Hot Leg's Hot Press

Hot Leg tracks – Trojan Guitar & Heroes

August 6, 2008

I know, I meant to do this earlier – but real life gets in the way of my love affair with all things begat by Darkness. However, I have a few spare minutes before setting off to see the very first Hot Leg gig tonight, so it seems appropriate to do this now.

Anyway. Let’s start with ‘Heroes’. A free non-album track offered when the tour tickets went on sale – I first heard a small 12 second snippet of this ages ago on dothegreenthing, and the damn thing managed to stick in my head even with such a short burst. So when the full version arrived, it was boogie time – i defy you not to jig about to it. Hand jive is good… Every part of this sinks into your consciousness – guitars, beat, chorus, backing vocals. There’s nowhere to hide. And who could resist a Superhero wiping the floor with Zeroes left right and centre? Doesn’t matter if you’re EcoBoy or the boy next door. Everybody’s heart drives them on to a dream, everyone has their own future in their hands. It’s not easy, but you don’t have to do it on your own. Not nearly as much falsetto as people would expect from Justin, here. Sounding good – fast, confident, and not a syllable of superfluous lyric.

Moving on to ‘Trojan Guitar’, which arrived whilst I was on holiday and then wouldn’t play for days thanks to the laptop sulking. Still, I got to wonder about the title, and the idea of Justin and his merry men sneaking back into musicland and destroying it from the inside with the sweet blasts of rock. This is an epic, a saga and work of guitar/lyric art. It’s for you decide what the story is, but for me it’s the rise and fall of TD, and Justin’s subsequent rise from the ashes. Apologies all round if that’s not the case. More progressive rock than anything that goes before it, and the beginning reminded me of ABBA’s ‘Fernando’. Never a bad thing. As I said, the guitar work on this is just amazing. Listen a couple of times, it’s well worth it. ’Trojan Guitar’ is the first single, watch out for release dates.

Talent will out, as they say. You can’t miss it here – it was never lost, just took stock of itself for a while.

optimumimpact

Hawkins takes his Hot Leg on the road

August 5, 2008

tags: Articles

by RICHARD SMIRKE – Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Hot Leg

Having worn a series of flamboyant catsuits in his time fronting theatrical rockers The Darkness, Justin Hawkins has been facing a dilemma about whether he should rekindle his love affair with spandex when he takes his new band, Hot Leg, on their debut UK tour.

‘I’ve still got some of the catsuits,’ he says, ‘and luckily, because I’ve been looking after myself a bit better, I fit into them again. But should I move on? Obviously, it’s the ultimate singing uniform, but I don’t know if it’s right for the Leg at this stage. Perhaps for encores and big shows I could start bringing out the one-piece.’

According to Hawkins, who has been on a self-enforced sabbatical following the messy demise of The Darkness in 2006, the stage outfits for his new group will most likely consist of ‘unbelievably 1980s trainers, headbands and the tightest jeans that you can imagine.’

When talking about their sound, he describes Hot Leg as a more intense version of his previous outfit. ‘The hooks are hookier, the guitar solos are faster and more plentiful and everything is just louder and at a higher contrast,’ he enthuses.

A subsequent enquiry into Hawkins’ well-publicised battle with drink and drugs is quickly dismissed by the falsetto-voiced singer, although he does proudly state that the final gig on this four-date UK tour will mark exactly two years of sobriety.

Having exorcised his demons, the past 12 months have been devoted to writing and recording Hot Leg’s debut album, which will be released early next year. Describing it as ‘a great big shiny rock record’, Hawkins is optimistic that Hot Leg will appeal to his past fans, claiming: ‘If you liked The Darkness because they were different to every other band, then you’re going to love the Leg even more.’

Thu Aug 7, Barfly, 78 High Street, Digbeth, Birmingham, 7.30pm, £10. Tel: 0844 847 2424. www.teamhotleg.com

metrolife

Metal Hammer Video Interview

August 4, 2008

tags: Interviews, Video

To see this chat with Justin, click here

Justin is back with Hot Leg

August 4, 2008

tags: Articles

If The Darkness were a bit too flamboyant and over-the-top for your tastes then you’d better watch out, for frontman Justin Hawkins is back with a new, even more flamboyant band.

Two years sober after a well publicised fight with cocaine and alcohol addictions, Hawkins is set to unleash his new project, Hot Leg, on an unsuspecting public, with the band’s first short tour taking in The Barfly in Birmingham this Thursday (Aug 7).

Hawkins has revealed that Hot Leg are ”just a more intense version of the Darkness”, describing it as “generally bigger, brighter and a lot more fun”.

The band’s MySpace page includes one song, Heroes, which fans can download for free and there’s an entirely self-produced album in the pipeline featuring songs with titles like Trojan Guitar, Gay In The 80s and Whichever Way You Want To Give it.

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The rest of the band is made up of guitarist Pete Rinaldi, bassist Samuel SJ Stokes and drummer Darby Todd.

Tickets for the gig are £10.

expressandstar.com

shropshirestar.com

Kerrang 30.7.08

July 30, 2008

tags: Articles, Scans

Justin Hawkins: After The Darkness

July 30, 2008

tags: Articles

A Look at the Current Activities of the English Singer/Songwriter

Jul 30, 2008

Justin Hawkins is probably most well-known as the lead singer of British band The Darkness. However, in 2006 he checked into a rehab clinic. Two years later, Hawkins is clean and making music like never before. Hawkins is once again proving to the world that he is capable of rocking out.

For full article click here. The editor (not the author) of the site said i could only have 50 words until it had been up a year, and I had to edit it to make sense in 50.

Thanks to James.

Light follows the Darkness

July 28, 2008

tags: Articles, Interviews

Jul 28 2008 by Andrew Baldwin, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

Former Huddersfield student Justin Hawkins shot to fame with Darkness … before drink and drugs took its toll. Now he’s back with a new band. ANDREW BALDWIN reports

Well, the 33-year-old who studied music technology at Huddersfield Technical College is back and cleaned up as far as drugs and drink are concerned.

He’s formed new band, Hot Leg, and they play Manchester’s Roadhouse next week during their first tour.

The venue for their gig on August 8 is a far cry from the stadium days of The Darkness, reflected in the ticket prices of only £10.

For Justin, who describes himself as Hot Leg’s master of ceremonies, it’s almost starting from scratch again.

Mind you, he’s feeling better than he has done in a long time.

He says: “This year is going great. I’ve been working hard at the most important thing in my life – Man Rock.

“I’ve given up trying to demonstrate my versatility and I’m concentrating on being me without random acts of self-subversion and career suicide. I’m super happy and excited about Hot Leg.

“I don’t drink, take drugs or even smoke and I don’t like being around people that are doing so. I’ve got loads more tattoo ink in my body nowadays and I’m keen to add more. I think that’s my last remaining vice. I am a slave to the needle.”

These days he tends to live the rock n’ roll life style only when he’s working – preferring in private to eat sushi, play tennis and spend time with his friends and his cats.

Fans can still expect to see him in his trademark garb on stage, though.

“I like dressing up – I associate flamboyance with happiness. I now fit into my old cat suits so my latest dilemma is whether to wear a one-piece singing uniform whilst rocking with the Leg or whether to move on.

“Is there a stronger look to be obtained?” he asks.

Lowestoft-born Justin was at Huddersfield Technical College from 1995 to 1997, living in Fartown and Sowerby Bridge.

He knew he had made it big when he unveiled a wax model of him at Madame Tussauds in London.

He’s now known as Justin ‘Dave’ Hawkins and describes Hot Leg as an entirely hairier beast than The Darkness.

Justin has recruited guitarist Pete Rinaldi, bassist Samuel SJ Stokes and drummer Darby Todd for the new group which has already released a free download of a new song, Heroes, which features more of Hawkins’ trademark high-pitched vocals and crashing guitar riffs.

“Four men with at least one machine apiece operating in pitch-perfect harmony. Who could ask for more?” he says with the fervour of a salesman.

Hot Legs have recorded their debut album and took it to Los Angeles for mastering. As yet untitled, it’s due for release in October on Barbecue Rock Records.

“It’s absolutely stunning,” says Justin.

For full article: Huddersfield Daily Examiner

Justin Hawkins is back and he might just squeeze into his Darkness catsuits

July 28, 2008

tags: Articles, Interviews

Jul 28 2008 By Anuji Varma

JUST when you thought it was safe to go to a Justin Hawkins gig… you’d better think again.

The former Darkness singer has revealed he might still don those wacky lycra catsuits when he performs in Brum with his new band Hot Leg.

Justin, who quit his first chart-topping band to go into rehab, laughed: “I’ve still got a couple of them. In fact I tried one on the other day and I’m glad to say that I managed to squeeze into it!

“I cannot guarantee that I won’t wear them. It’s a possibility. Although I haven’t had any new one’s made up so it might be a bit weird wearing the catsuits I wore when I was in The Darkness.”

The Suffolk-born singer is back on the music scene with his new band and they play at the Barfly next month.

“I’m really excited about it all,’’ he said. ‘‘The people in the band are all fantastic players and they look good.

“We had our first warm-up gig at a friend’s wedding.

We played in front of just 50 people and it was nice not to perform for the first time in the public eye.

‘‘The guests were aged from about five to 50, and I was told one complained that our performance of Billy Idol’s White Wedding was hardly appropriate, which I couldn’t believe!”

Justin, who left The Darkness three years ago to battle against a booze and drugs addiction, formed his new 90s inspired band earlier this year.

And he added he didn’t regret leaving The Darkness.

“It was time to go.’’ he said. ‘‘There really wasn’t another album in us and I lost interest.”

The Darkness have since been renamed Stone Gods and Lichfield-born bassist Richie Edwards has been catapulted to lead singer status.

Justin said: “Richie’s a really great guy and is a star. If I could have picked anyone to sing it would have been him. I don’t think I’ll be going to see them play though. Although we all talk, I think it would just be too awkward.”

Hot Leg play the Barfly on August 7.

Birmingham Sunday Mercury

Trojan Guitar

July 24, 2008

tags: Announcements

Is now up on the band’s myspace for your listening delight. This will be the debut single, as well as being on the album. Listen, and listen well!

Heroes has also been added to the playlist on the profile.

There are links on the right to both the profile and blog feeds.

Back from The Darkness

July 24, 2008

tags: Articles, Interviews

Paul Taylor
24/ 7/2008

WHEN Justin Hawkins plays at Manchester’s Roadhouse next month, it will be the eve of an important anniversary.

“I will have been clean and sober for two years on August 9,” he says. “Generally people do remember the date because it’s a one-day-at-a-time thing.”

Hawkins addressed his drink and drug problems in 2006, then promptly announced he would quit The Darkness, the flamboyant and smile-inducing pomp-rockers.

Why come out of rehab and then quit the band?

“Anybody who has hung out with The Darkness would recognise that that band is incapable of running a dry ship,” says Hawkins.

There were also the time-honoured musical differences – in Hawkins’ case with brother Dan, The Darkness’s guitarist.

“My brother and I, creatively, always pulled in different directions,” he says.

So Dan is involved with the more metal-oriented Stone Gods – essentially, The Darkness minus Justin – and Justin now starts back on the first rung of the rock ladder with his new band Hot Leg. Relations between Justin and his former band mates, especially Dan, are `fine’, he insists.

Last time he hit the road, Hawkins was playing the arena circuit. Hot Leg’s first tentative tour will bring him to venues such as the Roadhouse, more usually a proving ground for up-and-coming talent.

“It’s not quite starting from scratch,” he says. “In a way I wish it was starting from scratch{hellip}that would be pubs. We’re doing quite ambitious-sized venues considering we haven’t got anything out there.”

Hot Leg’s debut album is set for release in October. Its style will not be wholly unfamiliar to those who enjoyed The Darkness’s fun-laced rock.

Proud

“People will spot the similarities and there are many,” says Hawkins. “I’m pretty proud of what I did with The Darkness, particularly on the first record. Hot Leg is an intensified version of that. The record is a concise 10-song rock document which I’m really proud of. I think it’s like The Darkness… only better.

“I’ve played everything on the songs and it was going to be a solo record but half way through it I realised I would get to the point where I finished the record and would be looking round for musicians and wondering how I would do it live.”

So he recruited bass player Samuel SJ Stokes, drummer Darby Todd and guitarist Pete Rinaldi, who is, according to Hawkins, `half man, half guitar’, practicising alone for two hours even before band rehearsals and winding down by playing the Guitar Hero game.

Lowestoft

Hawkins, 33, began playing guitar 20 years ago in Lowestoft, Suffolk, inspired by Queen’s Brian May. He studied music technology in Huddersfield before crafting music for adverts. With the falsetto voice, the jumpsuits and the whiff of Spinal Tap about the on-stage persona, Hawkins and The Darkness were bound to provoke a reaction.

While their debut album was hailed as a celebration of such classic rock influences as Queen, many pundits hated them on sight. Even before the usual backlash encountered by any wildly successful band, The Darkness, says Hawkins, experienced a `frontlash’.

“It varied from country to country,” he recalls. “For example, in Australia, we were winning awards right up to the point where the rest of the world were slagging us off. Italy was amazing, Malaysia fantastic. In Germany, they were a bit non-plussed. France couldn’t care less. Scandinavia – they liked it.”

The cracks began to appear with The Darkness’s second album One Way Ticket To Hell {hellip}And Back. Bassist Frankie Poullain left during the recording of the album. It later transpired Justin was spending £1,000 a week on drugs.

“On the first record we were definitely in charge. But from the second record onwards we were being pulled from pillar to post right around the world.

“Our manager lost control of the situation because she wasn’t allowed to do her job. We lost control of the situation because we were so tired,” he says.

“I really hated being on a major label. When it came to the crunch I really didn’t like having any creative decisions taken away from me. I didn’t like being told to wear jeans and a T-shirt and told to say this and not that in interviews.

“I was always quite reckless and I decided to shoot myself in the foot and end it all really. All the other stuff was clouding the bit that I enjoyed – the songwriting and the performing.”

Hot Leg play The Roadhouse, Manchester, on August 8. Visit: www.myspace.com/teamhotleg for tickets, priced £10, and for a free download of Hot Leg’s track Heroes.

Manchester Evening News