Providing half the heads of a double-header arena tour with Black Stone Cherry (who you can read a similarly timely Buzz interview with here), against all odds The Darkness remain an uncrushable institution of British rock. Carl Marsh spoke to Darkness bassist Frankie Poullain ahead of their appearance at the Cardiff International Arena.

What’s made the second phase of The Darkness so much better? The band split in 2006, reformed in 2011, and the 12 years since easily beats the first outing for longevity. And what got you guys back around the proverbial table in the first place? By all accounts, it didn’t end so well the first time around.

Frankie Poullain: It was a heavy mix of redemption and wonga! [Laughter] It also was just something to do, to be honest – you’ve got to fill your days somehow. Sometimes life on the road can be a long, agonising wait before you get on that stage, but once you do, you’ve got a feeling of doing something meaningful… a connection. You’re connecting with a lot of people. Especially when you’re an introvert like me, you don’t get a chance to connect with a lot of people, because you kind of avoid it. I never thought I’d be able to get on stage and do that, but the feeling is great. It’s something I believe in so passionately, putting myself out there.

For Justin [Hawkins, Darkness frontman] – an extrovert – he needs it even more. He has to have that feedback. He thrives and flourishes. And now, he’s gone into feedback overdrive because he’s doing YouTube [his Justin Hawkins Rides Again channel], and then he’s got his Patreon. So he’s constantly getting feedback, and I’ve never seen him happier. He’s just the ultimate extrovert.

It’s good that he is bouncing off it all as well, rather than going down the drugs and alcohol path again. It seems like these other, healthier avenues social media and the like have given him have made him a stronger person.

Frankie Poullain: He loves it. He really flowers. Whereas introverts get drained when they are inside. But he just flowers and flowers, more and more. It’s wild! And I’m kinda jealous sometimes, you know?

Doesn’t any of that positive, extroverted outlook rub off on you in his company?

Frankie Poullain: No, you’re right actually – no-one’s fixed, are they? People are quite fluid, quite contrary, and idiosyncratic. So different things can spark people up… and it’s true, about when we’re around each other. I guess Rufus [Taylor, drums, son of Queen’s Roger Taylor] is an extrovert, too, just like Justin – he’s pretty comfortable with many people. So when we’re with each other, we are actually taking things from each other. And it’s great to be inspired by them.

And where does Dan [Hawkins, rhythm guitar and brother of Justin] sit? Is he more like you or more so like the other two?

Frankie Poullain: I’d say that when he was younger, he was quite like that, but then he was very young – 10 years younger than me – but he’s just comfortable with whatever environment he’s in.

I believe Justin is still living in Switzerland – is that an issue when it comes to you all getting together as a band, especially after the travel restrictions of the last few years?

Frankie Poullain: He’s backwards and forwards all the time – he comes over here quite a lot – and he’s so busy now anyway. It works out OK. We don’t need to rehearse as much as we did unless we’ve got a new album; now he’s actually been coming over more, because we’re in writing time. So we’ve got a highland cottage booked for the last week in November [2022] to spend the whole week with each other, and we’ve got all this vintage gear there as well. So, we’re going to be writing the next album…

Some musicians I speak to these days say that having a good manager is key to a great band.

Frankie Poullain: These days it’s more important than ever because you haven’t got the room to make mistakes. You have to get it right and squeeze everything out of it because people aren’t buying albums anymore. Before, you could go to Australia and afford to lose money on tour. Now we make quite a lot of money in Australia just because we squeezed everything, and we have great people working for us; fewer people, but they all do their job well. So it’s better because there are no hangers-on pissing around. It’s better to be busy. And also, the VIP [ticket] thing we do as well, that keeps us busy and gives us an extra bit of income. So it’s definitely the most harmonious it’s ever been.

The Darkness + Black Stone Cherry, Cardiff International Arena, Sat 28 Jan.

Tickets: £46.60. Info: here

words CARL MARSH