"Standout track for me" – Popjustice

"Closer to his Savage Garden days – a beautiful, powerful, emotional, big, sweeping pop song with meaning!" – Perez Hilton

Every album has ‘that’ song – the song that really means something to its writer, and the song that goes on to set the standard for the rest of the record. For Darren Hayes ‘Bloodstained Heart’ is ‘that’ song from his new album ‘Secret Codes and Battleships’.

The track does pop music’s job of providing both an effortless, heartlifting melody and emotive lyrics in just under four minutes. Boosted by a storming chorus and Darren’s undeniable voice, ‘Bloodstained Heart’ is the song that cements ‘Secret Codes and Battleships’ in the same league as his biggest pop successes. Written at a low point in Darren’s life, the song touches on his feelings of despair, love and hope, which manifested itself in the song.

“Bloodstained Heart’ is without a doubt, one of the most important songs I’ve ever made,” says Darren. “The song is a real moment on the album – a moment that was missing previously because it touches such a raw nerve in me I was probably afraid to write it.”

Hailed as “the epic moment” by Australia’s Herald Sun and critically acclaimed by music writers across the Internet (Arjanwrites described the song as “emotive and perfectly delivered”) ‘Bloodstained Heart’ caused a storm when Darren performed a medley of hits on The X Factor Australia, with judge Ronan Keating taking to Twitter to announce that he “loves’ the song. It has now been remixed for clubs across the world by dance megastars Kryder and Monsieur Adi

‘Bloodstained Heart’ is an anthem for those who rejoice in the savoir of love and the hope that it brings. Darren says: “It’s a song that plays on the famous line about sitting in the gutter, but some of us looking up at the stars. But at least we have each other.”

Darren Hayes - "Bloodstained Heart" is released on Monday 27th February 2012.



Special thanks to Darren Hayes and Su-Yin for this article

Marco Pierre White needs you!

Do you have what it takes to impress one of the UK’s most renowned chefs and restaurateurs?

Marco Pierre White is looking for couples who want to prove that they run the UK’s finest independent restaurant for Marco Pierre White's Kitchen Wars, his exciting new Channel 5 show!

We want pairs who run restaurants across the UK – from high-end eateries to gastro pubs, cafes, bistros, hotels, curry houses and anything in between. Pairs may be related, married, partners or just friends.

Whether you’re the chef or run the front of house, if you have a working relationship which is hard to beat then we want to hear from you!

For an application form, please email the address below with your names, the name of your restaurant and a mobile/daytime telephone number. Alternatively, call the number below and we will send an application form in the post. All applicants must be aged 18+.

Given the large number of applications received, the sooner you get your application form back to us, the more likely we are to get in touch.

Email: restaurant@five.tv
Tel: 020 7308 5454

Standard geographical charges from landlines and mobiles will apply. Connection charges may also apply. Please check with your operator.

AXM, the successful nightclub in The Gay Village of Manchester, adopted the charity ‘Moni Malawi’ back in 2010 with the specific intention of completing a brand new school building project and continuing the existing children’s feeding programme in that extremely deprived country.

Two years on and the fruits of all their aggressive fundraising and their customers & staffs generosity has produced some amazing and life changing results.

Haydn Pope from AXM said “When I first heard about Moni Malawi and what they were trying to achieve I just knew we had to get involved. Too many times we raise money for charities that is then swallowed up into their corporate structure, and you never actually get to see exactly where and what your money has done or been spent on.

"This charity was different. There are no salary costs, no plush offices or overhead expenses, no ‘fact finding’ trips or ‘strategy workshops’ held in posh hotels, and absolutely every single penny raised goes directly into the project and to the people who need it most.

"Using the money raised we have now finished building a brand new, 2 block, high spec primary school in the Kambudzi Village area, and we also fund 2 out of the 3 teachers employed there. Tied into that, we have a school feeding programme that feeds all the kids attending the school on a daily basis, thus encouraging the parents to send them to school in the first place.

"The number of kids now attending our school is 634 who are all taught English, Maths, Agriculture, Sports and RI. I am extremely proud of AXM and all its customers and staff who have literally changed people’s lives forever. The legacy of our school will run for generations to come, and the feeding programme will I hope eradicate, in Kambudzi at least, the dreadful statistic that 1 in 4 children die before the age of 5.”

If you would like to donate to this charity: www.monimalawi.co.uk/Make-a-Donation.aspx

Online voting system to chose Britain’s sexiest gay man

After three whole years of wondering what had happened, the UK’s biggest, gay men’s beauty contest returned this year. Heats took place all over the country and those men voted hottest in their region have been put forward to win the accolade of Mr Gay UK.

At Cruz 101 18 year old performing arts student, Tom Eaton, won the title Mr Gay Manchester

New this year is an online final, with an easy to use voting system where guys can go via the website www.mrgayuk.co.uk and simply click on who they feel has the cutest face, hottest bod or nicest bum. Each finalist has their own official Facebook page too, with photos and information. To find them just search “Mr Gay UK” and their region. The top three will then be invited to the final ceremony for the coronation of Mr Gay UK 2011 

Terry George, owner and promoter of Mr Gay UK said: I’m so glad to be able to bring back the contest. It’s been a great year with some great guys entering. I can’t wait to see who takes it this year.

The prizes this year include a professional photo-shoot on location in Morocco, the opportunity to enter Mr. Gay Europe and £2000 in cash. Voting will be open from 8-29 November, the final three will be announced on Wednesday 30 November, with the coronation ceremony on at Mission in Leeds.

To vote go to www.mrgayuk.co.uk. Remember your contestants need your votes to win!