18 Facts About Darren Middleton

Darren Middleton was born on 4 October 1971 and is an Australian musician, best known as lead guitarist and songwriter for alternative rock band Powderfinger.

Darren Middleton attended prestigious private school, Brisbane Boys' College, where he started guitar in high school.

Darren Middleton went on to form another band, Pirate, with high school friends, and met Powderfinger at a Pirate show.

Darren Middleton did not take guitar lessons, and instead taught himself the instrument.

Darren Middleton formed a band named Sonic Tapestry with high school friends, and played around Brisbane's "biker-fest circuit".

Darren Middleton first encountered Powderfinger when it consisted of Bernard Fanning, Ian Haug, John Collins, and Jon Coghill.

At the time, Darren Middleton had been playing with Sonic Tapestry, and another band named Pirate.

Darren Middleton described Powderfinger's early days as highly influenced by other popular heavy metal bands at the time, especially Pantera.

Powderfinger generally performed covers of The Rolling Stones, The Doors, Led Zeppelin, and Steppenwolf, as well as Neil Young in their early days, in similar clubs to those in which Darren Middleton had first played.

Powderfinger released two early EPs and a debut album, without success, and considered separating, with Darren Middleton contemplating a return to University.

In 2001, on a tour in the United States, Powderfinger played with Coldplay, in what Darren Middleton described as a highlight.

Darren Middleton's partner gave birth to the couple's first daughter in September 2001.

Darren Middleton summarised the year with the comment "This year has been a bit of a blur".

Darren Middleton formed Drag with drummer and Powderfinger engineer Mark McElligott, Brisbane bass guitarist Sean Hartman, and long-time friend Matt Murphy.

The band followed this up with several gigs in Brisbane; a tour down the East Coast of Australia was cancelled when Darren Middleton caught the flu.

Darren Middleton rarely takes a singer or songwriter's role for Powderfinger, generally delegating those tasks to Bernard Fanning.

Previously, Darren Middleton had written the lyrics to "JC", which was sung by Fanning.

Darren Middleton has used a Les Paul guitar, and was praised by Alphonse Leong of Drop-D, described as playing it "as well as any of the seminal axe-noodlers of the hippie era".