Darius World

The Sun Webchat

Sun Webchat 5 February 2003

WHEN Darius Danesh crashed out of Popstars promising he'd have a No1 single and platinum album by the time he was 35-years-old not many people believed him.

But the star achieved all of that 13 years early after finding success on the show's reality TV sibling Pop Idol.

The 22-year-old is now so popular that he can't perform live without having scores of women throwing their knickers at him.

But if you want your panties back ladies you're in for a dissapointment as Darius reveals in our exclusive webchat below that a member of his band actually collects them!

The star also gave us his reaction to Pop Idol judge Pete Waterman's recent negative comments about him and told us that he may become the next rector of Edinburgh University.

And read on to find out more about which of his fellow reality TV stars Darius still talks to and his great new single Incredible.

How important do you feel writing and performing your own material is and what do you think of the likes of Will and Gareth always releasing cover versions or record company penned tracks?
Michael, Southampton

I think they do what they do and I do what I do and there is room in British pop music for all of us, which is great.

Cover versions are just not me and I think people who listen to the album will realise that. I was just really lucky to be in a position where I could do my own thing with the support of some really great producers.

I am on a record label that is all about original artists and I'm lucky to be stable mates with people like Ja Rule, Ashanti and the great Scottish band Texas, who inspired me when I was doing summer jobs and busking in Edinburgh.

I just think it is great that the set-up I have got has been constructed to allow me to write original material.

How did you feel when obscure songwriter Andy Halsey claimed your debut No1 song Colourblind was identical to one of his?
Steven, Manchester

At first I was shocked and then I felt very sad that somebody was trying to cash in on the success of an original song.

The accusations were completely unfounded. The musicologists have compared the two tracks and there wasn't even a comparison. It was immediately thrown out.

What was even sadder is that the guy sold the story to a newspaper without even contacting a lawyer or musicologist. I then had to pay for the lawyer and musicologist to prove my song was original.

It happens a lot and 50% of the time the songs have been ripped off, but the other half of it is when there is no comparison and someone is just trying to cash in on the success of somebody else.

I've felt the sharp end of it and there is nothing I can do about that. All I can do is promise my fans that the music that I write is original and from the heart.

Was it hard to do Pop Idol after what happened to you on Popstars? Did your family or friends try to talk you out of it?
Bethany Draycott

Sure it was, it was one of the toughest decisions I've had to make in my life. But I was very lucky that I had the support of my family. Initially they didn't want me to do it and were very frightened about the reaction.

I was very lucky that the public supported me, the music that I'm doing now and the position that I'm in is all thanks to the fans. It's thanks to the people who picked up telephones and voted for me. It's thanks to the people who came up to me in the street and shook my hand and said, "well done son." It's thanks to all the fan mail and emails people sent me to encourage me.

But it's also down to the criticism I received through Popstars, which made me learn from my mistakes and improve myself as a performer and a person.

Have you watched your Popstars performances back since you did it and what do you now think of things like your Britney cover? Do you ever regret doing Popstars?
Jane, Bradford

Popstars was a tough thing to do but it was really something that I had to, to better understand the way the music industry works. And I think I am in a better position to be a male solo artist doing his own thing because of it.

To be honest I haven't watched it all back. The only time that I did watch some was last year while we doing Pop Idol and I remember laughing hard. It's like looking back and laughing at an embarrassing old photograph! But for me it all happened on TV.

I would say that it has been two and a half years now since that first audition and I feel I've come a long way since then, and I've still got a long way to go.

At the end of Popstars I said it was my dream to have a No1 single and platinum album by the time I was 35, I'm 22 now and I've achieved it. I feel that I've been a pretty lucky boy!

How does it feel to be a sex symbol and what do you do with all the knickers that are thrown at you?
Gabrielle Lang

Sex symbol is a made up term that doesn't mean anything other than sometimes people do throw knickers at you!

The boys in the band have got a little bag with their favourite pairs of knickers in! It's called the 'panty bag' and has everything in from a beautiful black lace Agent Provocateur G-string to a big pair of aunties bloomers that are so big Ric Waller could wear them! No offence to Ric as he's a top guy but he has got a big arse.

I can't tell you which member of my band collects them, but one of the boys takes one pair from every gig we do and sticks it in this bag. I've told him: "I really hope that all these are clean panties as otherwise you're going to catch something! Just keep it all in the bag."

He's proud of the fact that we've got an unrivalled collection of women's underwear.

With Valentines Day coming up I have to ask you what is the most romantic thing you've ever done?
Sarah "Trouble" Chislehurst

Sorry Sarah, but if I was to tell you what the most romantic I've ever done was it would stop being romantic! The idea of romance is something personal and intimate between two people, so to discuss it and tell the world through Sun Online would kind of dispel that romance.

It involved a very beautiful girl, a beautiful setting and something that initially brought a tear to her eye and ended up in a kiss. Answers on a postcard folks!

What do the judges from Pop Idol think of your success?
Neil, Chester

On the show Neil Fox was always supportive and critical in equal measure, but by the end he only had really nice words for me, which was really kind.

Nicki Chapman is lovely and has sent her regards and congratulations on my success, as has Simon Cowell.

In a recent TV programme Pete Waterman called you the "most self-destructive person" he's met. What do you think of Pete as a person and his comments?
Emma, Glasgow

It is a very sensitive matter and I think it's something that it would be unfair to talk about in a webchat without going into a lot of the background and detail.

Certainly a lot of people were shocked when they saw the documentary because if you look back at Pop Idol Pete was my main cheerleader, he always fought my corner.

All I can say is that I still have a lot of respect for Pete Waterman.

Hi Darius, is it true you've got a book coming out and will it be more like Ulrika Johnson's book than Gareth Gates'?
Nicola, Swansea

I do have a book coming out but for me it is not about sensationalism and it is not about a "warts and all" shock story. It is a book to go hand in hand with the music and another way for me to give back to the people who supported me.

Whereas people feel they may have got to know me through the television programmes, I've never really gone into detail on my side of the story or what really happened. So much happened and it has not been appropriate to discuss it before.

Also I'm not on Pop Idol every week now so people want to know about my life since and how I feel about certain things, like the comments Pete made, and I feel the book will give me a chance to express all of that in my own words.

I hope people will be entertained by it and also get a unique angle on things they thought they knew about. The book may shock a lot of people but not for the sake of sensationalism but because of the nature of what has happened in the last few years.

I was a massive fan of you and Will but I've read in the past that you think the show was geared towards a win for Gareth. Why did you think this and do you feel Will and Gareth have been treated differently since the show finished?
Kate, North London

I think it is very clear that Simon Cowell was backing Gareth from the start, and he's even come out and said that openly. It is not news and everyone knows that Simon openly wanted Gareth to be the Pop Idol.

He's entitled to his opinion and I respect Simon for being a fantastic businessman but he wasn't someone I wanted to work with creatively.

First of all congratulations on all your success so far! Your new album Dive In is brilliant. I want to know where you got the inspiration to write such fantastic songs?
Laura, Northern Ireland

I get the inspiration from people that I've met or had relationships with, and situations I've found myself in.

For example one of my songs, Sliding Doors, is about an everyday tube ride where I met a girl. In fact you can relate every single song I've written to a relationship or situation that I've been in.

People often ask what my favourite song is but I don't have one � they are all my babies. I write the songs and also produce on the album and had the final say over everything. Every time I listen to the record I have a new favourite track.

And different songs mean different things to different people, you can take whatever you want away from the lyrics.

Many thanks for Dive In, a wonderful heartfelt album - who decides on which album tracks to release as singles and what influences the decision?
Jules

It is my choice what singles to release and I'm lucky that Colourblind is the one I originally went to my producer Steve Lillywhite � who also worked with U2 � with. I told him that I wanted to release it as the first single and he agreed with me.

I thought Rushes was an appropriate follow-up, because I don't think there was anything else around at that time that sounded anything like it. It was a move in terms of sound for me, it was a bit leftfield.

The new single Incredible is another upbeat one, last year was an incredible year for me and the support I've had from people to allow me to be in this position is also incredible. That is where the title of the song has come from, but then the song isn't even about any of that.

I'm lucky that I have creative control over everything I do.

I loved the video for Colourblind, what's the Incredible video like?
Andy, Preston

The video is great, we shot it in Barcelona, in the hall of the main train station. They hired out the whole thing � 10 platforms, 3 trains, 200 extras and one of MTV's most respected video directors. He also did Britney Spears' Hit Me Baby, One More Time, Oasis' Wonderwall and he's worked with U2 and Nickelback.

He took the video in a different direction to my previous ones, they were more about me as a performer and this one was more about the song and me as a person. It felt more like I was acting rather than just being up on a stage playing my guitar. It is a nice step forward and a little bit to the side.

And I got to appear with a very beautiful Gossard wonderbra girl, but you'll have to watch the video to see what we got up to!

When you write songs, do you compose the melody first or write the lyrics?
Nina Simon

It really depends on the song, with Girl On The Moon we had the melody first and then the title and the lyric came afterwards. Whereas Colourblind was about the lyric and then the melody came.

You can split all my songs into those two categories. I found that sometimes I'd be travelling and all of a sudden lyrics would come into my head and then I'd get back, hit the guitar and work out the chords and the melody.

Or sometimes if I'm in the studio I'll be jamming on my guitar and come up with a hook line that I like which becomes the chorus. And then you think: "What should this song be about? Is it an upbeat happy song or a ballad?"

It all depends on where I am at the time and what experience I've been through.

Hi Darius, are you looking forward to the Dive In tour with excitement or nervousness, or a mixture of both?
Jane Withers

The tour is simply a dream come true for me, it is something I've been wanting to do since the age of 16.

We had a band when I was at school and we tried to put a little tour together at pubs and venues between Glasgow and Edinburgh but we got about as far as the first gig at the school hall before we split up.

So this tour has been in the making for six years. It is called Dive In 2003 and it is my first headline tour. It is my way of saying thank you to the fans in the best way that I can.

I am not doing stadiums as I prefer a more intimate audience. I don't like gigs where the size of the concert is more important than the music. I am trying to do things step by step and slowly and surely.

I've really enjoyed the last couple of roadshow gigs I've been involved with where the venue was big enough for a good crowd but small enough that you could hear every note.

I've been lucky enough to play big concerts with these radio gigs and on the Pop Idol tour. I got to perform Colourblind in front of an audience of 100,000 at Party In The Park. I performed to a million in six months last year.

But this tour is all about doing a greater number of smaller venues and I hope to get a really great vibe going.

I'll be playing all the tracks on the album, a couple of new songs and some cover versions. Although I've said I'll never release a cover version I am looking forward to playing some in the context of a live set.

I can't rule any cover songs in or out at the moment but you'll be surprised at the ones I choose.

Are you still in contact with anyone from Popstars or Pop Idol?
Becky, Bristol

I spoke to Zoe the other night and saw Gareth and Will at the Record Of The Year Awards at Christmas. I see Liberty X all the time as we're often doing the same shows but I haven't seen anyone from Hear'Say since they split up.

It is really only through business that I see everyone as I only get on average a weekend off once every four to five months and I like to spend that with the people that I am closest to, my friends and family.

Who is nastier Simon Cowell or Nigel Lythgoe?
Richard, Ilford

Neither, they are both pussycats!

Nigel has just suffered a very bad heart attack and needed double by-pass surgery. I've sent him my regards and my support.

Simon is doing very well with American Idol 2 out in the States, I've caught a little bit of it and it looks like great fun.

I am a student at Edinburgh University and we really want you to be our new rector. You'll have to beat the longest serving MP in the House Of Commons Tam Dalyell though. What do you think about this?
Jonny, Edinburgh

I couldn't believe it when I first heard about this. I was very happy when they gave me an honorary degree last year, it made my mum and dad very proud because I never finished my original degree course due to starting a music career.

But to be up against the longest serving MP in the UK for this prestigious position is amazing. I don't know what's going to happen but it will be very interesting. It is a huge privilege to be the rector and I would love to do it, it would mean even more to me than winning a Brit Award!

What's your favourite biscuit?
Kitty, Wigan

I love those chocolate digestives with the caramel under the layer of chocolate, especially dipped in sweet coffee.