The Hawkins Brothers Didn’t Speak for Years After The Darkness Split

The Darkness' Hawkins brothers may seem inseparable, but the two British rock stars admit that, after the band's 2006 breakup, they went through a "two-year period of not really speaking" to each other.

Both frontman Justin Hawkins and guitarist Dan Hawkins — the dual driving forces of the The Darkness — recalled the situation in a retrospective interview that emerged last week (Jan. 8). They also recounted the admittedly "tender" moment that ultimately moved the glam-powered hard rock band to reunite in 2011.

Justin tells The Guardian, "When the Darkness [first] formed [in 2000], Dan was a driving force in terms of ambition, whereas I was doing it in a defiant way."

But by 2004, "everything I did was determined by drug addiction," the lead singer continues. "It was really damaging; we would have achieved much more if I'd been able to keep it together. … When I went into recovery, I had to leave the whole infrastructure around The Darkness, the lifestyle and people — everything was a trigger. My heart would have exploded if I didn't. My brother and I went through a two-year period of not really speaking. That was after I left The Darkness. "

It was in August 2006 when Justin entered rehab, and the band split shortly thereafter, amid rumors they might continue with a new singer. Five years later, The Darkness got back together with both Hawkins brothers, and they released the album Hot Cakes in 2012.

But before that, it was a serious health situation that sowed the seeds for The Darkness' reunion. Dan was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 2011, and though he and his brother were still on shaky terms, Justin volunteered to accompany the rocker to chemotherapy.

Dan remembers, "While I was recovering, I stayed away from my family, so I was going to get chemo on my own. Justin said, 'I'll go. I'll take you.' I remember sitting there in the hospital and wondering how many people realize that this bond is still there between us. People didn't even know we were friends."

The guitarist adds, "It was a tender moment."

Justin says, "Blood is thicker than water; everyone knew we would be all right. We just needed a bit of time. These days, my relationship with Dan is fearsome. We're the Hawkins brothers. People are terrified of us."

The Darkness released their latest, Motorheart, in November of last year. They head to America for a tour with The Dead Deads this spring. Get more info here.