Take 5

When you look back at the Australian artists who've made their mark internationally, Savage Garden are right up there. 
Two guys from Brisbane who went Number 1 around the world, cracked the notoriously tough U.S. market and sold nearly 30 million albums with hits like 'I Want You', 'To The Moon And Back', and 'Truly Madly Deeply'.
 They may have only been together for two albums, but the legacy of their pop breakthrough continues, as does frontman Darren Hayes' incredible story.
While he was sailing the highs of global fame, behind the scenes, Darren was dealing with a fractured band relationship, battling depression, and in the closet, unable to be truly himself. 
As a now proudly out gay man, he continues to sing his stories as a solo artist, but the road hasn't always been smooth sailing. 
Growing up in Logan, Queensland, the youngest of three in a home shadowed by severe domestic violence, who could have predicted that this sensitive kid who loved to sing would one day stand on the world's biggest stages?
Darren's story is extraordinary: 250 rejection letters before anyone would sign Savage Garden, a manager who mortgaged his home to make it happen, and a partnership with Daniel Jones that produced some of the most iconic pop of the '90s before it all came crashing down. There have been plenty of lows too; being told by his own record company to hide who he was, the sudden loss of his mother, and a terrifying accident that shattered his jaw and nearly ended his singing career for good. But Darren Hayes is back, and he's got stories.
This episode was captured at Chaplin Studios in Los Angeles, which was the building originally built by Charlie Chaplin, later home to A&M Records, and the exact room where "We Are the World" was recorded (Quincy Jones directing Michael Jackson, Diana Ross, Bob Dylan, Cyndi Lauper, and a room full of legends). It's a space steeped in music history, and if you believe the people who work there, a few ghosts as well. It was the perfect place to sit down with Darren and travel through a life defined by music, survival, and healing.
Darren Hayes' song choices: 
The Dream Academy - 'Life in a Northern Town'
HAIM - 'Hallelujah'
Young The Giant - 'The Walk Home'
Coldplay - 'O'
Maisie Peters – 'Two Weeks Ago'
00:00 Introduction and Setting the Scene at Chaplin Studios
02:31 The History of Chaplin Studios: From Charlie Chaplin to A&M Records
04:00 Karen Carpenter's Ghost and the Sacred Walls
05:13 The Theme: Songs of Healing and Music Saving a Life
05:41 Growing Up with Domestic Violence in Logan, Queensland
06:05 Music as Escape: AM Radio, The Carpenters, and Auntie Jenny's Records
06:56 Learning to Sing from Diana Ross and His Mother's Voice
08:01 The Dream Academy - 'Life in a Northern Town'
08:50 Catharsis Through Melancholy and the Sentimentality of Childhood
10:52 Transitions: Missing His Siblings and "The Morning Lasted All Day"
12:12 The End of High School and Not Wanting to Grow Up
14:23 Growing Up in Logan: Feeling Like a Prince Despite Poverty
15:12 A Hyper-Masculine World and Making Star Wars Toys Kiss
15:44 Deciding He Was Famous at Age Ten: Protective Armor Against Bullying
16:38 Being Called the F Word by His Father Before He Knew What It Meant
18:05 Either Be Famous and Magical, or Die
18:27 His Job Was to Keep His Mother Alive
19:21 Hockey Sticks and Midnight Escapes: Surviving His Father's Violence
20:15 Haim - 'Hallelujah'
21:02 The Sound of Grace: Guardian Angels and Being Protected
21:58 Being Uninvited from a Party and His Mother's Comfort
23:30 "You've Got a Hallelujah": Surviving Childhood
24:46 When Did Music Become the Path? High School Choir and Musical Theatre
25:50 Feeling the Molecules Change When He Sang
27:57 The First Band: A Death Metal Audition and Joining Red Edge with Daniel Jones
29:26 Throwing Up on the Way to Toowoomba: Playing Aussie Classics He Didn't Know
30:14 Leaving Red Edge and the Beginning of Savage Garden
31:05 The First Song They Wrote Together: A Thousand Words
31:25 The Australian Music Landscape: Grunge vs. Pop and 250 Rejection Letters
33:26 John Woodruff Mortgaged His Home and No One Was Laughing Anymore
33:46 Global Fame, Fans as Mirrors, and the Exhausting Rollercoaster
35:58 Secrets: Being Gay, Depression, and the Record Company Hiding Who He Was
36:45 Young The Giant - 'The Walk Home'
37:24 Why Savage Garden Ended: Daniel's Unhappiness with Fame
37:49 The Sum of the Parts and Beatlesque Chemistry in the Studio
38:32 Touring the World Knowing It Was Over
39:51 His Relationship with Daniel Now: "We Don't Talk Much Anymore"
41:21 Solo Records, Coming Out, and the Album Called Homosexual
42:01 Queer Fans and the First Dapple of Sunlight
42:49 What His Mother Thought of Fame: She Couldn't Have Given a Shit
43:47 Paying Cash for a House So His Mother Could Finally Leave
44:48 Coldplay - 'O'
45:08 Grief, Letting Go, and the Sudden Loss of His Mother
46:43 Choosing This Song for Her Funeral
47:22 The Flock of Birds Metaphor and Cutting the Tether
48:15 "I Had to Let Her Go Like a Beautiful Balloon"
50:18 The Accident: A Vasovagal Syncope Episode That Shattered His Jaw
50:44 Seventeen Teeth Broken, Mouth Wired Shut for Three Months, and Learning to Sing Again
51:02 The Troubadour Comeback: "If I Don't Get Back on Stage, I May Never"
51:51 What It Felt Like: Love
52:18 Carrying His Mother's DNA in His Heart and Vocal Cords
52:49 Maisie Peters - 'Two Weeks Ago'
53:14 In Love: How His Dog Huxley Found Eddie
54:38 Four Blocks Apart for a Decade and Zoom Dates with a New Partner
55:41 Never Spending a Night Apart in Three Years
56:23 2027: The 30th Anniversary of Savage Garden and a New Record
56:48 Writing Melodies with His Mouth Wired Shut
57:39 "I'm Back, Baby"
58:53 Next Time: David Byrne
59:53 Take 5 with Zan Rowe – Stream the Series on ABC iview
This episode was filmed for season 5 of Take 5 with Zan Rowe on ABC TV and ABC iview. You can stream the whole season on ABC iview now.
Watch this episode of Take 5 on ABC iview: https://iview.abc.net.au/show/take-5-with-zan-rowe
There are parts of this conversation that explore Darren’s experiences with family violence. It’s a big part of his story, so please be warned. And if you need support, here are some resources who provide it:
1800 Respect National Helpline on 1800 737 732
Lifeline on 131 114
Men's Referral Service on 1300 766 491
Mensline on 1300 789 978
Full Stop Australia on 1800 385 578
Emergency services on triple-0 if you need immediate care

Shania Twain holds the record for the biggest selling country album of all time: Come On Over. 
Growing up poor in a Canadian mining town, who could have foreseen that the woman born Eileen Regina Twain would go on to sell over 100 million records, cross country music into pop, and become one of the most recognisable voices on the planet?
Her life has been extraordinary, dotted with hit albums and huge shows, songs known by their opening line worldwide, and fans ranging from country music loyalists to Harry Styles. There've been plenty of lows too, including almost losing her voice completely to Lyme disease. Shania Twain may be a little more raspy, but she's got stories.
This episode was captured at the legendary Power Station in Midtown Manhattan (the recording studio where Bruce Springsteen made his biggest albums, where David Bowie recorded Let's Dance, and Madonna crafted Like a Virgin). It was the perfect place to sit down and travel back in time with Shania, as she reflected on the little Miss Twain that became the star. Stick around after the chat for a very funny story about what happened that day at the studio. Let's just say Take 5 alumni Lin-Manuel Miranda may have been involved (and Amanda Seyfried... and Hamilton star Phillipa Soo).
Shania Twain's song choices: 
Dolly Parton - 'Coat of Many Colors'
Tanya Tucker - 'Texas (When I Die)'
Olivia Newton-John - 'Hopelessly Devoted to You'
Tina Turner - 'What's Love Got to Do with It'
Aretha Franklin - 'Respect'
00:00 Introduction and Setting the Scene at the Power Station
01:50 The Legendary Power Station Studio
02:35 Dolly Parton - 'Coat of Many Colors'
03:15 Growing Up Poor and Dolly Parton's Influence
06:45 Reflecting on Childhood and the New Album 'Little Miss Twain'
07:30 Singing in Bars as a Child and Tammy Wynette
09:01 Tanya Tucker - 'Texas (When I Die)'
09:30 Tanya Tucker: A Voice Beyond Her Years
11:00 First on Stage at Eight Years Old
12:45 Singing in the Bars of Timmins, Ontario
15:30 Mother's Dream: The Next Tanya Tucker
16:00 Dreaming of Horses Instead of Fame
17:05 Olivia Newton-John - 'Hopelessly Devoted to You'
17:45 Olivia Newton-John: Crossing Genres and Breaking Boundaries
20:30 Nashville, Crossing Over to Pop, and Doing It Her Way
24:00 The First Video, a Target Budget, and the Belly Button Scandal
27:10 Tina Turner - 'What's Love Got to Do with It'
28:00 The Queen of Comebacks
29:45 A 15-Year Break and Losing Her Voice
30:30 Lyme Disease, Vocal Cord Surgery, and Finding a New Voice
34:20 Aretha Franklin - 'Respect'
35:00 Aretha's Brilliance and Owning the Song
37:30 Respect, Recognition, and Not Feeling Like a Star
38:30 Finding Peace in the Bush
40:00 Full Circle: A Message to Little Miss Twain
41:00 A Surprise Visit from Lin-Manuel Miranda, Amanda Seyfried & Phillipa Soo
42:30 Next Time: Darren Hayes
43:30 Double J
This episode was filmed for season 5 of Take 5 with Zan Rowe on ABC TV and ABC iview. You can stream the whole season on ABC iview now.
Watch this episode of Take 5 on ABC iview:
https://iview.abc.net.au/show/take-5-with-zan-rowe

Peter Garrett has been an unstoppable force of Australian music for decades.
As the iconic frontman for Midnight Oil, a grassroots activist, and a former Federal Parliamentarian, he's spent a lifetime driving change. 
Kicking off a brand-new series of Take 5 with the theme "songs of change," Peter Garrett reveals a softer, surprisingly open side behind the public persona. 
Fall into the stories and songs that hold Peter Garrett together.
Peter's song choices:
Peter, Paul & Mary - Tell It On The Mountain
Warumpi Band - From The Bush
DOBBY - Dirrpi Yuin Patjulinya
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band - War (live)
Sarah Blasko - Without 
01:46 A life punctuated by music and change
03:21 Peter, Paul & Mary - 'Tell It On The Mountain'
03:30 Growing up in a musical household
06:40 Reflecting on his parent's deaths
09:32 Peter Garrett's first band
10:14 Warumpi Band - 'From The Bush'
15:35 Midnight Oil tour to remote Indigenous communities in 1986
18:49 Influence of Warumpi Band on Beds Are Burning
22:33 DOBBY - 'Dirrpi Yuin Patjulinya'
26:35 Rob Hirst tribute at APRA Awards 2026
29:51 Discussing the legacy of Rob Hirst
34:39 Future of Midnight Oil
36:18 Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band - 'War (Live)'
41:29 Music and Politics
43:23 Reflecting on political career
45:27 Sarah Blasko - 'Without'
49:33 Peter's wife of 40 years Doris
52:37 Looking forward not back
54:24 Zan's final reflections
54:55 Preview next episode with Shania Twain
This episode kicks off a brand new season of Take 5 with Zan Rowe on ABC TV and ABC iview. You can stream the whole season on ABC iview now.
Watch Take 5 on ABC iview:
https://iview.abc.net.au/show/take-5-with-zan-rowe

Take 5 with Zan Rowe is back on your screens from Thursday August 20, and Season 5 is the biggest yet!
What song makes Peter Garrett cry? 
What was the tune that woke David Byrne up to the full body physicality of music, at Studio 54? 
And who do you think a teenage Jacinda Ardern was blasting, as she hooned around her hometown in New Zealand? 
You’re about to find out, as Take 5 returns for a 5th season on ABC TV and ABC iview. For the last 6 months Zan Rowe has been zipping around Australia, to New York City and Los Angeles to capture 8 extraordinary conversations with absolute legends. 
Like Shania Twain, who revealed a poverty stricken childhood that made her a star. Or Darren Hayes, who laid it all out in a heartbreaking conversation about loss and healing. 
You’re going fall in love with Lainey Wilson, the singer who’s selling out arenas with her bell-bottom country and southern charm. And you’ll learn more about Genesis Owusu, a visionary doing completely his own thing and winning all the awards, all at just 28 years old. 
If you’ve ever wondered if it’s possible to adore Vika & Linda Bull even more, their Take 5 will confirm. Fall into the worlds of these 8 incredible guests as they Take 5.
You’ll catch all the episodes from Thursday August 20 on ABC TV and ABC iview.
PLUS: every week, we’ll drop extended cuts of these chats right here on the podcast. All the bits we had to leave out of the TV episodes, the stories that didn’t make the edit, the moments that stayed with us.
So hit follow and get ready for a season of Take 5 that’ll shift your perspective, make you laugh, and maybe even make you cry.
And while you wait for Season 5, there’s plenty to explore. From Paul McCartney to Trent Dalton, Sophie Ellis-Bextor to Lorde – Take 5 has been a radio and podcast favourite for two decades. Dig in!
Watch the first 4 seasons of Take 5 on ABC iview: https://iview.abc.net.au/show/take-5-with-zan-rowe

This is one of the best bits from Take 5.
One of the greatest songwriters of all time sat down with Zan Rowe to open his songbook and dive deep into the making of five of his greatest. 
Paul McCartney has provided the soundtrack to billions of lives. His legacy in song is unparalleled; starting with The Beatles, who changed the game forever, he rolled on with his own solo career while building a new band in Wings, and collaborating with everyone from Stevie Wonder to Johnny Cash and Dave Grohl.
Listen to the full episode here: https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/take-5/paul-mccartney-take-5/9230996
SONG
The Beatles - 'Blackbird'