The Darkness

Travisthedog

Ive been on a voyage of rediscovey of late with this band. I loved Permission to land to bits and played it to death when it came out, but other than a couple of tracks off the follow up (One way Ticket....) i I wasnt so impressed and then of course it all imploded in the only way it ever could.

There was always that inclination to chalk them up as a joke band in the same vein as Steel Panter, but i have over the last few weeks been listening to the whole back catalogue and I have reached the following conclusion which should now be taken as law.

1. Justin Hawkins is a bit of a knob but also one of the most underated lead guitarists of a generation

2. Dan Hawkins isnt so much of a knob and is one of the best rhythmn guitarists of a generation

3. Justin Hawkins lyrics are incredibly clever at times.

4. The last 2 albums - Last of our Kind and Pinewood Smile are brilliant, brilliant rock records, (Buccaneers of Hispaniola and Barbarian being two stand out tracks)

5. Live - They blow pretty much every act of the genre off the stage

6. Justin Hawkins has had his teeth fixed at last.

7. I really look forward to his falsetto bits now, whereas they did begin to grate a bit originally

8. They now have Roger Taylors son on the drums and he's good

9. Controversially, I feel that they should occupy the hole in the music world that was once occupied by Queen

Feel free to flame me on point 9.

LuttiS

Travisthedog said:

Ive been on a voyage of rediscovey of late with this band. I loved Permission to land to bits and played it to death when it came out, but other than a couple of tracks off the follow up (One way Ticket....) i I wasnt so impressed and then of course it all imploded in the only way it ever could.

There was always that inclination to chalk them up as a joke band in the same vein as Steel Panter, but i have over the last few weeks been listening to the whole back catalogue and I have reached the following conclusion which should now be taken as law.

1. Justin Hawkins is a bit of a knob but also one of the most underated lead guitarists of a generation

2. Dan Hawkins isnt so much of a knob and is one of the best rhythmn guitarists of a generation

3. Justin Hawkins lyrics are incredibly clever at times.

4. The last 2 albums - Last of our Kind and Pinewood Smile are brilliant, brilliant rock records, (Buccaneers of Hispaniola and Barbarian being two stand out tracks)

5. Live - They blow pretty much every act of the genre off the stage

6. Justin Hawkins has had his teeth fixed at last.

7. I really look forward to his falsetto bits now, whereas they did begin to grate a bit originally

8. They now have Roger Taylors son on the drums and he's good

9. Controversially, I feel that they should occupy the hole in the music world that was once occupied by Queen

Feel free to flame me on point 9.

I have also been on a darkness re-discovery recently... and i agree with most of your points.

The song English Country Garden made me think of queen when first hearing.. Not sure they should occupy Queens spot, but i'm not entirely sure that they shouldn't.. 

Mark1960

Point 3 - I particularly like their xmas song. - the phrase "Don't let the bells end" particularly amuses me. I also like the video where they fire the space gun, and the projectile is ricocheting around the room!

Point 9 - mmm, don't think they are quite in that league yet, but yes very underestimated.

Travisthedog

 

I have also been on a darkness re-discovery recently... and i agree with most of your points.

The song English Country Garden made me think of queen when first hearing.. Not sure they should occupy Queens spot, but i'm not entirely sure that they shouldn't.. 

If you listen to "is it just me" - its absolutely Queen - but of course that may have something to do with the fact it was produced by Roy Thomas Baker!

FarleyUK

I'm a huge Darkness fan - always have been. I actually met Justin Hawkins at the back of a Steel Panther gig in London - and I can confirm he's a complete prick. However, his brother is an even bigger prick - incredibly arrogant.

However, I cannot deny they've created some fantastic rock tunes - although personally, my absolute favourite is Love on the Rocks With No Ice; that ending is glorious!!

And if you've never seen them live, you really are missing out - absolutely one of the greatest live bands on the planet. Check out the YouTube clips of Justin Hawkins crowd surfing in America from the 2nd floor balcony, for example.

FarleyUK

Travisthedog said:

 

I have also been on a darkness re-discovery recently... and i agree with most of your points.

The song English Country Garden made me think of queen when first hearing.. Not sure they should occupy Queens spot, but i'm not entirely sure that they shouldn't.. 

If you listen to "is it just me" - its absolutely Queen - but of course that may have something to do with the fact it was produced by Roy Thomas Baker!

Also a fantastic tappy solo thing in it!

Hattigol

Never viewed them as anything other than a tragic comedy band - like a terrible mix of Spinal Tap and a TK Maxx Queen.

Remember watching the Brit Awards where they swept the board and genuinely thinking Jeremy Beadle was going to pop out and reveal it all to be a hoax.

Modulus_Amps

Being a prick or at least acting like one is part of what has made them successful.

I agree, lets just make this forum law.

as for point 9 I quite like the tipping of the hat to queen, Muse do the same thing. Queen were bloody fantastic and it is surprising that there are not more bands showing them as an influence.

abw1989

I have enjoyed their music from the very beginning.

Love On The Rocks (With No Ice) is one the best pieces of music written by them personally. From the jangling intro lead, the chunky verse riff and the trading solos at the end, brilliant!  

Philly_Q

Where's @LesbianWithAGun when we need him?

abw1989 said:

Love On The Rocks (With No Ice) is one the best pieces of music written by them personally. From the jangling intro lead, the chunky verse riff and the trading solos at the end, brilliant!  

Agreed, I really like the first album and that track in particular is brilliant.

LuttiS said:
The song English Country Garden made me think of queen when first hearing..

But I thought the second album was awful and that track, with that stupid line about "my cock and Farmer Giles's prize marrow".... I just thought oh, fuck off Justin.

Then they split (what a spectacular fall from grace) and did those ropey solo projects, and I just haven't bothered to listen to the reformed band.  Maybe I should.

And yes, I think they probably are - or could be - about as near as we can get to filling a Queen-shaped hole.

Travisthedog

@philly_Q you should check the newer stuff out. Tracks like Barbarian and Buccaneers of Hispaniola are stormers

stickyfiddle

They're awesome. 

Made all my mates get up early & hungover to see them at Glastonbury 2003. Awesome. 

Reading 2003. Awesome

NEC 2004 (i think?). Justin soloing on a flying white tiger 10 feet above the crowd. Awesome

Brooklyn Steel, 2018. Smaller, even “intimate”, and to a crowd of New Yorkers, plus me (from Norfolk!). They still played like it was frickin Wembley. AWESOME.

What rarely gets mentioned is how damn tight they are. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone do better.

axisus

Lost track of them after they originally fell apart, but they are a great band. I still love that massive hit single, and yes, the Xmas song is superb, tongue in cheek, OTT but quite wonderful!

pintspiller

I never worked out if they wanted to be taken seriously or not. 

Teetonetal

No question that Justin is a good guitarist, but it’s just recycled rock stuff. 20 years too late. Irrelevant to his generation?

not_the_dj

I never thought of them as anything more than a fun but intentionally OTT parody. Maybe I should give them another chance. 

Travisthedog

roberty

I went ten pin bowling with Dan Hawkins and Ed once.  I never miss an opportunity to tell people that

TheBlueWolf

I disagree with the Queen comparison but they were an enjoyable, if cheesy, rock band

freakboy1610

The Darkness are great. I wrongly dismissed them as a joke the first time around but got into them 4 or 5 years ago. Last of our Kind and Pinewood Smile are fantastic albums IMHO. Seen them live 3 times now and they never disappoint.

merlin

I first heard of them when I saw them at the Isle of Wight in 2003. I thought they were a pastiche band, taking the piss out of themselves and the genre but doing it really well.

My girlfriend at the time thought that they were spectacularly brilliant so bought me Permission to Land for my birthday a month or so later. 

So she could listen to it ..... I don't think I ever listened to the whole thing in one sitting. Or maybe not even the whole thing ever.