After previously using his YouTube platform to beg the people to put a halt to Jon Bon Jovi's singing, the Darkness's Justin Hawkins has now opened up on his channel about his "worst experience as a support act. The headliner in question? None other than the American nu metal band Disturbed, fronted by the man best known for his ooh-wah-ah-ah-ah.
And Hawkins isn't the first to say so; his tale echoes sentiments expressed by Mastodon's Brent Hinds, who said last year that he regretted touring with Disturbed in 2008 because, well, it involved having to play to people that like Disturbed.
Likewise, a sea of Disturbed fans reportedly created quite a sticky situation for Hawkins when the British arena rockers opened for them at London's Brixton Academy in 2002. The rowdy bunch were throwing things, including a used piece of chewing gum, which somehow managed to land squarely in the singer's mouth. He scolded the audience for literally making him choke on someone's pre-worn wad, which apparently pissed off Disturbed bandleader David Draiman, who notably tweets things like this.
UPDATE (7/19 9:33 a.m. ET): Draiman has since also tweeted an apology to Hawkins, writing: "There's a lot of things I regret saying in the past and this is one of them. It's been 20 years. I think we're both old enough to have a pint at some point and laugh about it." Hawkins replied, thanking him and agreeing to get a non-alcoholic beer.
Hawkins recounted:
I really love Brixton Academy; I think it's probably my favourite venue. It was the worst and also one of the best experiences because people were just throwing stuff. But some of the things they were throwing were, like, shoes, bottles and coins and stuff. But the thing about coins is it's money, so in a way that was a good thing, really. It's funny, though, 'cause I was right at the front of the stage. It kind of made me perform more, which made them more angry. And somebody — one of the Disturbed fans who… I've got a lot of time for Disturbed as a band; I think they're just brilliant — if you like that sort of thing. But one of their fans threw a piece of chewing gum that presumably had been in their mouth, and it actually landed in my mouth. I was singing [makes choking sound]. It was just a brilliant shot; I had to respect it, really. And then afterwards, David Draiman wasn't very pleased with me. I don't know; I think I may have issued an admonishment to the throng, which didn't go down very well with him. But what are you gonna do? Who gives a fuck? I'm just kidding.
When things like that happen… If a band is supporting my band and then our crowd is not very nice to them, I would always go and apologize. That didn't happen with Disturbed. I think it actually had the opposite effect and they were angry with us. But… not my problem.
It sounds like the Darkness won't be going within spitting distance of a Disturbed tour ever again.
Watch Hawkins weave the tale below.
Last year, the Darkness released their seventh studio album Motorheart.
And Hawkins isn't the first to say so; his tale echoes sentiments expressed by Mastodon's Brent Hinds, who said last year that he regretted touring with Disturbed in 2008 because, well, it involved having to play to people that like Disturbed.
Likewise, a sea of Disturbed fans reportedly created quite a sticky situation for Hawkins when the British arena rockers opened for them at London's Brixton Academy in 2002. The rowdy bunch were throwing things, including a used piece of chewing gum, which somehow managed to land squarely in the singer's mouth. He scolded the audience for literally making him choke on someone's pre-worn wad, which apparently pissed off Disturbed bandleader David Draiman, who notably tweets things like this.
UPDATE (7/19 9:33 a.m. ET): Draiman has since also tweeted an apology to Hawkins, writing: "There's a lot of things I regret saying in the past and this is one of them. It's been 20 years. I think we're both old enough to have a pint at some point and laugh about it." Hawkins replied, thanking him and agreeing to get a non-alcoholic beer.
Hawkins recounted:
I really love Brixton Academy; I think it's probably my favourite venue. It was the worst and also one of the best experiences because people were just throwing stuff. But some of the things they were throwing were, like, shoes, bottles and coins and stuff. But the thing about coins is it's money, so in a way that was a good thing, really. It's funny, though, 'cause I was right at the front of the stage. It kind of made me perform more, which made them more angry. And somebody — one of the Disturbed fans who… I've got a lot of time for Disturbed as a band; I think they're just brilliant — if you like that sort of thing. But one of their fans threw a piece of chewing gum that presumably had been in their mouth, and it actually landed in my mouth. I was singing [makes choking sound]. It was just a brilliant shot; I had to respect it, really. And then afterwards, David Draiman wasn't very pleased with me. I don't know; I think I may have issued an admonishment to the throng, which didn't go down very well with him. But what are you gonna do? Who gives a fuck? I'm just kidding.
When things like that happen… If a band is supporting my band and then our crowd is not very nice to them, I would always go and apologize. That didn't happen with Disturbed. I think it actually had the opposite effect and they were angry with us. But… not my problem.
It sounds like the Darkness won't be going within spitting distance of a Disturbed tour ever again.
Watch Hawkins weave the tale below.
Last year, the Darkness released their seventh studio album Motorheart.
