Justin Hawkins quits The Darkness

The Darkness vocalist/guitarist Justin Hawkins has revealed to The Sun newspaper that he has left the band, citing cocaine addiction as the reason. “I feel like I´ve lost three years of my life,” Hawkins told the newspaper. “I´m only just coming to terms with what has happened, because I was always off my face.”

Hawkins admitted to spending over £150,000 on cocaine over the past three years: a one way ticket to hell and gak, if ever there was one. “I'm not blaming the band for my problem - I am an addict. There are people who can be in bands and stay clean, but I'm not one of them, " he revealed.

Yet Hawkins suspects that, despite the departure of their charismatic frontman, in a disturbingly life-imitates-Spinal Tap twist the remaining members of the band will soldier on, while Hawkins himself appreciates the simpler things in life. "It sounds stupid but I now get a thrill from things like putting on a cashmere cardigan and feeling how soft it is,” he told the Sun. “I never used to notice things like that."

So - a blow to good time rock ´n´ roll, or good riddance to a band well past its sell-by-date? You tell us…