After an abrupt departure in 2020, UK rockers The Darkness return to Australia this October for their national 'Motorheart' album tour.
"I really feel like the band is on fire at the moment," guitarist Dan Hawkins says. "We've had the best festival season that we've ever done. The band has locked into this thing now where there's this invincibility about it and it's just really fun. "Justin [Hawkins, frontman] is engaging with the audience more than he's ever done; it's good, I'm excited. There's absolutely no doubt in my mind it's going to be an amazing tour."
'Motorheart' is The Darkness' seventh studio album (released November 2021) and an intentional return to the carefree, riff-driven rock of their earlier releases that Dan says was created with the express purpose of being played live.
"This one, because we were making it during COVID and lockdown, I knew that we would be touring it straight out of the gate, that we would be one of the first bands touring once the doors opened again and we didn't want it to be maudlin in any sense of the word," he explains.
"So, the primary objective was 'let's just make something that is going to be really fun to play live', and that's what we did. It's full-on rocking, I'd say is what you're going to get.
"On the 'Motorheart' tour in the UK we really streamlined the set, so it really is just out and out all of the most rocking tunes and not even time for a breather.
"Smack 'em round the face and f...k off I think is the approach," Dan laughs.
There is a profound love for The Darkness in Australia that is reflected in few other places around the world, as Dan affirms. "I'd say we're almost better received in Australia than we are in our own country, yet it's on the other side of the world," he says.
"It's out of step with most of the rest of the world, and it's inexplicable really. I've often wondered why that is. Maybe it's our surfing skills or something, I don't know."
Undoubtedly, The Darkness' biggest hit is and always will be 'I Believe In A Thing Called Love’, the one song Dan says the band could never get away without playing live, ever.
"We were talking about this the other day, actually. Justin said: 'Look, we should probably drop 'I Believe In A Thing Called Love' at some point, and I said: 'What the f... are you talking about?'" he laughs.
"Like, 'yeah, that'd be a good idea' – he said, sarcastically. Because from since the first time we played that song that's the only song we have played every single time [live], obviously, it's our biggest hit.
"When you're the sort of band to leave your biggest hit out, then I don't like those sorts of bands.
"People spend a lot of money on tickets, go to great efforts and travel huge distances to see a band live, so we want to give them exactly what they want.
"It's not necessarily about what the band want to do, it's a joint thing. If it's someone's birthday and you don't give them a present, it's a sh.t birthday, isn't it?"
There'll be no sh.t birthdays in October with an imminent tour from The Darkness to look forward to, that's for sure. It's certainly been a one-way ticket to Hell (and back) for The Darkness, enduring the dizzying highs and harrowing lows of mega-stardom worthy of their own biopic.
Given such a film should arise, Dan has some ideas about who should play him and Justin. "This one's easy," Dan says.
"My one is the guy who played young Darth Vader in 'Star Wars' [Adam Driver]. He's got quite a big nose, which is initially why I chose him, but his hair goes a bit like mine. He's spot on for me, and he's got quite a low voice.
"Justin, ooh, let me think, that's a tough one. Maybe, Steve Buscemi."
The Darkness 2022 Tour Dates
Tue 11 Oct - Forum MelbourneWed 12 Oct - Forum Melbourne* sold out
Fri 14 Oct - Astor Theatre (Perth)* sold out
Sat 15 Oct - Thebarton Theatre (Adelaide)
Sun 16 Oct - Enmore Theatre (Sydney)
Tue 18 Oct - Kambri (Canberra)
Wed 19 Oct - The Tivoli (Brisbane)* sold out
