Legends of rock, The Darkness, have returned to bedazzle and amaze once more as they serve up their eighth studio album Dreams On Toast via Cooking Vinyl in March 2025. Pre-order the album now.
“You know that thing when God’s breath tickles your soul and tells you to create? Yeah, makes me giggle too. But you can’t resist,” comments frontman Justin Hawkins. “God might not be the power she once was, but say what you like about her, she knows damn well that what the world needs now, is rock sweet rock. And who are we, mere mortals of extraordinary ability, to argue with the divine?
“So we knuckled down and thought really hard about the best of the best, the elite songs, the life-changing music of the ages. Then we popped out a dozen bangers before lunch. And these bangers we present to you here, wallowing in an aromatic aural ragu, served atop the charred remains of our envious contemporaries… ladies and gentlemen, I give you Dreams On Toast!”
A lavish display of sonic delicacies, Dreams On Toast is a dynamic dish packed full of sure-to-be hits. This is no better demonstrated than with lead single ‘The Longest Kiss’ out today. An upbeat pop classic which tips its hat to the ’70s pop genius of both Queen and Paul McCartney, it finds The Darkness dance across jaunty piano keys and frolicking guitar licks in irresistible top form.
Justin explains, “Misty Orchards! That’s not my porn name, that’s the kind of scenery that I love. I awakened to such a vista in the delightful Scottish highland town of Nairn on the morning that inspiration for ‘The Longest Kiss’ lyric struck. I was bleary eyed and locked in an unending embrace with my (mid)life partner. Weird that I can still sing, but that’s a testament to the resilience of humans, especially lead singers.
The music itself is a piano-led composition, the chorus of which my brother and I came up with after he’d taken a long time to empty his bladder during some impressive pub endurance. The verses were transposed from a song I’ve been working on for decades as part of a musical about the collapse of the Lowestoft fishing industry, called ‘The Collapse Of The Lowestoft Fishing Industry’.
The musical isn’t finished yet. But ‘The Longest Kiss’ is. The results are astounding. We’re all very proud of this. Please, to enjoy!”
If you like what we do, consider joining us on Patreon for as little as £1 per month!
Not only will Dreams On Toast feature arguably their best collection of songs yet, but The Darkness will also be hitting the road next March for their largest headline tour of the UK in years, solidifying their status as one of Britain, and indeed the world’s, most important rock bands.
The Dreams On Toast UK headline tour will see them play 17 shows across the country finishing at London’s OVO Wembley Arena on March 29th. Support comes from Northern Irish indie-rock heroes Ash, who first supported The Darkness on their legendary ‘Permission To Land Tour’ over 20 years ago.
Ash comment, “In 2004 we toured the UK’s arenas with The Darkness as Permission to Land catapulted them into the big league. Next March, 21 years later, we will reunite to tear across Britain before an epic crescendo at Wembley Arena. We believe in a thing called Rock!”
Fans who pre-order Dreams On Toast from the band’s official store will receive access to a pre-sale for the March UK tour. The pre-sale, including VIP upgrades, will open at 10am on Wednesday, September 25th and will remain live until any remaining tickets go on general sale at 10am on Friday, September 27th.
MARCH 2025 UK HEADLINE TOUR DATES
- 07/03 – Ipswich, Regent’s Theatre
- 08/03 – Oxford, New Theatre
- 09/03 – Swansea, Arena
- 11/03 – Guildford, G Live
- 12/03 – Hull, Connexin Arena
- 14/03 – Liverpool, Guild Of Students
- 15/03 – Wolverhampton, Civic Hall
- 17/03 – York, Barbican
- 18/03 – Edinburgh, Usher Hall
- 20/03 – Glasgow, Royal Concert Hall
- 21/03 – Newcastle, O2 City Hall
- 22/03 – Manchester, O2 Apollo
- 24/03 – Bristol, Beacon Theatre
- 25/03 – Portsmouth, Guildhall
- 27/03 – Leicester, De Montford Hall
- 28/03 – Cambridge, Corn Exchange
- 29/03 – London, OVO Arena Wembley
Don’t fancy Patreon? Buy us a one-off beverage!
Header image by Simon Emmett
