The art of darkness

“It’s not an anthem for gluttony, consumerism or bloated, flatulent post-dinner snoozing. It’s an acknowledgement that ’tis the season which affords greater tolerance and brings folk together.”

That’s Justin Hawkins waxing lyrical about The Darkness’ eagerly awaited festive single, ‘Christmas Time (Don’t Let The Bells End)’.
If – as hotpress fervently hopes – they succeed in outselling the likes of Cliff Richard, Will Young, Pop Idols, The Cheeky Girls and Noddy, it’ll be the first time in an aeon that the Yuletide top spot has been occupied by an Irish artist other than bleedin’ Westlife.
Hang on, says you, “Aren’t Justin & Co. from that most Anglo-Saxon of locales, Lowestoft?”
They are but the cover it comes lovingly wrapped in is the work of the very Celtic and living in Dublin Jim Fitzpatrick.
The man responsible during the ‘70s for such classic Thin Lizzy sleeves as Black Rose, Johnny The Fox and Jailbreak – he was a close personal friend of Phil’s – Fitzpatrick’s recent rock ‘n’ roll commissions include Sinéad O’Connor’s Faith & Courage and Ash’s Free All Angels, which gave him his first UK number one. So how come he succumbed to The Darkness?
Recalls Jim: “I have to be honest and say my immediate reaction when I saw yer’ man on Jools Holland in his black-and-white-striped spandex was, ‘Give me a break! There are a lot of things the world needs, but Ted Nugent isn’t one of them!’
“By the time Justin had jumped off the stage and landed on Sam Brown’s piano, though, I thought they were fucking amazing and a real breath of fresh air. I’m a big Coldplay and Radiohead fan but there’s only so much angst a person can take!”
That was that until Fitzpatrick went to see Ash supporting Robbie Williams in the Phoenix Park, and clocked Tim Wheeler wearing a Thin Lizzy t-shirt he hadn’t seen before.
“He told me afterwards that Justin’s brother, Dan, had got a batch printed for himself and his mates ‘cause they were huge Lizzy fans,” Jim resumes. “Ash and The Darkness being buddies, I asked Tim to relay back to them that if they wanted any work doing, I was their man.
“Fast forward to August 20th. I’m sitting here in my apartment with Cathleen and Sarah Lynott, Philip’s two daughters. They’ve come over just to hang out for his birthday, and we’ve gone for a long walk on the beach and had a great reminisce. Sarah’s totally like her mother, very elegant and calm and well-spoken and gorgeous, while Cathleen’s her dad right down to the dry cackle of a cough.
“The phone rings and it’s this guy called Justin Hawkins asking if I’d like to come to their gig that night in the RDS with Linkin’ Park and Metallica? I said, ‘I’d bloody love to, as would two beautiful young friends of mine.’ When I told him who they were, there was this long silence followed by an, ‘Oh, my God!’”
An après-show snorter or five later and the admiration society was mutual.
“Having been quite properly sheltered during their childhood, it’s only now that Cathleen and Sarah are beginning to realise the huge influence Philip has had on people, and they like it,” Fitzpatrick resumes. “What I think is lovely is as a result of that meeting, The Darkness invited them and Caroline along to their show in Bristol. There’s a danger when bands get so big, so quickly, that people get lost in the dust, but they’re a genuinely nice bunch of lads.”
It was in Dublin that the band asked Jim to do the cover for their Christmas single.
“Normally I’d have thought, ‘That’s the beer talking!’ but I could tell they were serious and, sure enough, a few weeks later a CD turned up in the post along with a brief that said, ‘Do what you want!’ Which was more of a hindrance than a help because there are so many angles you can take on Christmas!”
And bell ends?
“I’ve been trying to play down the double-entendres but, yes, there’s a reason for the bells Justin’s sitting on being so huge,” he chuckles. “Other than that, I’ll leave you to draw your own conclusions!”

The Darkness’ ‘Christmas Time (Don’t Let The Bells End)’ single is released by Must Destroy! on December 14