Justin Hawkins facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Justin Hawkins
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Justin Hawkins playing live with The Darkness at Dublin Academy 2019
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| Birth name | Justin David Hawkins |
| Born | 17 March 1975 Chertsey, Surrey, England |
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| Years active | 1992–present |
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Justin David Hawkins (born 17 March 1975) is a famous English musician, singer, and songwriter. He is best known as the lead singer and guitarist for the rock band The Darkness. Justin also has a popular YouTube channel called "Justin Hawkins Rides Again." On his channel, he shares funny thoughts about music and talks about news in the music world.
Contents
Early Life and Music Beginnings
Justin Hawkins was born on 17 March 1975, in Chertsey, England. He grew up in Lowestoft, Suffolk, with his younger brother, Dan. Both brothers loved music and learned to play the guitar when they were young. Justin also became interested in singing. He looked up to famous singers like Freddie Mercury and Bon Scott.
Justin studied Music Technology in college. Before becoming a rock star, he even wrote catchy songs for commercials, like for Ikea and Yahoo!. His brother Dan remembers that Justin always had a flashy style when he performed. He often wore bright, sparkly outfits and used his amazing voice to entertain people. Justin used money from an Ikea commercial to help start his band, The Darkness. People often praise Justin for his powerful voice, which can sing very high and very low notes.
Music Career Highlights
Forming The Darkness
Justin and his brother Dan played in many bands together while they were in college. They later met drummer Ed Graham and decided to form a new band. This new band became The Darkness. They started by playing in small clubs and pubs. Soon, they signed with a record label called Atlantic Records.
Their first album, Permission to Land, came out on 7 July 2003. It quickly became very popular in the UK. The album sold millions of copies and helped the band become famous. The Darkness then toured a lot, even playing with big bands like Metallica. In 2004, they won three BRIT Awards for Best Group, Best Rock Group, and Best Album. They also won two Kerrang! awards. Their songs "I Believe in a Thing Called Love" and "Christmas Time (Don't Let the Bells End)" were huge hits.
The band released their second album, One Way Ticket to Hell... And Back, in 2005. It had songs like "One Way Ticket" and "Is It Just Me?". The album was produced by Roy Thomas Baker, who also worked with the band Queen. After touring for this album, Justin left The Darkness in October 2006. He said he felt the band's routine had become boring.
In 2011, The Darkness got back together! They toured again and released new albums like Hot Cakes (2012) and Last Of Our Kind (2015). They continued to release music, including Pinewood Smile in 2017 and Easter Is Cancelled in 2019. In 2020, they released a video for their song "In Another Life."
Other Exciting Projects
In 2005, Justin started a solo music project called British Whale. His first song, "This Town Ain't Big Enough for Both of Us", was a cover of a song by the band Sparks. It became a top 10 hit in the UK. The music video was very funny, showing Justin in a game show.
Justin also tried to represent the UK in the Eurovision Song Contest in 2007. He sang a duet called "They Don’t Make 'Em Like They Used To" but did not win. He also appeared on a special TV show called Top Gear of the Pops for charity. On the show, he sang "Red Light Spells Danger" with the hosts of Top Gear.
Justin formed another band called Hot Leg in 2008. They released an album called Red Light Fever. There is even a wax statue of Justin Hawkins at Madame Tussaud's in London!
Justin has also lent his voice to other projects. He sang for a character named Kurtz in the animated TV series Freefonix. He also played a rock star in the 2010 movie Psychosis. In 2012, Justin appeared in a Samsung commercial during the Super Bowl XLVI. He also appeared in an episode of the children's show ZingZillas with his brother Dan.
In 2020, Justin was on the UK version of The Masked Singer. He was dressed as a Chameleon and sang many different songs before his identity was revealed. In 2022, Justin performed at the Taylor Hawkins Tribute Concert. He sang with famous musicians like Wolfgang Van Halen, Dave Grohl, Brian Johnson, and members of Queen.
YouTube Channel: Justin Hawkins Rides Again
In 2021, Justin started his own YouTube channel called "Justin Hawkins Rides Again." On this channel, he reviews songs, talks about the music industry, and answers questions from fans. Many people love his channel because he is funny and shows off his amazing guitar skills. He often breaks down how songs are made. His videos have been watched millions of times. He has reviewed music from bands like Greta Van Fleet, My Chemical Romance, Metallica, and Slipknot.
Personal Life
Justin Hawkins lives in Switzerland with his daughter. He is a vegan. Justin is also a big football fan. He grew up supporting Manchester United but now mostly supports Norwich City.
Equipment He Uses
Justin Hawkins often plays Gibson Les Paul Custom guitars. He is most known for his white one, which he used in many music videos. He also has a custom blue Les Paul guitar with a mythical dog painted on it. Guitar company Gibson even made special Justin Hawkins signature Les Paul guitars because he is so famous.
For his sound, Justin has used different amplifiers over the years. He has used Mesa Boogie amps and Marshall amps. He also uses special pedals to change his guitar sound, like a wah-wah pedal. For some songs, he plays a Moog Keytar, which is a keyboard shaped like a guitar. On his YouTube channel, he sometimes plays a small Martin Backpacker travel guitar.
See also
In Spanish: Justin Hawkins para niños
