The Darkness - Dan Hawkins: 'Justin Would Have Died Without Rehab'

The British rockers shot to fame in 2003 but just three years later (06), frontman Justin walked away to seek treatment for cocaine and alcohol addictions at London clinic The Priory.

Dan reveals he pushed his brother to seek help, prompting a bitter feud between them - but the guitarist is convinced the worst would have happened if Justin hadn't left the group.

Dan tells Britain's The Sun, "I pleaded with him about his health. If he had carried on the way he was going he would not be here today. It was bad. It was like Justin had this big red button he was itching to press which would kill him.

"After each gig Justin would disappear. Then he'd turn up at the next gig having not slept, looking a bit yellow and green and being a complete pain in the a**... It was good to stop everything and get our lives back on track."

Justin, who has been clean for almost five years, admits he now regrets his bad behaviour.

He adds, "By the end I was fat, bloated and useless. I was smashed up all the time... My whole focus was to get the gig over with so I could get smashed."

The I Believe in a Thing Called Love hitmakers reunited earlier this year (11) and sealed their comeback with a successful set at Britain's Download Festival on Friday (10Jun11).