Darren Hayes
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Many people knew without a doubt that the star of Savage Garden - Darren Hayes - would
abandon the group for a solo career. Few were to know that it was his buddy Daniel who was
to leave the ship. To FRIDA Darren talks about the betrayal, the love and the love
handles. "Sorry, I didn't recognise you" I said, embarrased, trying to imagine the guy in the sofa without the beige, wavy hairdo with a parting down the middle. I had to say something, after totally ignoring him as he entered the room. "It's the hair, isn't it?" he says with a grin. "It helped me a lot when I had time off and didn't want to be recognised" "You look like a surfer", my insensitive mouth lets out. "Yeah, the hair is a bit "surfy". Actually it reached all the way down to my shoulders for a while…" F - Tell us about the year that has passed D - Right after the conclusion of our tour, in South Africa in December 2000, I started working on my solo album. But I have also had the time to go to Hawaii as well, where I got my diving certificate. And I have been doing a lot of yoga. This is also the first time since I moved to USA that I have been able to be at home in my own house for a longer period. I have invited friends over, have had my family visiting from Australia, and have always been able to come home to my own bed. Yeah, and I got my driver's licence! F - Congrats! You said you concluded the Affirmation tour in December and that you started working in the studio right after that. When did you decide about the split of Savage Garden? D - Actually it was Daniel's decision, right before we released Affirmation. It was hard. Daniel didn't want to be on stage and was very unhappy about all the travelling, so it wasn't about us arguing or anything. We decided that I would do all the interviews and that Daniel would only be with me on stage, after the tour we were to go our separate ways. During that year I thought a lot about whether I wanted to continue alone, which at the same time gave me time to prepare for things to come. F - So it was kind of a marriage? D - Yes, definitely! F - So splitting the group must have been like a divorce? D - Yes, and I was very sad. I even trashed a hotel room in Japan, I just felt "What am I gonna do?" "Why is he doing this to me?" When Daniel said he didn't want to continue, it felt like he betrayed me. But I understood and forgave him. I even believe that we became closer friends after that. F - I get the impression that love is important to you, maybe even the most important thing on Earth D - It is, Darren says emphatically. I truly understand the meaning of being in love, find love, seek love. I'm a romantic and naive when it comes to love. I love the thought of two people spending their lives together. It still hasn't worked for me, but I think it really can. F - Is it important for you to have someone to love? There's always those who always have relationships and those who never, or rarely, have. D - I think I need someone to love… I had a really low period, just after having divorced my wife and finding myself alone for the first time. For some years I had no one. But I grew as a person even if it was a hard time. And I'm continuing to grow. I'm a person that could just go away with someone, have lots of kids and make love every five seconds, but how lovely that may sound, I think you get bored in the end. I have to learn to keep reality and fantasy apart. F - Once you said that one has to eat, breathe and sleep the pop-star dream, and that you definitely have had to pay a high price for it. How high? Darren is silent for a little while. Looking at his empty tea cup. Thinking… D - The price, he finally mumbles silently D - I used to think success had cost me much. If it really happens, if you get really big, you will have to give up your normal life and I could be very sad about that. F - Can you give us an example of a situation when you feel like this? D - I was uncomfortable with meeting new people and socializing with them. To me parties and entertainments was related to work, it was hard to losen up even though the only thing I wanted was to be treated like everybody else. But I have outgrown the feeling of people liking me just because of what I do. Now I don't think I have made any sacrifices. I don't take myself that seriously anymore. F - Which means….? D - I used to be very aware of my looks. But I like my wrinkles (pinches himself in the skin around the eyes), I have a little belly that I never can get rid of (grabs around a love handle on his belly) and I don't care anymore! I feel more attractive than ever and the people I get attracted to also have that conficence in themselves. That's much better than a firm bum, nice legs or whatever. F - But lots of big stars still say that it is hard to know why someone wants to get to know them. D - No one of the persons I've dated have known who I was when we first met! F - ???????? D - No, it's true! I don't get around much in the glamour of this business, I don't need go to all these parties because music is my job. As soon as I get home I jump into my boxers and a T-shirt and watch TV, then I'm private. My problem is rather that in the end I have to tell the person I meet. You know, "We could go to my place, but I have … oops…. all these gold records on the walls and apparently those are pictures of me". I have been trying to keep relationships going with phone calls, emails and air travel, but it can't be done as long as I live this life. I have to remember that or I might just run off and get married! |