Hot Leg’s Hot Press

Most people view early ’00s rawkers The Darkness as one big joke but that first album is a classic if you ask me and I still listen to it a lot. Every song on the album could’ve been a single, with giant hooks, great solos, and a suprisingly deft sense of humor. (It also had amazing outrageous videos.) It’s follow-up, One Way Ticket to Hell (and Back), is what you’d have to call a Classic Coke Album, where bigger seemed better but, it was just bigger and not anywhere as good. But Permission to Land holds up.

I imagine at least a few of us have been wondering what Justin Hawkins has been up to since the demise of The Darkness. After a short-lived synthy solo project called British Whale, and two years of sobriety, Hawkins has unleashed his new rock group, Hot Leg, unto the world. Here’s what the band’s MySpace says:

Hot Leg is a brand new musical group featuring Justin ‘Dave’ Hawkins, former lead singer/lead guitarist/lead songwriter of The Darkness. Hot Leg are an entirely hairier beast, and they make really really brilliant rock music.

Hawkins’ patented ‘Truth Larynx’ is the perfect foil to the 6-stringed rapier of Pete ‘Liquid Guitar Hands’ Rinaldi, the Axemeister General. Meanwhile Samuel SJ Stokes and Darby Todd have emulsified into one muscular unit now known only as ‘The PowerZone’.

Four men with at least one machine apiece operating in pitch-perfect harmony. Who could ask for more?

Some songs, for one thing, which most of us haven’t heard yet. Hot Leg have finished their debut album, due out sometime this fall, but have released a song, “Heroes,” to the internet which won’t be on that album.

It’s definitely more boogie-rock and less Queen and while it’s not as hooky as Darkness songs like “Growing on Me” or “I Believe in a Thing Called Love,” the production style sounds like a real band and I look forward to hearing more from the ‘Leg. Welcome back.

Sound Bites

One of my favorite bands of all time was “the darkness” . The darkness is dead and gone. The lead singer, Justin Hawkins has formed a new band called “Hot Leg”. It’s quite brilliant music of the rock and roll kind.

You can download an MP3 for free from here : http://www.musicglue.com/hotleg

It’s sweet, just do it.

Wil Waldon

Lifted from the Hot Leg MySpace.

Hot Leg – Music Songs For Your Listening Delight!
Forged in the embers of Pete Rinaldi’s Vancouver, Hot Leg are an entirely hairier beast, and one that demands to be taken seriously.

Justin Hawkins’ patented ‘Truth Larynx’ is the perfect foil to the 6-stringed rapier of Pete ‘Liquid Guitar Hands’ Rinaldi, master luthier. Meanwhile Samuel SJ Stokes and Darby Todd have emulsified into one muscular unit now known only as ‘The Powerzone’.

Four men with at least one machine apiece operating in pitch-perfect harmony. This is the finest musical group of our time.

Hot Leg: The Platinum Collection, the biggest selling music album of all time is scheduled for release later this year on Barbecue Rock Records. In the meantime The Leg can be witnessed at a whole host of exciting music concerts.

Justin Hawkins has quietly launched his new band onto the calm waters of MySpace and Facebook – no fanfare, no fuss. Expect, though, for this to change when all is fully revealed, because the press will create one anyway. All we have so far is a lineup and a promise of rockmelted faces. A smidgeon of music and gig dates are to follow – August is the official launch eta. Given the response to the mere hint of his new music, it’ll be a sizzling summer.

After months of recording and working on other projects, Justin gathered his fellow rockmen to the sanctuary known as Hot Leg:

Lead guitar: Last piece of the jigsaw to be gently eased into place was Pete Rinaldi – he plays such a mean guitar that Justin has made him lead. He is generally referred to as being exceptionally gifted, and Hot Leg’s description bodes well – ‘Liquid Guitar Hands’! If anyone wants to admire his work, try Adam (yes, Rick’s son) Wakeman’s Headspace – their EP ‘I Am’ was released in February 2008. He has written and played mandolin and guitar for Cass Fox on her album ‘Come Here’ in 2005. He was also a member of Pauline Taylor’s band, releasing CDs in 2007. His song ‘Cutie Pie’ features on the CDs of Brooklyn artist adee. 2007 was a busy year – he also joined One EskimO following the departure of their guitarist.

On bass – Samuel SJ Stokes, half of the Powerzone. LA based, via Dublin, London and Oxford, he rocked out in The Thieves to critical acclaim. After spending a few years in LA recording, gigging, and building a studio, he’s now moved back to London to be part of Hot Leg.

The drumming half of the Powerzone is Darby Todd. He has worked with (nicked off MySpace, the list is huge)… Derek Nash, Winston Blissett, Dave Ital, Tim Cansfield, Arden Hart, Jerry Springer (no, really!!), Andy Newmark, Phil Mulford, Pete Adams, Gary Moore, Buddy Whittington, Papa George, Bobby Tench, Mickey Moody, Derek Mc Entyre, Otto Williams, John Noyce, Neil Angilly, Mike Post, Thomas Lang, Pete Freezin, Steve Houghton, Dennis Rollins. Protect the Beat, a jazz/funk outfit, is one of his main UK projects. His other work includes West End shows and TV, as well as teaching.

Aaaand… Justin Hawkins. Singer, showman, guitarist, not always in that order. He is best known as The Darkness’ frontman and providing their main songwriting thrust, but has written for TV, www.dothegreenthing.com, and done a spot of film acting in Telstar, yet to be released.

The sweet high silver notes of rock are BACK.

This project has been going on for some time, and now Justin finally has the band he wanted to back up the music he’s been working on. Expect a lot of rocking and face melting to be happening before too long. By the looks of things, everyone’s very pleased, happy, and being silly. Just the way we like it. More news as it comes.

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