Justin Hawkins, the leading man of The Darkness, has expressed his indifference towards John Frusciante’s guitar prowess, the renowned guitarist from Red Hot Chili Peppers, during a podcast session.
On a recent edition of his podcast, “The Art of Not Composing a Song,” Hawkins and guest Pat Finnerty, from the YouTube series What Makes This Song Stink, dissected the abilities of Frusciante as a guitarist.
“I struggle to connect with John Frusciante’s guitar performance as part of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. If we can label Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits as an underrated musician, I’d consider John Frusciante as receiving more credit than due. I’ve stated this belief on several occasions,” Hawkins remarked.
He further elaborated, “Perhaps it’s akin to a master painter suddenly adopting the simplistic brush strokes of a child, as a new creative exploration. That could be what he was aiming for, but it doesn’t change the fact that I find it subpar.”
Hawkins recognized that the common retort from Red Hot Chili Peppers’ fanbase is accusations of his “jealousy” of Frusciante’s triumphs. “The usual response is, ‘You’re merely envious because he’s sold more records than you.’ Yet, Mark Knopfler has vastly outsold me, and I harbor no jealousy. Instead, I admire his guitar work. Thus, this argument doesn’t quite stand up,” he clarified.
However, Hawkins did tip his hat to Frusciante’s distinct sound and his collection of vintage Fender Stratocasters.
On a different note, The Darkness is scheduled to be the opening act for Guns ‘N Roses at the BST Hyde Park concert. The band is also planning a European tour to commemorate the 20th anniversary of their debut album, ‘Permission To Land’.
Thirteen European performances have been announced as a precursor to a worldwide tour, the details of which will be unveiled in the near future.
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