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For our friends in the UK – The exclusive iTunes bundle for Darren’s next UK single ‘Bloodstained Heart’ is available for pre-order today. The official release is on Monday, 27th Feb.
The EP features 3 mixes of the stunning Bloodstained Heart and an exclusive, never before heard track ‘Ending Before I Begin’. Click HERE to pre-order now!
HAPPY CHRISTMAS FROM ME TO YOU
I've made a little Christmas video message for all of you. It took me weeks to film all the little parts and come up with exactly what I wanted to say. It means a lot to me so I hope you like it. It comes from the heart.
Normally I make a card or post some kind of artwork but this year I wanted to make a video piece. So I did. It's the thought that counts right?
Regardless of religion - this time of year always makes me so grateful for what I have and for those I love. You are a huge part of my gratitude. Making 'Secret Codes and Battleships' would have been a hundred times more difficult if it wasn't for all of you. Your support, faith and belief in me got me through my darkest days and is a constant source of inspiration. Knowing that you encourage me and want me to succeed has given me so much strength and purpose and I can never repay you for that. Instead all I can do is keep doing what I love to do and say, at every chance I get, thank you. Thank you for inspiring me and for allowing me to do every day the thing that makes my heart sing. I hope you have a wonderful holiday time whatever your beliefs - and that 2012 is the year of love.
In fact, I hope you're smothered in love!
Always,
Darren
Given it's the festive season we wanted to create something fun for you the fans to get involved, have a laugh and share with your friends.
Put yourself on the cover of Darren's new album 'Secret Codes and Battleships'! HERE
Darren wants your input to create an official fan video piece for the album track 'Siren's Call' - the stunning final track on his brilliant new album 'Secret Codes and Battleships'.
As many of you know, this song seems to have struck a chord with audiences around the world and Darren wanted to recognise the special sentiment of the song by involving you, in the creation of a fan generated lyric video with content supplied by YOU.
Send in your photos, video pieces, footage - anything you think fits in with the theme of the song which is about overcoming an ocean of fears and insecurities amidst a journey to happiness. It could be literal (sirens, oceans and greek mythology) it could be abstract (colours, signs, symbols) it could be photos of loved ones long gone or far away. If you want some inspiration - take a look at the painting by Artist J W Waterhouse which inspired Darren's lyrics. HERE
In Darren's own life, he felt that his happiness was often off in the distance and that his journey to it was always fraught with obstacles; mostly the fears and negative views we invent for ourselves that keep us from achieving our dreams. In the song, Darren talks of these distractions as though they are sirens. Perhaps this can serve as inspiration for your input.
We will compile the best submissions with animated lyrics and edit together something completely personal yet completely befitting the meaning of the song and your relationship to 'Secret Codes and Battleships'.
Please only send images and video that you have created or that you own to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
We must please have your submission by the 8th January.
*Please read below preferred formats for submission:
PHOTOS
Preferred formats are JPEG (.jpg) or RAW format. Most other image formats will also be useable, including PSD, BMP, PDF, TIF and PNG.
Please send them with the highest resolution possible. It's best not to convert or resize the photo files if you don't have to. We can't use images with a resolution below 640x480 pixels.
VIDEO
The acceptable formats for video include MPEG4, MP4, MOV, WMV, AVI, FLV, MPG and 3GP.
Just like photos, video files are best sent without any conversion, if possible. We would prefer the highest quality and resolution possible, so High Definition (HD) standards are great. We won't be able to use any video with a resolution lower than 640x480 pixels.
For specific information, YouTube says all the same things we would. Check out their Video Encoding page for details. If it's okay for YouTube, it's okay for us!
Please only send the necessary video section. YouTube also has some great tutorials on how to edit your video. If you don't have the tools to edit/trim your video, please give us a Timecode reference to the segment you want us to view, such as "Start at 1min 25 secs, end at 2 mins 15 secs".
Some video files will be quite large - too large for email - but you can use an online file sharing site to upload your large files. Here's a few that are reliable and free:
** (Please also read the Terms & Conditions below and know that by submitting content you agree to these terms & conditions)
Terms & Conditions:
The following terms apply to any content you send us for use in the video clip. "Us" means Powdered Sugar Productions Limited.
If you send content (eg photos, video files, film footage) to us for use in the video clip, you grant us a non-exclusive, perpetual, worldwide, transferable and royalty free licence to use, modify, adapt, broadcast, communicate, and reproduce that content, as part of the video clip, in any format and in any manner in all media throughout the world in perpetuity. By you sending the content to us, this will be deemed as valid and binding consent by you to grant us this licence. Of course, you retain the copyright in anything you own that you send to us. You warrant that you have the right to grant us the abovementioned licence and that our use of the content you supply will not infringe the rights of any third party, or any law. You indemnify us against any actions, suits, claims, demands, losses, liabilities, damages, costs and expenses we may suffer or incur as a result of any breach by you of this warranty. When you submit anything to us for use in the video clip, you agree that the content you send to us will not:
(a) be infringing, defamatory, obscene, violent or illegal;
(b) contain viruses or other harmful items, or
(c) contain commercial material (e.g advertising of products or services).
Darren's final show of the year is fast approaching!! It’s the one-off performance in Manchester for New Year's Eve, not just a gig but a party to bring in the new year.
Darren and band will perform a full show with a DJ set afterwards until 3 am and very special guests the Candle Thieves to begin the evening. Featuring songs from his entire career and as always some surprises - the evening is super special because it features some songs voted for and chosen by ticket holders.
Those who've bought tickets have voted from a list of rarities and rarely performed songs they'd most like to hear and Darren has agreed to sing the 5 most requested on the night. Tickets for this exclusive show are limited and can be found HERE.
Don’t miss your last chance to vote for your favourite track HERE.
Voting closes next Friday 16th December!
See you soon!
We managed to grab 5 minutes of Darren’s time this week during his hectic press and rehearsal schedule to ask him a quick question about his recent appearance on Australia’s X-Factor:
Recently you were a judge on the Australian X-Factor. How different do you think the music industry is today than when you started out trying to secure a record deal for Savage Garden?
I get asked about reality TV shows and especially X Factor a lot these days. It’s understandable given the prominence of the shows and the coverage they receive in the media. There are a lot of performers who have gone to great lengths to criticise the formats and blame them for the massive shift in the dynamic of the music industry. I am not one of them.
I see X Factor as a foot in the door to young musicians who don’t seem to have the same avenues that I had starting out 20 years ago. Live gigs and sending out demos were the only ways to really get signed when I was starting out. As is common knowledge, there are less and less venues for artists to play live gigs in – and before it crashed and burned, Myspace virtually decimated the demo tape culture. If you don’t exist online, you don’t exist. Beyond that, record labels don’t seem to have true A&R departments anymore with a dedicated team of people scouring for new talented and nurturing a diamond in the rough, which is what I was.
Would I have gone on X Factor if I were starting out today? Absolutely. But I think I would have burnt up in the initial audition process. I was a very shy and very delicate thing growing up. I had the luxury of years in cover bands and developing my confidence on stage before I ever hit the public consciousness. So it is a changed world, yes. Idol and X Factor have produced some amazing pop voices like Kelly Clarkson and Will Young who seem to have done what most contestants sadly never get to do after these shows: they developed a career and a sound of their own and are true artists in their own right. So I think of these shows as the new demo tape really. What I’d love to see – is more focus on artistry – allowing bands, instruments and introducing songwriting and production into the fold.
Read the interview HERE
The Brand Spanking New 2012 Darren Hayes Calendar is available now!
28 Pages of beautiful new images shot by Ellis Parrinder and design by Jane Wallace inspired by SC&B Cover designer John Gilsenan.
This Calendar is A4 in size and guaranteed to make your wall look great (click on the image on the left to see a full size picture of the front cover)!
Get your copy HERE
Check out this fan captured video during 'The Secret Tour' of Darren performing 'Black Out The Sun'.
Another great fan captured video from The Secret Tour- Don't Give Up!