Darkness: We are so cocky
TIME TO ROCK, SAYS JUSTIN
LOWESTOFT’S finest The Darkness reckon their brand of “c**k rock” is the perfect remedy for the pandemic.
Back in the Top 20 with new album Motorheart, the quartet are approaching their 20th anniversary but feel like they’re only just getting started.
Frontman Justin Hawkins told me: “We want to bring style and a positive moment. “Nothing unites people like uplifting c**k-rock. It’s our job to do that, it’s not our job to moan about anything. The Darkness still have a role. People still have c**ks and they still want to rock.” The group turned 18 recently and that means they can finally be bad, according to Justin. He said: “The band is allowed to legally drink and vote. We can do all that other stuff now, I guess.”
Bassist Frank quipped: “Or are you really asking if we’ve lost our virginity?” To which
Justin added: “Well, we’ve certainly been f***ed by the record industry.
“But who hasn’t? It’s still glorious, we’ve got the best jobs in the world.”
The band are in the middle of a gruelling UK tour and have gone to great lengths to make sure it happens.
Guitarist Dan explained: “We’ve had to get rid of our usual entourage.
“We’re in an incredibly tight bubble to try to guarantee getting through it.
“We’re keeping away from other people and basically won’t be going out throughout the whole tour. It’s just us four and that’s it.”
Their rules were too strict for Steve Harris from Iron Maiden, who was due to support them with his band British Lion.
Justin said: “They pulled out saying that my Covid rules were too stringent for them. That’s true, we do insist on strict guidelines. They didn’t want to follow that. It’s fair enough.”
Catch The Darkness on the road from now and into December.