and video showing) its fantastic!!
R= did you know in that last show in Cape Town, did you look each other in the eyes and?
D= It was hard to look each other in the eyes to be honest and what was really beautiful about our last show was that when we met, Leonie, Daniel and I sat together in a room in Kings Cross and Leonie was our publicist at that time from the record company and she has since then has become my best friend and now she manages me. But at that time the 3 of us began. And the last show in Cape Town the 3 of us ended where we began we all sat down for dinner, we all chatted we all reminisced, and ahh we kissed it good bye with love and affection. It was beautiful, it was amicable, it was fine.
R= There you go, Darren Hayes speaking on television for the first time about the break up of Savage Garden. They are both lovely fell as, both Darren and Daniel and I guess we should wish them both well in their future endeavors. And incidentally we will have more on that Interview with Darren possibly next Monday, when we put it together, on his new solo album which sound pretty good too.

Today Interview with Darren Hayes - October 15th

Richard = R
Darren = D

Intro
R= Well a week ago we bought you an exclusive Interview with Darren Hayes discussing the severing of his partnership with Daniel Jones, the end of Savage Garden after 20 million albums and sold out tours. Well today part 2 of that interview and Darren shows us around Producer Walter Afanasieff incredible studio complex Wally World in San Rafael north of San Francisco as Darren puts the finishing touches to his new solo album "Spin" reflects on the past and looks to the future.

Plays "Hold me"

D= Check out the digs huh!
R= This is the most amazing place, so when people are recording here.
D= They stay here and they never want to leave.

*They enter the house

R= Hotel California! Isn't this amazing.
D= Yes it is incredible; I tell people that this is my house; we can tell Australia that this is my house. Welcome to my house!
R= Does it bring back happy memories coming here?
D= Really happy memories, I mean this house, this house, ummm, kind of mended a broken heart that I had really, I mean Affirmation was a pretty serious record and it was all very autobiographical for me, and ahh I came out of a tougher personal time than when I came here to this studio, this guest house, to Walter, this family, umm it was like a big warm hug and I, and ah yeah my life restarted here.

*shows Affa video
Walking thru house

D= This is my bedroom here for Affirmation, come in here *waves to camera man*
Ohhh, I see you've tidied it up but yeah I use to hang out here, I'd sit here....
R= This is a great room.
D= at the window seat and contemplate life.

*more Affa video

So this is the Master digs, the master crib, where we kick it, *laughs* I've never actually stayed in the room, Leonie had it when we were recording, Daniel had it at one point because it was upstairs, and I dunno, sound travels or something *laughing* but ah it
R= So the manager gets the big suite?
D= Yeah she can be very manipulative.

*goes to shower

D= This is where the rich and famous shower, not me, but the rich and famous.
R= And it sound nice in here "give me a home among the Gum trees.
D= Give me a home among the gum trees, with lots of plum trees.. working on that one (does this song in complete Aussie male yobbo voice!
*Goes to bathroom sink where there are things to play with, Darren puts on deodorant
D: And this is Chris...
R: Chris Lord Alge
D= He wont mind if I use a bit of his deodorant
R= Here do you want some aftershave (Darren bends to smell it)
D= No, it's not good! We should go, I should just clean up
R= This is shaving cream (holding bottle Darren just used to put Deodorant on with) laughing
D= No it's not, it's not, it's Sport Deodorant (hold it up to camera)
Piano room - lots of people around including Leonie
D= This is the piano that umm, that Daniel and I actually worked on a lot of songs for this record, "Two Beads and a Coffee Machine" and "I Knew I Loved You" were all kind of started or finished here.
*Richard starts playing "I knew I loved You" on it.
(Darren points and looks shocked then he winks and nods)

IKILY video shows

*Now they are in one of the golf carts, Darren is going as fast as it can go!
R= Do you know where the brakes are?
D= Yeah I found them, you know what's really funny is that ah.

*At this Richard looks to Darren's feet to make sure

R= Darren where going down a very step hill here!!! *he's sounding very unsure about this ride!
D= its all good, don't worry about it *laughing
R= This is the studio complex.
D= This is it.

Chained to you Concert video

R= If you had to sum up this album, the sound of this album in like 20 words or less how would you do that?
D= I keep saying it's a pop album with a capital P! Umm Sonically its dramatic, it's electronic, its fun, its really a fun sexy record.
R= There's a lot of tricks in there.
D= A lot of little tricks and things its dramatic, it's like a magic show, it's like a Star Wars film or a Spielberg film, it is Candy, it is fun, it is Pop with a bang, its everything I love about the entertainment industry.
R= A lot of people are waiting to hear this, you know, that, I'm sure your going to tell me that you just wanted to come and make the best record I could.. but
D= Yeah its true, I mean you cant think about that stuff and I mean that, You know I've never been about commerce, ant thing that has happened to me financially and chart wise with this music has been an incredible blessing,. You can't go into a record thinking about those goals you just have to go into it thinking how and I going to top myself creatively. How am I going to make the people that bought these records respect me and that way to do that I think is to give your all. And the rest of it I think it comes, it just flows. Most of the people I have played this record to in its entirety, have said that its exactly where they thought I should have gone. There's no surprise here, it's just a more detailed and a more umm.I guess it a bit more mature and me with my hair out living it up.

R: And Darren's new album SPIN will be out early next year and he'll be back in Australia in just a couple of weeks to film a video for the new single INSATIABLE!!

*Hold Me video