Darren on Power 98 Countdown - May 24, 2002

Originally Typed Up For The Sony BBS by Susie Oliver

{DON'T LET ME GET ME ends}

DJ: Can you smell him? We can see him! DARREN HAYES IN THE HOUSE! {sounds of people yelling and applauding}
D: Hey how are ya?
DJ: How about yourself?
D: I'm doin' great!
DJ: Wow, you're looking dashing, somehow...
D: So are you gentlemen. {Then Darren said something I couldn't make out..}
DJ: Noticing you are wearing a short-sleeved shirt. Is it hot here in Singapore?
D: It's really hot, isn't it? It's actually great though.
DJ; Yeah?
D: Yeah, cause ya know I've been traveling around Europe and different places. And this definitely reminds me of Australia because of, ya know, the humidity.
DJ: Right.
D: Yeah.
DJ: Wow. Thanks for coming down.
D: Thanks for having me.
DJ: Here at Power98. Um, before we get into your songs in just a while...
D: Uh hum..
DJ: The last time we saw you here in Singapore was back
in January of 2000.
D: Right.
DJ: I remember 'cause, ya know, we talked to you.
D: Yep!
DJ: I attended your showcase...
D: Yes.
DJ: Savage Garden back then.
D: Uh hum...
DJ: What has been happening in between? I mean, condense it for us. {Hard to tell exactly what the DJ said here}
D: Omigosh! Well, we did a world tour.
DJ: Yeah.
D: Oh, we split up. {The DJs laugh} Umm, what else did we do? Umm, and I took a year off where I made this solo record. Daniel started a record label and started producing bands. And uh, I've been promoting this record since, believe it or not, since November of last year, so...
DJ: Wow!
D: It's been a ... it's been busy couple of years...
DJ: Nonstop!
D: Pretty much, yeah! I've not stopped...
DJ: And of course, coming out that album SPIN! The single, INSATIABLE, has gone number one on the chart show you're hosting right now with us!
D: I'm so thrilled that the people like the single and are interested in the record. It's great!
DJ: Yes, three weeks ago because of requests, votes, ya know
D: Uh hum...
DJ; We got people SMSing us, short messages...
D: Well, I get my family to write in as well...
DJ: Yeah?
D: So they kinda {could not tell what he said exactly here} some of my {something} on the show, yeah...

{Then Darren laughed his wonderful laugh! And the DJs joked about a check being in the house, to play INSATIABLE, I guess...}

DJ: What's the song about, INSATIABLE? Ya know, we've been hearing it so much on MTV as well.
D: You know, INSATIABLE is umm, it's a love song, but it's probably a little bit more sophisticated than the kinds I'm famous for... It's pretty lush and umm, it's... it's about having a pretty {intense or fresh?} desire for someone and all I can tell you is I love singing it... Definitely a singer's song.
DJ: We love hearing it.
D: Cool!
DJ: Shall we hear it now, right now on the Red Hot 30 Countdown? Darren, it's all yours.

{INSATIABLE has begun playing...}

D: Here's my first single, from my album SPIN, at
number 8. It's called, INSATIABLE.

{INSATIABLE plays...}

DJ: At number 8 on the Red Hot 30 Countdown, Darren Hayes! INSATIABLE!
D: I like that guy, he's got... yeah, he's got cool music. Oh, that's me!
DJ: He looks good too!
D: Oh shucks, so do they.
DJ: Does it get uncomfortable listening to your own song on the radio or do you just, ya know, love the moments that you hear it on the air?
D: Ya know, it's not like i drive around, ya know, listening to my CDs, but when your song comes on the radio, I think it's a good feeling because you feel that, ya know, your music is getting out there. Reminds me of the first time I ever heard a Savage Garden song on the radio... I remember just thinking yippee! It's a... it's a great feeling...
DJ: And speaking about Savage Garden and to go on your own. Now the album debut offer's SPIN. {Not sure of exactly what dj said}
D: Uh hum...
DJ: There's also to know about the album? {Not sure again}
D: Well, SPIN is, uh, the result of a year of my life, writing songs. I wrote about 35 songs for the project. It's funk, it's romantic, it's a little bit more electronic than people would expect from me in the past... Umm, and I don't know, I'm in love with it. I'm really... I'm really having fun just singing the songs live and uh, it's...it's a record with a little bit of everything.
DJ: So much so that all the fans here in Singapore are loving INSATIABLE and now a second single. Let's take a listen to some STRANGE RELATIONSHIP!

{Part of STRANGE RELATIONSHIP is plays}

DJ: Tell us more about that song, Darren.
D: Well, STRANGE RELATIONSHIP is uh, ya know what, it's one of the first songs that I did for the record and it's ya know, it's where you definitely, uh, you can see that I was into R & B and other kinds of music, a bit of soul. Umm, ya know what it's about my favorite kinds of relationships, those obsessive push and pull, I love you, I hate you types of relationships and it's a... it's just really fun.
DJ: Yeah and you know the video...
D: Right.
DJ: The video, that you know when I read about it...
D: Uh hum.
DJ: I was blown away. I mean, you took the whole thing in one take.
D: Yeah.
DJ: How much rehearsal did that go through?
D: It took a day of rehearsals, believe it or not, because ya know, we have string players and there's umm, extras and different camera angles and things that we did on the video lighting cues. It's deceptively simple because it actually required a lot of rehearsal and when we filmed it, we probably performed about 13 times before I uh, stopped messing up.
DJ: Oh man! {The DJs laugh...}
DJ: So, did you take like the 12th or 13th take, actually?
D: You know, it was probably like the... the one second to last. The thing is everything can go right and there can be a technical error.
DJ: Oh!
D: Ya know I might mess up one line or the cameraman might be slightly off cue, so it took a lot for uh, all of us to get our act together, but we did.
DJ: Well, good job!
D: Yeah, it was fun.
DJ: Wonderful! Filming indeed. And speaking about films, "Star Wars" Darren. What's your review of "Star Wars"?
D: Hmmmm... I loved it! I saw it, uh...

{DJ laughs}

D: Well, I can talk about it now because I auditioned for that film actually.
DJ: Oh, you did?
D: I did, but I was touring with the Affirmation Tour when they were filming so I couldn't be in it.
DJ: Oh!
D: But I did get to walk around all those sets and umm, it was totally cool. So, I was in a lot of first sets before it was filmed.
DJ: Did you, uh, ya know, audition for the part of Anakin?
D: Nooo! Oh no, I was actually {trying?} for the part of probably like a clone trouper or something. Anything with a... that would get me on the set in the film with my name in the credits.

{The DJ laughs...}

D: I was just a huge fan as everyone probably is aware.
DJ: Wow!
D: But, umm, they're cyclical... They've got one more episode to make.
DJ: One more episode of the movie. Again, {????} can you imagine seeing Darren Hayes? Whoa! {DJ chuckles...}
"Star Wars"?
D: Could you imagine?
DJ: My word! We're coming back in just a while because on the website, we've been asking all our friends and your fans of course, to send questions over for you. And we've got international response! We're here in Singapore.... We have questions from Japan...
D: That's great!
DJ: Finland, Australia...
D: Is there one from Russia?
DJ: Russia...
D: Russia. {Darren sounded pleasantly surprised by this}
DJ: And we'll get to those questions in just a while. Coming up, the top 7. In just a while, the chat will be distinctively Australian. Stay tuned to find out on the Red Hot Top 30 Countdown.

{Promo spot and then they played Number 7, ALL YOU WANTED..}

DJ: At number 7 on the Red Hot 30 Countdown, Michelle Branch and ALL YOU WANTED. This one's taken off her SPIRIT ROOM album and she, by the way, is currently touring downunder. Now, from downunder, Darren Hayes in the house!
D: G'day!
DJ: Along with Jeremy Ratnam and Jay Aye... I hope you've been enjoying everything in Singapore so far.
D: I'm lovin' it! Lovin' the people, the weather, the shopping, the climate....
DJ: Yeah.
D: The radio...
DJ: Yeah...

{Darren laughs...}

DJ: I remember the last time you were in Singapore back in January, 2000, you had a bad throat and all.
D: I did... right!
DJ; Yeah.
D: Ya know, I probably, I didn't cancel the showcase though. You know, I've never cancelled a show...
DJ: Because I was at the showcase...
D: Yes.
DJ: And you guys were amazing!
D: Thank you.
DJ: You guys were amazing! And you performed in fact, in Singapore, yesterday.
D: Right. I performed umm, basically something for MTV, which was uh... sort of like an unplugged set for tv, which was umm, a lot of fun.
DJ: Which is better? Studio or live, for you?
D: Oh, I can't choose...BOTH! You know, when you're in the studio, you're itching to tour live and when you've toured for a year, you're itching to create again, so..
I do love singing though. That's probably my favorite thing in the world.
DJ: Yeah, excellent. We've got our SMS coming in Jeremy. If you look at the screen over there. It's coming in from Sam. Sam wants to know, Darren you were talking about "Star Wars" a while back.
D: Uh huh...
DJ: Which character, if you had a choice at all..
D: Uh huh...
DJ: Which character would you really want to play?
D: Uhhh, gosh, that's a good question. I think probably just a jedi, one of the jedi from the jedi council. I just would love to have my own light sabre. I mean, wouldn't you like to have a light sabre?
DJ: Oh wow. Oh yes, that's what I want. {DJ laughs} Can
you imagine, Jeremy, look at Darren, does he have a {shade?} of Darth Vader?
D: Come on be honest. Help me out here, Jeremy, come on.
DJ: Where is the mask?

{Darren laughs and someone, maybe Darren? breathes like
Darth Vader for a few seconds...}

DJ: Yeah, lovely. Oh, in just a moment we'll come back with some new songs on Power 98 FM. Of course, those questions from the listeners as well. Now, speaking of down under and all, well, you must have seen Natalie Imbruglia?
D: I'm a big fan actually. Her record, uh, WHITE LILLIES ISLAND is one of uh, my favorite records this year. And umm, this single's called WRONG IMPRESSION. I like the video for it...
DJ: Here we go, number 6.

{WRONG IMPRESSION plays}

DJ: From downunder, Natalie Imbruglia with her WRONG IMPRESSION. Number 6 this weekend on the Red Hot Top 30 Countdown. Well the man from downunder, Mr. Darren Hayes {left for refreshment?} actually..... {They say some things here that I couldn't make out...}
DJ: So, we'll welcome Darren back in the studios in just a while. Ya know, he needs to freshen up, come back {More that I couldn't make out here} Now that he's stepped out, just wanna say that, you know, he looks damn good! As a guy, ya know? Makes me feel a bit jealous.

{They play some promo stuff....}

DJ: I've been informed, JayAye, that, in, uh, our toilet, there's a radio. He probably is listening in right now.
DJ: No way! Hi there, you look good in the mirror. {I think that is what one of the hosts said... Ha ha...}
DJ: I think he should keep his goatee as well.... {They continue on like this for a bit, but I couldn't make out all of it.... }
DJ: Darren Hayes, we'll have more of him in just a while right here on the Red Hot Top 30 Countdown. In the meantime, launching into some brand new songs we're gonna play for you next week.

{They play some new songs and talk about them....}

{ESCAPE plays....}

D: I am Darren Hayes on the Red Hot Top 30 Countdown and that was Enrique Iglesius at number 5 with ESCAPE.
DJ: That was Darren Hayes. Give it up for the man! {Sounds of applause....} Right here!
D: I feel surrounded, by the way. {It sounds like what Darren says, but not positive... }
DJ: You do?!
D: Uh hum.
DJ: Can you imagine if we could actually, ya know, have Darren Hayes permanently on the show?
D: Yep. {Sounded like Darren.... but ?}
DJ: Wow! Darren Hayes' Hour! Every night.

{I think Darren laughs....}

DJ: We've got another question coming in. How about the food in Singapore? Have you tasted something you really like?
D: Ya know, I am a big fan of... of Asian cuisine anyway. I think living in Australia because of our proximity to Asia, we'd always, ya know, we're... we're fans of everything. Um, yeah, pretty much every meal. I mean, I'm, at the moment, I'm sort of trying to eat really healthy so I don't eat at restaurants a lot. So I've been eating like, vegetarian meals that restaurants have been cooking for me. So it sounds boring. It's like vegetables and tofu and stuff like that, with a kind of an Asian flair. That's what people have been cooking for me.
DJ: Uh huh.
D: It's true.
DJ: Well, you should, over the next couple of days that you will be in Singapore...
D: I know...
DJ: Get the food....
D: Oh, it's unbelievable just on the streets and just, ya know, even within a hotel to sample like just the... the food and the freshness of everything is amazing.
DJ: Okay. We've got some listener questions coming up from around the world. In fact, here's a {Q?} from us to you in regards to Eminem.
D: Uh hum...
DJ: If you were to ever one day cross the path of Eminem...
D: Uh hum...

{They play the sound of girls screaming....}

DJ: What would you do?
D: I would applaud.

{The DJs laugh....}

D: I would... hehehe.... No, just he's.... he's uh, he's an angry young man, isn't he? And I wouldn't want to offend him. That's why I just want him to continue doing what he's doing and I'll just let him pass.
DJ: Who knows? You'll probably meet up with him in episode three.
D: Maybe.

{The DJ guffaws with laughter...}

D: Oh, you think he'll be in it? Actually, I think he's kind of funny, to be honest. I mean uh... uh, whatever. I think that uh, he's kind of funny sometimes.
DJ: Yeah. Well that was a question coming in from
Tiara. More questions for Darren coming up. The top 4 hits all the way to number one. Of course, Darren will also be doing the draw for the number one winner... so don't go anywhere.

{They play promo stuff...}

{BLURRY ends....}

DJ: A former number one on the Red Hot 30 Countdown, that's P-O-M, Puddle of Mud, at number 4 with BLURRY..... Jeremy Ratnam and JayAye and DH! Darren Hayes!
D: Hehehehe....
DJ: What a wonderful weekend this is, exclusively coasting...
D: Coast to coast, yeah.
DJ: CO-HOSTING the Red Hot Top 30 Countdown with Darren Hayes here. We've got so many questions coming in.
D: Great!
DJ: Darren for you. Do you mind answering some?
D: I would love to...
DJ: They're from all over the world. In fact, we put up questions at power98.com.sg. Sure did. All over we got questions. And one coming in from, um, Japan.
D: What's it say? {I think this was Darren...}
DJ: It's one on "Star Wars" again, yeah?

{Sounds like Darren sighs here, but not sure if it was him....}

DJ: What would be more important for you, watching the opening of "Star Wars"?
D: Uh huh....
DJ: Or doing a performance for a live audience?
D: Oh, well I have to tell you the truth. I..... hehe....
missed, almost missed my friends' wedding because I had to go to a special premiere of "Star Wars".

{The DJs laugh.....}

D: So, I think I'd probably miss my own show to see the episode of "Star Wars".
DJ: Yeah, Episode Three, 2005!
D: Uh huh, probably that's right. {I think that is what he said...}
DJ: Yeah. Okay, we've got one from Denmark.
D: Uh huh...
DJ: Heidi says, first of all, I'd like to tell him I hope Darren plans to tour Scandinavia and Europe.
D: Definitely! I will be touring this year, probably starting in Australia in August, hopefully coming through Asia. I really want to come here and play. So we're talking to promoters at the moment and Europe, uh, all... all through to uh, Christmastime actually.
DJ: Great! Darren, hey I'll be the first to buy a front row ticket.
D: I could probably get you one.
DJ: Oh really?!

{Darren says something that I cannot tell...}

DJ: Well, Heidi, who just asked the question in fact, uh.... she actually has cancer.
D: Uh huh....
DJ: And apparently, your music has been helping her to really survive this, ya know, difficult time. And Ema from Italy has a question for you. Um, Ema emailed us at jayaye.com from Italy, asking, Darren, how does it feel that your music actually makes a difference in the lives of people? For myself as well. Okay, I just gotta tell you a quick
story for myself.
D: Uh huh...
DJ: I KNEW I LOVED YOU...
D: Yep.
DJ: Which, uh, you wrote, was uh, a big song for me and my first girlfriend.
D: Wow!
DJ: So....
D: You know, I'm just like you guys. I mean, music, um, it affects me in an emotional way and I definitely have songs from artists that um, have become a part of my life. And so, when people tell me that.... that, that my music has affected them in a positive way or, ya know, in the case of somebody dealing with a terminal illness or whatever, it's.... it's the biggest compliment and it just makes me want to continue to do it. So, um, it's, ya know, I feel very proud and lucky to have this job and it's... it's great to know that, you know, that my music touches people the way that music touches me.
DJ: And as you've heard that's from around the globe and Ema of course.... Let's continue with more of the questions in just a moment, including a question that goes, ya know, if Darren Hayes can remember the first ever song he ever wrote. Think about it Darren! Think about it. In the meantime, let's check on number 3, shall we?
D: Number 3 is Shakira, with UNDERNEATH YOUR CLOTHES.

{UNDERNEATH YOUR CLOTHES plays.... Then a voice announces, Number 2 and A NEW DAY plays....}

DJ: At number 2 on the Red Hot 30 Countdown, that's Canadian, Celine Deion and A NEW DAY HAS COME. She's at number 2. She could go up to number one pretty soon. We've got number one coming up in just a little while, but our number one is in the house, Darren Hayes!
D: Hey!
DJ: Thank you once again for being here.....
D: My pleasure.
DJ: For us this weekend. We had a question coming up from um, from Italy again.
D: Uh huh...
DJ: And uh, this is a very interesting question. Let's see, let's see if we can really quiz Darren on this one. Margarita, from Italy, asks Darren, can you remember the first song you ever wrote?
D: I can.
DJ: And part two...
D: Uh huh....
DJ: Can you sing it for us?
D: Well, I can't but I can remember it. And it was, uh, a song that I wrote on guitar and I didn't have a pick, didn't have a guitar pick, so I used a safety pin....
DJ: Oh!
D: And I performed it on live radio and uh, when I was about thirteen. It was about Marilyn Monroe.
DJ: About Marilyn Monroe?
D: Uh hum....
DJ: Do you remember the title of the song?
D: I think it might have been called SWEET LADY, but it's... I'm tellin' you, that's like I'm dusting off old dusty {????} in here to remember this song. But yeah, that was the first song I ever wrote.
DJ: Yeah. This is just a question from the very start, uh, when you were thirteen...
D: Uh huh....
DJ: And you sang your first song on live radio. Was this, um, falsetto style of yours from the very beginning of what you wanted to do or did it just develop naturally?
D: Oh, it just developed. I mean I never realized that it was a thing. I never even knew it... it had a name, to be honest. I just, uh, it was my crazy way of hitting the notes that I wanted to hit. And now, you know, I'm a thirty year old man and it's become a part of, uh, a part of my body, I guess. It's just me.
DJ: It just came natural.
D: Yeah, you know, it's just uh, it's a.... people either love it or they hate it but it's just part of me and it's.... it's what, it's... it's what I do.
DJ: Darren Hayes, still with us. Gonna be with us all the way to number one and yes, number one is coming up next with Darren Hayes, JayAye and myself, Jeremy Ratnum. This is Power 98 FM.

{They play promo stuff....}

DJ: Welcome back to the Red Hot 30 Countdown.
A very special edition from our friend downunder, Darren Hayes, together with us.
D: Hey! My time here is almost ending.
DJ: Oh no! Please! Can we not talk about that yet?

{They lament a little more....}

DJ: I think he is going to get a meal.
D: Yeah, I'm going to get a meal when {I head out of here? Not sure what Darren said here...}
DJ: Well Darren Hayes, in the house. Three weeks ago, Darren Hayes was number one with INSATIABLE.
D: Oh the days, the good old days, three weeks ago!
DJ: So long ago, huh, yeah? But you know what?
D: Yeah... yeah?
DJ: STRANGE RELATIONSHIP, I'm very sure..
D: Uh huh...
DJ: Is going to make it, trust me.
D: Right!
DJ: On the {lightning charts?} here on You Asked For It, which myself and JayAye do host, it's peaked up at number 2 now...
D: Really?
DJ: Within a week of airplay by the way.
D: Well, I'm going to have to phone in tomorrow night.
DJ: Friends and family as well? {I think that's what the DJ asked...}
D: Well maybe just me... I'll... I'll put on a strange voice and you'll never know. Okay?
DJ: Darth Vader's voice.... We'll know it. That would work. Here we go. Number one! Darren shall do the honors today.
D: I'm very excited because I actually love this artist. She's a female artist. I think she's signed with Madonna'a Maverick label. So, uh, she has just {a great ????}. Her name is Vanessa Carlton. And at number one, it's A THOUSAND MILES.

{A THOUSAND MILES plays....}

DJ: Number one for a second week in a row, that's Vanessa Carlton on the Red Hot 30 Countdown and A THOUSAND MILES. And from the days since Savage Garden until this very day, my number one is right here and, ya know, it's just an honor to be in the same studios with Darren Hayes!
D: Oh shucks! Thanks guys. I've had fun!
DJ: Great!
D: A blast...
DJ: Well thanks for flying thousands of miles just to be with us here.

{Darren laughs...}

D: Okay...
DJ: Darren, we should be picking a winner right about now. Um, Darren, you do the honors.
D: I'm going to pick Valerie {last name????}.
DJ: Congratulations! Whoo hoo...

{The DJs say what she has won...}

DJ: As picked by Darren Hayes. Darren, before you go....

D: Yes.
DJ: Before you go, what's after Singapore and do we really have a chance to see you here in Asia?
D: I really hope so. I'm seriously talking to a promoter this year. I am touring, can't wait to do it. Uh, basically I'm doing more and more promo.... I leave here, I go to London for a week, I go to Mexico for a week, uh, the U.S. for a couple of weeks, back to Europe again. Then into tour rehearsals. And, ya know, I'm hoping that it will uh, it will eventuate that I'm going to play here 'cause I love the city, love the country, love the people, so uh, just look out. Hopefully, I'll make it happen.
DJ: How about a message for your thousands of fans!
D: Oh, a message. The same one. Love you. Thank you. Can't wait to see you.
DJ: Excellent. Darren Hayes. We love you.
D: Thank you.
DJ: Can't wait to see you again next time as well.
D: Likewise.
DJ: Really. Great. Well, that 's it for the Red Hot 30 Countdown this weekend......