By Katy Pearson

WHEN Frankie Poullain, bass player for the Darkness, calls me, the line is utterly terrible.

This coupled with his accent (he was raised in Milnathort then Edinburgh) and the fact I have a 15 minute time limit on our chat, meant I was slightly fearful the interview would end up being the least rock and roll thing he’s ever done.

But it’ll take more than a crackly line and disconcerting 10 second echoy delay to dull this glam metal bassist.

It’s been more than a decade since the Darkness first gate-crashed the establishment with their own – slightly ridiculous but now iconic – brand of glam metal rock. 2003’s Permission to Land sold more than 1,300,000 copies, and now three Brit awards, five albums, one break-up and an ever-revolving cast of drummers later, they’re as bombastic as ever with a new album and tour (coming to the Cliffs Pavilion tomorrow.)

Does he think people finally “get” the band and its catsuit wearing frontman Justin Hawkins, I wonder?

“Everyone has an opinion, but opinions are like are a***holes aren’t they? I’m glad that we divide opinion,” says Poullain, who himself is possibly best known for his impressive moustache.

But is rock and roll – real rock and roll - dying?

“We’re happy to fly the flag. We love it. And we do it instinctively and that’s the thing, if it’s not instinctive then it’s not rock and roll anymore,” he muses, and then starts to hit his stride.

“Rock and roll has to be done with a sense of abandon, a sense of irreverence – that’s important. I’m not really a fan of heritage rock of people regurgitating stuff from the past. We like to do stuff that seems wrong, and make it right.

“We are and always have been a rock and roll band.”

“I think if you get to a certain level, it can all blow up and that’s a bit what happened to us. But we don’t have any problem with that.

“We started off being unfashionable and then by some quirk of fate it all went mad.”

The blow up he mentions, was in 2005. He left the band, citing "musical differences" as the reason and was replaced by Richie Edwards, a former guitar technician for the band.

The following year, Justin Hawkins also departed from the band after successfully completing a course of rehabilitation from alcohol and cocaine abuse. The remaining members formed Stone Gods, continuing to perform and record without Hawkins, who then fronted his own project, Hot Leg

It wasn’t until 2011 that the Darkness reformed.

Now, six years on, what sort of shape are they in?

“Probably one of the best states we’ve been in for years,” says Poullain. “We’re definitely older and wiser. And the difference is there in the band too, we’ve got too much enthusiasm but also we’ve all the history, which gives you a new perspective.

“And we’re probably enjoying it more now. Because you value it, you don’t take it for granted.”

Did he ever foresee the resurgence they’re currently enjoying?

“No. I’d have said it’s never gonna happen,” he pauses, then adds with real sincerity. “I always expect the worst, I never expect good things to happen. And when they do I feel like I don’t deserve this”

Do they still get along?

“Yeh course we do. There’s no way we could… it would be awful if you didn’t enjoy each other’s company. We always have a laugh together.”

But just how has the industry changed since they started out, I venture, over a particularly loud burst of crackle on the line?

“The people are the same. There’s less slack nowadays. But is actually hasn’t changed that much – there’s less cocaine around.”

With them in the early stages of a 17-date tour, does he still get a buzz our of gigging?

“It’s very hard not get a buzz out of performing. And when you’re not touring you have a bit of a hunger because you haven’t got that adrenaline buzz.”

But what can we expect from them, classic Darkness or something more?

“We’ve got Rufus Tiger Taylor [son of Queen’s Roger Taylor – at 26 he’s half Poullain’s age] on the drums and a few songs on the album [Pinewood Smile – out now] are things we’ve never done before, like soul song Why Don’t The Beautiful cry and a duet called Stampede of Love that just Justin and me… do there’s a few interesting things happening there.

“And we also might bring songs we haven’t played much, things like Holding My Own the last track on Permission to Land.

“So good things. A bit of a different flavour. We’ve got a new light show. And a new wardrobe. The wardrobe explores graphic lime green and raspberry…”

And finally (I can’t resist it, though he must get asked All. Of. The. Time) is Love Only A Feeling?

There is a pause so long, I actually start to fear he’s hung up.

But then, quietly, over the static.

“No, it’s more than feeling, for sure,” he sums up. “Definitely yeh, it’s more than a feeling.”

And with that, my 15 minute slot is up and he’s gone.

The Darkness are at the Cliffs Pavilion, Station Road, Southend, tomorrow. Doors open at 7pm. Tickets from £32, call the box office on 01702 351135.

ENDS