The Darkness - what's that all about then?

Posted by: Stephen Bennett on 23 October 2003

Some while ago I heard what I thought was a Spinal Tap-like comedy on Radio one. Someone was interviewing a band with East Anglian accents and playing awful pub glam-rock-a-like .

I soon found out that this was in fact a real band from Lowestoft who were doing rather well. At first I thought that they may be a bunch of teenagers who, on discovering their parents old albums, had started to produce a sound like a band playing in a pub in Norwich in the '80s.

However, I find out that they actually ARE a band who played in pubs in Norwich in the '80s!

They are the biggest act in Norwich, possibly England. They were on Radio 4 for godssake.

Everyone loves them - not in an ironic sense, they actually really like them.

I feel like Donald Sutherland in the Invasion of the Body Snatchers. Did I wake up and find everyone turned into pod people?

Can anyone explain?

Frown

Regards

Stephen
Posted on: 23 October 2003 by matthewr
Fortunately rock legend Lemmy is on hand with this explanation:

"The Darkness are a novelty group like the Barron Knights... a cabaret act. They should be on at the Wigan Casino."

Matthew
Posted on: 23 October 2003 by ErikL
quote:
Originally posted by Alger:
Not everyone.

I have been championing their demise for some time now.


I can vouch for Alex's true feelings- just yesterday he asked me to put a hex on them by planning to see them live (the last two shows I planned to see: 1. the feature artist never showed; 2. the act split up and cancelled the tour).

Big Grin
Posted on: 23 October 2003 by Stephen Bennett
I have to say though, that I admire their persistance!

Maybe improvised jazzy post-proggy songy music will be next years thing?

Cool

Stephen
Posted on: 23 October 2003 by ErikL
Algers,

Today, my son, is your lucky day:

The Darkness - Saturday, November 22 - Catwalk Club - Seattle, WA

I've set an appointment in Outlook with a reminder 5 days in advance. This should do the trick, as it has in the past. You'll owe me a few pints and fish 'n chips next time I'm in your neighborhood (it's been since I was 17).

Ludwig, with band-destroying superpowers
Posted on: 23 October 2003 by Not For Me
They wer on Radio 4 Today this morning.

Paul Morley got me laughing out loud, by describing them as (I think)

"End of the pier core"

Taking a bit of T Lizzy, a bit of T. Rex, a bit of Zep, there you have it - the all purpose shock your mates 'cos you like them band!

DS

OTD - Urban Cookie Collective - High on a Happy vibe
Posted on: 23 October 2003 by andy c
The 'who'?
Didn't Queen do a rather better job of this type of music the 1st time round...
Posted on: 23 October 2003 by matthewr
"Ludwig, with band-destroying superpowers"

You have a long way to go. I had a couple of ex-forum regulars around and decided to play them the Exploding Hearts album "Guitar Romantic". No more than 2 bars into the first track one of them -- no names, no pack drill -- cried out in Jazz snob agony at the percieved awfulness of the music and insisted I turned it off.

Later that night the band drove their tour bus off a cliff and 3 of the 4 of them died. Which, as band hexing powers goes, takes some beating.

Matthew
Posted on: 24 October 2003 by Mekon
I am not sure what made me laugh more, the image of Matthew (who appears in my head as Matthew Kelly circa 1987) laughing manically at the extent of his magical powers, or that David S is rockin' it to Urban Cookie Collective.

I've got the key, I've got the secret... Smile
Posted on: 24 October 2003 by domfjbrown
Gawd - lighten up guys - this is music for people like me who weren't born when the first wave of cheese rock happened (pre 1975 anyway!).

BTW - I like Queen, Led Zep etc too, but the Darkness are double Mozarella - almost as cheesy as my Helloween/Cinderella style fettishs... Wink

I didn't know about them when I went to Glastonbury - still pissed off I missed them...

__________________________
Make your choice, adventurous Stranger;
Strike the bell and bide the danger
Or wonder, till it drives you mad,
What would have followed if you had.

Posted on: 24 October 2003 by Simon Perry
Can anyone explain?

Simple - we are witnessing first hand the death throes of the music 'industry' as we know it. And the record companies are wondering why people are so enthusiastic about downloading music for free rather than paying £13 for the rubbish on offer.

Glastonbury, Dido, The Darkness, Sony Music Entertainment, Lockheed Martin, whatever, it's all about pushing product.

Just to put it all into context for a minute... Wink

Simon
Posted on: 24 October 2003 by TomK
My 14 year old son introduced me to them and I confess I rather like them. Not every album is going to break new ground. Sometimes it's nice just to hear some good old thundering rock and roll (played, I think, with tongue firmly in cheek). If you like Queen round about Sheer Heart Attack time then have a listen. You may be pleasantly surprised.
Posted on: 24 October 2003 by Keddie
In 1975 David Bowie argued, quite rightly, that rock was dead. Here we are nearly 30 years on and, to our horror, the corpse not only continues to stagger around but also smells pretty bad (Excuse my loose paraphrasing of Frank Zappa's: "Jazz isn't dead, it just smells funny").
Posted on: 24 October 2003 by garyi
I think they are quite good, nice guitar work and they arn't taking them selves seriously which is the important thing.

Christ we could all be sliting our wrists to starsailor or turin breaks after all.
Posted on: 24 October 2003 by Mekon
They make me want to self harm, but not enough listen to the Turin Brakes, which is something, I guess.
Posted on: 24 October 2003 by MichaelC
Shall we put this into perspective - what would you rather listen to (involuntarily mind you)?

The Darkness or Marty Pelloe or some godawful crap derived from Pop Idol/Fame Academy?

Enough said?
Smile Frown Confused

Mike
Posted on: 25 October 2003 by matthewr
She has a million times more talent than The Darkness. Plus she stole the nation's heart in a way which a bunch of big har poodle rockers from East Anglian never will.

///////The Darkness\\\\\\\

Matthew
Posted on: 25 October 2003 by long-time-dead
mmmm........... David Blaine's perspex box is empty !
Posted on: 25 October 2003 by TomK
quote:
In 1975 David Bowie argued, quite rightly, that rock was dead. Here we are nearly 30 years on and, to our horror, the corpse not only continues to stagger around but also smells pretty bad (Excuse my loose paraphrasing of Frank Zappa's: "Jazz isn't dead, it just smells funny").


I think round about that time he also claimed he wanted to shag Mick Jagger. Not sure very much said (or claimed to be said) by some folk nearly 30 years ago is terribly relevant now. I think some things are over-analysed now. If you like it fair enough. If not, fair enough. It has no bearing on very much really.