“When we first came out we were like, hope people don’t think we’re a boy band,” recalls Savage Garden singer Darren Hayes. “But guess it was pretty clear we weren’t because we can’t dance for shit.” Choreographically-challenged they may be but, thanks to their self-titled 11-million-selling debut album, the Brisbane duo have become the biggest noise in synth-pop since The Eurythmics. “I’ve always been a big fan of Dave Stewart,” muses Hayes’ multi-instrumentalist partner Daniel Jones. “I like to be slightly hidden
as well, a bit more out of the way. I just don’t want to have the glasses. Or the goatee.” Indeed Jones’ dislike of the limelight originally causedhim to take up the drums - an instrumental choice also made by his two brothers. “When my parents were trying to watch TV they wouldn’t tell us to keep it down,” he laughs.” They’d lust sit a Foot in front of the set.” Soon the brothers would make their parents even prouder by forming a band called The Skull[uckers. Across town, meanwhile, Hayes explored his own creative potential by washing-up in the style of C-3P0 (“I still do sometimes”). The pair Finally met when the rock-hating Hayes impressed Jones by
auditioning for his latest covers band Red Edge with a tune from Little Shop Of Horrors. “I was so not suited to that environment, Hayes says of his days playing the local pub circuit. ~But it definitely hardened me up. There
are only so many times you can hear someone say, You suck, before you think, Fuck you I” Abandoning the group format Jones and Hayes recorded their debut album, Savage Garden, under conditions which Hayes now
describes as “abject squalor”. Three years al they’ve just finished work on the follow-up, Affirmation, at Wallyworld, the luxurious San Franciso studio complex of Celine Dion producer Waiter Afanasieff.
‘It’s autobiographical,” says Hayes. “1 was married. And I’m not now. So a lot of the album is about that. Maybe I’ll regret it one day, but favourite records have always been direct,” Whether the result will help Hayes in his
ultimate goal, however, remains to be seen. “1 had a dream last night that George Lucas me as Annakin Skywalker. I was playing golf with him, going, Man, I always knew I’d be in a Star Wars film, but the really weird thing is that I don’t even play golf.”