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THEY may have just hit No1 in the British album charts, after weeks of pinging around the Top Ten, but rock gods The Darkness told us there is only one true measure of success � boobs!
After supporting Robbie Williams at his huge Knebworth events the lads say they will not rest until there are as many women going topless at one of their own gigs.
But all is not lost for lead singer Justin Hawkins, his brother and the band's guitarist Dan, bassist Frankie Poullain and drummer Ed Graham.
The band revealed in an exclusive webchat that because they played when it was still light, whereas Robbie came on much later, they've technically already seen more breasts than Britain's biggest pop star.
So read on to find out more about The Darkness including why they're putting the fun back into rock music, what made them hate Hollyoaks and how their rock star antics often backfire.
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I've just bought your album and I love it. Is it true you formed the band on Millennium Eve and can you tell me a bit more about your history?
Jacob, Billericay
Dan � The band did form on Millennium Eve. It was at that point Justin and I decided to put our differences as brothers aside, get our heads down and crack on with forming the greatest rock and roll band of the last 20 years.
It all fell into place when I saw Justin doing a dance to Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody. Every year my family get together for a party at our aunt's pub in Norfolk, and he had the whole place in stitches. He wasn't singing but miming the words and doing some 'contemporary' dancing. When it got to the middle of the song he'd run out of ideas and just started doing star jumps, that was when I knew we had our front man.
Our first port of call was Frankie who I'd known for about 10 years, but at that time was living in Venezuela. He came back within two weeks of receiving my email.
The second call was to Ed who'd just moved down London. I went to school with Ed and he's one of my best mates.
And that was the start of this wonderful thing.
Frankie � It wasn't a hard decision for me to come back from Venezuela. I'd been in band before with Justin and Dan, called Empire, but Justin was on keyboards.
When that fell apart we tried to get him to be our singer, but he wasn't really ready then. He had to take that next jump and the turning point was Millennium Eve.
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What was it like playing at Knebworth, the home of rock?
Mark, Birmingham
Justin � It was an honour and a privilege to finally be welcomed back into the chambers of riches.
Frankie � It felt like coming home.
Ed � It wasn't red carpet but more like comfy chair. There were about 125,000 people there each day and to play to that many people is very exciting.
Justin � The first day was shock and awe and the crowd really got into it but on the second and third days it didn't seem like people were into it as much, because it was so hot and they were all drunk.
Ed � We've watched the video and you can see people's hands in the air going right the way back, it's incredible.
Frankie � All those boobies going up and down in unison was great too.
Dan � It was almost off putting. But Robbie had more boobies, he had several of them on stage too!
Frankie � Robbie did get more boobies but it was his gig and he had the full on pyro and stage show.
Justin � Plus he used dancers to try and induce the boobies, that's going to lead to an all out boob-a-thon.
But the thing is we were playing in daylight so we had a much better view of the boobies, so in that respect I suspect that we won!
Justin � Boobies are like the currency of success and one day we will get more than Robbie Williams.
Frankie � Our time will come.
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I went to the second Knebworth gig and you were great. What was Robbie like, did you get on with him and were there any good backstage pranks?
Jane, Leeds
Justin � We met Robbie on the second day and he was really nice and said his people had been watching us and were impressed. He didn't watch us himself as he was busy flying around in a helicopter. But he was really cool and friendly and I had my picture taken with him.
The second time I saw him was in catering and he was sitting at a table with Mark Owen and Max Beesley. And that time he was acting a bit cooler and more macho.
Frankie � Robbie actually eyed up my bird. I met Lemmy from Motorhead last year and he did the same thing. As he was shaking my hand he was just staring at my girlfriend.
I don't mind when Lemmy does it, as I feel he's earned the right, but not Robbie.
Justin � The only prank was when I ran past security and pinched Robbie's bum.
How important is showmanship to you guys, you seem like awesome showmen?
Daniel, Reading
Dan � We are here to entertain and our job is to make sure that when people watch us they are having a good time.
Justin � It is important but it's not the be all and end all. We work really hard at writing and arranging the songs and we're astronomically tight musically, which enables us to mess around on stage. A lot of the stuff we do we could play with our eyes half closed.
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Your album Permission To Land first entered the charts at No2. What was it like being sandwiched between Beyonce and Delta?
Darren, Essex
Dan � To be behind Beyonce is the best position in the whole world!
Justin � I couldn't think of a better place to be.
Frankie � It was like being between heaven and a hard place.
Dan � A very hard place!
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I'd just like to say thanks. I was getting so bored with Will, Gareth and especially Coldplay and David Gray. How does it feel to get rock back into the charts?
Zoe, Wolverhampton
Ed � It feels good. I think the one thing we're all proud of and pleased with is that we stuck to exactly what we wanted to do even though for years it wasn't working out. We got there in the end.
Frankie � The most common thing that people say is that we're a breath of fresh air. Humans are made up of lights and shades but for too long now all we've had are negative, angry and nihilistic songs.
It's the grunge factor really, when that kicked in rock became all about anger and angst. We're trying to get back to the way it was before and the great stadium bands of the past.
Dan � There are a lot of kids really into our music and it's great for them to have the option of seeing and hearing a band who are about having fun and a good time.
For years people have grown out of the pop scene and started to get into rock music, and there wasn't the option of a band like us. And the kids love us, and it's great. Kids just want to have fun and so do we.
Justin � I hate all the Pop Idol stuff, it's about time some proper music infiltrated the hit parade.
At least someone like David Gray didn't win a competition to get to where he is, and that's the bottom line. You can be a folk singer or a synth pop duo, you can be anything you want, but don't be a competition winner and expect me to take you seriously.
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Do you agree that the charts are worse now than they were in the hey-day of rock? Has all the fun gone?
Del, Cornwall
Frankie � I think the major difference is, if you look at Top Of The Pops now, people take themselves very seriously even those who haven't got any talent.
Before you'd have people who were very talented who wouldn't take themselves too seriously, now it's the complete opposite.
Dan � I think everyone's had enough of it, especially me.
Frankie � People can't take the p*** anymore and this rubbish is shoved down people's throats. And that's why the British music industry is having a hard time and will continue to have a hard time. They're always looking for a short term fix not to develop new talents and bands.
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Who are your biggest inspirations? What music did you listen to when you were younger?
Francis, Inverness
Dan � I got straight in to Queen from a very early age. I'm a huge fan of Queen, especially the live album that they recorded at Knebworth. And I've never really grown out of that to be honest.
Justin � I listened to Whitesnake, Aerosmith, AC/DC, Run DMC � because they collaborated with Aerosmith - Joe Dolce's Shaddap You Face and Shakin' Stevens. This Ole House was the second record I bought and Shaddap You Face was the first.
Ed � I grew up listening to a lot of guitar music and rock stuff. But in the 1990s it was a really weird period for rock and I really loved a band called The Skyscrapers, I'd go as far as to say I was obsessed by them. But they never got very far.
I love everything from classic guitar bands like The Cult to more poppy and 1980s stuff. I haven't really got one or two favourite bands but more a wide collection of all different stuff.
Frankie � When you come and see us live you see a hard balls-out sweaty rock gig which is very AC/DC and Rolling Stones influenced.
But on the album there is some soft rock too inspired by all those 1980s bands who had one hit like Boston and REO Speedwagon.
Queen covered soft and hard rock and Led Zeppelin were an influence on us too. Even bands like Fleetwood Mac and Abba have inspired us.
Hi guys. I can't work you out. Are you a Spinal Tap spoof of big haired rock or is your music a genuine homage to the likes of AC/DC and Aerosmith?
Mikey, Newcastle
Dan � We are neither. For far too long people have tried to categorise music, and to pigeonhole us a spoof or a homage is just wrong. But then you could try and categorise us in a number of other sections and that would be wrong too.
Because our influences are from quite a long time ago people find it hard to understand what we are doing and why we are doing it.
There is some moderness to our music as well, it's not just old fashioned rock. There are some bands who are a lot more retro than we are, who will only write songs in a certain style with a certain production and will only wear certain clothes.
Frankie � I think a different mindset is required. It is possible to have great songs, fun presenting them and have some depth there too.
Dan - Take a leap and just get into the music.
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Are you living the real rock lifestyle and what's the most rock and roll thing you've ever done?
Sarah, Harrow
Dan � We couldn't possibly tell you�
Justin � For fear of causing pain, real pain, and emotional hurt.
Ed � The other day, when we were in Germany, we had the hottest tour bus known to man. The driver could have turned the air conditioning on but he deliberately didn't do it because it uses up fuel. So to save his money he basically cooked us alive for two days.
When we realised this we were so p***ed off with him that I got the controller from the Playstation and swung it around by the lead smashing it against the wall as hard as I could until it fell into pieces. Then I grabbed his DVDs and started throwing them out of the window onto the motorway.
Basically what he gained in petrol allowance he lost in controllers and DVDs.
Frankie � On the second day of our support tour with Def Leppard I told their tour manager that the catering was worse than prison food. Then for the rest of the tour the only food we were given was a choice of cheese or ham sandwiches with no margarine or butter on.
Justin � A lot of these things backfire on us quite badly. We trashed a dressing room at the Sheffield Arena and the next day they put us in an electrical cupboard.
Frankie � When trashing the dressing room on the first day of the tour Justin broke his big toe and had to have injections to be able to perform at the rest of the gigs.
Ed � You learn a lot from these situations.
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Did you enjoy the Soccer Six tournament at St James's Park and how did you do?
Ben, Manchester
Justin � We did well, we were one of the only bands who scored against Blue. At that point you could hear a pin drop as everyone loved Blue and no one had a clue who we were. We took our tops off and had all these teenage girls shouting "w*****s" at us. They had mouths like toilets.
Frankie � We had the editor of Viz as our guest player and they had Frank McAvennie. Me thinks there is something a bit odd going on there.
Justin � And our substitute, who was some guy from Hollyoaks, turned his back on us when he realised that we weren't famous and went and joined the One True Bellend team or something.
Frankie � He didn't even say goodbye.
Dan � Actually he didn't even say hello! He just looked at us like "who the hell are you?"
Justin � To be fair I didn't have a clue who he was in the first place, he was just some bit part actor.
Frankie � That sums up the whole program.
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Do you find you get more attention from women now you're huge rock stars? Do you have lots of groupies?
Marie, Seven Kings
Frankie � Yeah, we've got the D.O.G.S.
All � They're the Darkness Official Groupies. They call themselves that.
Justin � It's good to have that level of organisation. You can't legislate for these wildcards sitting around with shotguns in their underwear � screw that, get it organised and get them registered. Get them tested!
Frankie � It doesn't matter it if you're the stage manager or a groupie, we demand professionalism.
Dan � We even register our stalkers, that way it doesn't get scary. We know where they are at all times.
Justin - As for attracting more women � I have no idea what you are talking about!
What's the thumbs up thing you do at gigs all about?
Julia, Chigwell
Justin � It's a positive gesture that involves just one or two hands. Rather than getting people to clap we ask them to get their thumbs out, or thumb if they're holding a drink.
Some people encourage crowds to swear at them, but if everyone is holding up two fingers then it's not rebellious anymore.
Why not have something more positive, we're all in this together having a good time. I think the thumbs up sums up the band.
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Justin - where do you buy your wonderful spandex outfits and how do you get them off after a gig?
Marion, Southend
Justin � I get them off with a-plomb. I'm sweating so much they just glide off in style.
I have several people working for me but the main meat of my outfit catalogue is done by a guy called Christian, who I'm hoping to take on tour with us. I've invited him but he hasn't got back to me yet, hopefully he will when he reads this!
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How do you guys keep your hair so well groomed?
Nicola, Portsmouth
Justin � It's a combination of carpet tape and a lot of hope!
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Who is the sweatiest and smelliest after a gig?
Tanya, London
Ed � There's two different categories there � the sweatiest and smelliest. I think I'm the sweatiest but I wouldn't say I'm the smelliest.
Justin � I'm the smelliest. That's why I want to bring Christian on tour because I do tend to have a foul odour and my costumes end up smelling like beef and onions.
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What's your favourite biscuit?
Kitty, Wigan
Dan � I'm quite fond of Nice biscuits.
Ed � I like the chocolate and hazelnut chip Boasters, and gingernuts.
Frankie � My favourite is oat cake.
Justin � I like the Ginger Chocolate Thins, from Prince Charles's Duchy Originals. They are outstandingly decadent.
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After the all-conquering festival appearances and No1 album what's next for you guys?
Ashif, Coventry
Frankie � Our next single is a re-release of I Believe In A Thing Called Love with a new vocal and a remix of the track.
Dan � It absolutely rocks and is out on September 22. Justin is singing in an even higher pitch so if you thought the album version was over the top wait until you hear this one!
Frankie � It's definitely one to scare the horses.
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You can find out more about The Darkness at www.thedarknessrock.com.
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