Jul 29

Glasswerk.co.uk Interview

Glasswerk.co.uk
Darren Hayes Interview
John
July 28, 2011

It’s been an extraordinary journey for Darren Hayes – as one half of pop duo Savage Garden and then a successful solo artist he’s been responsible for over 26 million album sales worldwide including two U.S No. 1 hits. Fast forward to today and the effervescent single ‘Talk Talk Talk’, the first single from Hayes’ forthcoming album, is exploding on UK and Australian radio.

Now I’m sure everyone is asking you this but… it’s been 4 years since your last solo record, why such a long break?

It always takes me a long time to find my new sound and feel my way into the theme of a new record. I guess my process is quite old fashioned in that I like long breaks between albums as I need the time to reinvent and live my life. I always want to be someone who writes music for people, not for the cult of celebrity and that requires having life experiences. 4 years to get some nicks and scratches is a good amount of time to have something to talk about!

We’re loving ‘Talk Talk Talk’ at Glasswerk at the moment. It’s very dance orientated in style. Is this a good indicator of what ‘Secret Codes And Battleships’ will sound like?

I don’t think of it as dance music at all – although I agree there are elements of synth and electronic styles in the production of the single. But overall I’d say the album is really an honest modern pop record. It’s more epic and less bubbly once you get past ‘Talk Talk Talk’. We chose it as the first single as it’s a gentle toe in the water of what I hope to be a dramatically warm bath!

Are you looking forward to touring the UK this October?

I adore performing on stage – especially my own tours as the music changes and evolves on stage because of the energy of an audience. I’m working again with Willie Williams (U2) my show designer since 1998 and although they are tiny venues the show will definitely have an element of theatre to it because that’s what I love.

Can we expect something spectacularly U2-ish?

This tour in particular is intentionally tiny – I wanted the music to speak first and it’s not about expensive lights and costumes. But Willie is absolutely my creative director live and this show will continue the standard my fans expect from my tours – heart, soul and an attention to detail. Our hope is that we develop a cool idea on this short run and expand it in 2012 in larger venues and in more cities.

‘Truly Madly Deeply’ has recently been named as Billboards No. 1 Adult Contemporary single of all time! It’s fair to say that Savage Garden was a phenomenon, and those songs are engrained into popular culture. Do you feel any pressure to live up to your previous success?

If I still felt pressure to beat my previous track record I’d have buckled under the weight a long time ago. I am motivated by making records I’m proud of and being a better performer. I can’t control the sales figures but I can control my evolution so I focus on being better. You’re right – the band was an incredible phenomenon and truthfully I just feel grateful I enjoyed that kind of success prior to the current state of the music industry. Savage Garden was an incredible start.

When you’re writing songs, do you have any formula you work to or a specific technique, or is it approached differently every time?

No it’s like a first date. You never know what sort of chemistry you’ll have with the song and you hope for the best and see what happens. I find songwriting a mystical almost otherworldly experience. Who knows where these melodies and words really come from but they feel very much like they find me if I pay attention. I think it’s a problem when you try to control the process. It’s that old cliché of sitting around waiting for god to walk through the room. You have to be paying attention or you’ll miss your muse.

You keep your private live private, but your songs often deal with intensely personal relationships. Is this you writing autobiographically or as an observer?

Well it’s completely autobiographical but it’s not always literal. I might be singing about a relationship ending but it’s pretty obvious it’s not my marriage. I use my life as inspiration and then I take on personas and characters and that way I can be as confessional as I want without feeling like I need to reveal all my cards. Many of the songs on my album deal with betrayal and truthfully I took inspiration from a friend who had been dishonest to me. In song I guess that might sound like I’m speaking about a lover but I was in fact talking about the end of a long friendship. I like that it’s ambiguous because that’s what I try to do with all my music – I try to write in a way that you can bring yourself or your own experience to the songs.

We notice you’re a frequent Tweeter. Do you think it’s important to be able to keep in touch with your fans this way?

I’ve always been into being real – and from the very beginning of my career I’ve liked that with blogs and chat rooms and now Facebook and Twitter I show the real me to my audience. It’s nice to be able to make a direct statement and know that you are the true source! Twitter is interesting but I try to be selective about my time on there. Because I follow a wide range of people in the arts and the entertainment business sometimes logging in can be like turning up in the town centre and listening to a million strangers vent about their frustration, anger, joy, criticism and judgement all at the same time. It’s important to strike a balance – and I just commit to spending a few moments a day checking into this busy freeway of opinions and then make sure I exit before becoming self obsessed. I do love how Facebook and Twitter reunite me with people who might have fallen out of touch with what I do today. And I love that strangers can send love your way when you’re not expecting it.

Finally a non musical question – What’s you favourite thing about living in London?

I love the commons. The thing that keeps living in a big city livable to me is the green spaces and the sense of community that living around a park has on residents. I know London is fabulous and cosmopolitan and the epicentre of art and music but it’s also a collection of tiny villages and that makes this small town boy feel at home in the big city.

The new album ‘Secret Codes And Battleships’ was recorded in Stockholm, Los Angeles, Sydney and Darren’s home studio in London. There are reunions with both the multi Grammy Award winning maestro Walter Afanasieff, who produced Savage Garden’s Affirmation album and Darren’s Spin, and Rex Goh, Savage Garden’s long-term guitarist. The album was mixed by Robert Orton (Lady Gaga) and mastered by Bob Ludwig.

Hayes will be showcasing both new material and performing hits from his catalogue on tour in the UK on the following dates.

Date City Venue
15th Oct Liverpool 02 Academy
16th Oct Glasgow 02 Academy
18th Oct Birmingham 02 Academy 2
19th Oct London 02 SBE

Jul 23

Australian Tour Dates Announced

Darren Hayes will be on tour in Australia as part of “The Secret Tour.” Tickets go on sale on July 28, 2011. Fanclub members will be able to purchase tickets on July 25, 2011.

November 2 in Forum, Melbourne
November 3 at the Enmore Theatre in Sydney
November 5 in Tivoli, Brisbane

Jul 20

UK Tour Dates Announced

Darren Hayes will be in tour in the UK as part of “The Secret Tour.” Tickets will go on sale July 24, 2011. Fanclub members will be able to purchase tickets July 21, 2011.

October 15 in Liverpool
October 16 in Glasgow
October 18 in Birmingham
October 19 in London

Jul 15

Billboard Interview (07.15.11)

Darren Hayes Talks Savage Garden’s ‘Truly’ Big AC No. 1
Billboard
Keith Caulfield
July 15, 2011

In the 50-year history of Billboard’s Adult Contemporary songs chart, which launched July 17, 1961, no other single is bigger than Savage Garden’s “Truly Madly Deeply.”

The 1998 hit from the pop duo ranks at No. 1 on the all-time top 50 AC songs list, besting the likes of the Bee Gees’ “How Deep Is Your Love” (No. 13), Enrique Iglesias’ “Hero” (No. 9) and Louis Armstrong’s “Hello Dolly!” (No. 6).

“Truly” spent 11 weeks atop Adult Contemporary and a staggering 123 weeks on the list, 58 of those in the top 10.

Although Savage Garden, comprised of Darren Hayes and Daniel Jones, disbanded in 2001, both members continue their own individual music careers. While Jones now stays mostly behind the scenes, writing and producing for other artists, Hayes has released three studio albums and will soon issue his fourth proper set, “Secret Codes and Battleships,” due in October via Mercury Records Australia. The effort’s first single, “Talk Talk Talk,” was just released to digital retailers globally.

We caught up with Hayes to talk about the success of “Truly Madly Deeply,” the history of the song and more.

Billboard: How does it feel knowing “Truly Madly Deeply” is the No. 1 Adult Contemporary single of all time?

Darren Hayes: I’m completely overwhelmed to be honest. I feel incredibly proud. That song changed my life and apparently continues to do so!

Billboard: How did the song come together? I read somewhere it was actually a reworking of an older song of yours.

Darren Hayes: “Truly Madly Deeply” was originally a slightly different song that Daniel Jones and I had written and recorded on our first-ever demo cassette that we shopped to labels back in 1994.

The verses were exactly the same, but I’m rather embarrassed to admit the chorus did not exist. Instead, I’d written a rather awful lyric about magical kisses!

There was always something incredibly magical about the song, however, and when it reached the ears of producer Charles Fisher, who produced the first Savage Garden album, he proclaimed it to be a potential hit.

It sat on the bottom of the pile of our demos for the entire eight month recording process until the eve of the last day. I sat alone, at the Bayswater Cafe in Sydney, and completely re-wrote the chorus you hear today over a cup of coffee. I sang it the next day and the rest is history.

Billboard:Were you surprised at the single’s success? It was No. 1 on both the Billboard Hot 100 and the Adult Contemporary charts.

Darren Hayes: Truthfully, I famously thought it was too personal and too private to be a single. At one point, I’d suggested it be a hidden or extra track on the album. I was, of course, laughed out of the studio. But then I’ve never been good at picking singles!

Billboard:The song continues to be played hundreds of times a week on U.S. radio stations. What do you think it is about “Truly” that continues to resonate with audiences?

Darren Hayes: All I can tell you is that I was in love and missing my love so much it hurt when I wrote the lyrics. I remember thinking there must have been something in the DNA of the song that anyone in love can relate to. It’s simple, incredibly simple melodically. Yet, it’s kind of timeless.

I don’t know what the formula is, suffice to say it came from a very real place and sometimes that speaks volumes.

Billboard:Are you and Daniel Jones still in touch?

Darren Hayes: We’re not really in touch, though there are no hard feelings. He chose a different path and I continue blazing on.

Billboard:When can we expect to see you back in America promoting your new album, “Secret Codes and Battleships?”

Darren Hayes: My new album will be released in October this year and its first single (“Talk Talk Talk”) has literally only just gone to radio in the U.K. and Australia.

I adore America, I lived there for seven of the best years of my life. It is always my intention to return with music.

Jul 15

Sunrise Interviews

Darren Hayes was interviewed on Sunrise in Australia on July 15, 2011.

While locating the above video, I discovered another Sunrise interview with Darren Hayes on April 30, 2011.

Jul 13

Kerri-Anne Interview (07.12.11)

A video of Darren Hayes’ interview on The Kerri-Anne Show can be found here.

Jul 12

Darren Hayes Talks About “Talk, Talk, Talk”

Darren Hayes talks about the creative process in making “Talk, Talk, Talk.”

Jul 10

Performance on Australia’s Dancing with the Stars (07.10.11)

Darren Hayes performs “Talk, Talk, Talk” on Australia’s Dancing with the Stars on July 10, 2011.

Jul 05

The Music Network Article (07.05.11)

Darren Hayes: Recapturing the spark
The Music Network
Poppy Reid
July 5, 2011

You don’t wanna repeat yourself, but at the same time you don’t want to shoot yourself off to the old folk’s home.”

In a day where a pop icon’s reinvention has become an art form, it’s all about meticulous planning and an avant-garde PR team. Rising to fame in the early ‘90s as one half of multi-Platinum selling Australian duo Savage Garden, and following this with a nine-year solo career, Darren Hayes soundtracked an epoch, marking himself as one of our most talented pop exports. After an ever increasing hiatus between his past three records, this lull takes the cake, with four years of ambivalence in the lead up to October’s Secret Codes and Battleships.

Hayes has his Australian manager, Cathy Oates to thank for dragging him back into the limelight; he was walking his dog near his London home when Oates, who he shares with Angus & Julia Stone, phoned in a wake up call.

“I was walking my dog and she was like ‘what are you doing? This is ridiculous!’” says Hayes, 39. “She really set forth this plan which was that she wanted to go and get me a new major publishing deal, a new major record deal and get me a great touring agent.”

Oates made every one of these things happen and although Hayes signed on dubiously with Mercury Records Australia, he admits he’s now “obsessed” with the Universal Music sub-label. “A lot of artists have this fear of a major label, I’ve certainly had it, because I experienced it. You can have your record killed at the hands of an A&R committee.”

Hayes is referring to his second solo record, The Tension and Spark, which he released through Columbia Records in 2004 to a chartless fate. Hayes parted with the label in 2006 to start his own independent venture, Powdered Sugar.

Like most of pop’s luminaries, Hayes has undergone a series of reinventions as he’s dabbled in different genres, and although some of his fans didn’t follow the osmosis, Hayes says they were necessary stepping stones.

“It’s like I was a carpenter who made houses and I made pretty good houses, but I got bored so I started making pottery and the pottery was fine,” he laughs. “But no-one was really asking about it.“

Still, with a new label behind him and the guarantee of creative control and a wider audience target, Hayes says he was very conscious of the pitfalls associated with a comeback record. “The quick fix solution is to be trendy and make a record which is sort of, disastrously hip. This isn’t that at all,” he says. “I always want to make sure that there’s a reason for me to bring out a record. The best reason is that I believe in it.”

This time around Hayes reunited with US producer Walter Afanasieff who worked on Savage Garden’s Affirmation and his first solo record, Spin; guitarist Rex Goh who he hadn’t recorded with in 15 years and enlisted some of the industry’s best collaborators including Grammy Award winning mixer Robert Orton, Carl Falk who co-wrote the album’s first single Talk Talk Talk, Steve Robson (Taylor Swift, Leona Lewis), Phil Thornalley (Pixie Lott, Natalie Imbruglia), and long- time collaborator Justin Shave (The Potbelleez). With a team of pop masterminds behind him, it’s surprising to hear Hayes’ managers sent him back to the drawing board halfway through the recording process.

“I felt like I was almost there and they had to sit me down and say ‘you’re not there yet, you have to keep going, there’s one more song you haven’t written yet’,” he says. “They were so right, my favourite song of the record was written as a result of my managers telling me to go and write one more song.”

That song is Blood Stained Heart, an emblematic track which covers the thread of Hayes’ labour. “[It’s] about the worst day, the worst night, the worst year of your life… You’ve got nothing to hope for but you’ve just got each other,” he explains. “It’s basically that moment where you wish you could take the bullet for somebody… It’s hopeful though. The songs are saying don’t give up on us because without you there’s no point to this story. It’s a two-person film here. It’s not gonna work as a soliloquy.”

Secret Codes and Battleships is out this October through Mercury Records.

Jul 03

“Talk, Talk, Talk” Enters the Australian Charts

“Talk, Talk, Talk” enters the ARIA Australia artists chart at number 10.

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