RS: What's been your favorite place to perform over all of the years?
Darren Hayes: I really, really love these club shows in London.
We've been playing at a bar called the SoHo Review Bar and it's tiny.
To get in you have to be a MySpace friend and then we would do a
lottery once a month and the tickets would sell out in seconds. It
was a great buzz because there was so much anticipation from the
audience and it was really up-close, sweaty and personal. I love that.
I also love Joe's Pub in New York City. I think that's a really
gorgeous tiny venue and then it just gets bigger and better from
there. I mean, who doesn't love Radio City Music Hall? This year I'm
playing at the Royal Albert Hall in London, which is a huge deal for
me, so maybe when I play there that will be my number one.
RS: So besides that, what are your other plans for the Time Machine tour?
Darren Hayes: Well, actually I just came out of a meeting with the
tour designer. It's obviously a big deal for me as it's a huge
statement and it's definitely a high production value for the shows
that we're doing in the United Kingdom and in Australia. My hope is
that I can bring the tour to America because I hadn't sold enough
records in the past to really justify bringing such a big production,
but I would love to be able to bring it to you guys next year. So
we'll just see what happens with the album.
RS: Over here "Step In The Light" is a big song in the clubs.
What's your favorite remix of it?
Darren Hayes: There's two actually. One of them is by the producer
of this album, Shave, who did a remix that I think is astounding. The
other one is by English DJ Wayne G who did a version that's very
Giorgio Moroder, very sort of late 70s/early 80s, and it's one that I
love.
RS: How involved are you with the remixes? Do you listen to them
and do you choose the people who do them?
Darren Hayes: Yes, I'm involved in everything, absolutely. The great
thing about remixes, though, is that you can choose a couple of people
that you want to do it and then you always have wildcards and people
on the dance or promotion team will suggest. I'm always surprised, but
I would never put out anything that I didn't love or didn't approve
of. There have been some scary ones in the past as I once named a
remix the "get me out of this club" remix because it was just like
listening to a root canal. But, a lot of them are amazing.
RS: "Popular" was a number one club record also, what was your
favorite remix of that track?
Darren Hayes: Oh easily the Jason Nevins mix. It was fun and had a
great pop sensibility actually. He's got a great knack of putting
guitars all over dance music, which I love, and he always adds things
and records little bits and pieces. With his mix I did some more by
resinging the song and very collaborative songwriting.
RS: Do you go clubbing yourself?
Darren Hayes: Not really actually, I'm more of a bar and restaurant
guy. I've never really been into house or techno, I'm much more into
electronic music and often I'll find that in bars rather than in a
club. There's a certain beat per minute that I just don't get into at
all, I think that's the music that you need to be on drugs to enjoy
and I was just never really into that scene. I buy a lot of remixes
and twelve-inches and really enjoy B sides. I love getting my hands
on every possible remix of a song that I love.
RS: How do you think the Australian culture views dance music
and dance culture?
Darren Hayes: I think it's very much like the English but I think
the US dance scene is very, very different and very much
compartmentalized. There's a Miami sound, a Detroit sound, a New York
sound, and then there's a chill out sound. Whereas I feel like it's
probably a lot more specific in Australia and the UK, there are
certain movements that happen – breakbeat, Latin, or house. There's
always like a movement and then everything sort of follows. I think
Australia is a decadent party scene and I see the US as being a little
bit more studious about that actually. You definitely know your stuff
in America.
RS: What would you like to say to all of your fans out there?
Darren Hayes: I just want to say thanks for sticking by me and
thanks for remembering me. I feel like MySpace has been such a
godsend and I'm so grateful especially to my US fans for really
keeping the faith in their hearts. Look out, because I'm coming back
strong.
Posted - July 30, 2007