It was always going to be a gamble - leaving one of the world's top-selling pop bands to pursue a solo career.

But Darren Hayes, frontman and co-writer for the now defunct Savage Garden, was willing to take the risk to keep his creative juices flowing.

So far the sales of his first solo album, Spin, haven't scaled the heights of Savage Garden. Hayes knew of this possibility but says he's happy to start all over again and build up his reputation as an artist. Luckily for him, he has the best of both worlds by having years of experience to back it up.

With Spin, his biggest success has been in England and continental Europe. Hence he has concentrated his touring and promotional efforts there and needs no convincing to come back to Australia.

He's not touring in the US, at least not until some chart and sales action makes it worthwhile. Yet he is angered at rumours that his American record company dropped him because of poor sales.

"That really pissed me off," he says in between rehearsals. "It's completely false and I'm so over it. It's the one country in the world where my career hasn't taken off."

While he's obviously annoyed at the campaign to give him a hard time, Hayes says to date he hasn't been picked on via rumours. Maybe it's just his turn, he muses.

"I didn't make a Ja Rule record and I didn't make a Linkin Park record," he says. "It's difficult to push pop in the US at the moment. I'm signed to the record company for the rest of my natural life. I'm the only Australian artist selling records internationally next to Kylie."

Hayes says his expectations for Spin were realistic. He's a brand-name artist with a history and Spin has been a case of "have you seen this guy? You might remember him. This is his voice and his new work. Do you know it?"

"This is going to be the rest of my life," he says. "Already I've surpassed my expectations and the album only came out in March."

The production rehearsals for Hayes' debut Australian tour were held at home in Brisbane, which was a great excuse for the singer to hang out at home for three weeks, since he now lives in San Francisco. Apart from showcase sets for the album, these are the first paid concerts he will have done without Savage Garden partner Daniel Jones playing guitar on his right.

His band is a seven-piece and he describes the set as beautifully minimalist, created by the same crew who did Savage Garden's final tour and worked on U2's PopMart.

"I'm excited about this tour because people might actually talk about the music," Hayes says. "See the show and not talk about my haircut."

He's referring to the apparent furore which encircled his first single, Insatiable, when he went back to his natural blond after being dark for may years.

"I think it will be more confronting than people expect," he says of the tour. "The one thing I do very well - that I'm famous for - and that people forget, is that I'm a singer and I'm going to sweat and bleed for you."

Expect cuts from Spin as well as some favoured but re-arranged Savage Garden numbers in the show.

The newest single off the album, Crush (1980 Me), is a guilty pleasure which Hayes says takes him back to being a little more edgy. It's his favourite track on the album. The video was made in Brisbane by student filmmaker Grant Marshall and features lots of 80s gear and even a cameo from Hayes' dad.

"Let's not make a Banana Republic ad and I don't want to look like a Gap model," he says of the video. "I took the piss out of myself. I have really pushed my own buttons and had fun with myself as a personality in the video. That's the great thing about being a solo artist, you can take more liberties and do what you want."

Hayes turned 30 a few months ago and says it's an age he feels really happy to be at.

"It's all about change and cleaning out the cupboard," he says. "I'm glad to be 30 because I've felt that age for a long time. I'm one of those people who likes getting older. I think it's easier for a guy because you get celebrated because of those little scars. And I don't look like a pup any more. I've got more of a cache."

The other thing Hayes has come to deal with is the celebrity attached to his success. He says living in San Francisco still affords him a reasonable amount of anonymity.

"I don't imagine myself calling Gwyneth on the speed dial," he says. "I still think 'Hey, there's Kylie'. I still have a distance and a bit of a fan's attitude which I think is healthy. I feel like a celebrity but that's my job.