The Darkness return to the light!

[whiplash1972]

The Darkness return to the light

 

 

http://www.thesun.co...-the-light.html

 

JUSTIN HAWKINS is dusting off his spandex catsuits to reform rockers THE DARKNESS.

 

The falsetto-loving Lord, 35, has patched up his bitter differences with brother DAN in advance of the quartet's return.

 

The surprise reunion was confirmed by the launch of a new website http://www.theactualdarkness.com

 

No official statement has been released, but original group members ED GRAHAM and FRANKIE POULLAIN are also believed to have signed up.

 

A third album is now on the cards as well as a number of festival dates.

 

Justin quit the band in 2006 after catastrophic problems with drugs and alcohol. His departure sparked a rift with lead guitarist and sibling Dan.

 

In an exclusive interview with The Sun at the time he opened up about the extent of his cocaine battle.

 

He said: "I feel bad for the others, but I can't do it any more.

 

"I hit absolute rock bottom. I spent over £150,000 on cocaine in three years - a frightening amount. I was consuming up to five grams a day which cost me £1,000 a week, sometimes more.

 

"I regularly used to stay up for four days at a time on coke and alcohol binges.

 

"I became secretive, volatile and verbally abusive, a really unpleasant person to be around. There were lots of periods I don't even remember, blackouts."

 

Dan, 34, and his remaining Darkness bandmates soon got cracking on new band Stone Gods.

 

Two years later Justin formed Hot Leg.

 

The Darkness are best known for their 2003 hit single I Believe In A Thing Called Love - taken from No1 selling debut album Permission to Land.

 

They scooped Best Rock Act at the 2004 Brit Awards, before releasing follow-up One Way Ticket to Hell ... And Back.

 

The title seems quite apt now.

 

 

---------------------------------------------

 

As promised… following a 5 year hiatus, The Darkness will make their return to the world stage on Friday 10th June 2011 at Donington Park where the band will keep the main stage warm for Def Leppard at this year's Download Festival.

 

Prior to this event, The Darkness will be locked in an East Anglian studio working on tracks that will in time become the band's third album.

 

For the avoidance of doubt, The Darkness is :

Justin Hawkins, Dan Hawkins, Frankie Poullain, Ed Graham.

 

More news shall no doubt be forthcoming before too long. In the meantime, tickets for Download and further information can be found at : http://www.downloadf...val.co.uk/2011/

[JC_AOR]

Well I know I'm probably in the minority around here, but I'm excited. I really like this band, they're good fun to see live as well.

[Nick C]

Naw I'm up for it too.....good to see Frankie back in the band as well !!!

[Jez]

Make that 3. Alot of knockers of this band I know, but who gives a shit - great to see them back.

[Rockposer]

Make that 3. Alot of knockers of this band I know, but who gives a shit - great to see them back.

 

Your welcome to them mate!

[Captain Howdy]

While it makes me sad that they are reforming, I dont see that its the big surprise the article seems to suggest it is as this has been an ongoing thing for months that was just waiting on confirmation.

[whiplash1972]

Whew.... thought I'd be slagged mercilessly for even posting this... lol.

 

I've liked the Darkness since the first time I heard them back in '03 (I thought OWTTHAB was the stronger of their 2 albums), and I also enjoyed the output from the follow-up bands Hot Leg (Red Light Fever sounds like a natural follow-up to Permission To Land) and Stone Gods (Burn the Witch and You Brought a Knife to Gunfight are EXCELLENT). I'm looking forward to hearing what they come up with for a third outing.

[edwithmj]

I'm disappointed with this because it means the excellent Stone Gods won't produce another album for a long time - if at all. However, I'll be sure to check out The Darkness' new material. I'm not hopeful about the new material though as I thought OWTTHAB was rubbish.

[JamesEagle]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Geoff]

I'm disappointed with this because it means the excellent Stone Gods won't produce another album for a long time - if at all.

Quoted for truth.

 

The Stone Gods CD is excellent, and can actually legitimately sit alongside it's peers in the CD racks of hard rock lovers. The Darkness CDs are disgusting stains in collections, imo. I think I still have the debut despite it being on my trade list for about 10 years. The ironic and hilarious thing of it all? I saw 'One way ticket to hell and back' for eu$1.99 last week. Thought why the hell not and bought it. Oh the pain I put myself through!

 

I wonder if the new album is going to maintain those ridiculous vocals. My guess is yes, they'll still be an awful band.

[zacharyamelie]

I love the Darkness and can't wait for some new stuff.

 

Hawkins does have 'unique' vocals that can't please everyone, but I've heard alot worse singers on even more famous bands: Motorhead, AC/DC and Rolling Stones to name a few.

[JamesEagle]

For a while I did quite like 'I Believe In A Thing Called Love' and some Christmas song they did, but I couldn't listen to them now. Horrible stuff.

 

I notice 'Permission To Land' is available for £0.01 on Amazon now...

 

Intrigued about the Stone Gods CD though. Well, I was until I saw the price!

[Evil Rick]

My favorites in order:

 

Stone Gods (fantastic album!)

Permission To Land

Hot Leg

One Way Ticket To Hell (I think there was one track on the entire album I enjoyed)

 

Curious to see how the new album sounds, but I can't say I'm holding my breath in excitement.

[Captain Howdy]

This is the only way I can tolerate listening to a Darkness song.

Far superior to the original.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VbX6wKCXOQ

[T-BONE]

I liked The Darkness... Not your typical cookie-cutter rock band at all. The vocals "could" be tamed down slightly and I think they'd acquire more fans by doing so.

[Captain Howdy]

I actually saw Hawkins live once. He came onstage with Steel Panther to sing Party all day with them.

My friends had to stop me from head butting the steel barrier even though I told them that it was less painful than listening to that gimp.

[Nick C]

I went to see 'em live years ago around Christmas time if I remember rightly, on the Permission to Land tour. They were top, rocked like bastids and were a nice shot in the arm for people fed up with the pseudo serious poser can't smile for the camera brigade (ooh they look so tough haha!). The crowd loved it and I came away with the feeling that it was money well spent, it wasn't until a few years later on the Kiss Sonic Boom tour that I got the same "up" about a gig.

That bloody Mika is copying his vocals too....lol....poor guy!

[Captain Howdy]

Literal video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DK4GkQ_DhIk

[KING]

I liked The Darkness... Not your typical cookie-cutter rock band at all. The vocals "could" be tamed down slightly and I think they'd acquire more fans by doing so.

 

my thoughts exactly. Look forward to a new album of catchy hard rock, just tone down the tiny tim-isms.