Darren Who?

In today’s Melbourne Herald Sun there’s an article about ex Savage Garden, now solo singer, Darren Hayes. If you know the man, you might also know he’s always been a huge U2 fan and has been influenced by Bono in his work. Here he talks about meeting and working with Bono on the single ‘Whats Going On’

Singing on the What’s Going On September 11/Aids Charity single instigated by Bono was a huge and humbling experience for Hayes.

“Bono was told ‘Darren’s in town, do you want him to sing on it?. Bono said who’s Darren? and he was told ‘the singer from Savage Garden’. And he said ‘Savage Who?



“They had to sing him a couple of songs, then he was like ‘Oh My God, I love his voice, totally’. I walked into a room and there was Bono, Michael Stipe, Gwen Stefani. It was the third time I’d met Bono but he didn’t recognise me. Obviously, I haven’t impacted on his life at a musical level.

“Anyway I shook his hand and went into the booth. I sang and said ‘was that OK?’ And Bono said ‘That was fantastic. If we play the song can you sing the whole thing with a few ad-libs?’ I could do that in my dreams. I grew up imitating Marvin Gaye and Michael Jackson, so i sang the song and after people like Michael Stipe stopped me and said he loved my voice.

“That was a big deal to me, to find out how much of my voice they used in the finished track; that was one of the first moments where I felt I was amongst my peers.”

16 thoughts on “Darren Who?

  1. talk about being oblivipous to the music industry… Savage Garden have had 2 us number 1’s. anyway…why look behind when you are the biggest band in the world….

    by the way .. U2 could have the biggest selling album ever in Australia from a band that is together without EVEN touring for a particular release!

  2. talk about being oblivipous to the music industry… Savage Garden have had 2 us number 1’s. anyway…why look behind when you are the biggest band in the world….

    by the way .. U2 could have the biggest selling album ever in Australia from a band that is together without EVEN touring for a particular release!

  3. Poor Darren. He used to dye his hair black and keep it long to be just like Bono. At least he’s grown out of that phase now.

  4. Poor Darren. He used to dye his hair black and keep it long to be just like Bono. At least he’s grown out of that phase now.

  5. Darren Hayes thinks he is Bono! When singing with Pavarotti for charity a year or two ago, Hayes said: “I think as rock stars we can take ourselves a little too seriously sometimes!” Sound familiar?? Even the production team Savage GArden used for a recent tour had people who had worked on the POP and Zoo TV tours… DARREN WHO INDEED!

  6. Darren Hayes thinks he is Bono! When singing with Pavarotti for charity a year or two ago, Hayes said: “I think as rock stars we can take ourselves a little too seriously sometimes!” Sound familiar?? Even the production team Savage GArden used for a recent tour had people who had worked on the POP and Zoo TV tours… DARREN WHO INDEED!

  7. “obviously, I haven’t impacted on his life at a musical level”
    WHAT!!!! gimme a break
    Darren has a ok voice but his band sucks!
    Darren who?

  8. “obviously, I haven’t impacted on his life at a musical level”
    WHAT!!!! gimme a break
    Darren has a ok voice but his band sucks!
    Darren who?

  9. ah, we are vindicated. he really does have a bad case of ADD doesn’t he? fear not, let’s sit back and watch as savage garden/dazza fade into oblivion.

  10. ah, we are vindicated. he really does have a bad case of ADD doesn’t he? fear not, let’s sit back and watch as savage garden/dazza fade into oblivion.

  11. Why the sarky comments about Darren huh? He was so proud to be working with Bono on Whats Going On, and seeing as it WAS for charity, I really dont think theres any need to be slagging him off.

  12. Why the sarky comments about Darren huh? He was so proud to be working with Bono on Whats Going On, and seeing as it WAS for charity, I really dont think theres any need to be slagging him off.

  13. I think those comments are harsh at the least. I dont think any of you know fully who Darren Hayes is and sader your probably not willing to try or you wouldnt be making comments like that

  14. I think those comments are harsh at the least. I dont think any of you know fully who Darren Hayes is and sader your probably not willing to try or you wouldnt be making comments like that

  15. Message to jvox. Where the hell do you live? Under a rock? Darren has one of the nicest voices in the world, and as for Savage Garden they were one of the biggest selling bands of all time. Just get a life you really need one!

  16. Message to jvox. Where the hell do you live? Under a rock? Darren has one of the nicest voices in the world, and as for Savage Garden they were one of the biggest selling bands of all time. Just get a life you really need one!

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