THE DARKNESS hit the Rock scene both foursquare and completely unawares in mid 2003, delivering everything that was supposed to be wrong and un-hip yet proving hugely successful. Harking back to the mid seventies the band refreshingly brandished hooky songwriting, big guitar solos and an even bigger image. Support slots to acts such as THE WILDHEARTS, DEF LEPPARD and even DISTURBED had many fans, used to low key visuals, staggered by THE DARKNESS' overt use of camp theatrics, warbling castrati high notes and even spandex.

THE DARKNESS, centred upon the Hawkins brothers vocalist Justin and guitarist Dan, hailed from Lowestoft in Suffolk. In 1997 the Hawkins siblings united with bassist Frankie Poullain to found a Progressive Rock act unadventurously dubbed EMPIRE but soon packed this in. Dan Hawkins worked briefly in the studio with a band called SKANDINAVIA. Nevertheless, the brothers soon reforged links with Poullain and a former flatmate drummer Ed Graham to concoct THE DARKNESS.

The group, signed to Atlantic Records affiliate Must Destroy, issued a debut album 'Permission To Land' which immediately provoked a genuine, un-hyped buzz. Advance promotion copies were eagerly snapped up for inflated prices and upon release the album just fell short of the UK number 1 position. The group had made first impressions with the EP ''I Believe In A Thing Called Love' released in August 2002. This three tracker sold out of no less than three pressings. The second single 'Get Your Hands Off My Woman' just missed out on a top 40 spot whilst third attempt 'Growing On Me' made it to no. 11.

Live action into 2003 had the band drawing in many new fans as special guests to DEF LEPPARD in February prior to conducting their own sell out jaunt in March. The Summer found the group much in demand with appearances at the IRON MAIDEN headlined 'Download' Castle Donington event, both the Carling Reading and Leeds shows, the Scottish T in the Park, the Isle Of Wight festival as well as Glastonbury. They would also support METALLICA in Dublin. Early August caught THE DARKNESS topping off their outdoor performances as opening act to ROBBIE WILLIAMS at a massive series of Knebworth Park festivals.

All this live activity forced 'Permission To Land' back up the charts and by September the record was sitting at the no. 1 spot. Atlantic Records in North America also responded by pulling forward the intended US release date of 'Permission To Land' from the original 2004 projection to September 2003, coinciding with headline California dates. Meantime in the UK, a re-released 'I Believe In A Thing Called Love' crashed into the singles charts at no. 2. A Christmas single, 'Christmas Time (Don't Let the Bells End)', also gained the no. 2 spot. THE DARKNESS received unexpected and lofty praise when it was revealed that British Prime Minister Tony Blair was a fan!

2004 opened with a bang as 'Permission To Land' was ranked as the Billboard album charts highest climber, shooting from number 173 to 92 in one week as 'I Believe In A Thing Called Love' pulled in masive radio play in such influential cities as New York, Chicago, Boston, San Francisco and Philadelphia. The group also put in an appearance on the high ranking TV programme 'Late Show With David Letterman' boosting the album's sales even further as it entered the top 40 the following week. Headline European touring throughout February and March saw THE WILDHEARTS as running mates. The band also conquered the Brit Awards, landing honours for 'Best British Group', 'Best British Rock Act' and 'Best British Album' for Permission to Land'. For their performance that night Hawkins, naturally, wore a silver catsuit with feather appendages to perform their hit 'I Believe In A Thing Called Love'.

THE DARKNESS, with album sales standing at over 150,000 in the US, embarked upon their first North American tour commencing 26th March at the Rave Club in Michigan, Wisconsin. Support came from THE WILDHEARTS once again. The album, having previously peaked at no. 39 before dipping, once more rose in the charts to no. 33 in the last week of February as 'I Believe In A Thing Called Love' scored a major impact on national radio. This resurgence would coincide with a gold sales award for over half a million sales in the US.

Meantime, back in the UK newspaper reports suggested THE DARKNESS had asked for a massive £1million fee to play the 2004 Glastonbury Festival. The figure was quite a step up from the £75 the band was paid to open the same event only a year before. In North America, due to overwhelming public demand, most of the shows on THE DARKNESS tour were upgraded to significantly larger venues. The band's opening show in Milwaukee was moved from an 800 seat venue to a 3,500 seater. Overall, another 13 venues would be changed to accommodate bigger crowds. The increased work load would have a price to pay for Justin Hawkins though, the singer having to undergo micro-surgery on his oesophagus to correct a recurring heartburn problem, the cause of a spate of US gig cancellations. In May THE DARKNESS scooped the prestigious Ivor Novello 'Songwriter Of The Year' award. With album sales showing no signs of slowing down the band, allied once again with THE WILDHEARTS, undertook a further round of US dates in June.

Plans for a new studio album would apparently be laid even before the group returned to the UK with legendary Rock producer Robert John 'Mutt' Lange, renowned for multi-platinum successes with DEF LEPPARD, AC/DC, BRYAN ADAMS and FOREIGNER, being reportedly chosen for the task. Although widely reported, this association with Lange would subsequently be denied by the band. In July confirmation arrived that the group had chosen their next producer - QUEEN veteran Roy Thomas Baker. As speculation rose that the band were all set to undertake a massive arena tour of the UK, with tabloids predicting revenues near twenty million pounds, MTV in the USA saw fit to nominate the band for two video awards, 'Best Rock Video' and 'Best New Artist in a Video'.

In October THE DARKNESS would be confirmed as participating in the charity 'Band Aid III' single. Speculation that a recent hand injury was to result in the cancellation of the band's UK gigs was quickly denied.

A notable stop on the band's 2005 tour schedule came on 25th March when the band, alongside SEPULTURA and MACHINE HEAD, performed in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, marking the first such ocassion for a Western Metal band in the Gulf. Support came from local bands NERVECELL and JULIANA DOWN.

THE DARKNESS split with bassist Frankie Poullain in May, citing time honoured "musical differences". In June Poullain broke his silence, revealing that he had in fact been fired. As speculation in the media grew as to Poullain's replacement, in particular focusing on Pete Emms from THE VASELINE RATS, it was soon learned that the band had recruited from within their own camp, drafting Dan Hawkins guitar tech Richie Edwards. With a second album from THE DARKNESS underway Justin Hawkins also found time to construct a solo venture entitled BRITISH WHALE. First single from this project would be 'This Town Ain't Big Enough For The Both Of Us', a cover of the 1974 hit by Pop band SPARKS. Ron and Russell Mael of SPARKS notably featured in the accompanying video, as did world darts champion Phil Taylor.

THE DARKNESS pre-empted their second album, 'One Way Ticket To Hell... And Back', with the 4th November release of the single 'One Way Ticket'. The planned marketing campaign did not run smoothly however as Justin Hawkins revealed he paid out a sizable sum to buy a leaked promotion copy of the album from Ebay. The disgruntled singer relayed the news claiming the disc held a digital ID code, which would identify the guilty party. Also in the news would be ex-bassist Frankie Poullain, objecting to the opening audio sequence of the track 'One Way Ticket To Hell... And Back', a short burst of South American pan pipes, followed by chopping and snorting noises. The message of the song would be carried over into the video, featuring the band members escaping an avalanche of snow.

'One Way Ticket To Hell... And Back' debuted at no. 11 in the Uk and at no. 58 in the USA, where it sold over 23,000 copies in its first week of sale.

German gigs in March 2006 saw support from Australians DOOMFOXX. THE DARKNESS were forced to cancel their appearance at the August 10th Skanderborg Festival in Denmark when Justin Hawkins was taken ill. On August 12th Hawkins, revealing that he had been indulging himself in as much as £1,000 of cocaine each week, checked himself into London's celebrity rehabilition clinic The Priory.

In a move that stunned fans, Justin Hawkins announced on October 11th that he was quitting THE DARKNESS. The band vowed to persevere, with Richie Edwards taking over lead vocal duties. However, Justin Hawkins told Sky News the following month that he "may rejoin the band again at some stage".

In March 2007 the group, minus Justin Hawkins, revealed there were to press ahead under a new band name.