Justin Hawkins of The Darkness Talks ‘Back to the USSA’ Tour, Writing ‘Last of Our Kind’ and What’s Next for the Band

Matt Matasci

The Darkness broke into the music mainstream during the summer of 2003 as bit of a novelty. Their breakout single “I Believe in a Thing Called Love” was a major hit, instantly putting the band from the United Kingdom on the map. After ups and downs, the band has persevered through it all and released their fourth full-length studio album in May 2015. “Last of Our Kind” marks a clear return to form for Justin Hawkins and company and the band is currently getting ready to embark on their “Back to the USSA” Tour in April and May. The tour kicks off in California with an appearance at the Belasco Theater on April 12. Hawkins took the time to chat with Entertainment Voice about touring in the United States, the writing and recording of “Last of Our Kind” and what to expect from their live show this time around.

With the “Back to the USSA” tour about to get started in April, what are you most looking forward to about hitting the road?

I think when I’m not on tour, I miss my brother (guitarist Dan Hawkins). I don’t really see him much when we’re not working. I’m looking forward to seeing him, Frankie (Poullain) and Rufus (Tiger Taylor). When I’m in America I really enjoy the audiences.

What differences do you find between American audiences and others around the world?

Just as an example, we do VIP stuff and people can watch us doing sound-checks, and I’ve noticed around the world, there’s a slightly awkward atmosphere. I think people [who] attend these things are aware that it’s not really something they’re “supposed” to be at. They feel a little bit guilty to be watching, I think. Where in America everyone dances! They actually take the opportunity to use the extra space and do their ballroom dancing when we play “Love Is Only a Feeling.” It’s a really beautiful thing.

With your discography four albums deep, what is your process for choosing setlists?

Throughout the tour we sort of tweak [it] a little bit. It’s a product of every tour we’ve done, whittling away at any excess “fat” so you’re left with just a mega-punch of a set. I think the longer you do this job the more fun it becomes because you have greater amount of hits and material you can plunder to create the ultimate live experience for the audience. Four albums in, we’ve got enough to create an arc – come out of the gates strong, [then a] middle bit, we have what we call the “Erection Section” that we mix in a bit in terms of the instrumentation and then we take that last stretch.

Now that you are two albums into your reunion, did the writing and recording process of “Last of Our Kind” differ at all from your last album “Hot Cakes”?

Yes, I think it was more collaborative, everyone was more present during the writing. We actually decided to go away and write together in a remote location, which really worked. It was just us and the music. So I think the next one will be even more like that. We learned that’s a good process for us. We’ll be looking for a couple locations to create the next album.

Do you have any ideas for locations yet?

We’ve already had one writing session with Rufus in Spain last year and we got 21 songs in about four days. That was a really exciting process; We actually tried something new where we just improvised through all of it together. Some real horrible stuff happened but some great magical moments, too. The more we do that the more magical moments we’ll extract.

With Rufus Tiger Taylor now the permanent drummer for The Darkness, how does it feel to have a stable band lineup for the first time in a few years?

To be honest, it feels like a new band, really. I mean we still have the old material but the new band – it’s the best of both worlds. He’s the engine of the vehicle. He’s much younger than us; He comes from great pedigree from the greatest rock engine. It’s basically the Ferrari engine to the Ford Cortina of The Darkness.

How did Taylor joining the band come about?

We know the Queen guys quite intimately, and Brian Mays’ guitar tech contacted us and said, ‘I gather you guys are trying to find a drummer, why don’t you give Rufus a try, he’s brilliant.’ Those were his exact words.

What is next for The Darkness after the “Back in the USSA” tour?

Well after we are done with that, I think we’re going to have to get together somewhere nice and write some songs. Maybe we’ll combine it and travel somewhere that we are going to play a festival and write some songs; go somewhere else nice, write some songs, make an album, go touring again at the end of the year. And early 2017, I think we’ll have the album out.