The Axe Files ; Justin Hawkins has Battled with Bulimia, Band Members, Tony Blair, Robbie Williams and the Taxman. As Louise Gannon Discovers, Only a Passion for His Guitars Keeps the Prince of Darkness From Going Completely Off His Rocker

Mail on Sunday › December 14, 2005

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Summary

Justin Hawkins knows the price of fame. When you are the frontman of The Darkness, the glam-metal act who brought sex, Spandex and a touch of Spinal Tap back to rock 'n' roll, you can be specific about it. 'It's Pounds 500,000,' he says. 'Exactly. That's what I paid in taxes last year. Half a million quid. Can you imagine what it feels like to send half a million quid to Tony Blair?' Well, surely not that bad. After all, The Darkness appeared out of nowhere to become the biggest-selling act of 2003.

Robbie Williams and Blair have clamoured for a private audience with the catsuit-clad, tattoo-mad 'Outrageous One'. Two years on, 30- year-old Hawkins has lived out every rock 'n' roll dream and been through quite a few nightmares.

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Extract

The Axe Files ; Justin Hawkins has Battled with Bulimia, Band Members, Tony Blair, Robbie Williams and the Taxman. As Louise Gannon Discovers, Only a Passion for His Guitars Keeps the Prince of Darkness From Going Completely Off His Rocker

There have been wild parties, three Brit awards for the debut album Permission To Land, unbelievable success in the US and more money than a guy from Lowestoft could ever imagine. But there have also been breakdowns, break-ups, sackings and as he reveals here for the first time bulimia.

But as it happens, paying Blair the cash is very bad news indeed for Hawkins and not even the fact that the PM cited The Darkness's breakthrough hit, I Believe In A Thing Called Love, as one of his favourite singles can take away something of the sting.

'Because, you see, I hate Ton...

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