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> Login to your account > RegisterWHY THE DARKNESS WON’T LAST
From page 6 of Classic Rock Magazine January 2006
Cover of January 2006 issue.
So now The Darkness are keen to be taken seriously, and it’s little wonder as they have built their success on a house of cards. Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Motörhead etc have enjoyed a loyal following from hard rock fans for decades. The typical British hard rock fan will stick by genuine bands of this calibre through thick and thin; The Darkness have ensured a fickle fan base while supporting the likes of Robbie Williams! (A fact they now seem keen to gloss over.) Just where will these fans be once the next Coldplay appears on the scene? The puppet-masters behind The Darkness realise that by chasing the intial quick buck, they haven’t been able to attract enough of a solid fan base that will see them through a lengthy career. Hence the ‘Lets market them as a credible band’ type of strategy we currently see. I think they are sadly underestimating the British rock fan’s innate ability to spot a wallet-sniffing fraud a mile away.
It’s sad that Classic Rock feels duty-bound to talk up any British band’s album release as being an essential purchase. I feel you have a duty to your readership firstly, and only secondly should you do what you can to nurture the Brit rock scene.
A big PS: The train on The Darkness’s album cover carries all the menace of Thomas The Tank Engine.
Jason Denny, via email
Sorry, but Classic Rock doesn’t ‘talk up’ any bands, British or otherwise, out of a sense of duty – only if we like them and if we think you will too.
