Earlier this week, Dan Hawkins, guitarist of The Darkness, made headlines for his harsh criticism of a tribute to Ozzy Osbourne at the MTV Video Music Awards in Los Angeles. The tribute featured Yungblud, Extreme’s Nuno Bettencourt, and Black Sabbath’s Adam Wakeman, performing classic songs like “Crazy Train” and “Changes.” Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler and Joe Perry even joined in for “Mama, I’m Coming Home.”
In an Instagram post, Hawkins didn’t hold back, calling the tribute “another nail in the coffin of rock’n’roll” and describing it as “cynical” and “nauseating.” He also referred to the performers as “a bunch of bellends.”
His brother, Justin Hawkins, later addressed the controversy on his podcast, Justin Hawkins Rides Again. He questioned whether calling someone a “bellend” was necessary and went on to discuss Yungblud’s performance. Justin expressed concerns about Yungblud’s portrayal of Ozzy’s legacy, noting that while the tribute was meant to honor Ozzy, it didn’t truly reflect his essence.
“You have to remember, Ozzy was genuinely funny and original,” Justin said. He pointed out that musicians from older generations feel uneasy seeing someone like Yungblud, who they feel doesn’t represent the harder, authentic aspects of rock and metal. He compared Yungblud’s style to a mix of various rock icons, suggesting it felt more like a performance than a true homage to rock culture.
Justin also praised Nuno Bettencourt’s guitar skills, calling them “the eighth to eighteenth wonders of the world,” a stark contrast to his views on Yungblud’s approach. He criticized it for feeling artificial, almost like it was filtered through “an Instagram lens.”
This conversation reflects broader sentiments in the music community. Many artists are concerned about how the essence of rock is represented in today’s music scene. According to a recent survey by Rolling Stone, over 60% of musicians worry that new rock acts lack authenticity. They fear the genre is morphing into something less raw and more commercial.
The Darkness is currently on tour in Canada and has U.S. dates lined up next week, before heading to Europe. Their thoughts on current music trends seem to resonate not just within their band but also with audiences eager for genuine rock experiences.
