Savage Garden

Savage Garden
Background information
Origin Brisbane, Australia
Genres Pop
Soft rock
Years active 1994–2001
Labels Roadshow, Columbia, Sony BMG
Website Official website
Past members
Darren Hayes
Daniel Jones

Savage Garden was an Australian pop rock duo that received major international success between 1997 and 2001. The band was composed of Darren Hayes (vocals) and Daniel Jones (keyboards, sequencing, and guitar). They had a string of hits in the late nineties, and are best remembered today for their ballad "Truly Madly Deeply", which is considered their signature song, and more songs including "Break Me Shake Me". The band took a hiatus in 2000, and while they had intended to reform, Savage Garden announced its break-up in 2001.

Contents

History

Formation

In 1993, multi-instrumentalist and producer Daniel Jones placed an advertisement in Brisbane newspaper Time Off seeking a vocalist for his five-piece band Red Edge. Darren Hayes, who was studying at a university in Brisbane at the time, responded and was asked to join immediately after his first audition.[1]

In June 1994, Darren and Daniel left Red Edge to pursue a career together. The new duo was not named "Garage Garden" but was always "Savage Garden" – a name taken from The Vampire Chronicles by Anne Rice ("The mind of each man is a savage garden...").[1]

By the end of that year, the pair had penned enough songs for a demo tape, which they sent to various record companies around the world. In 1995, they entered the studio to work on their debut album.

Debut album

In July 1996, under Roadshow Music, the duo released their debut single "I Want You". The single was a hit in Australia and became the highest-selling single by an Australian artist of the year. The success of the single garnered much interest from many US record labels and, in September, Columbia Records won the bidding war to sign the band. In November, a second single, "To the Moon and Back", was released and was another chart hit – reaching #1 in January of the following year.

"I Want You" was released in the United States in February 1997, where it peaked at #4 and quickly achieved gold status. "Truly Madly Deeply", the band's third Australian single, was released in March and reached #1 just before "I Want You" was released across Europe in April. The duo's debut album, Savage Garden, entered the Australian charts at #1 in March and remained at that peak for 17 weeks – it was released around the world two weeks later. At the end of May, "To the Moon and Back" was the most played song on US radio.

In June, a fourth single, "Break Me Shake Me" was released in Australia as the band's debut album sat at #3 on the US charts and was certified gold by RIAA. By the end of August, the album had gone seven-times platinum in Australia, triple-platinum in Canada, and double-platinum in New Zealand and Singapore. At the end of August, Savage Garden was nominated for a record 13 ARIA Awards. The 10 ARIAs won by them in September was also a record, and one that still stands today. Riding this massive wave of popularity was the release of their fifth Australian single, "Universe".

In November, "Truly Madly Deeply" became their third US release, shooting up the charts to blow Elton John's "Candle in the Wind 1997" out of its 14-week run at the number-one spot. By the end of 1997, Hayes and Jones had become international stars.

In January 1998, "All Around Me", was released as a radio only single in Australia, though about 3000 physical copies were produced and given away at their second concert in Brisbane. By the end of the year, "Truly Madly Deeply" was the most-played song on US radio and the only one-sided single to spend a full year in the Top 30 of the Billboard Hot 100.

In November 1998, "Santa Monica", the final single from the debut album, was released exclusively in Japan, accompanied by a live video with their performance of the song at the Hard Rock Cafe.

As of 2005, the band's debut album had been certified twelve-times platinum in Australia, seven-times platinum in the United States, and double-platinum in the United Kingdom.

Affirmation

In February 1999, "The Animal Song" (featured in the Touchstone film The Other Sister) became a hit in Australia and the US. That September saw the release of a new single previewing their forthcoming album; the smooth, romantic ballad, "I Knew I Loved You".

In November of that year, the duo's second album, Affirmation, was released around the world. It took a month for it to go platinum in the US, largely due to the success of the single "I Knew I Loved You," which hit #1 on the charts, eventually going platinum and becoming the most-played single on US radio for the year.

Affirmation saw a new turn for Savage Garden; their looks had more similarities to that of mainstream pop and some of their new songs possessed a more adult contemporary sound.

The group finished out the year by winning two Billboard Music Awards: Adult Contemporary Single of the Year and Hot 100 Singles Airplay of the Year.

In February 2000, as "Crash and Burn" became the third single from their second album, 1997's "Truly Madly Deeply" was still on the Monitor/Billboard Adult Contemporary Airplay Chart, breaking the record for length of time of any single on that chart. It would finally drop off the chart after 123 weeks, while "Crash and Burn" peaked at #24.

In June, Darren Hayes performed "'O Sole Mio" at Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti's annual charitable benefit concert Pavarotti and Friends. Savage Garden's great success was reflected once again at the Billboard Music Awards, where they won Best Adult Contemporary Video and No. 1 Adult Contemporary Song of the Year, for "I Knew I Loved You", and No. 1 Adult Contemporary Artist of the Year. "I Knew I Loved You" stayed on the Monitor/Billboard Adult Contemporary Airplay Chart for 124 weeks – overtaking the duo's own record previously set by "Truly Madly Deeply".

Split

In late 2000, there were speculations that the band would break up due to Darren Hayes's solo album project that he was beginning to pursue. Hayes announced on the band's website that Daniel Jones would be taking time off and work for a record label he founded, and in the meantime he would continue making music. The band would expect to reform by early 2002.

In October 2001, Darren Hayes announced that Savage Garden had broken up and the duo went their separate ways. It was then learned that Hayes and Jones had agreed that they would break up the band after finishing their tour for their second album Affirmation. It was reported that Jones did not learn about the break-up until he read the report of Hayes announcing the split. After the announcement, the band's website had posted the following message:

“ We are extremely grateful to our fans all around the world for their incredible support over the years. The success of Savage Garden and our time together has been an amazing experience.. one that we will never forget. We just hope that you all understand our individual needs to continue growing ”

In an interview on the musicMAX network, Hayes claimed that within a few weeks before the release of their second album, Jones did not like the fame the band was receiving and was not happy. Regardless, Hayes wanted to move on in the music industry and eventually went on as a solo artist.

Hayes began work on his first solo album. The first single, "Insatiable", was released in 2002 and the album, Spin was released the same year. Spin spawned several UK Top 40 singles, including "I Miss You", "Strange Relationship", and "Crush (1980 Me)". He went on to create more solo albums.

In August 2007, when asked by The Daily Telegraph if he and Jones would ever consider a reunion, Hayes replied abruptly, "No, never. I once said I'd only do it if it cured cancer, and that's still how I feel."[2]

Truly Madly Completely

The greatest hits package Truly Madly Completely: The Best of Savage Garden was released on 7 November 2005 – with a US release following in early 2006 – and included a new single by Darren Hayes entitled "So Beautiful". Several variations of the release also included a bonus DVD featuring several music video clips, as well as the Parallel Lives documentary, which was earlier released as a bonus feature of the Superstars and Cannonballs DVD/VHS.

Tours

The Future of Earthly Delites

The Future of Earthly Delites Tour was called the To the Moon and Back Tour in the US. Some footage from this tour can be seen in the international music video for "Break Me Shake Me", as well as the music video for "Tears of Pearls".

Affirmation World Tour

The Affirmation World Tour played 80 shows in Australia, North America, Europe and the Far East through 2000. The show was the beginning of Hayes' collaboration with Willie Williams, having a stage set consisting of a crazy gameshow-like backdrop of multicoloured neon lights. The international music video for the song "Affirmation", as well as the music videos for "Chained to You" and "The Best Thing", were filmed during this tour. During the Australian leg of the tour, a camera crew also filmed both on-stage and backstage for what would later be the Superstars and Cannonballs DVD/VHS.

Discography

Awards and achievements

Savage Garden

Affirmation

"Truly Madly Deeply"

Awards

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

Recognitions

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 www.savage-garden.net
  2. ↑ Staff reporter (4 Aug. 2007). "Introducing Mr Darren Hayes". The Daily Telegraph. http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/introducing-mr-darren-hayes/story-e6frewz9-1111114104563. Retrieved 29 Jul. 2009. "When asked whether the pair might ever consider a Spice Girls-style reunion the response was abrupt. "No, never," he says curtly. "I once said I'd only do it if it cured cancer. And that's still how I feel." 

SavageGarden.net http://www.rockonthenet.com/archive/2004/toppop1.htm

External links

Savage Garden
Darren Hayes · Daniel Jones
Studio albums
Savage Garden · Affirmation
Compilations
Truly Madly Completely: The Best of Savage Garden
Other albums
Future of Earthly Delites · Truly Madly Deeply - Ultra Rare Tracks · Affirmation, The B-Sides
Singles
"I Want You" · "To the Moon and Back" · "Truly Madly Deeply" · "Break Me Shake Me" · "Universe" · "I Want You '98" · "Tears of Pearls" · "The Animal Song" · "I Knew I Loved You" · "Affirmation" · "Crash and Burn" · "Chained to You" · "Hold Me" · "The Best Thing"
DVDs
Superstars and Cannonballs
Related articles
Discography · Awards