HAYES SAVAGING
DEMONS August 26, 2004
DARREN
Hayes has revealed that the dark side
of
his new album, The Tension and the Spark,
is
the result of finally dealing with
a troubled
childhood affected by alcoholism
and domestic
violence.
As
Hayes was celebrating the No. 3 debut of
his
new single Popular – a satirical
look at fame –
he explained
his second solo album was his
most personal
work.
The
track Unlovable deals with his childhood
issues and Hayes' subsequent inability
to
maintain a romantic
relationship.
"Out
of respect for my family, I have
never
spoken about my childhood. I never
admitted
to another human being that I grew
up with
alcoholism and domestic violence
until I
was 24 and I
told my wife," Hayes told
music writer
Kathy McCabe.
"But
that was one of the driving forces behind
me
becoming a performer and seeking the
kind
of love and approval I felt I didn't
receive growing up.
"My
family are survivors, and I am very
proud
of my dad and my family for getting
through everything," he
said.
"I was
profoundly affected by my childhood
and
it was time for me to take responsibility
for
who I am and deal with that.
"I
vented and it was cathartic."
Hayes
also said his brief return to Australia
to
perform a tribute to Delta Goodrem at
last
year's ARIA awards helped to ease
the
bitterness he suffered because of
the
media backlash which greeted the
demise
of Savage Garden and his debut
solo
album,
Spin.
"I
went there for Delta – who I had never
met
before but am now very good friends
with
– but I think the performance humanised
me to
the people who blamed me for the
Savage Garden split," he
said.
"It
was unexpected goodwill and I am still
so
very touched by it."
Hayes
returns to Australia on September
13 to
launchThe Tension and The Spark.
