Justin Hawkins on What Makes Him Happy…At Least for Now

It was difficult for me to take The Darkness seriously when they burst onto the scene in 2003. They seemed like a hard rock parody, more exaggerated than the bands they were referencing. With their frontman, Justin Hawkins in garishly printed full-body catsuits hitting sky-high falsettos, it felt like an elaborate act, a performance of rock stardom rather than the real thing.

Yet their debut album, Permission to Land, certainly did that. It went multi-platinum in the band’s native U.K., earning them three Brit Awards and a Mercury Prize nomination. The single, “I Believe in a Thing Called Love,” cracked the Top 40 on four Billboard charts, and the album did the same on the Billboard 200. Taylor Swift even lip-synced to the track—with a full Hawkins-worthy choreographed routine—in a 2016 Apple commercial.

More from Spin:

• Update: Doechii, Lucy Dacus Assemble For All Things Go
• Butcher Brown Effortlessly Obliterate Genres On ‘Letters From The Atlantic’
• Four Tet, Orbital, Chino Moreno Remix The Cure’s ‘Lost World’

But like many rock stories, this one spiraled. Hawkins battled substance abuse and an eating disorder. The band broke up. He recovered. They reformed. Though Permission to Land remains their peak, The Darkness have proven themselves remarkably resilient.

In the U.K., they fill arenas. In the U.S., they draw thousands. Their eighth album, Dreams on Toast, dropped in March and charted strongly in the U.K. The 2023 documentary Welcome to The Darkness recently saw a digital and physical U.S. release. This May, the band kicks off a world tour, hitting 30 U.S. cities by late August.

What truly reframed Justin Hawkins for me was his YouTube channel, Justin Hawkins Rides Again, launched in 2021. With razor-sharp wit and a seasoned musician’s insight, he breaks down songs, musical trends, and the industry at large for more than half a million subscribers. He’s also launched a podcast that dives deeper, interviewing fellow musicians and industry insiders.

Here, Hawkins shares 10 essentials that help him stay happy—at least for now.

Atkin Guitars

I remain fond of Gibson, but there is a really talented group of luthiers and guitar builders in Canterbury, Kent, that have been building my custom electrics for the last couple of years. They are unbelievably great-sounding and reliable instruments. There’s still a little disquiet amongst our audience when I play anything that isn’t a white Les Paul Custom, but I’m proud to support an emerging British guitar company.

May The Muse

I’m a little biased here, but I think Ms. Mishoe has a wonderful singing voice and I produced her first album No Please, Yes Thank You, which is fantastic. She’s also my life partner, we’re inseparable, and she makes me happy. My rock, if you will. 

Boutique Roma, St Gallen, Switzerland

This is my favorite shop in the world. They have a cleverly curated selection of avant-garde clothing and they’ve been doing this for 50 years. It’s a family business and I can never walk past without popping in to see my friends there. 

Victorian Horror Anthologies

I’m very fond of Victorian literature, especially horror! Currently I’m reading Victorian Nightmares, one of the Hugh Lamb collections. There’s something in the lexicon of this genre that I think has been lost, so whenever I can, I’ll digest a short Victorian horror story before bed. This, in combination with a huge dose of Champix leads to vivid and terrifying dreams projected in glorious sepia tones.

Ikeda

I think Ikeda just off Bond Street in London is the best restaurant I’ve ever eaten in. It’s Japanese food, but in London. And not fusion-y or over fancy in any way. Super traditional and really expensive. I love it.

Froggyland in Split, Croatia 

It’s awesome. A triumph in taxidermy, hundreds of inanimate amphibians are arranged to make it look like they are doing tennis, or operations, or whatever. It’s kind of marsh-smelling if memory serves. A multi-sensory experience. You’re not allowed to take photos in there, so I go every time I’m in Split. It’s life-affirming stuff.

Fresh Pineapple Juice

Because it’s tasty and good for you. 

It’s a cross between blue and green.

Denim

The very fabric of rebellion. I am seldom found wearing denim, but I own enough denim to clad this entire planet, so it looks like a stonewashed sphere from outer space. 

B&B Italia Camaleonda in Cognac Leather

It’s modular, versatile, terribly uncomfortable, and extremely difficult to keep clean. The throbbing heart of a stylishly appointed mid-century lounge. Astronomically expensive. I have a rampant obsession with sofas and for me, the Camaleonda is the king of the modulars. I’ve had mine for a few years now and I’m tremendously protective of it. When people are slagging it off for not being comfortable I’m like, “SIT ON THE FLOOR THEN.“ I have a technical diagram of a Camaleonda element tattoo.

To see our running list of the top 100 greatest rock stars of all time, click here.