SAVAGE REUNION ‘A MATTER OF TIME’
Australia’s most successful musical export of the past decade, pop duo Savage Garden, could be set for a reunion. Singer Darren Hayes revealed it was “only a matter of time” before he and guitarist Daniel Jones got back together again. It has been two years since they broke up, with Hayes’s solo career not the huge success many predicted. Industry sources believe a rift caused the break and that they were no longer on speaking terms. However, Hayes said the two were now “communicating” They met in 1994 when both worked in the Queensland cover band scene. Savage Garden ran for five years, with two successful albums and more than 20 million sales worldwide. Talk of a reunion comes as the duo’s single I Knew I Loved You enters its 144th week in the American charts.. It has become the longest-running single in US chart history, ironically taking the honour from another Savage Garden track Truly Madly Deeply. Hayes said he and Jones, who has been working as a record producer, had a unique relationship. “Daniel and I have an amazing, wonderful relationship in the sense that it’s a connection that neither of us can quite put our finger on,” he said. “We both know its there and I’m sure we will both experiment with it again down the track”
This article came from this morning's (Sunday 25.05.03) "The Sunday Mail" by Ritchie Yorke.
Hopes of a comeback by Queensland's phenomenally successful pop duo Savage Garden have been dashed...for the time being.
Rumours swept southern states this week that lead singer Darren Hayes and guitarist Daniel Jones were getting back together.
But yesterday Jones broke fans' hearts, saying no reunion was planned.
"I'd like to think that Darren and I were able to write some fairly good tunes together," he said from his studio in Brisbane.
"One day I would hope that we will get back and write some more.
"But there are no plans to do that for now.
"I'm really concerned with building this new creative sanctuary where I can do my future music projects and work with other artists. I said at the APRA awards that one day we may well get back together. We had an amazing song writing connection.
"Both of us may wish to renew that some day down the track. It's not out of the question. But definitely not now.
John Woodruff, the recording artists manager who discovered and signed Savage Garden in Brisbane, told the Sunday Mail the rumours started at the Australian Performing Rights Association (APRA) awards in Sydney on Monday night.
"Daniel was there to pick up Savage Garden's sixxth APRA award for the most performed work overseas, I knew I loved you," Mr Woodruff said.
"He was asked by reporters if he'd patched up his disagreement with Darren, and if they might ever work together again. You never say never, so Daniel said they had been talking and that they probably would work together again - some day.
Savage Garden were together for five years, recorded two hugely successful albums and sold more than 20 million CD's worldwide.
Although Hayes's solo debut, Spin, did not set US charts on fire the way Savage Garden's albums had done, it was a baig success in Britain (where it sold more than 500000 copies), Europe and South East Asia.
"Darren Hayes is one of only three Australian artists - the others being Kylie Minogue and AC/DC - who were able to sell a million albums internationally last year," Mr Woodruff said.
"All the hype about the Vines, the Datsuns and other new Oz bands...it's interesting that none of them is selling a million records.
"There's no doubt that Darren is most keen to continue travelling along that solo career path. Daniel, meanwhile, is busy producing his acts and building a house on the Gold Coast.
A source close to their record company told The Sunday Mail that both musicians would still be receiving twice yearly royalty cheques of seven figure amounts.
It is some indication of Savage Garden's success that a song released more than three years ago (I knew I loved you) is still receiving more global airplay that any Oz record that came out in the past 12 months - including Kylie's efforts.
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"Split Personalities" - The Sun Herald, 25th May 2003
Daniel Jones says Savage Garden's break-up was temporary, Christine Sams reports.
If Daniel Jones is to be believed, Savage Garden were never meant to split up. The band, formed by Jones and singer Darren Hayes, was dismantled at the height of its fame two years ago, despite millions of sales in the US and adulation from fans across the world.
For the most part, it seemed like a case of split personalities: Jones, the quiet songwriter, wasn't interested in the three-ring circus of celebrity. Hayes, the outgoing frontman, was keen to remain in the spotlight. Both men decided to go their separate ways, with Hayes staying in the US and Jones returning to Brisbane to concentrate on writing songs and producing albums for younger Australian artists.
But perhaps the split wasn't as clean-cut as we first thought. Jones has revealed that the break-up felt like "a train wreck" - messy, painful and unexpected.
"One particular journalist jumped on a small, passing comment from Darren [Hayes]," Jones said. "The press jumped all over it, and [the band] was put to rest without either of us actually agreeing what we were doing.
"It was definitely obvious Darren and I were going to part ways temporarily, that we were pursuing projects individually. We were saying ... 'Yeah, you have your attempt at a solo career, and I'll try some producing and writing, and we'll see how it goes.'
"But that was literally how we left it, until it was all taken out of context, and suddenly we were broken up. It was a bit of a mess really."
There's no doubt Jones is very content living in Brisbane, away from the spotlight in the US and well removed from media attention that surrounds multimillion-dollar-making artists.
Even in Brisbane Jones is regularly approached by fans, but he claims the biggest bonus of his world fame is the "odd discount at the bakery".
Of course he's joking, but his passion for his local neighbourhood underpins his decision to turn his back on the Savage Garden phenomenon, after achieving an extraordinary level of fame in Australia and overseas.
The band's achievements in the US cannot be underestimated. The song I Knew I Loved You has been in the Billboard charts for 144 weeks. They have sold more than 19 million copies of their albums - Savage Garden and Affirmation - worldwide.
Last week Jones accepted the APRA award for most performed work overseas, for the sixth year in a row.
But even though he only speaks to Hayes on the phone now and again (they also email each other), Jones was keen to defend his band mate from the presumption that Hayes was hungry for fame and Jones wasn't.
"To a certain degree, it's untrue," Jones said. "It tended to be a bit of a mood thing for Darren.
"Some days he would jump in headfirst without looking, the next day he was shying away from it all.
"So I think Darren had it there when it suited him, like I did. We just used slightly different ways to deal with it all.
"Ninety-five percent of successful people will tell you it's determination that gets them there, and that was something that both Darren and I had in common, to the nth degree."
Jones hasn't ruled out the possibility of the band reuniting, but it would most likely be in about two years.
"It's totally possible, it's hard to say," Jones said.
"I'd never say never. Perhaps I wouldn't have actually confirmed a definite split or break-up. I believe that when two people have some form of connection they should nurture it the best way they can, in the circumstances that are given to them."
But no matter what happens between the two men, Jones remains intensely proud of the band's achievements.
"I think Savage Garden will be a huge chapter of both our lives forever," he said. "Funnily enough, I think the songs are more famous than Darren and I are, or Savage Garden is.
"The songs have longevity and they just keep hanging around. It's a great thing to be famous for what it is you do, rather than who you are."
Savage Garden set to reunite?
May 22 2003
If you thought Savage Garden had retired to the pop-music past, it may be time to think again. The band's founder, guitarist Daniel Jones, reckons it's only a matter of time before he and frontman Darren Hayes reunite. While there's nothing concrete about the revelation, Jones says the bond between he and Hayes will one day be reconnected. It's been almost two years since the band split after five years together and two successful albums that sold 20 million copies worldwide. Since then, Hayes has had mediocre success in his solo career while Jones has been involved in studio and production work. But as testament to the success of the band, their last single I Knew I Loved You, notched up its 144th week in the American Billboard chart. As if that wasn't achievement enough, it is now the longest running single in American chart history, taking the honour from their late 1990s hit, Truly Madly Deeply. "It is mind boggling ... I don't think Australia's quite understanding it because we don't understand it," Jones told AAP. In addition, Jones this week accepted a record sixth APRA Music Award for the most performed work overseas, for I Knew I Loved You. But charismatic frontman Hayes was notably absent from the awards ceremony this year, as he was when Jones collected the award last year. Many believe a rift between the two caused the split, while rumours have also suggested the duo no longer speak to each other. But Jones said he and Hayes "communicate a little bit" and said the pair's bond, which began nearly 10 years ago, would never be erased. "He and I have an amazing, wonderful relationship in the sense that it's a connection that neither of us can quite put our finger on it," he said. "We both know it's there and I'm sure we'll both experiment with it again down the track, it's just a matter of time and what to do next." But Jones was more cautious about the possibility of the band reforming at any stage. "I wouldn't confirm it ... I just know that still, from one country to the next, Darren and I can still, and still do, have some form of connection. "It's an honour, it's always going to be an honour. It was a chapter of our lives that will stay with us forever, who knows, maybe we'll touch on it again, maybe we won't. "But it's just one of those things that we'll never quite comprehend - the success we achieved." Meanwhile, fans will have to content themselves by tracking their solo careers, with Jones currently building his studio and about to launch into more writing - "I've really missed it".
Savage Garden to reunite? (Similar to last article)
May 22, 2003
If you thought Savage Garden had retired to the pop-music past, it may be time to think again. Daniel Jones and Darren Hayes could reunite. The band's founder, guitarist Daniel Jones, reckons it's only a matter of time before he and frontman Darren Hayes reunite. While there's nothing concrete about the revelation, Jones says the bond between he and Hayes will one day be reconnected. It's been almost two years since the band split after five years together and two successful albums that sold 20 million copies worldwide. Jones said he and Hayes "communicate a little bit" and said the pair's bond, which began nearly 10 years ago, would never be erased. "He and I have an amazing, wonderful relationship in the sense that it's a connection that neither of us can quite put our finger on it," he said. "We both know it's there and I'm sure we'll both experiment with it again down the track, it's just a matter of time and what to do next."
A Sad Gong
When Daniel Jones -one half of former dynamic pop duo Savage Garden- rose from his table on May 19 in Sydney to accept his sixth APRA award for Most Performed Australian Work Overseas, he was a little glum. Not because the million-dollar home he's building in Brisbane still isn't ready to house the 50 or so gongs he and ex-bandmate Darren Hayes have won over the past six years but because, in that time, no other Australian act has taken the world by storm. "I wish I'd been there to see a different band win," he says. "Australia hasn't had a big overseas music success for a long time."
He's working on that. With a buck or two up his sleeve, Jones, 29, is now happily helping develop other acts, including Aneiki and two other artists he's coy about. One person he won't work with is his girlfriend, Hi5's Kathleen de Leon. "We find it fascinating what each other does," says Jones, "but she's in the TV world and I am in the music world."
There's a fairly large shot of Daniel playing guitar from the Affirmation tour and the caption next to the pic of Kathleen and Daniel from the APRAs says "I didn't think I could be this happy and I used to write love songs," says Jones (right, with de Leon on May 19 and above onstage with Savage Garden in 2000).
Who Weekly June 2nd edition p22
Whammo Newsletter
Comments reported by AAP have sparked a new debate among Savage Garden fans. After founding member Daniel Jones hinted that the mega-platinum popsters may reunite, the internet has been busy with hopeful debates regarding the comments. There's only one missing element: Darren Hayes. While Daniel Jones seems to be outspoken and hopeful, Darren has been conspicuous by his absence and after fighting critics to finally achieve success with his debut solo effort, Spin, Hayes is in the 'driver's seat' when it comes to a reunion. Meanwhile the Savage Garden guitarist collected another award at the recent APRA ceremony for 'Most Performed Work Overseas' (I Knew I Loved You). He must be getting a little lonely up there on the victory dais. The last SG hit also broke another record as it became the longest running entry on the Billboard chart (144 weeks). "He and I have an amazing, wonderful relationship in the sense that it's a connection that neither of us can quite put our finger on it," Jones told AAP. "We both know it's there and I'm sure we'll both experiment with it again down the track, it's just a matter of time and what to do next." After selling 20 million records there's no doubt that fans would propel any future Savage Garden releases to the top of the charts but Darren Hayes may be answering the reunion debate in the clearest possible manner; through complete silence. (posted: June 3, 2003)
Note: Do not take the next article seriously. It was dreamed up by someone on the Aneiki.com forums. Just enjoy :)
Savage Mix Up?
May 28, 2003
The Courier Herald
When the Australian pop duo Savage Garden broke up two years ago, it was widely confirmed to be in part due to guitarist Daniel Jones' side project, the band Aneiki. Now it seems that the tables have been turned. It appears that former frontman Darren Hayes' "new sound" will involve tunesmith Grant Wallis of Aneiki. "I didn't want to make another Savage Garden record. I wanted the new album to be something different, a departure," explained Hayes. Sources close to the band have confirmed that Wallis is to write the music for Hayes' new album. Wallis believed that Aneiki had been "pigeon holed" by the success of their first single and that Aneiki never "panned out the way (they) had expected." What is to become of Aneiki you ask? Jones, who had been producing Aneiki among other artists through his production company, Meridienmusik, has taken the copilot's seat. Jones said that he was "proud" of Aneiki and is looking forward to their future success apparently without Wallis. If that weren't confusing enough there is talk of a law suit being brought up against Wallis for abandoning his recording contract with MeridienMusik. This reporter speculates that perhaps this is just a small indication of Jones' true feelings towards his former bandmate. AAP