In the early 1980s, Darius and the Magnets were part of the Southern California “Paisley Underground” scene. Darius' sitar-playing was a key feature of their sound. They released an EP and then a single (on Big Time Records of Australia). One of their music videos aired on MTV.

In 2018, they released Laughing at Time, 1983-1985, a set of unreleased songs. In 2026, they were included on This Can't Be Today: A Trip through the US Psychedelic Underground 1977-88 (Cherry Red Records). The band members were Darius, Michael Packard, Lee Walters, Tom Lillestol, and Todd Jasmin, (Early members were Chris Samu, Oliver MacFalls, and Steve Broach.)