Jump to content

The Darkness (band)

From Alfawiki
The Darkness
Company typePrivate
IndustryMusic
FoundedJanuary 1, 2000; 26 years ago (2000-01-01) in Lowestoft, England
FounderJustin Hawkins, Dan Hawkins
Headquarters
Lowestoft
,
United Kingdom
ProductsMusic albums, live performances

The Darkness is a British hard rock group that originated in Lowestoft in 2000. The band features brothers Justin Hawkins (vocals, guitar) and Dan Hawkins (guitar), along with Frankie Poullain on bass and Rufus Tiger Taylor on drums.

Their breakthrough came with the release of their debut album, Permission to Land (2003), which included hit singles such as "I Believe in a Thing Called Love" and "Growing on Me". This album earned quadruple platinum certification in the UK, exceeding 1.3 million sales. In 2004, they secured three Brit Awards—Best British Group, Best British Rock Act, and Best British Album. After an extensive touring period, Poullain departed in 2005 and was succeeded by former guitar technician Richie Edwards. Their follow-up record, One Way Ticket to Hell... and Back, released in November 2005, did not meet commercial expectations. The band faced further challenges when Justin Hawkins exited in 2006 after undergoing rehabilitation for substance issues, resulting in Atlantic Records dropping the group. The remaining members went on to form Stone Gods, while Hawkins focused on his side project Hot Leg.

In 2011, The Darkness reunited with original bassist Poullain for performances including appearances at Download Festival and Isle of Wight Festival. Their third studio album, Hot Cakes, was launched in 2012. After original drummer Ed Graham left, they went on to release Last of Our Kind (2015), Pinewood Smile (2017), and a live record titled Live at Hammersmith (2018). Their sixth studio effort, Easter Is Cancelled, arrived in 2019. The global COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of their 2020 world tour; however, they ended the year with a streamed concert called "Streaming of a White Christmas," which was also made available as a live album. Their seventh studio album, Motorheart, was released in 2021 and supported by an extensive UK tour running through November and December.

The Darkness took part in the 2025 VE Day Celebration held at Horse Guards Parade.

Early years

As teenagers, Justin and Dan Hawkins performed together in a band that covered artists including Marillion, Bruce Springsteen, and Genesis, drawing from progressive rock influences. Justin Hawkins credits his guitar inspiration to Brian May of Queen, particularly admiring May’s distinctive tone and vibrato.

Initially called Empire, the band attracted industry attention through their manager Sue Whitehouse of Savage & Best based in Camden, who had worked with them since Justin’s early days creating music jingles. Renamed The Darkness, they became recognized for their dynamic live performances, which led to securing a Carling Homecoming show at the London Astoria prior to signing a recording contract.

Industry figures Joe Taylor, Aled Jones, and Paul Scaife from the Tip Sheet discovered the band through their message board and featured their track "Love Is Only a Feeling" in January 2002, promoting it again around the time of SXSW in March 2003. They intended to highlight "Friday Night" but the band reserved that song for inclusion on their album.

A&R executive Nick Raphael recalled that initial label interest was minimal, with only two companies showing any enthusiasm. He attributed this to the music industry’s perception of the group as uncool or not serious. However, after selling 3.5 million records worldwide, Raphael acknowledged them as one of the most remarkable bands due to their genuine style that stood apart from prevailing trends.

Despite facing worldwide critical dismissal as a "joke band," The Darkness opted to sign with Atlantic Records rather than Sony Music UK. Early in their career, they supported Disturbed during a December 1, 2002 show at Brixton Academy, where they encountered hostility from Disturbed’s fanbase. Singer David Draiman later criticized how his band handled the situation but apologized to Justin Hawkins following Hawkins’ recounting of the incident on YouTube in 2022.

Permission to Land and commercial achievements (2003–2005)

The band's inaugural album, Permission to Land, entered the UK charts at number two on 7 July 2003 and subsequently climbed to the top spot, maintaining number one for four consecutive weeks. It ultimately sold 1.5 million copies within the UK market. Drawing heavily from their north Suffolk heritage, the album featured songs such as "Black Shuck," which alludes to the nearby village of Blythburgh.

This initial success led to an extensive touring schedule over the following two years, including performances across Europe as part of Metallica's Summer Sanitarium Tour in 2003. They also participated in the 2004 Big Day Out festival tour, sharing the stage with prominent acts like Metallica, Muse, and the Black Eyed Peas. Later in 2004, the band headlined at both the Reading and Leeds Festivals.

In 2004, they earned three prestigious BRIT Awards for Best Group, Best Rock Group, and Best Album. Additionally, they received two Kerrang! awards recognizing them as Best Live Act and Best British Band. Their third single, "I Believe in a Thing Called Love", achieved significant success on both sides of the Atlantic, becoming the second highest-charting UK band single in the United States that year. Their festive release, "Christmas Time (Don't Let the Bells End)", also reached number two on the charts, narrowly missing out on the top position alongside their earlier hit.[1][2]

One Way Ticket to Hell... And Back and downturn (2005–2006)

In a unique pre-release event during October 2005, Justin Hawkins purchased an advance copy of One Way Ticket to Hell ...and Back via an eBay auction for £350 under the alias 'turbogunhawk', intending to monitor and prevent unauthorized distribution of the digitally watermarked album.

The album's lead single, "One Way Ticket," was released on 14 November 2005 and entered the UK singles chart at number 8. The full album followed on 28 November 2005 but received mixed critical responses. Produced by esteemed rock producer Roy Thomas Baker, known for his collaborations with Queen, early sales figures indicated a weaker commercial performance compared to their debut release Permission to Land. The album debuted at number 11 but fell sharply to number 34 in its second week. Although it eventually earned platinum certification, this achievement was modest relative to their first album’s four-times platinum status.[3]

The follow-up single, "Is It Just Me?", launched on 20 February 2006, reached number 8 on the charts despite initial expectations of a higher placement at number 6. The third single, "Girlfriend", released on 22 May, charted considerably lower at number 39.

Justin Hawkins' exit and band hiatus (2006)

In August 2006, lead vocalist Justin Hawkins sought treatment for health issues, resulting in the cancellation of multiple live shows. At the same time, the group revealed intentions to release a third studio album in early 2007. Media speculation arose claiming Hawkins would leave following rehab, with Richie Edwards potentially stepping in as lead singer. The band addressed this on their official forum:

"We regret that you had to discover this through the press, as we hoped until the very end that Justin would stay. Dan, Ed, and Richie remain stunned and are uncertain about what lies ahead. We appreciate the continued support from our fans, partners, and families. We will update you once we determine our next steps..."

Following Hawkins’ departure and the disappointing sales of One Way Ticket to Hell..., Atlantic Records terminated their contract with the band. Under the alias British Whale, Hawkins released a rendition of Sparks’ "This Town Ain't Big Enough for Both of Us", which reached number six on the UK singles chart. In 2007, he made an unsuccessful bid to represent the UK in the Eurovision Song Contest. By 2011, Hawkins attributed his decision to leave the band to a lack of creative inspiration.

Additional musical ventures (2006–2011)

On 9 November 2007, The Stone Gods was established, comprising Dan Hawkins on lead guitar, Toby MacFarlaine handling bass duties, Ed Graham on drums, and Ritchie Edwards providing vocals and guitar.

In 2008, Justin Hawkins formed Hot Leg alongside Pete Rinaldi, Samuel SJ Stokes, and Darby Todd. The group released their album Red Light Fever in 2009, which reached number 81 on the charts. They put out three singles from the album; however, only one charted. By December 2010, both Hot Leg and The Stone Gods had entered periods of inactivity.

Reunion and Hot Cakes Era (2011–2013)

In March 2011, the original lineup of the band came back together.[4] They initiated their comeback with warm-up performances in Norwich, Leamington, and at London's Shepherd's Bush Empire,[5] before taking the stage at the 2011 Download Festival. Subsequently, they held a more intimate gig at London's 100 Club,[6] which featured support from Dark Stares and special appearances by Queen’s guitarist Brian May as well as comedian Rufus Hound.[7] Following this, the band embarked on tours across Japan,[8] as well as the United Kingdom and Ireland.[9]

In February 2012, they introduced a new track titled "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us", which was made available as a complimentary download.[10] Their North American tour included performances alongside Crown Jewel Defense and Foxy Shazam,[11] followed by appearances at the Sweden Rock Festival and the eighteenth edition of Przystanek Woodstock.[12] Prior to releasing their third studio album, Hot Cakes, in August, the singles "Every Inch of You" and "Everybody Have a Good Time" were issued in May and June respectively. During the summer months, the group headlined the Big Top Tent at the Isle of Wight Festival 2012 and served as opening act for Lady Gaga on multiple legs of her Born This Way Ball tour across Europe, Latin America, and Africa.[13] Towards the end of 2013, they released "The Horn," a track not included on any album, available for download.[14]

Last of Our Kind and lineup changes (2014–2017)

In September 2014, the group commenced recording their fourth studio album, with Emily Dolan Davies stepping in to replace Ed Graham on drums. The album, titled Last of Our Kind, was officially released on 2 June 2015 through the band’s own Canary Dwarf Records in partnership with Kobalt Label Services. Prior to the album launch, the single "Open Fire" was made available on 23 March. The initial track unveiled was "Barbarian", accompanied by an animated video released on 23 February.

Davies departed from the band on 21 April 2015, and shortly after, on 25 April, Rufus Taylor—son of Queen’s drummer Roger Taylor—joined as the new percussionist. In December, The Darkness headlined Planet Rockstock 2015 in South Wales, closing the festival on 6 December. On 20 November 2015, they issued a festive single titled "I Am Santa", which was included in the deluxe edition of Last of Our Kind.

Pinewood Smile era (2017–2019)

During this period, The Darkness produced a feature documentary directed by Simon Emmett. In March 2017, they revealed plans to release their fifth studio album within that year. Named Pinewood Smile, it was launched on 6 October 2017. The lead single "All The Pretty Girls" debuted on 22 July. The band subsequently embarked on a UK tour toward the end of 2017.

In May 2017, they appeared at Australia’s Groovin' the Moo festival and supported Guns N' Roses during their European tour. Later that year in December, Justin and Dan Hawkins took part in the Christmas special of Pointless Celebrities.

Throughout 2018, The Darkness supported the US supergroup Hollywood Vampires on their European tour dates, including performances at UK arenas. Their first live album, Live at Hammersmith, recorded during a December 2017 London show, was released on 15 June 2018. Additionally, they composed theme music for the British children’s television program Catie's Amazing Machines, which premiered in October of that year.

Easter Is Cancelled period (2019–2021)

On 4 October 2019, The Darkness unveiled their sixth studio album, Easter Is Cancelled, through Cooking Vinyl. This release marked their fourth UK Top 10 album and reached number one on both the Official Charts Top 40 Rock And Metal Chart and the iTunes Rock Chart, accumulating over three million streams on Spotify.

The album garnered favorable critical reception; singles such as "Heart Explodes" and "Rock and Roll Deserves to Die" received significant airplay across Radio 2, Absolute Radio, and Kerrang! stations. Notably, the music video for "Rock and Roll Deserves to Die" exceeded one million views.

In January 2020, a video for "In Another Life" featuring model Abbey Clancy was released and achieved placement on the BBC Radio 2 B-List. Their UK tour commenced on 25 November 2019 in Ireland and wrapped up on 20 December at London’s Roundhouse venue.

A global tour planned for 2020 covering Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and North America was abruptly halted in Adelaide on 15 March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Subsequently, the band returned to the UK for occasional live performances and streaming events while attempting to reschedule postponed concerts.

In December of that year, they held a one-off concert at The IndigO2 in London. Although initial intentions for a limited in-person audience were scrapped because of health restrictions, the event proceeded as a live-streamed performance. This show was recorded and later issued as the live album Streaming Of A White Christmas, released on CD and vinyl in early 2021.

Motorheart and Dreams on Toast (2021–present)

Following a relatively quiet start to 2021, the group revealed their seventh studio project, Motorheart, on 4 June, with the album officially released on 19 November. The title track was introduced as the lead single in August. Coinciding with the album launch, a comprehensive tour across the UK was planned for November and December.

In early 2023, The Darkness embarked on an arena tour throughout the UK alongside Black Stone Cherry, marking their first arena performances since 2006. Later that year, in November, they premiered a feature-length documentary entitled Welcome To The Darkness, which was shown in cinemas for one night before becoming available on DVD in December.

On 18 September 2024, the band announced their eighth studio album, Dreams on Toast, scheduled for release in March 2025. Additionally, they appeared at the VE Day 80 commemoration held at Horseguards Parade on 8 May 2025.

Band members

Current lineup

Present touring musicians

  • Ian Norfolk – rhythm guitar, mandolin, acoustic guitar, keyboards

Past members

Former touring personnel

  • Darby Todd – drums

Studio albums

Awards and honours

Award Year Nominee(s) Category Outcome
Classic Rock Roll of Honour Awards 2013 Themselves Showman of the Year
2015 Last of Our Kind Album of the Year
Kerrang! Awards 2003 Themselves Best Live Act
Permission to Land Best Album
2004 Themselves Best British Band
Best Live Band
Mercury Prize 2003 Permission to Land Album of the Year
Pop Factory Awards 2002 Themselves Best Pop Factory Performance
Best Pop Factory Debut

2003

  • Metal Hammer 'Golden God' award for Best Single ("Get Your Hands off My Woman")
  • MTV Europe Music Award for Best UK MTV2 Act

2004

  • Metal Hammer 'Golden God' accolade for Best Video ("Love Is Only a Feeling")
  • Ivor Novello Award recognizing Songwriters of the Year
  • BRIT Awards for Best British Group, Best Rock Act, and Best British Album (Permission to Land)
  • Nomination at the 2004 MTV Europe Music Awards for Best Rock category
  • IFPI Platinum Europe Award for surpassing one million sales (triple Platinum) of Permission to Land
  • Elle Style Award honoring Most Stylish Band
  • Meteor Ireland Music Award for Best Album (Permission to Land)
  • Smash Hits Poll Winners' Party award for Best Rock Act
  • RIAA Gold Digital Sales Certification for reaching 100,000 downloads ("I Believe in a Thing Called Love")
  • European Border Breakers Award for highest-selling debut European album outside its home country (Permission to Land)
  • Denmark GAFFA Award nominations for Best Foreign New Act and Best Foreign Hit ("I Believe in a Thing Called Love")

2005

  • Received the ASCAP Award recognizing one of the Most Frequently Performed Songs in the United States for "I Believe in a Thing Called Love"

2006

  • Honored with MTV Australia's Best Man Rock Video accolade for "One Way Ticket"

2008

  • Ranked 94th on VH1’s list of The 100 Greatest Hard Rock Songs for "I Believe in a Thing Called Love"

2011

  • Placed 87th on VH1’s compilation of The 100 Greatest Songs of the 2000s with "I Believe in a Thing Called Love"

2020

  • Voted as the leading track in Classic Rock magazine’s Greatest Songs of the Century (so far) reader poll: "I Believe in a Thing Called Love"

External links
  1. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  2. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  3. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  4. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  5. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  6. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  7. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  8. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  9. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  10. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  11. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  12. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  13. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  14. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
Retrieved from "https://www.alfawiki.org/index.php?title=The_Darkness_(band)&oldid=84389"