Darren Stanley Hayes (born May 8, 1972) is an Australian singer-songwriter. Hayes debuted in 1996 as the frontman and singer of the pop duo Savage Garden, whose 1997 album Savage Garden propelled them to stardom. It spawned the singles "I Want You", "To the Moon and Back", and the airplay number-one "Truly Madly Deeply". The duo followed the success of their debut album with Affirmation (1999), which also produced several hits such as "I Knew I Loved You" and "The Animal Song". Savage Garden sold more than 23 million albums worldwide before parting ways in 2001.[1]
Music Career
edit] 1993–2001: Savage Garden
Main article: Savage Garden
In 1993, Hayes answered an advertisement in a magazine placed by Daniel Jones for a lead singer for a band called Red Edge. Hayes was successful despite his voice breaking in the audition. The covers band broke up in 1994 and Hayes formed a partnership with Jones, which was initially going to be called Crush. However, there was another band in the UK which had the rights to the name so the pair called themselves Savage Garden after a phrase used by Anne Rice to describe the world through the eyes of the main character in her novel The Vampire Lestat.
Savage Garden started recording their debut album in 1995 with producer Charles Fisher. Their first single "I Want You" released in 1996 was the best selling single by an Australian artist that year. The second single "To the Moon and Back" topped the Australian charts at the end of 1996. The third single "Truly Madly Deeply" was their second number one and was the best-selling Australian single of 1997. Their debut album, Savage Garden, was the best selling album in Australia during 1997 and the duo won ten ARIA awards.
Hayes moved to New York City to promote Savage Garden internationally while Daniel Jones stayed in Brisbane. The move proved to be successful with "Truly Madly Deeply" going to the top of the American charts in 1998. The Savage Garden album sold seven million copies in the US on the back of this success.
In New York City, Hayes wrote Affirmation. He had recently divorced his wife of several years. Parts of the album reflected the pain from the end of the relationship. Affirmation was released in 1999 and proved to be another hit with lead single "I Knew I Loved You" going to number one in the United States and the album selling six million copies by the end of 2000. The pair played the title track of the album at the closing ceremony of the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
Hayes moved to Sausalito, California in 2000. Hayes became the public face of the duo doing most of the media. Hayes announced that Savage Garden had broken up in October 2001 during an off the record chat with an Australian journalist. When confronted with this information during the early morning hours, before an unrelated interview, Jones denied the break-up of the band. However, it appears that Jones did not believe the reporter was accurately quoting Hayes and denied what he thought was yet another breakup rumour. Still, the fact that Jones took a back seat in all promotional activities for Affirmation seems indicative that Jones was not content to remain within Savage Garden as it had operated in the past. Savage Garden had sold over 25 million albums by that stage.
The truth of the situation remained in the hands of the two members until an interview in a music publication in 2005 when John Woodruff confirmed that Daniel Jones had announced his intention of leaving Savage Garden prior to the promotion for Affirmation and he criticised the media for their treatment of Darren Hayes. They have never issued a united statement regarding the situation, yet still Darren Hayes has guaranteed that Savage Garden will "never by any chance" reunite.
Darren Personal life
Hayes is a well-known Star Wars buff and has been since childhood. He also collects Star Wars memorabilia and he even auditioned for a role in Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith.[4]
While now openly gay, Hayes was married to his college sweetheart, makeup artist Colby Taylor from 1994 to 2000, although the couple had separated in 1998.
Hayes has been based in London since 2004.
Darren Hayes entered into a civil partnership with his boyfriend of three years, Richard Cullen, on June 19, 2006 in London.[5] In keeping with his usual practice of not talking about his sexual orientation, he did not announce the civil partnership until July 17, when the information appeared on his official website. Before the announcement of their civil union, Richard Cullen's name had already appeared on the website as the designer of the cover for "So Beautiful". Hayes' sexuality had constantly been questioned, and most long-term fans were not shocked when news of the wedding was made public.
In August 2007, Hayes was accused of a racially motivated verbal attack against a Thai restaurant employee in London. Though the act was alleged to have occurred on July 22, 2007, Hayes wasn't arrested until August 17, 2007. Hayes was released on bail.[6] On August 21, 2007, the following statement from Hayes' solicitor was released:
Darren is unable to comment to any extent as the incident is presently under investigation by the police, with whom he has cooperated fully. However he is deeply upset at the allegation which he strenuously denies and anyone who knows Darren will recognise that the particular nature of the allegation is totally abhorrent to him and contrary to everything for which he has stood.[7]
On September 21, Hayes was cleared of the charge and was issued a caution on the incident. Hayes admitted an altercation had taken place, however no racial undertones were present. Police concluded there was no charge to answer to in relation to this matter.
