| Topic: General Subject: Message From Leonie Date: 31/08/01 I know it's been awhile since you've heard from me, I also know the Savage Garden split may be difficult for a lot of people to comprehend. I'd really like to take this opportunity to comment on the situation. I have worked with Darren and Daniel since the start of Savage Garden, and I love them both, but I've got to say, the way some people may interpret Darren's hand in the break up of the band is misguided. I know that it will all blow over and ultimately the most important element of all of this.... the music..... will endure. Until then, I wanted to shed some light on the situation from my perspective. Daniel Jones left Savage Garden. He quit. I was there when it happened in Japan prior to the release of AFFIRMATION in 1999. I was also there when Darren did endless photoshoots, magazine interviews, press junkets, meet and greets, tv and radio interviews.. totally alone, to try and promote this album for the benefit of them both. I was there when he was constantly asked the difficult question of why Daniel wasn't ever participating in any of the interviews. I was also there when he protected Daniel and his feelings for the 2 year promotion of this record. The reason he did all of this? Again.. it's very simple...... Daniel quit the band. Guys... think about it... rare was the occasion that Daniel was in an interview to promote AFFIRMATION. Was it because Darren just loved the limelight and couldn't get enough of it?? Of course not. In fact, Darren is a very private person who never seeks out the limelight and doesn't 'hang' at celebrity parties unless he needs to be there for a business reason. Quite frankly, he doesn't love it, he just knows what you have to do to pay your fans back for their loyalty, and he is aware of how the promotional machine works and what his role is in it.. and ultimately, he is not afraid of hard work. How many of you, on the eight month world tour met Daniel at a meet and greet before the show? I guarantee you it is next to none of you. The 'news' was obviously not news to Daniel. It was a fact. With Daniel not wanting to do any promotional tours, they both realised that the break up was inevitable. How could a 'band' stay together when only one person is participating in the public promotion of it? Bearing this in mind, they both knew long ago that Savage Garden was an entity that would not continue after the end of the AFFIRMATION tour. This was discussed endlessly between the two of them and their close circle of staff members. The only surprise that came to Daniel was that he found out Darren had released the information to a journalist the night before, and this surprise was short lived because I spoke with Daniel before he talked to any media. He knew it was a matter of time before we could release this information to the world, and that time is now. Yes, it's sad. But, imagine how liberating it is for both of them? Darren can finally talk honestly about his solo career, and Daniel never has to endure the travel and promotion that he disliked so much with Savage Garden ever again. Darren has been so good to you guys over the years and I'm sure you all agree. There are very few celebrities who give of their personal time and positive energy so freely as he does. If there were ever a time that you wanted to transfer some of this positive energy back to him in any small way.. that is now. I have great faith in you all and can't wait to see you again on the road. Love Leonie |