During the 2024 Monsters Of Rock Cruise, an unexpected spat caught the spotlight between Justin Hawkins and Ace Frehley. A video surfaced on Rock News Desk showing Hawkins addressing the issue on stage, after Frehley’s overran performance pushed back The Darkness’ set.
Hawkins told the audience:
“You’ve noticed I wear a watch on stage. Some of you think, ‘Oh, that means he’s not 100% in it. He has to sort of regard the time ‘cause he just wants to get back and eat the prawn sandwiches in the dressing room.’ There’s a bit of truth in that, but I think the important thing about rock and roll is punctuality!”
The Singer Roasted The Guitarist For His Late Arrival
This year’s cruise lineup featured The Darkness and Frehley among other big names like KK’s Priest, Joe Satriani, and Slaughter. Choosing his words carefully at first, Hawkins mentioned:
“I’m not gonna mention any names, but somebody overran, and thus we were late coming on stage. I apologize to all of you. But in fairness, the artist that overran – I’m not gonna name any names, okay? I won’t name any names.”
Then, he openly named the ex-KISS guitarist, blasting him for his rider demands and referring to the wig he’s been wearing for years:
“But I think some of their rider requirements were a little bit difficult to source in the middle of the f**king Caribbean. One of those being wig adhesive! I’m talking about Ace Frehley. Sorry, guys.”
The singer didn’t hold back while criticizing Frehley for his late arrival on the stage:
“I don’t give a f**k if you’re the biggest rock star in the world. If you make The Darkness late, you are a c**t. So, we’re gonna play our entire set, and you guys are gonna f**king love it.”
The Former KISS Member Responded Through His Security Guard
Following these comments, The Darkness went on with their performance. According to Rock News Desk, Hawkins continued to jab at Ace Frehley during their set, which was met with amusement from the crowd. The guitarist was reportedly offended by the situation and addressed these comments the next day.
Allegedly, Frehley’s security approached The Darkness frontman in a coffee shop, confronting him about the previous day’s remarks. This led to a private discussion between the two rockers, after which they took photos together, suggesting a resolution had been reached.
Hawkins later posted one of these photos on Instagram, captioning it ‘Cruise life. Drama on the high seas. And coffee. Legendary times on the Caribbean Ocean!’
You can see the post here.