Justin Hawkins grew up in the Suffolk town of Lowestoft, at a young age he locked himself away and learnt guitar. He was pretty good, but his kid brother Dan was even better ("I'm white hot," says Justin, "but he's shit hot."). Spotting their own potential they started a covers band with Dan on lead vocals.
In 1997, Justin departed to technical college in Huddersfield. Dan, meanwhile, moved to London in search of a band to join. That's when he met Frankie Poullain, an exiled Scot who came from a family of adventurers (he claims his dad was a pirate in the West Indies, his brother a soldier of fortune).
They shared a flat in Shepherd's Bush, where itinerant musos would pass through and jam. Justin, and Dan's schoolfriend Ed Graham, a drummer, would visit on weekends. The two brothers and Frankie formed an ill-fated prog rock band called Empire. Under Justin's guidance, they increased the heaviness of the sound, and threw out the lead singer. The brothers Hawkins had a talk. Was it worth carrying on? The answer came on Millennium Eve, when the pair went back to Norfolk to their Aunty's pub.
Justin entered a karaoke competition and performed "Bohemian Rhapsody", acting out every line and doing spectacular star jumps. Dan beheld his big bro's flamboyant star quality, and saw the future: "I know, YOU be the front man! The first call they made was to Frankie, who left Venezuela to rejoin them. The second call they made was to Ed, who left his band to rejoin them. The Darkness was born.
Justin Hawkins - Vocals/Guitar/Synthesizer
Dan Hawkins - Guitar
Frankie Poullain - Bass
Ed Graham - Drums
