The Darkness Are Back

RebelSoul

Yes the rumours are true, looks like the original line up of The Darkness are reforming. Have to say I thought Permission To Land was a great album, the follow up not so much.

I had heard rumours about this months ago when the writing of the new Stone Gods album stalled. Apparently Dan has a kid on the way and a new home bought and thus needs cash. So unsure as to whether this is going to be a tour followed by a quickie album(if even) followed by a goodbye.
If there is a new album though hopefully it'll be in the vein of PTL.

http://www.thedarknessareback.com/

Motley Crue

Interesting, this also works - http://www.theactualdarkness.com/

Saw these guys several times, and Hot Leg (Justin's solo project), interviewed Justin as well a few times and really happy to see them back if this is the case...seems genuine so I don't see why not

But as for the line up, I'd be extremely surprised to see Ed Graham back given his injuries and operations....and I'd prefer to see Frankie Poullain back too if this is a reunion

Motley Crue

Doctor Jimbob wrote: »

From what I've been hearing Ed and Frankie are both gonna be back, but then I'm pretty sure that info came from wikipedia so hardly the best source

True enough, Wikipedia also states a new album coming out...which is good news

RebelSoul

Doctor Jimbob wrote: »

From what I've been hearing Ed and Frankie are both gonna be back, but then I'm pretty sure that info came from wikipedia so hardly the best source

On their facebook page linked on the website http://www.thedarknessareback.com/ it has the originals members listed.

nyarlothothep

Hmmm, seems good, will be interesting to see what kind of album they make. I found with Stone God it was too straight ahead, meat and two veg metal, the vocals sounded too americana like Nickleback, whereas while Hot Leg had some great tunes it was bit too candyflossed. Hopefully with the Hawkins brothers re-uniting Dans heaviness/seriousness combined with Justins innate grasp of melody will mean the combination of the best of both worlds.

Second album was a bit sh1t in places, it went too soft/pop in places with track 5, or the final track but it had some decent songs, Hazel Eyes being one.

Somnus

Permission to Land is a great album. I'd be interested to hear what they come out with if they do write a new album. Never listened to the second one. Heard a song or two and wasn't mad on it.

Mushy

Permission to Land was amazing, One Way Ticket.....awful piece of crap. Stone Gods album was great....how the follow up to PtL should have been. Announced for Soni or Download or Reading in the next 8/9 days I'd say.

Say Your Number

I'm dissapointed by this news, I think Stone Gods are miles better, Was thinking something was up with there 2nd album cos they recorded it in late '09 and just vanished off the face of the earth, Looks like it won't be out anytime soon. But I do like Darkness though, but Justins singing can be irritating at times, but they're a fun band that don't take themselves too seriously

Motley Crue

Doctor Jimbob wrote: »

I'd imagine they'll be announced for download seeing as they're having an announcement early this week. Good news for me if they're announced coz I'm going

I can see these guys inbetween Def Leppard, Duff McKagan and Thin Lizzy...seems appropriate that Friday will be their home

Saw them headline Oxegen among my many times of seeing them and they really stepped up to the mark that year - they had one studio album, and were replacing David Bowie (although Muse could have easily headlined in place of Bowie) but it was an excellent show

MickClince12118

Stone Gods were a fantastic, solid band that never got the recognition they deserved, with the members having been in such a simply foolish band before.

Justin Hawkins would have been kicked in the teeth by even the most avid glam rockers in the 80's. He can't sing, all his singing is in falsetto. He destroyed any sentiment of cool that The Darkness could ever have had.

Always knew there was a better band behind him, which the Stone Gods showed. Simply put Justin Hawkins is a joke, an outlandish gob****e who is not rock n roll in the slightest. He's more like that Mika chap than anything to do with rock. People say that some people just don't get him, but there is no talent there at all.

The reason the darkness quit in the first place is because the band wanted to be more serious musicians and with Justin they were becoming too much of a joke. They obviously agreed with the criticism the band was getting but now have decided to go back to it all.

This band don't deserve a thread of serious recognition, when the majority of the members have virtually admitted it themselves. It's a money job end of story.

nyarlothothep

While I agree that it probably is a money job I totally disagree about Justin not having any talent, its pretty evident that he is a good lead guitarist and in relation to singing he's ok live. As for the whole image thing, being rock n roll, whatever that means, is boring, its been done and more importantly who cares. The one thing I really liked about The Darkness was their willingness to take the p1ss, it was refreshing, a lot of "serious" bands just emulate the past or have nothing to distinguish them. A lot of people hated them because they didn't appear serious enough or had too many "self indulgent" guitar solos or whatever but get this I prefer them to say QOTSA and especially with respect to any hipster band. I say this because music as a respectability/status thing is irrelevant to me. I'll happily listen to The Darkness and then "respectable" music like Tool in the same sitting. Music has different functions, it certainly should not collapsed into one. I still listen to Permission to Land as there are some serious song writing chops on there.

RayCon

MickClince12118 wrote: »

Justin Hawkins is a joke ...there is no talent there at all.

Have you heard him play guitar ? ...

Motley Crue

MickClince12118 wrote: »

Justin Hawkins would have been kicked in the teeth by even the most avid glam rockers in the 80's. He can't sing, all his singing is in falsetto. He destroyed any sentiment of cool that The Darkness could ever have had.

I know Justin a little, a lot of what he does on stage is an act, but it's a good one. I have seen him headline festivals and I've seen him perform in a club for 50 people....on both occasions he sang, and was quite good at it

MickClince12118 wrote: »

Always knew there was a better band behind him, which the Stone Gods showed. Simply put Justin Hawkins is a joke, an outlandish gob****e who is not rock n roll in the slightest. He's more like that Mika chap than anything to do with rock. People say that some people just don't get him, but there is no talent there at all.

Again, he might be outlandish in his dress sense, but he is no gob****e. He knows what talent he has and he exploits it in order to create interest in his musical talent. He's more rock and roll then most artists in the sense that he gives such energy off during a performance - he loses all inhibitions - and although that makes some people uncomfortable (most in this day and age are frightened at the idea of a rockstar who can't keep still during a performance) he could put on a stadium rock show in a local pub

MickClince12118 wrote: »

The reason the darkness quit in the first place is because the band wanted to be more serious musicians and with Justin they were becoming too much of a joke. They obviously agreed with the criticism the band was getting but now have decided to go back to it all.

No, that is NOT why they quit, I don't know where you got this information from? It's well documented the band disbanded after they were dropped by their record label. They were dropped by their label because Justin Hawkins went to rehab for cocaine addiction. They did not quit because of any joke factor in their music.

MickClince12118 wrote: »

This band don't deserve a thread of serious recognition, when the majority of the members have virtually admitted it themselves. It's a money job end of story.

Again, no they haven't, I've met every member of the Darkness past and present and interviewed them and not one of them has ever mentioned - and you're welcome to correct me on this - the fact that they did it all for the money or that the Darkness was a money wagon. These guys came off the dole to support Def Leppard, they wanted nothing more then musical recognition, although Hawkins did say that the leotards were a bit tight

Minstrel27

Permission To Land is a great listen so something similar to that would be superb.

Motley Crue

Here's the first press shot of the band back together for Download, bit disappointed about Ed's inclusion - don't get me wrong, it's just he made a big deal about the serious operations he had and the reasons he left Stone Gods...he made it clear he would never drum again so to see him come back this fast is nothing short of a miracle and I truly hope he isn't pushing himself too far

Looking forward to this quite a lot, Friday is just getting better and better for me

RayCon

^ Cool ... more monster riffs and solos please , less Diet-Queen 2nd album crap thanks.

senordingdong

I think alot of people see PTL with rose tinted glasses.
I don't think it has stood the test of time, so I will have to remain skeptical of anything that follows.

Otis Driftwood

Uhh.

These guys were vaguely amusing for about a month then magazines like Metal Hammer started creaming for them and they started to believe their own hype - that they were more than a cheesey Queen knock off - and then it all went tits up.


I give them 12 months until they split again,Justin to end up in rehab and people to realise that they are in fact,rubbish.

FunkZ

Fcukin' delighted! One of the best live bands I've seen!

MickShamrock

Jesus wept. Hopefully they spontaneously combust.

Motley Crue

MickShamrock wrote: »

Jesus wept. Hopefully they spontaneously combust.

I think, scientifically, there is more chance of you spontaneously combusting then the four of them...the odds are on their side at least

Royale with Cheese

Hoping this will be more like Permission to Land than One Way Ticket but currently I have my doubts.

Just listening to a bit of Physical Sex at the moment...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpaZAXAT6w8

This is why I loved the Darkness. The majority of their b-sides off the first album are far better than the stuff on One Way Ticket.

nyarlothothep

Yar, that song encapsulates the in your face with unashamed rock un-self conscious music The Darkness produced. Very energetic compared to one way ticket.

metzengerstein

absolutly despise the darkness and all the ripp offery they stand for .

happyoutscan

Delighted they are back, they are a class act live.

seachto7

No difference between the Darkness and Airbourne, only the Darkness wrote novelty songs..........

Say Your Number

If Justin didn't sing in falsetto all the time, ya could accuse The Darkness of being a AC/DC rip off, They definitely are a big influence on them.

nyarlothothep

Ah I don't know about that, they have the Queen influence going to, they're kind of like an intense fusion of ACDC with Queen with a ribald frontman. There are other elements too, like a sense of the absurd and theatricality, both musical and image wise that seems lost on a lot of people. Some thin lizzy in there too. Any band can be accused of ripping off their influences, Led Zeppelin for one. Imo the darkness are what they are, they are distinct though related to the bands which influence them, rather than being a tribute band like Airbourne.

Say Your Number

nyarlothothep wrote: »

Ah I don't know about that, they have the Queen influence going to, they're kind of like an intense fusion of ACDC with Queen with a ribald frontman. There are other elements too, like a sense of the absurd and theatricality, both musical and image wise that seems lost on a lot of people. Some thin lizzy in there too. Any band can be accused of ripping off their influences, Led Zeppelin for one. Imo the darkness are what they are, they are distinct though related to the bands which influence them, rather than being a tribute band like Airbourne.

AC/DC would be a influence on the music, Justin's vocals make them distinctive.
Don't see Airbourne as a tribute band, Alright AC/DC are their only influence, But I would prefer they take inspiration from AC/DC then a terrible band like Limp Bizkit, They are kinda developing their own style,
This sounds a bit different

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOtMJWmcHRg

seachto7

GR88 wrote: »

This sounds a bit different

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOtMJWmcHRg

sounds different how????

Say Your Number

seachto7 wrote: »

sounds different how????

I mean that I don't think it sounds like a AC/DC song, In my opinion anyway.

More leather one-sies and crotch thrusting then I take it.


Wonderful!!!


I'm genuinely excited!!!

Say Your Number

Doctor Jimbob wrote: »

Yeah, no doubt they're a big influence on them. But so are other bands, the most obvious one being queen. Theres no harm in taking inspiration from a few sources and blending it together to make your own thing.

Suppose Justins vocals set them apart from Airbourne, The Answer etc, But it's probably the reason some people have an intense hatred for them.
I like them but his voice gets on my nerves at times.

Furious-Red

Playing Sonisphere in Spain

http://www.bifmradio.com/bifm/index.php/bi-fm-news/1390-the-darkness-confirmados-para-la-edicion-espanola-de-sonisphere.html

senordingdong

Will they have a new album out before they start touring or will they just hit the road and maybe churn an album out afterwards?

population

Hope this doesn't kill off The Stone Gods. I was so impressed with their album.

Furious-Red

population wrote: »

Hope this doesn't kill off The Stone Gods. I was so impressed with their album.

Yea i really enjoyed Stone Gods , seen them support Airbourne in 2008???? And really liked them and the bald guy was a great front man and singer . I really should have both their LP on the night instead of Download it

Say Your Number

population wrote: »

Hope this doesn't kill off The Stone Gods. I was so impressed with their album.

They recorded their 2nd album over a year ago, Hopefully it will see the light of day at some point, They are far too good a band to just vanish and never be heard of again.

Furious-Red

The Darkness will undertake a full world tour in 2012, according to singer Justin Hawkins.

The Lowestoft hair metallers, who announced that they were reuniting earlier this year after a five-year separation, have said they are now making plans to tour the world and will definitely release new music.

Speaking to Q Hawkins said: "There'll probably be a The Darkness album in 2012, but somehow we'll get new music out before then. A UK tour at the end of that year and then the world. Again."

The Darkness play their first gigs since reuniting next month, headlining the Norwich Waterfront on June 5, the Leamington Spa Assembly on June 6 and London's O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire on June 8. These will act as a warm-up for their appearance at Download Festival playing underneath headliners Def Leppard on June 10.

The band's reunion is with their original line-up with brothers Justin and Dan Hawkins, bassist Frankie Poullain and drummer Ed Graham in the set-up.

slavetothegrind

great, more deathcries of a scalded cat.
i have no love for the darkness.
if they were a plastic toy they would be in a 2.99 box of christmas crackers.

Grid.

Why!!!!!!

Motley Crue

Gridlock wrote: »

Why!!!!!!

Because they're amazing, that's why!

Motley Crue

Reunited British rockers THE DARKNESS made their U.K. live comeback last night (Sunday, June 5) in front of just 200 people at the Norwich Waterfront.

The band's setlist was as follows:

01. Bareback
02. Black Shuck
03. Growing On Me
04. Get Your Hands Off My Woman
05. One Way Ticket
06. Nothing's Gonna Stop Us
07. Love Is Only A Feeling
08. Is It Just Me?
09. Concrete
10. Cannonball
11. Stuck In A Rut
12. Givin' Up
13. Friday Night
14. I Believe In A Thing Called Love
15. Love On The Rocks With No Ice

Interesting set list, gives a good mix of both albums, strange considering I always believed Justin hated a lot of the material from the second. Having said that I don't, thankfully, see Girlfriend anywhere there so that is a relief.