Dan Hawkins thought he would die if he carried on drinking.

The Darkness guitarist got caught up in alcohol-fuelled chaos with the band after the success of their debut album 'Permission To Land' in 2003 and he admits his life quickly spiralled out of control.

He said: ''The wheels were never on. It was always carnage. We partied on the road all the time, then I'd get home and see my friends and start the party all over again.

''It got to the point where I thought, 'If this carries on, I might die'. That's when I left London and moved to the countryside.''

After a six-year hiatus the band reunited in 2011, released the album 'Hot Cakes' and toured with Lady Gaga.

But Dan admits the band knew they couldn't replicate the success of their debut record because they were no longer as close as they once were.

He told Classic Rock magazine: '''Permission To Land' still has that zeal and energy of a gang.

''And we stopped being a gang. So it's no wonder the records never sounded the same after that.''

His brother, frontman Justin Hawkins added: ''If you want to be interested in what you're doing, you have to realise how precious it is. I don't mean the success, I mean the art of it. Because that's what enjoyable - the process of it.

''These four men, who have nothing in common, really kicking ass together. It's a hilarious experience.''