So, has anyone else seen or heard of The Darkness? The current video (“I Believe In A Thing Called Love”) is growing on me daily. I’m not sure what kind of lifespan a semi-serious, semi-pisstake hair-band with a lead singer happy to churn out comedy rock lyrics in a falsetto is, but I like it. Apparently they were the stars of the show at a recent festival (Glastonbury, I think it was), and they certainly seem to have the best ‘gimmick’ of any band I’ve seen in a while.
Basically, if you haven’t seen them, imagine an ultra-camp version of Spinal Tap that just about manages to avoid being an obvious comedy band.
Crusoe, I’ve just booked tickets to go and see them in December - and I can’t wait! “Growing on Me” just got to me the first time I heard it, so I checked out their album, and there isn’t a bad song on there - it’s fantastic. Actually, I’m sitting here listening to a song off the album called “Friday night”, giggling to myself because it’s a complete piss-take of Craig David’s “7 Days”, including such gems as “Tuesday night - ping-pong, Wednesday night - Bridge” etc.
A friend of mine went to see Robbie Williams at Knebworth a couple of weeks ago, and came back raving about The Darkness, and she was the last person I would have expected to like them.
And I appreciate the lead singer’s open-chested catsuit as well!
Certainly NOT Glasto - I heard them (and saw a bit) 'Cos we were camped overlooking the Pyramid stage - they were the very first band on on Friday - only lightweights are able to get vertical and watch a band that early, IMO, but there was a reasonable-ish crowd. However a comedy singing voice and a dodgy cat-suit do not a “Star” turn make.
Sorry but there was just too much really good stuff and even in the closely-fought “novelty act” catagory Polyphonic Spree and Electric 6 made a bigger impact (it seemed to be de riguer to shout “GAYBAR” at random intervals for the rest of the festy, in place of the usual BOLLOCKS!)
I’ve only heard “Get Your Hands Off My Woman”, and I liked it. I really appreciated the joke - I think I’d see them live if they came this way but I don’t know that I’d buy the disc.
Haven’t they been shortlisted for the Mercury prize? That’s a lot of critical and industry acceptance for a “novelty band”.
For what it’s worth, saying “Queen with added humor” is like saying “the Sears building with added height.” One of Queen’s greatest attributes was their sense of humor.
Aye, I can’t really argue that point! It did strike me as a vaguely redundant description but I’d had a little bit to drink.
If the festival where they stole the show wasn’t Glastonbury, it might’ve been Reading - some friends of mine came back raving about them, but I’m buggered if I can remember where they went (it wasn’t Knebworth).
Because of this thread I checked them out (their videos are available at www.thedarknessrock.com/video/ ) and I really like them, and plan on buying an album soon.
I’ve loved them for ages (a friend of a friends brother is the moustachioed bass player) and they are NOT a novelty band. They’ve been around for ages (unsigned) and this is actually how they are.
If you don’t like the catsuits and the hair, fine, but you have to admit that the songs are damn good. The falsetto is kind of annoying, but at least the man can sing! Personally I think thrashing guitar harmonies are overdue a revival…
Permission to Land is an excellent album, it’s short and sweet at only 10 songs, but 9 of them are good enough to be singles (I’m not fond of “Black Shuck”).
I was listening to it this morning at full blast as I drove at 80mph, and the other night “Growing On Me” packed the dance floor at the club I was in.
My personal favourites are “Get Your hands Off of My Woman (Motherfucker)”, “Love is Only A Feeling” and “Friday Night”.
I admire any band that can have the lyrics “clouds scudding by” and make it work.