| 2005-04-18 | Justin to host celebrity dart show |
The Darkness frontman Justin Hawkins has devised a celebrity darts show that he will present.
Fifteen celebrities will play darts against 15 professionals reports The Sun.
Justin said: "It will be called Fame on - as in the 'game on' shout at the start of every darts match. I'm talking to various darts pros and we'll get it made before the end of the year."
Justin is a massive darts fan, he added: "I've got a darts shrine in my house - a professional board, mat, an electronic counter and various bits of memorabilia."
Source: Ananova |
| 2004-12-02 | Foo Fighters to headline festival |
The Foo Fighters are to headline Ireland's Oxegen Festival in 2005.
This year's festival featured performances from The Strokes and The Darkness, and the 2005 event will take place at Punchestown Racecourse Naas, Co Kildare on July 9 and 10.
Weekend tickets are to go on sale for a limited period from December 3 until 6pm on December 24 reports NME.com.
Foo Fighters are currently working on a new album, likely to be a double, which will be released in 2005.
Source: Ananova |
| 2004-11-17 | Band Aid single can be downloaded |
The Band Aid 20 single will be released as a downloadable ringtone.
Orange is allowing its customers to download the tune and are donating proceeds to the Band Aid Trust.
The ringtone will launch a week ahead of the single on 22nd November.
The song features Dido, U2, The Darkness, Rachel Stevens and Will Young and was recorded at Air Studios in London on Sunday.
Director of Orange Multimedia Operations Mark Hird said: "We would like to encourage our customers to really get behind Band Aid by downloading the ringtone to their phones; the more customers who download the ringtone from Orange, the more we can donate to help the Band Aid Trust; its as simple as that."
Source: Ananova |
| 2004-11-11 | Bono determined to keep his Band Aid line |
Bono has reportedly had to get tough with his Band Aid 20 co-stars - to stop them stealing his famous line.
Robbie Williams admits he was desperate to get "And tonight thank God it's them, instead of you," which Bono sang on the original of Do They Know It's Christmas?
Other top singers like Justin Hawkins from The Darkness, Coldplay's Chris Martin and Fran Healy from Travis were all keen to sing the line too.
In the end U2 frontman Bono had to put his foot down and insist that he sang it reports The Sun.
Robbie said: "Everyone wanted it. But before anyone could start getting an ego about it, Bono just said, 'That's my line and I'm doing it - so their rest of you can f*** off.' That settled it!"
Robbie is unable to make the live recording this Sunday as he is flying to Mexico. But he has already recorded the entire song in Los Angeles, and producer Nigel Godrich will select the line he wants Robbie to have.
The former Take That star also revealed how he hopes Live Aid makes a comeback next year.
Robbie said: "It would be great. I don't know what I'd sing though. I think everyone would want Angels."
The recording of Band Aid will take place on Sunday at Air Studios in London.
Lemar has now been added to the bill.
Source: Music.com.ua |
| 2004-09-07 | Franz Ferdinand set to scoop top award |
Franz Ferdinand have all but won Mercury Music Prize - according to the bookies.
Ladbrokes are refusing to take any more bets on the prestigious award.
They say Franz Ferdinand are clear favourites, after being neck and neck with The Streets, with The Zutons as outsiders.
Ladbrokes spokesman Warren Lush said: "Money points to glory for Franz Ferdinand but the biggest gamble has been on The Zutons. If they win it would be a poor result for us and a case of who killed the bookmakers.
"Overall, punters have found this year's Mercury hard to call, there are so many acts who have already established commercial success.
"All signs indicate that we'll see an historic turning point for Franz Ferdinand or a killer gamble landed by The Zutons."
Last year's award was picked up by Dizzee Rascal, beating off tough competition from Coldplay and favourites, The Darkness.
Source: Ananova |
| 2004-08-16 | The Darkness shocked by flasher |
The Darkness were left embarrassed after daring a fan to go topless, only to discover "she" was a man.
The group's bass player Frankie Poullain encouraged a slim, long-haired fan at a festival to flash him.
He was shocked when the fan revealed a flat hairy chest reports the Daily Star.
He said: "I've got very bad eyesight, I should wear glasses.
"I was looking across at a long-haired skinny figure, who looked quite elegant, sitting on somebody's shoulders and I gestured they should reveal their breasts. They did and I realised it was a guy.
"I probably should have learnt a lesson then. Look before you leap. No, look before you leer."
Source: Ananova |
| 2004-08-06 | Darkness pull festival appearance |
The Darkness have pulled out of a summer festival appearance due to illness.
Justin Hawkins has come down with a suspected case of gatroenteritis, reports NME.com.
The band were scheduled to head out to Japan to play at the Summer Sonic festival in Osaka and Tokyo.
Hawkins has been suffering from what he describes as "a tummy upset".
But doctor diagnosed it as "diarrhoea associated with abdominal pain and discomfort", thought to have been a bout of gastroenteritis.
Following his illness, Hawkins was said to have suffered from being "tired and out of sorts".
The doctor concluded that the illness, combined with a heavy work load led to lethargy, tiredness and occassional dizziness.
An official statement has now been issued, which reads: "The Darkness have been forced to pull out of the Summersonic Festival in Japan this coming weekend due to illness.
"Justin Hawkins has been diagnosed with a bout of gastroenteritis and it has been recommended by his consultant to take at least one week to rest and recuperate before recommencing his busy work schedule."
The Darkness aim to continue their European tour on August 12 and will headline the Reading and Leeds Festivals on the August Bank Holiday as planned.
Source: Ananova |
| 2004-07-28 | The Darkness make surprise visit to old school |
The Darkness have made a surprise trip back to their old school - to open a new music centre.
Justin and Dan Hawkins and Ed Graham turned up unannounced at Kirkley High School in Lowestoft, Suffolk.
After a tour round their old classrooms, the rockers handed over gifts including Ed's first drum kit and two guitars.
The three hadn't been back to the school since leaving in the early '90s, said The Sun.
Deputy head Hazel Johnson said: "It was absolutely wonderful to see our ex-students who have been so successful. I had a fabulous afternoon talking to them. I haven't seen them since they left. We talked about their lives and how things have moved on."
Then Justin and his mother, Sandy, who accompanied him for the visit, drove to nearby Suffolk Wildlife Park to meet a baby giraffe that was named after him earlier this year.
Source: Ananova |
| 2004-07-14 | The Darkness plan huge winter tour |
The Darkness are to stage a huge UK arena tour this winter and are planning a new DVD and album.
XFM says the band will undertake an 18-date UK tour in November and December, which could include three nights at Wembley Arena.
The band are also planning on releasing a new DVD compilation in time for Christmas this year.
The double disc set will feature a documentary and all the band's videos including the rarely seen video for Friday Night and an early homemade video for I Believe In A Thing Called Love.
The Darkness have also revealed they will be recording their second album with Queen and Cheap Trick producer Roy Thomas Baker early next year.
Source: Ananova |
| 2004-05-28 | The Darkness scoop Ivor Novello award |
The Darkness have won the Ivor Novello Songwriter Of The Year award.
The band dedicated their win to "songwriters everywhere".
Lead singer Justin Hawkins raised a toast to "songwriters everywhere" and joked: "It's a great award, it's the heaviest, I think it might be lead.
"This is the biggest award you can get if you write your own songs. We have always wanted something like this but didn't expect to be in this position now.
"Now we've got here we're not going to let it go. This is wonderful."
Other winners at the 49th Ivors for British songwriters, and composers included young jazz singer Amy Winehouse, Dido and Pop Idol Will Young.
Winehouse, who has also had a stunning year, beat her more established rival Kylie Minogue and young rapper Dizzee Rascal to the Best Contemporary Song Award.
She said afterwards she was delighted with the award, but that Rascal was more deserving.
She took the award for the song Stronger Than Me and said that she had written it at the moment when she realised she and her boyfriend were not supposed to be together.
Source: Ananova |
| 2004-04-28 | Justin 'wanted to smack' Tarantino |
Justin Hawkins said he wanted to smack Quentin Tarantino after the director stopped him from singing on TV.
According to The Sun The Darkness frontman was livid after Tarantino vetoed two songs the group were to perform on a late-night US chat show he was guest directing.
The director refused to talk to the band when they questioned his decision.
Justin said: "We were supposed to do two songs, Growing On Me and I Believe In A Thing Called Love."
But Tarantino wanted to end Jimmy Kimmel Live with a fight scene involving the band.
Justin added: "So we said, 'Bring him to us and tell us why,' and he sent somebody else to talk to us, which we found insulting.
"He took away our airtime and then didn't bother to come and explain why in person. I thought about going in there and slapping him about a little bit."
Source: Ananova |
