by Eduardo Castañeda/El Norte

Visiting Monterrey for the first time, fifth in Mexico, the artist, who came to be known at the international level as the singer of the Australian duo Savage Garden, offered a chat in which he allowed a glimpse that a lot of the regrettable things that happen around him are caused by the people who travel with him. And that could be right.

Hayes, of medium height, blue eyes, easy smile and light makeup on his face, arrived in the City accompanied by his manager, his road manager, an assistant and various people from the record company.

"Do you think my life is glamorous? I don't think so. A lot of the things that happen, like delays (being late), misunderstandings with the press and sometimes not being able to pay attention to my fans, is because of those people over there", he said gesturing to the group of people who accompany him.

Hayes, who made his debut as a solo artist last year with his record Spin, from which has been released the single "Insatiable", explained that in real life he isn't that hard to please.

"Life has given me marvelous things: a loving family, the gift of writing music, the possibility of traveling to tens [dozens] of countries displaying my music and the enormous pleasure of knowing people all over the world", affirmed the artist, who last night did a show at the musical event Exa FM.

While he did some interviews with an agreeable manner, his record company put him up in a first class suite at the Hotel Quinta Real, costing 4,000 pesos a night, plus I.V.A. [VAT, a tax][this is about US$410, AU$712, GBP £280, CA$627, Euros €433, Japanese Yen ¥50,925]. His only requirement, according to people at the hotel, was a juicer and some fresh fruit, for him to make his own juices.

After a wait of a couple of hours, he excused himself. A little later, he commented that Spin is like a dream record.

"It involved a lot of work, a lot of people, and a lot of determination. Walter (Afanasieff, the producer) is a musical genius and that was obvious at the time of the mixing. It's a record like I dreamed about one time", he said.

¿ A possible reunion with Daniel Jones, his serious and quiet (silent) counterpart in Savage Garden ? It's not very possible, or at least not in the short term.

"No, not at the moment. We have just started separating our careers and getting together too soon would be counterproductive", he indicated. "He is dedicated to production now, removed from the fame-side of music. Even so, we are good friends."

The singer/songwriter, who with Savage Garden sold more than 20 million copies at the international level, said he doesn't have big dreams in life, or no dreams, like other people imagine. [?]

"My dream has come to pass, don't you think? I have come to know countries I had never heard of, I've met wonderful people, and more than anything, I've been able to take my music to unexpected places and heights," he affirmed.

Although thinking well of it, Darren explained that carrying a child on his shoulders while holding his wife's hand would not be a bad option in the future.

"Certainly. That is something that inevitably must come to happen in my life, but I think not at the moment," he said.

Sincere and frank in his answers, the only one he evaded was about his presumed homosexuality.

"It would be better if we talked about something else, please," he said