Open Fire

Album: Last Of Our Kind (2015)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Ahead of the single's release on March 23, 2015, the band posted a 15-second teaser video of the intro to the track on their Facebook page. Once the single was released, a full music video for the track was released on April 24, 2015 - just a few days after the band had announced that drummer Emily Dolan Davies, who plays drums on the track and features in the accompanying video, was leaving the band.
  • The song serves as the second lead single off the band's fourth album, Last of Our Kind, after the release of "Barbarian" on 23rd February.
  • The song finds Justin Hawkins singing in a slightly different, more aggressive style, which on first listen sounds quite unlike the singer at all (aside from a trademark high note on the chorus line "open fire on my heart"). Some fans even thought it might be a different band member singing, but it was confirmed indeed to be Hawkins revisiting a style often used in his other band Hot Leg, which he toured with when The Darkness were on hiatus from 2006-2011.
  • The song's music video was shot by the English portrait photographer Simon Emmett. It shows The Darkness playing the song on an Irish beach with a howling gale and crashing waves. Justin Hawkins told Loudwire: "It's like the 'Love Is Only A Feeling' video. It's all about the location and the beauty of that."

    "It is a bit like that in places, but it's offset by some sexually uncomfortable fire play stuff," he continued. "I hope I'm not making it sound like a Rammstein video; it's more of a burlesque thing. Old fashioned fire breathing and stuff like that, circus-esque."

Comments: 1

  • Todd G. from BostonHuge error here that needs correction, Ed Graham was not the bassist for The Darkness during his brief stint in the band. He was the drummer from 2005 - 2006. The bassist at the time of The Last of Our Kind recordings is Frankie Poullain, who was one of the original members of the band before he left in 2005, but rejoined when the band reformed in 2011 and has been a steadfast member since. [Fixed, thank you. -editor]
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Shaun Morgan of Seether

Shaun Morgan of SeetherSongwriter Interviews

Shaun breaks down the Seether songs, including the one about his brother, the one about Ozzy, and the one that may or may not be about his ex-girlfriend Amy Lee.

Adam Young of Owl City

Adam Young of Owl CitySongwriter Interviews

Is Owl City on a quest for another hit like "Fireflies?" Adam answers that question and explains the influences behind many others.

Stan Ridgway

Stan RidgwaySongwriter Interviews

Go beyond the Wall of Voodoo with this cinematic songwriter.

Gentle Giant

Gentle GiantSongwriter Interviews

An interview with Ray and Derek Shulman of the progressive rock band Gentle Giant to discuss counterpoint, polyrhythms, and... Bon Jovi.

Dave Edmunds

Dave EdmundsSongwriter Interviews

A renowned guitarist and rock revivalist, Dave took "I Hear You Knocking" to the top of the UK charts and was the first to record Elvis Costello's "Girls Talk."

Yoko Ono

Yoko OnoSongwriter Interviews

At 80 years old, Yoko has 10 #1 Dance hits. She discusses some of her songs and explains what inspired John Lennon's return to music in 1980.