ROCK star Justin Hawkins is back with a new band.

Jonathan Barnes

ROCK star Justin Hawkins is back with a new band.

The ex-frontman of Lowestoft's The Darkness has put together a new group, Hot Leg, who are going out on tour next month and due to release their debut album in October.

Hawkins shot to worldwide fame with The Darkness, who sold more than a million records of their breakthrough album Permission To Land, scored a string of top 10 hits and won three Brit Awards.

But the band folded two years ago when Hawkins quit amid a crippling drink and drugs addiction. The other three members of the band, including Hawkins' brother Dan, have gone on to form Stone Gods.

Now, after a spell in rehab, a failed bid to enter the Eurovision Song Contest and his acting debut playing Screaming Lord Sutch in a film about the life of music producer Joe Meek, Hawkins is back to what he does best.

He has recruited guitarist Pete Rinaldi, bassist Samuel SJ Stokes and drummer Darby Todd for the new group.

Hot Leg have already released a free download of a new song, Heroes, which features more of Hawkins' trademark high-pitched vocals and crashing guitar riffs.

Their debut album has been recorded and is due out in October following a four-date UK tour starting at the Proud Galleries on London on August 6.

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