The Darkness guitarist Dan Hawkins has discussed the difficulties which his brother Justin faced over the years before the band’s initial break up, claiming that the lead singer would be dead if it were not for his intervention.
In an interview with The Sun, Dan Hawkins discussed his brother’s problems with substance abuse, which led to the singer being treated at The Priory in London for cocaine and alcohol addiction in 2006.
Dan Hawkins went on to claim that his decision to push his brother towards professional help was one of the key reasons behind the friction which caused his departure in 2006. Speaking to the paper, the guitarist said: "I pleaded with him about his health. If he had carried on the way he was going he would not be here today. It was bad. It was like Justin had this big red button he was itching to press which would kill him.
He continued: "After each gig Justin would disappear. Then he'd turn up at the next gig having not slept, looking a bit yellow and green and being a complete pain in the a***... It was good to stop everything and get our lives back on track."
Justin, who has now gone almost five years without either drugs or alcohol, also added that he regrets his choices during the band’s initial period of success: "By the end I was fat, bloated and useless. I was smashed up all the time... My whole focus was to get the gig over with so I could get smashed."
The Darkness UK & Ireland Tour Dates are as follows:
Tue November 8th 2011 - O2 Academy Liverpool, Liverpool
Sat November 12th 2011 - O2 Academy Newcastle, Newcastle Upon Tyne
Sun November 13th 2011 - Manchester Academy, Manchester
Mon November 14th 2011 - O2 Academy Bristol, Bristol
Wed November 16th 2011 - Brighton Dome, Brighton
Fri November 18th 2011 - O2 Academy Birmingham, Birmingham
Sun November 20th 2011 - Cambridge Corn Exchange, Cambridge
Mon November 21st 2011 - O2 Academy Sheffield, Sheffield
Tue November 22nd 2011 - Rock City, Nottingham
Thu November 24th 2011 - Norwich Uea, Norwich
Fri November 25th 2011 - HMV Hammersmith Apollo, London
Sun December 4th 2011 - Ulster Hall Belfast, Belfast
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