What a strange time this is, this life in self isolation. I hope you’re all doing as ok as can be. I’ve home for five weeks now, not venturing further than one suburb away – in walking distance. And while lots of people are taking up baking as a hobby, I’m too busy working to make up for the lost speaking engagements due to Covid-19. And I’m surprisingly busy, which is nice, What a time.
The one thing I’ve loved has been seeing is the creativity of people online – from dressing up to take the bin out to a football commentator calling the tense match between his dogs. I’ve also been enjoying the informative and funny Covid-19 themed podcast featuring Bob Evans and Josh Pyke – honing in on the arts industry. And I’m loving the live social media streams – music, chats, and story time. I plan on doing some soon – I’ve already done one chat with Cal Wilson, and I am launching Danielle Binks’ book at the end of the month. It’s not all gloomy.
By chance on Tuesday night, I managed to catch Darren Hayes on Instagram live. You know my fandom for Darren knows how bounds. It’s been 24 years. He was accepting requests to chat with others on his live, and he requested me! It was so fun, and I’m still squealing.
We didn’t discuss anything profound. In fact I just fangirlEd him like it was 1997. But that’s all I needed – eight minutes of nostalgia to make me feel like all is right in the world. Listening to Savage Garden and Darren Hayes makes me feel safe, and so I’m thankful to Darren for indulging me in my fandom, age 38. I make no apologies for my fandom.
Darren: Carly! Uh oh my goodness. Hang on one second, let’s get you on. Let’s me see.
D: This is one of my, I don’t mean oldest as in oldest, but I mean like old school people from the audience that I recognise!
0:16
D: And I may have kissed this lady on the cheek once.
0:20
Let’s see if she remembers. I know she does, I remember.
0:30
D: Go ahead Carly, Carly Findlay, you are on the air.
Carly: Hi! Look at you! look at me!
0:47
C: how are you?
D: I’ve got very long hair.
C: I know! You looking amazing! You’ve got a man bun!
C: Our hair is quite similar right?
D: I know. It is. It is. I was gonna get it cut.
0:48
C: You should do the Curly Girl Method. Have you heard of that?
0:50
D: no what’s that?
0:53
C: This will change your life. Right. You need to condition more than you wash
D: Oooh!
1:02
C: You probably wash maybe once or twice a week, condition and get some really good product. I’ve done very little to my hair today but go and check out my agent – Danielle Binks – @Dbinks – and her hair is amazing.
1:15
D: All right. Let’s just get it out the way. Your agent has probably got better hair than my agent.
1:23
How are you?
1:24
D: I am good all things considered this has been really nice actually doing this
1:31
C: It’s been fun. It’s good to see you.
D: It’s good to see you too.
C: I have been a fan of yours for 20 something years more than half my life.
1:37
D: Was it Melbourne that we met?
1:39
C: Yeah, in 2002 I think.
1:48
D: Which venue? Was it the Earthly Delights tour?
1:49
C: I think it was the Forum when we first met or The Palais, no the Palais
D: Yeah, that’s so. Wow. And then yeah, but you weren’t on the front row, what was the Arena in Melbourne.
C: Yes! In Rod Laver and I was just…yeah.
2:10
C: You know, I’m 38 now and I listen to music and I still feel the same as I did when I was 14.
D: I love that!
2:20
D: I do that with the music that I listen to like lately I’ve been going through a period of listening to Madonna’s “Like a Prayer” album and because recently a lot of her tour footage from the 1990 tour from her era, it’s kinda of leaked. So there’s been a lot of like, there is one Savage Garden actually, that, you know, when you see a show in a venue, and there’s the supporting video screens, sort of back in the 90’s. They would run a VHS and someone always had one of those copies. And…something just happened in my light went dark, but I don’t know…and so these videos have been launched and leaked on YouTube. And, whatever and I felt the same way. I was just like, this is how I was. Let me just turn this light off it’s weird.
3:10
C: It’s the light, I want to get my selfie light, my selfie light makes my teeth look very white.
D: *laughter* I didn’t know what I was doing here…
3:22
C: The first time I saw you was at the Old Palace. Do you remember? It was in 1997? Yes. And I, I’m so short, you know, like, I’m like five foot one. I could not see a thing. And it was the most terrifying thing.
D: Was it the all-ages show?
C: Sure, yes. And I still got the velvet shirt that I wore, it doesn’t fit me. But I wore that because I knew that Darren would wear something similar.
D: And I do. I love that!
C: Yeah, so I saw you then. I saw you in 98 and I saw you in in 2000. In 2000 I remember seeing a review of your concert like in the Australian or some paper, I think it was the Australian anyway, but they got your name wrong. And I wrote a letter to the editor. They said, No, I think they got Daniel’s name wrong actually. And I said, like they are not frogs jumping because they called him Daniel Johns.
D: Daniel Johns!
4:24
C: And then I saw you singular, I think in 2001, or maybe two.
D: Yeah that would have been at the Palais…
4:34
C: The Palais, I didn’t see the Forum because I was in hospital, maybe.
D: Oh!
C: So I remember I missed seeing you after I came out of hospital. I was so excited. And then at Manchester lane.
4:47
D: That was a great show. I don’t mean, but I just mean like, itwas sort of electric. So that was for the tension and the spark.
C: Yeah. That was amazing.
5:00 And then I saw you at Sonic I’ve seen twice, I think I saw you twice at Manchester Lane, yeah twice.
5:05
C: For this delicate thing we made – the launch. And then I saw you in Melbourne at the Forum. And I saw you in Sydney, Brisbane. My mate Bob Evans. You know, Kevin Mitchell from Jehedia. He has a bit of a running thing with me as a fan. “Like how many times have you travelled to see Darren?” and I was like “Further than I have travelled to see you”.
5:30
C: But he’s launched my book so I think he’s got one up on you. And he came to my wedding.
5:34
D: He does. Hey, can we plug your book?
C; Yes. I’ve got it. Hang on.
D: Yeah, It’s amazing.
C: I’m gonna go get it.
5:44
D: We’ll plug your book. Carly is an amazing author and she has written book. I think I should read it.
5:47
C: It’s called “Say Hello”. And it’s available online. Audiobook worldwide. Paperback in Australia and is going to the UK very soon, I think. I was supposed to be going to the UK but because of this thing I’m not.
6:05
D: Yeah, of course.
C: Okay, and I’ve also got, hey this is a sneak peek. Second book.
D: Oooh!
6:13
C: Growing up Disabled in Australia and that’s out in February of 2021,
D: Okay, I’m so proud of you. That’s amazing. That’s just awesome.
C: Thank you. Look how far we’ve come Darren.
D: I know!
6:31
C: Can I Can I just tell you something when I do my tour, my book tour, my statement tour like yours? I took that about you alot and I have a joke my book is single handedly relaunching your career in Australia because so many people tell me, they’ve downloaded your music since they’ve come to my events, and I have written very fondly of you in here.
D: Yeah I know, I’m very grateful. Oh my gosh. I could imagine if it was an awful expose!
C: No, only the best words for you Darren.
D: You are so lovely. And it’s so great to see and so great to seeyou doing well.
C: Thank you.
7:13
C: I was sitting in this ratty old pajama top before and I just changed into my clothes in case you picked me!
7:19
D: I’ll show you guys what I’m wearing I’m wearing my oldest t shirt.
C: Oh – like Michael Jackson’s “Bad”. I have a Bad t-shirt, I used to have one. *laughs*
7:31
D: Look, ha! not that Bad, don’t criticize your clothing! It’s got a bleach Mark because I put it in with bleach one day by accident. It’s really bad. I’m in my tracky dacks it’s not a good look.
C: I’m in my pajama bottoms. That’s inside out actually.
D: OMG, that looks so much better. Listen I am going to say goodbye. I love you.
7:49
C: really lovely to talk to you, Bye!
D: Bye!
This chat is shared with Darren’s permission. Follow Darren on Instagram.
Transcript edited by Jacci Pillar.
Buy my memoir Say Hello.
Preorder Growing Up Disabled in Australia.
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