Squeaky clean and loving it
An Interview with Savage Garden.

There are no jimi Hendrix guitar riffs. No " I'm a loser" lyrics.
Australia's Savage Garden are doing what some people wish had never happened- they'er making pop cool again.

"We Know there are people out there that hate what we'er doing," says Savage Garden's Darran Hayes, " but do you know what? We don't care. Ok so our sound isn't guitr-based. I'm not singing about how drug***ed I am.So what? some people seem to think you have to be cool then that's fine but.with the greatest respect, I think we'er doing OK." OK! Savage Garden are one of the hottest acts in the world.On the eve of the release of their debut self-titled album in New Zealand their debut single I want You reached NO 1 in Australia and Canada and the US. Similar international succsess seems likely for the next two singles, both of which debuted at NO 1 across the Tasman.It has been a phenomenal rise for Hayes(25) and his songwriting partner Daniel jones( 24). Three years ago, after playing in a string of Queensland bands, the duo got together to try and see if they could make it on their own. " We literally decided we were goingt ot get a record deal," says Hayes. " We never once stopped to think about whether it would or wouldn't happen, or for that matter how it would happen. On reflection it was preety suicdal. The most remarkable aspect of the Savage Garden success is in the US whwre they knocked the Sprice Grils from the top spot. With the US success came instant financial security and fame.But you wouldn't konw it talking to Hayes who is completely unaffected by the success." It's funny because and I'm not trying to be humble, but we just don't feel successful," he says. " I know that we have achieved al ot but in places like the United States and New Zealand we'er only one song old. I guess we are aware at how sceptical the industry can be. We don't wnat to rest onnour laurels because we don't want to become complacent or cocky about it We don't want to be a one hit band or even a one album band. We want to be doing this in 10 or 15 years time. " Thats why we'er not walking around thinking we'er the greatest thing out and developing huge egos. There is enough hype in this business without us buying into it. I mean the hype,It's just bulllshit. It' would probably be apuilcist's dream if we werearrogant and acted like pricks but we want a career. We'er not into showmanship.We realise thatas soon as the televiosn lights go out, the limos disapper. there's a lot of bullshit we could get into but we'er intent on avoidingit. One thing Savage Garden have been able to do is combine all their influences to become the biggest success stroy if the year so far. Their sound is a remarkable mix of Duran Duran, Tears For fears and dance beats straight out of brit pop. the lyrics are deeper the "tell me what you want, what you really ,really want." " Pop culture in the nineties is about cannibalising," says Hayes. "It's about taling your influences, shaking them up and reacting to it. The best thing about Savage Garden is the credibilty they have brought to pop though thier lyrics. " Sometimes I think I've been too personal on the album," says Hayes. " I mean the songs tell the stroy of my life. They are based on verey real emotions-sometimes it's almostuncomfortable taling about the songs because they're....me. It's music from the heart. the somngs are as heavy to me as Nirvana might be to someone else. It's Hayes ands Jones' maturity that seam set to deliver then a career of longevity. " Sometimes it scares us that we have started so high in the charts," says Hayes." There will always be high expectations on us but those exectations will be from other people.Ultimately, the best lessonwe've learnt is that this business of pressure and expectation can be fun. that's the way we want to kepp it - whether we're in the charts or not."