Darren Hayes Takes a Solo Spin
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With
his first solo album, Spin, Hayes is taking his career to a much higher plane. The 12
songs on his debut album offer an antidote to the darker side of humanity, bursting with
rhythmic spirit and lyrical heart. As media choices proliferate and attention spans shrink, the shelf life of pop stars grows increasingly shorter. Some careers seem to last about as long as a flash-cut in a music video. Hayes takes a different approach in writing songs - and he has no illusions about the spin cycle longevity of success. With Savage Garden, Hayes wrote such engaging song - Truly Madly Deeply, I Want You, I Knew I Loved You (which remained on the AC charts for more than two years!) and Crash And Burn - that made people drift away in the casual appeal of their sing-along refrains. The pop landscape has changed since Savage Garden ruled the pop charts - and it's moving in a more fragment fashion. Hayes, however, doesn't want to be trapped in the quick-burn, one-hit phase. Rather than be sucked up in the commercial black hole that has consigned countless pop groups to the discount racks, Hayes believes in engaging his fans through the power of entertainment. "A lot of singers from splintered groups want to take big steps and top what they did before," says Stephen Yap, Sony Music's director of marketing. "Sometimes, if you take the big step, you lose fans. That's why Spin is an important stepping stone for Hayes. He has a pop-friendly voice with solid chart credentials - and he hasn't altered his winning formula for writing hit songs." Hayes split from Savage Garden was not acrimonious. His former parter, Daniel Jones, was keen on pursuing a career behind the scenes in the studio. Hayes wanted to perform and continue recording. Hayes calls it "a natural progression," and is now set to make his mark in the next phase of his blossoming career. Spin is an extension of the kind of songs he is best identified with - like romantic abandon, sexual desire, and betrayal as well as staying true to personal choices and taking stock in life's bounty. Hayes' debut solo album, recorded in San Francisco, where he currently resides, was co-produced with Grammy Award-winning Walter Afanasieff. He also enlisted a number of writers to work with him and ended up with 35 songs, of which 12 made the final cut. Althought he was determined not to stray too far from the pop template that made him a star, Hayes also wanted to pay homage to the melodic influences of his youth: Motown. Other than some strings and an occasional guitar, Hayes used no live instruments on the album. He saw it as a challenge in injecting some soul into machines. A lot of that sweet, full-bodied sound can be found on the album's first single, Insatiable. The song has already made a dent in the top 10 charts in Australia and is set to break new records when it is released worldwide. Any singer in his shoes might be concerned about his new songs making a connection with the public. After being in the business for a decade, Hayes sats he "feels unleashed." It's not about starting all over, but about understanding his potential and making it work in his favour. "We had great success with both the Savage Garden albums, and we're confident that Hayes will continue that winning streak," says Yap. "From our perspective, it's all about the song - and that's what makes Hayes a top priority act for us." Spin, released by Columbia Records and distributed by Sony Music, is now available in leading music stores throughtout Malaysia |