.

I remember the first day Daniel and I started working on what was to become "Affirmation". It wasn't a songwritting session or a recording situation at all. I went over to his house just like old times... When I would drive my beat up car 45 minutes thought the freeway traffic.... arriving late and staying longer than I expected because the music was so damned good. This particular day involved the same journey and the same motivation, only it was three years later, the car was nicer and we had a few million album sales under our belts. You see, although the stakes were higher, and the toys more expensive, this was pretty much the same as it had always been. We wanted to make a record . We wanted to make music. Emotions. An experience.

We had a conversation that really did invoke questions like 'Do we want to do this again' Obviously the answer was yes' but the trick was 'how?" Our first record was a collector of dreams and aspirations by two kids who really knew nothing of this Industry. It was bow out of naïveté. We wanted to make the kind of music that we enjoyed listening to. Pop records with sincerity. Like 60's Motown or 80's electronica...we were fans of structure are melody ...but always with a genuine sense of urgency and believability.

So much had happened during the crazy roller-coaster ride of success that surrounded our first album...so many distractions. The success resulted in the tyro of us being pushed through the same doorway ...'ta da!'... We had no Idea how to take a photograph...make a video ...give an Interview. We learned it all In real time ...before your eyes. So along the way we stumbled and we grew. We listened to ourselves through Interviews ...we watched the thriving music scene continue to Inspire us and we began making mental notes about how we would do it next time.

So our conversation began about the kind of record we wanted to make. Words like 'emotional', 'sincere' and sentences like 'the soundtrack to your life' came up. I wanted this to be the kind of album that sounded like a snapshot of my life-but that you could also relate to yours. My favourite kind of records always did that. I remember the final years of high school through the eyes of Prince, Michael Jackson, Madonna, Carole King and Kate Bush. I related my experiences through music ...and to this day when I hear certain songs I am Instantly reminded of first love, of heartbreak, of dreams and of future yet to be decided.

So I did something really crazy. I moved to New York City. Daniel remained In Australia. And the album began taking shape.

Daniel set me up with a hard disk recording system where he could send me zip disks of Information that when loaded up ...would allow me to record vocals... lyrics-melodies on top of his music. I would then do rough mixes and send them back to him literally via the post This Is how a lot of the songs were written. They were (in this order) 'The Animal Song" 'Chained to You" "Gunning Down Romance" "The Lover After Me" "The Best Thing' 'Holc Me' and "I Don't Know You Anymore'. Although set up musically try a quick trip back to Australia where Dan and I wrote together-these songs were finished across the oceans.

These songs initially set up the shape of things to come. Lyrically I had been writing a lot of really personal stuff... dealing with the very real loss of love and loneliness that I had been experiencing In New York. It was tough for me. I remember phoning Daniel up one day saying.. "This Is a HEAVY album...) hope people are going to get it." For a while It was really dark ...really moody. But it was where I was In my life at that stage. I can't sing a song unless I've lived It ...l can't write it unless I mean It-and unfortunately...) wasn't living In a world of roses and happy endings. Life was kind of tough there for a while. it's interesting though ...that when 1 look back on the experience of New York (I no longer live there) ....I realise that I put myself In an unnaturally difficult and adverse situation probably to Inspire the kind of lyrics that appear on this record. It's very to the point ...l'm not hiding behind a lot of crazy metaphors to Impress. I wanted it to be very literal and I think it is.

Life in New York was a series of struggles for me. Both Good and Bad. I'll explain more later...but essentially mat's the theme of this record. That life (God?) presents us with a series of struggles or stumbling blocks. It's how we deal with these situations that defines our destiny. I know for me personally I used to spend my life In fear of good times ending... or bad happening, But 1 realised I was robbing myself of the moment. There are songs on this record like "Affirmation" or "Crash and Burn' where I'm saying that. In the end, "It's all good'. Life happens and you may fall down... but you pick yourself up, dust or and keep going. You realise that the struggles actually make you stronger.

I want to explain to you the Inspiration and the meaning behind a lot of the songs ...but first I'll just give you an Indication of the recording process.

We recorded this album with Walter Afanasleff, the San Francisco based American producer famous for making 'hits'... He was first suggested to us by Don lenner...the head of our American record company...and to be honest-we weren't keen on the Idea. We honestly thought we would make this album with someone more 'cutting edge'-someone Into electronlca or grooves We wanted to be taken somewhere else. So Walter phoned up one day and basically said ...'Come to San Fran ...stay In my guest house for two days ...experiment In the studio with me-and If you hate It ...NO PROBLEM ...but please just give me a shot...'

Let me tell you .... San Francisco Is probably one of the most beautiful places I've been and Walter's guest house Is amazing. Everything there Is catered towards making music. You feel so comfortable there. Plush beds. Beautiful surroundings. Pools. Tennis Court: Four Wheel Drives and Motor Scooters. Home Cinemas ...house staff (are you getting the picture?) Oh did I mention 24 hour 7 days a week access to the most state of the art stud equipment In the world? And then there's Walter. This amazing ...calm...unassuming extremely talented (dare I say genius?) musician who respected people in my life after two hours of working with Walter ....We were begging him to produce our record.

We spent 4 months in the studio with Walter .We walked away with the songs you hear today.

"Affirmation" - I love the mood of this song. it actually makes me kind of beautifully sad or melancholy (which is how I describe a lot of this record). It was written in the studio as a b-side originally. We wanted to make a more up tempo track-make it electronic.: Daniel is proud of the fact it's actually the fastest song we have (170 bpm!!) but it's kind of half time feel makes it feel danceable. Lyrically it sums up the whole album, which is why it ended up on the record and the title track. Inspired by graffiti I saw on the street in my Union Square neighbourhood (I lived at 114 East 13 street apartment 1OD if you ever want to be in the spaces my head occupied during the writing of this album...) it is a collection of statements I have always wanted to say. The first sentence is something my mother always told me and I believe to this day. My favourite line is "I believe your parents did the best job they knew how to do"

"Hold Me" is obviously about the breakdown of a relationship. It's very personal and more sad than the pop feel would suggest. It's about that moment at 3 am when things aren't working...you're not talking-and you don't know how to fix things. It's about me saying that I can't solve this-that as a man ...l feel a sense of shame almost that I can't be the strong one-that I'm backing out of the deal. Like a few songs on this record I was unsure about revealing myself so personally and literally ...but in the end I guess I decided that it was the only way I know how to write. From the heart.

"I Knew I Loved You" Well ...the truth? About halt way through recording ...there was a chance that his album would turn out to be a collection of sad, sad songs. My favourite kind of al bum ...but not very commercially viable I guess. I didn't care. 1 loved the songs and we played them for our record company. They too loved he ...but I heard whispers that the album was missing a 'Truly Madly Deeply' ...and I was ANNOYED!! I sat down with Daniel out of arrogance actually and we made a deal to just pop out a hit-to show 'them' that we could write that kind of fluff in about two minutes. And we did. But don't think it's as calculated as !t seems. You see ...initially I think we were writing this song to say a big " #$@@ You!" to the powers that be. It started off being a calculated manoeuvre ...but in the end ...l really did fall in love with this song. Like all of our songs ...I had to make It mean something to me ...and while I was not experiencing the kind of love I'm talking about here ...l had to reach back and find the inspiration-the memory of love ...and make it a song about my own very real search for a soul mate. When we finished recording the vocal ...we were all agreeing that this should be the first single from the record ...and needless to say the record company was very happy. It's ironic that now as a finished album ...l really am glad this song exists because it is such a healthy balance to the rest of the darker moody moments and I really do love it. It makes me smile.

'The Best Thing" Like "Hold Me" and "Chained to You"...this song hides behind a bubble guru facade to reveal a very twisted love affair. ft's the same person I'm talking about in "Chained To You"... This was one of those relationships like chocolate. You know it's bad for you... but you just can't stay away. I am talking about the moment where I realised that I was so far gone ...l had lost sight of myself ...that I was revolving around someone else ...putting my own needs on hold just to be in their space. It was lovely and Intoxicating but ultimately

"Crash and Burn" I'm one of those people who lean on my friends. I like to know I can call them up at any time day or night and just pour my heart out. During my time in New York I often did that-and my friends and family where always there for me. I guess in a lot of ways this song ...like "I Knew I Loved You" was a lullaby to myself... a way of calming myself down and reassuring myself. And In many ways It's my way of saying thanks ...to my friends for being there...and saying that I want to be there for them as well. That everyone hits a wall from time to time...that's it's OK...in fact it's normal and when that happens " Call Me "

'Chained To You" : It's the completely factual account of how I met one of the great loves of my life in New York. There was a club. A glance. A Madonna a song and a kiss. And I was completely gone! Passion. Desire. Uncontrollable obsession that lasted for over a year of crazy fun. -he relationship is a friendship now but I think I'll always feel this way. The Animal Song" 'Film Director Gary Marshall approached us when we were on tour In America to write a song for his movie "The Other Sister". Dan and I loved the film. We had wanted to have a song in a movie for a long time ...but either the film was not right ...or the timing was off ...but its was the perfect opportunity. It's as much about the character In the film as it is my own life. Written In the middle of the most bleak New York winter's day...) was dreaming my way out of the slush and into the Caribbean.

"The Lover After Me" I love this song. It's obviously very personal. Lyrically It talking about letting go...moving no... and how difficult this can be. I Just remember being In New York one day realising that everything had changed in my life. The streets were different...) was in another worlds...and yet she was still with me ...in the structure of the buildings and seeped into the pavement. Memories of love. Years of moments. There I was half way around the world and I couldn't escape them. And yet In Australia...) thought of her ...in our hometown...doing -the same things ...seeing the same people. Life going on the same except for one thing. We weren't together anymore. used to cry when I sang the second verse. You see the first verse Is her point of view...and the second is mine... I like that this track shifts points of view. Its haunting and exactly how we felt.

"Two Beds and a Coffee Machine" think this song Is pretty self -explanatory. )f special interest is the fact that the vocal you hear Is actually the demo one. Its the first me I ever sang It all the way through. Recorded at 3 am ...Vs Walter on the Piano and me singing along with him. It was a pretty heavy moment. Walter actually said to me afterwards..."That vocal will end up on the album"... and I was sceptical. We were due to =_cord all the final vocals In a very expensive studio In New York a week later. So when we of there...) spent all day and still couldn't match the emotion you hear on this song. We II agreed to go back to the original demo vocal that you hear In the finished song. So It remains the way it was when it came to us that first night.

"You Can Still Be Free" You ever get a chance to have a chat with Daniel Jones...ask him about the origins of this tale. It's a very spiritual song and was written originally from a story that Daniel told me. A very magical... almost supernatural event In his life. When a dear friend came to me with the news that her father was seriously III with cancer ...the song began to take on a new meaning to me. My friend's father eventually passed away during the recording of this album and we decided to dedicate the song to the glory of his life. I'm very proud to be is associated with the memory of this man ...and this song Immortalises his journey.

"Gunning Down Romance" This song ...and 'Affirmation' are my favourite songs on the album (although that's like choosing a favourite child). It's dark. It's heavy. I love what Daniel did to the music. lyrically it's talking about being totally disillusioned with love...and the whole game of cat and mouse. I'm questioning whether ft's all just chemicals running around in our brains... m throwing the towel In for a self-indulgent moment ...but ultimately this Is NOT how I feel about love. I'm lucky enough to be able to vent and express myself through music ... rather than smash windows or physically hurt myself or others. I would encourage everyone to lave an artistic outlet...to deal with these kinds of moods and emotions. Once I have talked about It ... or expressed It ...l'm over it. That' s what this song Is about. Because ultimately I do believe In love.

'I Don't Know You Anymore' wasn't sure if I wanted to put this song on the album. It's the most honest thing we've ever done ...It's so stripped back both emotionally and musically. In the end ...they became he reasons to include It on the album. It's almost a word for word transcript of a conversation I had on the telephone ...lt.'s about saying sorry...about forgiveness...acceptance and taking responsibility.

Although the album ends on a sad note...) hope more than anything ...It has taken you on a journey...that you have been able to identify. There's a line in 'Two Beds' that I think Saves you with the impression I wanted this album to make... That even though life is full d ups and downs...and the nights can be cold and lonely... "There's hope in the darkness...you know you're going to make it".

Darren Hayes
New York City
September 13, 1999