# THE Darkness (... i said THE) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 31, 2004, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-darkness-i-said-the/226853 "2004-01-31T00:06:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jive2keys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/58f4c7/32.png) [@jive2keys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jive2keys)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2004, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-darkness-i-said-the/226853/1 "2004-01-31T00:06:17Z")
holy crap! The Darkness is starting to get so huge in the U.S. I never thought they could make the crossover, but dang, i’m really starting to like them. Is anyone else getting into it? I’m glad they’re bringin ‘rock’ back. ---
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2004, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-darkness-i-said-the/226853/2 "2004-01-31T01:07:11Z")
Saw them in San Francisco a few months back. Darned bastard aren’t coming near the city this tour. They were fantastic, and are definately very big where it counts. ---
**Author:** ![Gerome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/85e7bf/32.png) [@Gerome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gerome)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2004, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-darkness-i-said-the/226853/3 "2004-01-31T01:22:51Z")
They were awesome to behold at the Big Day Out festival tour in Melbourne a few days ago, but sadly their solo show was sold out months beforehand so I couldn’t observe the rock closeup. ---
**Author:** ![Mofo\_Rising](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Mofo\_Rising](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mofo_Rising)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2004, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-darkness-i-said-the/226853/4 "2004-01-31T01:46:27Z")
I’m sorry, I’ve heard THE DARKNESS. I can see that there seems to be some quality playing buried in there, but they are using their powers for the forces of evil. No thanks. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2004, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-darkness-i-said-the/226853/5 "2004-01-31T03:10:56Z")
Hate the songs on the radio - great riffs, but could his voice be more annoying? Having said that, I saw a video of them doing a show, and the mix was edgier and his voice what not so up front - and they sounded a ton better for it. ---
**Author:** ![jive2keys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/58f4c7/32.png) [@jive2keys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jive2keys)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2004, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-darkness-i-said-the/226853/6 "2004-02-02T23:40:46Z")
His voice RULES. do you understand how INCREDIBLY IMPOSSIBLE it is to sing the way he does. That’s a damn amazing talent. To me, it just sounds like ROCK is back. All the shitty pop-punk/emo bands that are popular sing as high as he does, or higher. The only difference is, they can’t sing. This guys got the voice of a future rock god. … as you can see, my psychic abilities are starting to kick in. The Darkness will probably go down as one of the greatest saviors rocks has ever known. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2004, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-darkness-i-said-the/226853/7 "2004-02-03T00:05:20Z")
Add me to the people who hate the lead singer’s voice. The DJ on the station I first heard them on went into this preamble about how great they were before she actually played it. All I could think is “Are you kidding?!” ---
**Author:** ![Jervoise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d2c977/32.png) [@Jervoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jervoise)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2004, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-darkness-i-said-the/226853/8 "2004-02-03T01:52:17Z")
I caught 30 minutes or so of the Darkness at Perth [[www=bigdayout.com](http://www=bigdayout.com)]Big Day Out on Sunday. Absolutely hilarious stage show, but as expected, they sounded like Spinal Tap. (Apparently, the Darkness are for real–but really, the irony is too rich to ignore.) Hey, Spinal Tap should cover the Darkness, and then the circle of rock parody will be complete! ---
**Author:** ![mouthbreather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a698b9/32.png) [@mouthbreather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mouthbreather)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2004, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-darkness-i-said-the/226853/9 "2004-02-03T01:53:43Z")
> [@jive2keys](#): > > holy crap! The Darkness is starting to get so huge in the U.S. I never thought they could make the crossover, but dang, i’m really starting to like them. Is anyone else getting into it? I’m glad they’re bringin ‘rock’ back. Where did rock go? ---
**Author:** ![DogsLunch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9d8465/32.png) [@DogsLunch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DogsLunch)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2004, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-darkness-i-said-the/226853/10 "2004-02-03T04:17:22Z")
(Beavis and Butthead are listening to The Darkness) **Butthead:** Uh… huh huh. What the hell is this crap? **Beavis:** (screaming) AAAUUUGGGHHH!!! Change it Butthead! Change it! **Butthead:** Shut up, dumbass, I think somebody just kicked the singer in the nads. **Beavis:** Heh, heh. Really? **Butthead:** (talking to the TV) In the name of all that which does not suck, I order to stop singing. (changes channel) ---
**Author:** ![gyt\_fx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/74df32/32.png) [@gyt\_fx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gyt_fx)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2004, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-darkness-i-said-the/226853/11 "2004-02-03T05:00:04Z")
When I listen to music, I don’t want to be scratching at my ears longing to tear out my eardrums. The singer’s voice is not that bad. It’s just that he goes into those stupid “…I believe in a thing CalLLeeDD LLlloovVEE!!!” bits. I wish he would just stick to annoying hisself with his voice, rather than the world. As for the music: Tis not bad, but the singer is just f’ing stupid and annoying as hell. You want a good singer? Check out Coheed & Cambria. The best singer out there nowadays, that is… playing a band that makes good music and doesnt yell out from the bottom of their throat (i.e. slipknot, mudvayne: crap for vocals?) Davey Havok from AFI… of course as well. ---
**Author:** ![Skwerl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Skwerl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skwerl)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2004, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-darkness-i-said-the/226853/12 "2004-02-03T05:13:56Z")
Their music’s okay, but what ruins it for me is all the hype. Kinda like the White Stripes and the Strokes, and even to some extent Radiohead, I think I could get in to them more if people would stop telling me how great they are. It would also help if they actually were as great as people say, which they’re not, IMO. Plus there’s something about the way MTV and Clearchannel push them that makes them seem too…manufactured. That’s my own personal bias there, but it’s not often you see MTClear promoting anything that’s not passed through several guys in suits at some major label’s boardroom, at least in my experience. ---
**Author:** ![Small\_Clanger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc348/32.png) [@Small\_Clanger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Clanger)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2004, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-darkness-i-said-the/226853/13 "2004-02-03T12:34:21Z")
A couple of weeks back someone started an “I believe in a thing called suck” thread. Seems opinions are a bit polarised here. I’ve had limited exposure to The Darkness - I saw a live performance on Jools Holland’s show and they were fantastic. They crammed about a hundred rock cliches into three minutes. Justin (?) finished the song by doing a Dave Lee Roth splits-jump off a grand piano. The guy is nuts. They’re _fun_ people, is that a problem? They’re sort of the ultimate tribute band - they cover _every_ classic rock band at the same time. ---
**Author:** ![Small\_Clanger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc348/32.png) [@Small\_Clanger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Clanger)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2004, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-darkness-i-said-the/226853/14 "2004-02-03T12:39:27Z")
more… a Dave Lee Roth splits-jump off a grand piano - _while wearing a Les Paul_. Has he got insurance? ---
**Author:** ![gex\_gex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/94ad74/32.png) [@gex\_gex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gex_gex)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2004, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-darkness-i-said-the/226853/15 "2004-02-03T13:07:10Z")
> [@](#): > > _originally posted by jive2keys_ > All the shitty pop-punk/emo bands that are popular sing as high as he does, or higher. I’m sorry, I must be missing something. Apart from Dashboard, which emo groups are popular? As for the Darkness, I can’t take them seriously enough to formulate an opinion. Sure, I imagine someone who is a fan of '80s soft metal would dig them, but when I listen, all I can think of is, “Yeah, you do the Spinal Tap thing well, but am I appreciating your ability to mimic, or are there actual songs there.” Same with the live show. I saw them at Big Day Out, and they did the metal thing well, but is doing the metal thing well a good thing? ---
**Author:** ![Mal\_Adroit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df788c/32.png) [@Mal\_Adroit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mal_Adroit)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2004, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-darkness-i-said-the/226853/16 "2004-02-03T13:19:37Z")
Actually, they’ve got a nice quasi-AC/DC/New York Dolls thing going on… yet I must vote in the ranks of “cringe” regarding the singer’s, er, stylings. When did Tiny Tim become the guiding light for rock vocalists? ---
**Author:** ![owlstretchingtime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/958977/32.png) [@owlstretchingtime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/owlstretchingtime)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2004, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-darkness-i-said-the/226853/17 "2004-02-03T13:31:25Z")
The Darkness are HUGE in Britain and we lurve them (for the moment at least). I saw their Christmas gig at Brixton Academy and they were one of the best gigs I have ever seen. They certianly know how to entertain. It has long been a question here if America would “get” The Darkness, as we believe that yanks are incapable of appreciating irony. Looks like that stereotype may be a bit off-beam. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Elvis\_Rojo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@El\_Elvis\_Rojo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Elvis_Rojo)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2004, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-darkness-i-said-the/226853/18 "2004-02-03T21:53:07Z")
I really like the Darnkess, but as far as revitalizing rock…I’m not so sure about that. They’re too much of a gimick band. They’re a spoof, and they know it, and they ride with it. But that’s not going to get them taken seriously. ---
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2004, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-darkness-i-said-the/226853/19 "2004-02-04T01:26:11Z")
This is an IMHO but I believe that in the US (or at least the bits of it I know) 80’s Rock never really weant away completely. So when The Darkness comes allong here too many people are sayin ‘oh no not more 80’s rock’. On the other hand in UK 80’s rock dissapeared completely by the mid ninetys, so The Darkness are much more like a retro look at the admittedly daft 80’s Rock scene that everyone had allmost forgotten. As for the voice, live The Darkness sound much better. On their album the worse case of the overzellous highpitch singing is the ‘I believe in a thing called love’ nads-in-a-vice lyrics. They are fantastick fun, but very light hearted/light weight. ---
**Author:** ![Soup\_du\_jour](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@Soup\_du\_jour](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soup_du_jour)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2004, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-darkness-i-said-the/226853/20 "2004-02-04T01:40:25Z")
> [@gex gex](#): > > I’m sorry, I must be missing something. Apart from Dashboard, which emo groups are popular? A small band called Weezer. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-darkness-i-said-the/226853.md?page=2)