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When The Darkness first hit the United States in 2003, rock radio fans were excited. Here was an English band with guitar solos, sing-along choruses, falsetto vocals, and yes, catsuits. They were sonically somewhere between Queen, AC/DC and The Strokes. “I Believe In A Thing Called Love” was a monster hit – still heard plenty these days as well, given recent uses on Glee and Lip Sync Battle – while “Get Your Hands Off Of My Woman” (later covered by Ben Folds), “Growing On Me” (which appeared on the soundtrack of School Of Rock) and “Love Is Only A Feeling” also did well. Plenty of honors would come from Kerrang!, ELLE, ASCAP, MTV and VH1 over the next few years.
The next album by The Darkness did not fare as well in the United States, but the accolades and acclaim did continue elsewhere in the world. Original bassist Frankie Poullain quit the band in 2005 and frontman Justin Hawkins followed in 2006, which put The Darkness on hold. The group reunited in 2011 for Hot Cakes, which included a flute cameo by Jethro Tull’s Ian Anderson, production work by Bob Ezrin, and a Radiohead cover. Original bassist Frankie Poullain rejoined for Hot Cakes, and touring in support of such included many dates with Lady Gaga on her Born This Way Ball tour.
Between Hot Cakes and 2015’s Last Of Our Kind, a few drummers have come and gone for The Darkness, but the quartet now happily has Rufus Taylor – son of legendary Queen drummer Roger – in the fold. Last Of Our Kind was produced by Darkness guitarist Dan Hawkins, entirely written by its band members, and was released by Canary Dwarf, the band’s label imprint through Kobalt Label Services. In turn, The Darkness finally seems to be in control of its own destiny with minimal outside interference. Although Justin has co-written songs on recent albums by Adam Lambert, Meat Loaf and Weezer, so clearly the members of The Darkness are allowed to work on interesting projects otherwise.
As part of their first headlining U.S. tour in quite a while, The Darkness will be appearing at Irving Plaza on October 27th and at Long Island’s The Paramount in Huntington on October 30th. As mentioned by Frankie within our Q&A, a few of the songs from Last Of Our Kind are to be expected beyond the aforementioned hits. Any way you slice it, it’s great that the rock saviors known as The Darkness are back at it in top form.
What do you wish more people knew about The Darkness?
Frankie Poullain: I wish that people didn’t know anything about us.
Is it true that before you were in The Darkness that you worked as a tour guide in Venezuela?
F: Yes, and almost fatally for me, a tour guide with no sense of direction. I stupidly stuck a machete through a nest in the Orinoco Delta jungle and was stung forty times by brown bees.
Your autobiography came out seven years ago. Looking back at the experience, was it enjoyable to write a reflective book like that? Were there any repercussions that came from publishing it?
F: Not many repercussions, no. How could there be if no one read it? It was just a bit of fun in my downtime.
When was the title track of your latest album, Last Of Our Kind, written in relation to the rest of the album? When it was written, did you guys know that it was going to be the title track?
F: It was written towards the end of the writing process, and no, we did not envisage it as the title track. The verses reminds me of Human League’s “Together in Electric Dreams” and the chorus “Reward” by The Teardrop Explodes. Justin’s solo is joyous. The original working title was “Cliffhanger,” but that became hard to justify.
How did the band select the 236 fans that did the gang vocals on “Last Of Our Kind?”
F: Means testing Darkness style: we chose the loneliest, the freaks, the outlaws, the bedsit lotharios with nothing better to do than chew gum and blow smoke into the faces of astonished policemen.
Your newest album was released via a label services deal through Kobalt, who are primarily known for being a music publisher. Was it the plan all along to do a unique deal like that?
F: Kobalt are an enlightened bunch and highly motivated, we are enjoying the experience.
Talent aside, were there any other factors that helped you guys figure out that Rufus was going to be your new drummer?
F: The blue eyes were crucial. The singing voice a happy bonus. The glorious mop of blonde hair simply incidental. The name an irksome irrelevance. He’s our midlife crisis. Our guilty treasure.
Having ridden the last wave of traditional music business success, what has to happen for Last Of Our Kind to be considered a success in your eyes?
F: It’s happened already: we play “Barbarian,” “Open Fire” and “Mudslide” live and the crowd are in a state of ecstatic rapture.
What do you remember about your first trip to New York City?
F: I was in Queens with my brother, drowning in pitchers of beer, hailing endless cabs and wondering how I’d ever make it.
When you’re not busy with The Darkness, how do you like to spend your free time?
F: I don’t spend time, I save it. Sometimes I even deposit it. Into my time machine.
Finally, Frankie, any last words for the kids?
F: Album. Buy. Darkness. Tickets. Capitalism. Destroy. But. First. Purchase. VIP Upgrade: http://shop.thedarkness.co.uk/collections/tickets.
-by Darren Paltrowitz