EXCLUSIVE: JUST-IN THE PRIORY
16 August 2006
by Eva Simpson & Caroline Hedley
SAD news reaches us that Justin Hawkins has checked himself into The Priory after his band The Darkness hit the skids.
The 31-year-old glam-rocker, famed for his high-pitched vocals and outrageous Spandex outfits, was admitted to the clinic in South-West London on Saturday. The singer, who has confessed to battling bulimia in the past, was driven to The Priory in a blacked-out Range Rover by a pal. Fears for Justin's health surfaced last week when he pulled out of a festival in Denmark on the orders of his doctor.
A statement posted on the band's website from his GP on Wednesday said: "It is of paramount importance that he [Justin] rests and recuperates over the next two weeks. I have advised him to cancel all work-related activities." This comes at a time when there are increasing fears that their record label Warners could drop The Darkness following disappointing sales.
Their last album, One Way Ticket To Hell...And Back, failed to make the Top 10 and sank without trace. It featured the controversial track One Way Ticket about a descent into drugs, which opened with the sound of cocaine being snorted.
And their last single, Girlfriend, limped to No.39.
A source said: "Justin's been feeling really low of late and he wanted to go somewhere he could clear his head. He's been looking terrible at the moment. His skin's taken on a weird yellowy pallor. The Priory really is the best place for him." Within the past two months, the clinic has treated stars including Ronnie Wood and Matt Willis.
The Darkness - Justin, his brother Dan, Ed Graham and Frankie Poullain - shot to fame in 2003 with their single I Believe In A Thing Called Love. Their debut album, Permission To Land, sold 1.5million copies in the UK alone. And in 2004, they scooped three Brits and two Kerrang! Awards.
But they have since struggled to match that early glory. Aside from poor record sales, they have been beset by internal wranglings. Bassist Poullain left in May 2005 over "musical differences", but later said he'd been frozen out.
He accused Justin of taking cocaine, and said: "Unless you were in the druggy clique or the fawning circle of asskissers, you'd find yourself persona non grata." Justin hit back saying: "It never got to the extent he believes."
Yesterday Justin's spokesperson was unable to reach any of the band's management for comment. Here's hoping Justin and the rest of The Darkness see some light at the end of the tunnel soon...
Sad news, I'll be really fucking upset if the darkness split before I've seen them live.
ah, that's the trouble with overnight success, it disappears just as quickly....hope he managed to snort half of Peru before the money runs out!
it's probably because of global warming
It is sad really.
The Darkness used to be a huge hit on M&N, and the world.
Now that the novelty has worn off, and interest in them has thinned faster than Justin's hair....
AHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHA!!!
Shortest. Career. Ever.
Given he's manic depressive, ED, drug-taking reformed alcoholic, I'm surprised it hasn't happened more often!
Clem, you look rather unwell yourself!
Justin hit back saying: "It never got to the extent he believes."
Ooh, stinging comeback, Juzzy.
"Oh, it's not that bad, I can stop anytime I want"
Eat shit, Justin, you walking cliche.
Clem, you look rather unwell yourself!
It's just a fleshwound.
what a fucking softcock.... call yourself a fucking rockstar? pfft.
The Priory roll call - current attendees
You'd need narcotics if they had a singalong
did anyone see Mr Hawkins on Top Gear last night? He clocked quite a respectable lap time.
Top Gear - hahahaha
ha ha ha - i missed his actual race devo, but i did see it. i can't believe no one's told me about that show before?!
It's not a bad show to watch even for a non petrol haed like myself.
Everytime I see Justin Hawkins I'm always reminded of the simpsons episode when Lisa is at the dentist and is shown "The book of British Smiles".
ba ha ha ha ha
Even funnier!
(Hawkins quits Darkness to get off the junk and start solo career)[http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=musicNews&storyID=2006-10-11T190715Z_01_N11409835_RTRIDST_0_MUSIC-DARKNESS-DC.XML&WTmodLoc=EntNewsMusic_C1_%5bFeed%5d-5]
Bugger.
NEW YORK (Billboard) - Singer Justin Hawkins has left British glam-revival band the Darkness to continue his drug rehabilitation and work on a solo album, telling the Sun newspaper Wednesday that "it's time for me to move on."
He added: "It would be damaging to my recovery to stay on. I'm not blaming the band for my problem -- I am an addict."
The remaining band members wrote on the Darkness message board (http://www.thedarknessrock.com): "We ... are still in total shock and can't say at this stage what the future holds. You will hear from us, once we know what we want to do."
The group burst onto the worldwide stage with its 2004 debut, "Permission To Land," which has sold 698,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan. But last year's "One Way Ticket to Hell ... And Back" fizzled here, selling 91,000 copies to date.
In August, Hawkins entered rehab; at the time, the band insisted it would hit the studio as soon as he was well, and it denied rumors that it had been dropped by Atlantic Records.
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Just after played this clip I was watching Sherlock Holmes 'Hound Of The Baskervilles' and doing some research (as I'd missed the first 15 minutes of the show) - I learned, by some Repoman plate-of-shrimp coincidence, that Black Shuck is actually the colloquial name of a ghostly devil dog that terrorises people or whose visit can portent an untimely death. So now I know.
!?!?!?!?
Please say it is so...
come on now sally - look who said that...
I find Kenny Burger a most reliable source*
How awesome would The Darkness be at GP? If they don't play, I'm just going to get hella drink on goon, turn them up loud on my iPod and have a party in my tent.
*may or may not be because it's convenient.
the darkness anywhere would be awesome
Very true, Mo.
I had tickets to see them in 2006 but couldn't go due to an overseas work trip. They broke up shortly after and I was gutted.
Can I join you in your tent party Sally? I want the Darkness at GP too (although I did not fall for Kenny Burger's comment).
Was just reminiscing on how good they were live the other day. That show at the Corner was something else.
http://www.nme.com/news/the-darkness/61771
sounds good, am digging!
Sweet corset.
No digging the new track myself. It's got all of the bits you'd want in a Darkness track but the tune just isn't up to their usual standard for me. Will hold out for the album but on first listen it sounds a bit too much like Hot Leg.
This is from their show in Philly earlier this month:
That's Justin by the way!
From their Facebook
Fri May 4 Eatons Hill Hotel BRISBANE QLD
With special guests Nine Sons Of Dan
Sat May 5 Newcastle Panthers NEWCASTLE NSW
With special guests Voodoo Sons
Sun May 6 UNSW Roundhouse SYDNEY NSW
With special guests Voodoo Sons
Tue May 8 The Palace MELBOURNE VIC
With special guests Baptism Of Uzi
Thu May 10 ANU Bar CANBERRA ACT
With special guests Fun Machine
good work baptism of uzi!
Wow
Last time I saw these guys was at the Corner. It was freakin' ace!
I don't know if I should be excited or nervous about this though, I really loved their first album but the second one sucked balls.
That photo from the Philly show is giving me hope though
No no no.... not the Palace!