Dirty Pretty Things' hard labour

Hats off to the buskers!

As if we hadn't noticed already... the delivery of DPT's second album is proving to be quite a hard labour.

From Xfm:

Dirty Pretty Things' Carl Barat and Didz Hammond have been talking exclusively to Xfm about succumbing to the notorious "difficult second album" syndrome.
Almost two years on since the release of the debut 'Waterloo to Anywhere' and the world has yet to hear a note from the album that's seemingly taking forever to record.
Speaking of the delays that have prevented any new material from surfacing, bassist Didz Hammond cryptically said:
"We keep running into things that we didn't think we would, problem-wise so we're just tying up a few loose ends, really. It was difficult writing it on the road and stitching it all together."
Carl Barat agrees that their second album has been a long time coming:
"[The recording process] has been quite long, really.We were approaching from a different style of doing things as well - less jingly-jangly and happy-go-lucky; it was bit more planned.
"It's a great record. I can't wait to get it out before we get bored of it!"
The record's hold-up is also proving frustrating for Dirty Pretty Things when it comes to securing those important festival slots. As confirmed by Barat, festival appearences are at risk with the album still caught up in no man's land:
"Glastonbury's been rumoured but we don't have many bargaining chips when we don't have any songs out," he complained.
"We're eager to get the record out but a lot of hiccups seem to be happening along the way," he continued.
"There are a lot of loose ends that need to be tied up properly and then someone had to go back to Los Angeles and pick up the files again and strange things like that."
The hassles, Didz was keen to point out, aren't linked the material:
"We're not having problems with the songs as such just a lot of red tape and crossing the Atlantic."
The pair did reveal to Xfm some of the song titles: 'This Is Where The Truth Begins', 'Hippy's Son', and 'Plastic Hearts' will all appear while the last song is mooted as first single.
Quite when that - or the album - will appear is as much anybody's guess as it is Dirty Pretty Things'.

While struggling with the album, Carl and Didz yesterday joined Drew and friends for a busking adventure on the South Bank (see photo above - thanks to Anjali) for the charity organization named "Crisis".

Drew and DPT for Crisis

Carl in Slits-fan mode while dj-ing in Brixton

(from this week's NME)

Paul Weller, Graham Coxon, Supergrass, Dirty Pretty Things, New Young Pony Club, Reverend & The Makers To Rock Against Homelessness Crisis have today announced the line-up of Consequences Live sponsored by Drinkaware.co.uk, the first of two parts of an innovative music campaign that has brought together some of indie rock’s biggest names in a bid to fight homelessness. The all-day gig, at Camden’s Roundhouse on 2nd March ‘08, will see members of the Crisis ‘superband’, collaborating live for the first and only time.Consequences Live is part of a gig/record combo inspired by the parlour game ‘consequences’. Featuring over a dozen artists, including Paul Weller, Beth Ditto, Supergrass, Graham Coxon and The Enemy, each musician contributed to a track without hearing what had gone before or knowing what might come next. Produced by Paul Epworth, the record was built layer by layer to create a rich and dense Phil Spector effect. With driving guitars from The Enemy, a Beach Boys bassline from Andy Rourke (The Smiths), vocals from Weller and Ditto, thumping beats from Supergrass drummer Danny Goffey, and smooth rhythm guitar from Graham Coxon, producer Paul Epworth built the track layer by layer to create a rich Phil Spector effect with a big Motown sound. Crisis’ own homeless members also contributed to the track which is due to be released after the gig in March 2008.The superband was in part put together by Crisis ambassador Pearl Lowe, following the success of the Pudstock benefit gig in January 2007. Consequences Live will see members of the superband – including Paul Weller, Dirty Pretty Things, Graham Coxon, Supergrass, New Young Pony Club, Reverend & The Makers, Babyshambles’ Drew McConnell, The Smiths’ Andy Rourke, Pearl Lowe, Ed Harcourt and The Noisettes - perform a live and exclusive rendition of the track, alongside their own material. These musicians, along with many more – including Crisis’ own homeless members and some yet-to-be-confirmed special acts - will be performing at the all day celebration of the best of indie rock, with doors opening from 1pm. All profits from tickets will go to Crisis. The money raised will go towards supporting Crisis' work with homeless people, including music and arts projects which enable our members to acquire new skills, gain qualifications, and find employment. These, consequently, empower people to transform their lives. Crisis believes that supportive learning and skills projects are essential to help homeless people fulfil their potential and find routes out of homelessness.Consequences is proudly sponsored by Drinkaware the UK’s leading consumer facing responsible drinking charity, whose objectives are to positively change the national drinking culture in order to reduce alcohol misuse and minimise alcohol related harm.Andy Page, Head of Fundraising at Crisis, added: “First and foremost, the track is set to be a piece of musical history and a key creative milestone, not to mention a great tune, from three generations of indie rock’s most respected performers. Consequences Live will be a spectacular event in a venue steeped in musical heritage. Essentially, it boasts a line-up comprised of headliners. Yet crucially, the consequences project as a whole will enable us to help more homeless people to get their lives back on track.”Jean Collingwood CEO said “We are delighted to support Crisis in this exciting and highly innovative fundraising initiative. Many people become homeless as a result of dependency on alcohol and by working together our two charities hope to make young people aware of the consequences of alcohol misuse in order to help prevent dependency and the possibility of homelessness in later life.”For more information visit crisisconsequences.com.

To pre-order your copy of the Consequences track, text CRISIS to 78789 (UK only, text cost £1.50 plus normal operator charges. SMS is transaction only, downloads need to be redeemed online

It's that time of the year again

So, the NME awards nominations are officially out. Do we care? Not much, but in any case:

Babyshambles are nominated as best british band (with Arctic Monkeys, Cribs, Klaxons and Muse)

Shotters Nation is nominated as best album (with Monkeys, Enemy, Klaxons and Radiohead)

Up The Shambles is nominated as best music DVD (with Led Zeppelin, Nirvana, Oasis and Amy Winehouse)

Pete Doherty is nominated as Hero of the Year (with Matt Bellamy, Noel Fielding, Ryan Jarman, Thom Yorke), as Best Dressed (with Noel Fielding, Kate Nash, Alex Turner, Gerard Way), and Worst Dressed (with Johnny Borrell, Mika, Gerard Way, Amy Winehouse).

Just a few observations:

• Britpop is rampant everywhere. OK, NME is a brit rag. But this is going totally one track minded (just look at the best video award or best track).
• All the Arctic Monkeys hype is getting on my nerves. Come on people. They're not THAT good.
• 30 Seconds to Mars as worst band? Ha! Sure they are. Gotta tell my best friend (she drools over Jared Leto).
• Worst music paper of the year? The NMEEEEEEEEE!!! Oops. That category does not exist.
• I can't believe Kate Nash is nominated as best solo artist and M.I.A. is not!!!
• None of the ex-Libertines is up as Sexiest Male, or Villain of the Year. I believe this is the first time since... 2002? The Times-They-Are-A-Changing, and too many trains are being missed.
• Talking about the Libertines, I still remember someone bragging about the April reunion as the 100% assured Live Event of The Year (around that time of course). Where's the Reunion now? Live Events of the Year are the usual Summer Festivals and (top irony) Muse at Wembley, a gig where Dirty Pretty Things were employed as Matt Bellamy's asswipes.

OK. Rant over. Until next time.

Zurich konzert

Did anybody go to this gig? I haven't seen any report around. But fear not! I have found two articles (1 and 2), some beautiful photos, and even two exciting babelfish translations!!!

Blick article:

As it would not have anything used as the warm inhabitants of zurich winter sun and lasting shank a Swiss Mueesli! Pete was with its first CH attendance in Top form. In the same, aehm, Pete Doherty stood for coach trousers, which he had already carried in Austria, for the first time after three (!) concert refusals on Swiss a stage. And its Supporter came into crowds: "hardly ever Swiss fans stormed stages in such a way like yesterday night in the inhabitant of zurich in club <>", such a passant. Probably truely. Although many cannot understand, why people this "wreck" to look at itself: "Pete Doherty is nevertheless a disgusting through-slammed 28-jaehriger complete idiot!", Thomis from Suhr writes yesterday on Blick.ch. But others see that completely differently: "mad that he comes! Everything, which states, Petes music is bad, has zero notion of music!", Mrs. X from Zurich writes. Latter view CH readers should keep - at least in this evening - right. It was the music of Pete Doherty, which made headlines. Not its (drug)Eskapaden! The Barde verschriene as drug Rocker did not work at the Zuerisee coast as good and lucky as ever! Nix wars with heroin or coke stories. A half hour after the vielumjubelten concert had already disappeared Pete in accordance with Insidern again in its hotel. A miracle, finally he does not have already again in London before the judge tomorrow antraben (in the VIEW). Only its Babyshambles babyshambles-Schlagzeuger gave still gas - and struck still for a long time on the bass drum!

Tagensanzeiger article:

And then it was suddenly so far: At 21.39 o'clock on 28 January 2008 entered bleaches 28-jaehrige Englishman Pete Doherty with its three volume colleagues of the Babyshambles the stage of the Mascotte. A small God stepped thereby among its fans, and it was one moment, in which one would have bekreuzigt oneself dearest before loud luck over the fact that there is actually Pete Doherty. Outside of the relations and drug scandals. Without its Celebrity ex Kate Moss, and but as what its singular appointment is actual, as musicians. The concert, which the club Mascotte had gegoennt itself despite months-long giant attack in the exclusively small framework to the fourth birthday (TA from yesterday), provided also for total euphoria in the public. The Babyshambles played many of the merry hits of its two plates "down in Albion" and "Shotter's nation". Apart from a few clownesken Torkeleien seems to some extent to have itself Doherty on the current route in the grasp: Last week in Cologne he drank apple juice, and also citizen of Berlin the concert on the stage even only ran without the usual four-hour delay or incidents. But despite this reassuring route process Zurich was allowed to estimate itself than lucky more yesterday: The concert in Basel from this evening had to be shifted because of gerichtstermins in England already again. It is to take place now on 17 February.

Swiss Chocolates

Peter has landed in Zurich. Apparently the Swiss were sure he wasn't going to turn up (sorry, you'll need babelfish once again). Actually, he didn't turn up the other two times he was expected in Zurich. Can you blame them?

Peter is playing a solo gig at Fez Club in Reading. No, he's not.

Peter is playing a solo gig on April 23 at Le Grand Rex in Paris (this is not confirmed yet).

Peter is all over the place.

Apparently the lovely Drew was one of the disappointed ones at the aborted Morrissey gig of last Friday. Another one was Alison LMHR. Sorry, guys. Get well soon, Moz.

Don't ask me about:

• Amy Winehouse
• Carl Barat's green beret
• Peter's alleged "pet sanctuary"

Only four days to MY Babyshambles gig!!!

Wien konzert

Something on the run, the gig was "super", according to this report.
Translation by Grete:

Whoever came to Wiener Arena with firm expectations to be able to accompany the useless, gossip column fodder a little along his way to deadly overdose, made a huge fool of themselves / were dead wrong. Not that Pete Doherty isn’t a weird man whose attraction to illegal substances is obvious to anyone; however it is too early to tell? In short: the concert was amazing.The front man of Babyshambles (a word combination of Baby and Battlesomething?) presented himself in front of exactly 995 listeners as what he is aside from paparazzipictures and letters in gossip columns: a musician. And a) not a bad one at all and b) despite expectations quite a productive/capable one. The song poet who could write one hit after the other in the pop music business and his three accomplices played one and a half hours through their new album “Shotter’s Nation”, touched upon their successful debut “Down In Albion" and offered a few surprises.The greatest surprise was the sound: Doherty and the guitarist Mik Whitnall proved to be fundamental opposers of the modern guitar electronics and amplification purists. What the listeners heard over the loudspeakers was the rattling sound of two Rickenbackers that turned into ridiculous twangs and glassy strums only through raw power of the right hand and feel of fingertips of the left. Doherty plays better than critics would like to admit. In addion, he is a very resourceful songwriter, who weaves little hooks into his constantly winding? Stop-and-Go-Songs, and that the ears of the listeners of modern homogenous rock sound don't expect. Unlike on the album the drummer Adam Ficek offers pressuring, thunderous sound live surpassing even Wagner's Walküre (hi, Coppola!) to which the band made their dramatic entrance.Relatively big were the eyes of the Concertgoers, when they’d digested the famous sound after the first few Songs. Front man Doherty, who had finally gotten rid of his hoodied jumper after the second number, offered the next surprise: not only that he astonished the “I’d like to look like a fucked up teenager from East London”-Kids, with wearing sweatpants and a uni-colored t-shirt (the rest of the band wore blue jeans and plain shirts); he stood upright, didn’t have a liquor bottle in his hand, spoke clearly between the songs and seemed so playful that one nearly thought it was his double.It is known that the management of the band has tried to get the singer to be healthy and reasonable for months already – what isn’t known is that it already shows. The 28-jear-old, who has lived also in Germany, Northern Ireland and Cyprus because of this father who is a military officer, drank just one glass of beer during the whole show (some suspicious comment in brackets). Things were completely different at his last solo performance in Vienna (the show on Sunday was the first one with Babyshambles) as he performed with Adam Green. Doherty's only trespassing on Sunday was a soft kick in the backside of a drunken fan who probably wanted to impress a girl and climbed on the stage and hopped around between Doherty and bassist Drew McConnel for a few seconds.Extremely solid performances of bangers like “Pipedown”, "The Blinding", "Fuck Forever" (at the very end), reggae-esque good-mood-tune “I Wish” and songs off “Shotter’s Nation” like the new single “You Talk", hangover-song "Carry On Up The Morning" and the chopped up “Delivery” defied the memories of Doherty’s Youtube videos where he is incoherent, out of tune and barely able to hold the guitar in the correct position.The next headline à la "Pete Doherty’s cat has its own Crackpipe" will surely come – despite the impression, which the most ingenious figure of the British music scene of the moment (after Amy Winehouse, but that is a different story...) made on Sunday, it will however not last.

Graz konzert

In Schwarzy's hometown Babyshambles played a 75 minute set. "It was a nice, solid performance" says Sparklehorse "[...] A professional performance, with Pete even saying “We don’t do requests” at one point". Apparently Mik was a bit out of his head.

"It was a fairly good show" says Bingle "good as in shotters nation good not as in down in albion good, solid, i’d say, he [Peter] obviously likes graz, had a good chat with the crowd, they played almost all of the blinding ep"

Some photos and a good review (from what I can get) here.

Setlist: Carry on - Delivery - Beg steal - Baddies - Unstookie - Side of road - Boy David - Unbilo - Blinding - You talk - Sedative - Albion - Pipe down - Killamangiro - Back from dead - I wish // Fuck Forever

Berlin konzert

Review (in German)

Photos by Getty

A silly article about Peter having lunch with steak and french fries and attacking German paps (with photos and videos).

For people who don't understand German, a nice little review kindly provided by libertine88 for French Dog Writtles (I see the e.e. cummings syndrome is contagious!):

"they started with..uh.. i cant remember.. but they played unbilotitled, unstookietitled, sedative, pretty sue, side of the road, yuo talk, oh yeah they stared with carry on up the morning!! they also played albion, twp new songs, pipedown, killamangiro, some others i think, and they came back pot for mik's solo i wish, whicd was brilliant!! and then fuck forever. absolutley mental atmospere, just perfect, covered in bruises. pete looked really really well and was entertaining and chatting some too, leaned forward to touch some fans hands in the front row which sent everybody mad, adam was on top form, so un rock n roll i love it, drew straigtned his hair again hah, and i couldnt see mik but guitar sounded deadly".

No gig tonight. The guys are moving to Austria.

Press corner

Peter on the cover of this month's Spin.

Teaser (the rest of the article will follow later, although it's rather irritating)

This is the NME article where Pat talks about the Shambles:

If I see NME.com venting another "article" like this I scream. The situation is bad enough as it is. Weren't they supposed to track down Barat at the Jamm night?

Adam posted to FDB saying all is going well at Shambles camp.

And I'm the new Pope.

Koln konzert

Photo by Christoph

Review (in German)

Photos + another review (in German)

Apparently Pete left the stage early but made up later. According to Sally Simpson, "the concert was only average, but there was an acoustic gig in a small pub with about 30 people. Pete played guitar, and played What Katie did, Music when the lights go out, Can’t stand me now, There she goes. Pete talked to the fans and gave autographs and he was really close to the audience, which was absolutely incredible".

Setlist: Carry on up the morning, Delivery, Beg, steal or borrow, Pretty Sue, Baddies Boogie, Unstookietitled, Side of the road, Unbilotitled, The blinding, Sedative [Pause], I wish (Mick Whitnall solo), instrumental, Fuck forever.

Babyshambles in Cologne tonight

Thanks to BS manager Adrian Hunter (AKA Babybear) for clearing this up and for these nice little "diary entries" on French Dog Writtles:

" [...] Checked and indeed it is Columbiahalle 100% [in Cologne]. Asked our agent boyee for a new excel with any venue changes CLEARLY outlined. Will post tomorrow if we have production office internet. If not it will be up asap. Venue changes have been inevitable for the reason that some folks quite like us which can't be bad. Small shows are where it's at though for fun and Odin forbid this ever changes. Me and Mick are having a slumber party at mine in light of our early start. He's crackin' zzz's on the snooker room sofabed as I type. All other members of the battalion are safely barracked in their place of domicile awaiting their reveille. Apart from wee wee willie winkie oor Aberdonian FOH whose currently MIA hopefully in the arms of his one true love. Sterling chap though, so I'm sure we'll meet him at the point of embarkation. Bless ..... Tomorrow we take the Rhineland! Operation Gay Goose marches on valiantly!"

And then:

"Early morning now. Up with the lark. Not a wink of sleep. I believe I heard some sleepwalking and groans from the conservatory. Seems we're up and running for our latest foray. Time to hang out the washing ........ Next stop Cologne!".

Next dates:

22-Jan-08 Germany Cologne Live Music Hall

23-Jan-08 Germany Berlin Columbiahalle

26-Jan-08 Austria Graz Orpheum

27-Jan-08 Austria Vienna Arena

28-Jan-08 Switzerland Zurich Mascotte

1-Feb-08 Italy Rome Tendastrisce

2-Feb-08 Itlay Bologna Estragon

3-Feb-08 Italy Milan Rolling Stone

4-Feb-08 France Paris Zenith

5-Feb-08 France Lyon Le Transbordeur

16-Feb-08 Germany Munich Backstage Werk

17-Feb-08 Switzerland Basel Kaserne

18-Feb-08 Netherlands Amsterdam Paradiso

19-Feb-08 Netherlands Eindhoven Effenaar

20-Feb-08 Belgium Brussels AB

25-Feb-08 Luxembourg Luxembourg Den Atelier

German buffs will be happy to know Babyshambles are also confirmed at the Rock am Ring Festival, to be held from 6 to 8 June 2008.

Something to talk about...

... that does not involve pregnancies and similar idiocies.

• Babyshambles have started publishing a diary on Xfm. The first "entry" is by the sweet Adam:
  Babyshambles have sent Xfm the first of many exclusive diary entries to keep all you guys in the know about the band. Following their surprise gig for locals at a Marlborough pub last Thursday (January 17), Babyshambles' drummer Adam Ficek got in touch with Xfm to let us know how the impromtu performance came about. In what looks to be the first of many such exclusive Shambles entries - with Ficek explaining he'll be updating us "on constant goings on" as he would "rather it goes to [Xfm] than the tabloids" to help "keep fighting the good fight" - the drummer explained: "After spending the day rehearsing we decided to have a play and the nearest place, and our considered local was, The Sun Inn, Marlborough."So off we set, very small affair two amps, snare and bass type thing. "Ran few a selection of new and old, from 'Pretty Sue', 'Jumping Bean', 'Babyshambles Instrumental', 'David Boy', 'Maybeline', 'Sparkling Boots', 'Tinkers Daughter'- I think. "Ended with 'Fuck Forever'. It's always a welcome return doing these small 20-30 people shows."
  Xfm looks forward to more updates from the band shortly.
  You can listen to a selection of new tracks, including 'Sparkling Boots', 'Horses' and 'Brass Winter' by clicking here now.

• I'm not too sure about it but it looks like the Bayshambles tour will start again tomorrow in Cologne (Germany). Just waiting for Adrian to confirm the remaining dates on French Dog Blues.

• Meanwhile, NME.com publishes a gallery of Babyshambles pictures in Paris.

• And Pat Walden spills a little venom.

• Every now and then Dirty Pretty Things seem to wake up from their stuporous state: Carlos and Didz played a dj night last Friday at the Jamm in Brixton. According to Midwich Cuckoo, " [...] they played three songs from the second album, well from the recording session in LA anyway. Plastic Hearts, which sounds very melodic and not too different from when they have played it live; Chinese Dogs, which is a bit ‘cleaned up’ compared to the other version, but not too much; and Hippy Son", which seems to be a brand new thing. The dj set was also characterized by numerous Libertines songs (I assume McGreed was busy somewhere else).

• At last, the Yeti album is out in April and will be entitled "Yeti Intelligence". The band has just started a British tour.

Blank gig: first reports

As any other Libertines addict in the world, one of the things I miss most are the memorable guerrilla gigs in the Albion Rooms, usually announced by Peter in the old Libertines forum a few hours earlier and spread around the fans mouth by mouth. Now it seems these "Blank" gigs are trying to recapture the magic of those times (although it's Adam who's announcing them at the moment). I wish Carl would be doing the same once in a while but I guess that's asking too much (we know somebody would not approve it don't we).

Anyway, last night Babyshambles played a surprise gig at the Sun Inn in Marlborough and that's the beautiful report of Willg43:

"As soon as i read about it on here i went down, about 8 45ish, they didn't arrive till about 11 30 which led to a huge amount of being chased by teachers and stuff as i broke out of my boarding school in marlborough to go and there were loads of them in the sun. After setting up, half a kit for adam but normal amps etc for the rest of the guys, they went straight into it. Starting with an instrumental blues/skaish piece that was quite there she goes sounding, they jammed with this for about 5 mins before fitting delivery lyrics of the top. Next was another newbie, same sort of style as before, they were all on amazing form, adam was using every inch of his bass drum and snare to seriously good use, drew was very loud and focal to all the new songs really carrying them along, mik was concentrating incredibly hard all night and was really good. Pete was incredible, playing lead riff in between singing all night, mixing between singing and eating the mic. For lovers was next, full band version, i presume this is the version going to be used on his solo. Then unbilotitled and unstokietitled. A few more newuns including one which had pete shouting a lot in a side of the road esque way, which scared a lot of the locals. I couldn't work out how much of the crowd were actual fans as i was almost singing alone alone much of the time. There was only about 40 odd people there, nowhere near the crush of last time in the sun. They went for a fag break, then came back to say it was about 12 40 and were only allowed to play one more, so started with pretty sue, morphed it into killamangiro and that into fuck forever. Half way through they started chucking people out. I run back to school, climbed on the roof and climbed in a window. Amazing night, shambles on top form. Can't upload my photos and video's at the moment as all sites are filtered but can put them on facebook later and post the link. Will."

Another Blank Gig

SSssshhhhh... go here and ask Adam or Hound Dog to PM you with the location and time. I cannot say anything more. Good luck.

The NME is right inside your head

“It’s not worth buying it” said one guy posting to the Libertines official forum yesterday. Say what? Pete’s on the cover with an exclusive on his solo album (“It’s completely different from anything else I’ve done!”) and there’s also good old Barat with another exclusive on the DPT upcoming second album (and a photo!!! Naked???? With long or short hair? Smoking? Going fat? Farting? Etc etc). But no. “It’s not worth buying it” the guy repeated. So we get into the newsagent and buy some Mars bars and cat food, hoping to catch some glimpse of the Baherty pages.
First we see Peter on the cover. Great. And this is basically what “the NME exclusive, behind the scenes of Pete Doherty's solo album” says (thanks to Humber Humbert):

Fior is producing. Over half already recorded. Hope to have the album completed by summer then released afterwards. Fior says there is a spark there - “he’s gone and produced the album he wanted to....now that the album is out and people like it there’s space to relax and record”. New album will probably feature 12 songs, inc Ends, Cuckoo, Siberian Fur & Darksome Sea (both piano led songs), a more orchestral version of For Lovers, Withdrawn and Shaken (apparently sounds a bit like The Blinding, it features a spoken word part). “One of the songs is Vegas showtime, it’ll give The Killers a run for their money”. Peter says the deal with Parlophone was for 2 Shambles albums & 1 solo. So there is no reason for the label to be opposed. London rapper Klashnekoff & The Thirst contribute to the album. Klashnekoff includes a lyric on Ends that goes ‘Come swingin’ like McGuigan with a barrage of punches’. Influences as diverse as pre-electic Bolan, Steely Dan, Doors & John Barry. “I think we’re trying to move on from where (former boyband) Blue left off.” Peter says, when the NME ask him if this will be more tender than the last Shambles album.

And this is the “exclusive interview with Carl Barat about the forthcoming Dirty Pretty Things album” (yes, there’s also a photo. No, he’s not naked. He has short hair. Yes, he’s smoking. No, he’s not going fat. Yes, he’s farting. For the record, the photo is 5 months old):

Dirty Pretty Things have just finished recording their second album in California and frontman Carl Barat originally wanted it to be a free download. However speaking from sunny Santa Monica beach just before flying back to London, Barat explained that his idea for a dirty pretty free-for-all was quickly shot down. “I wanted to give the album away on the internet like Radiohead did” he enthused “I saw what they did and said ‘Oh that’s great, let’s do that too’, but Alan McGee told me straight off that it wasn't going to occur. Ah Well.” Although you’ll have to fork out for it DPTs second album looks set to spring a few surprises on fans. Recorded over two months late last year, the band decamped to producer Nick Leman’s Santa Monica office-cum-studio (Barat: “It was tempting to get a big name producer but, er, we didn't have any money") and laid down 20 songs, including ‘Hippy Son’, ‘Plastic Hearts’ ‘Come Closer’ ‘Punks, Suits, Military’ ‘Chinese Dogs’ ‘Faultlines’ ‘The North’ ‘Tired of England’ ‘Blood on my Shoes’ and ‘This is Where the Truth Begins’ (a contender for the album’s title). Twelve songs are set to make the final cut. “We didn't record it live, and it’s the first time I’ve ever recorded like that” explained Barat “It was a bit unnerving - the three albums I’ve done before had all been recorded live. But there’s a lot of melody in these songs, and you risk losing that if you just thrash around. “It’s a bit easier on the ear” he added suggesting that it will differ from their debut, “I don’t mean it’s easy listening by any means, but we got a bit Black Flag on the last one. This one’s a lot more considered but the passion and intent is the same". Some of the songs which will make the final cut, such as probable first single ‘Plastic Hearts’ are already live favourites but Barat was quick to warn fans not to expect standard replications of the songs on the album “the songs have changed a hell of a lot since we started playing them live” he said “When we played them first we were freestyling, but now we’ve even got strings on some of them, well it’s strings through a keyboard effect, so it’s cheating, but it’s still strings! We’ve got some weird drum sounds too - some really, er, block rockin’ beats”. These block rockin’ beats were inspired by the bands lengthy stay in LA, though not in a way you would expect. “I’ve been hanging out in a skanky English bar called the Cock’N’Bull, drinking Boddingtons - maybe that’s my inspiration” recalled Barat “Last night we got spanked by some rednecks in a bowling alley, maybe that’s what we’ll call the album ‘Spanked by the Yanks”.

My most faithful followers (oh-ho! Airs!) will know the same interview was posted here on 21 November 2007. So, exclusive my ass. And I wonder why the NME has to recycle an old interview done on the phone from L.A. rather than trying to get physically in touch with Carlos now that he’s back to London and to his ordinary life (i.e. clubbing) to have some fresh news (if there are any). But hell, it’s the NME!

As if it wasn’t enough, the new regular columns “Tabloid Hell” and “Daily Ligger” are giving us a lot of useful information. For instance, we know that Peter bought some new designer clothes in Paris before the Olympia gig (and maybe another kitten). Or that poor Britney Spears is preggers again. Who cares? Well, it’s the NME!!!

As every Moz-buff in the world I've always despised the NME. But I think the rag is reaching an all-time low in these days. Unfortunately, it's the only music weekly we have. As our friend Stokie posted to French Dog Writtles: "To be fair, you would probably get just as reliable information from HEAT magazine at the moment".

Peter and Carl in the new NME

Peter is back on the NME cover with an article about the solo album he's doing with the collaboration of Darren Kandler, also known as Klashnekoff, British rapper from Hackney, London.

Carl is on the NME too, with a one-page article about the new Dirties record.

Paris, 14/1/08

Difficult night at the Olympia for Peter and the guys. The gig was plagued by technical problems from start to end. Peter did not put on a brave face and left the hall in a huff.

At the moment we have a review from metrofrance, a report from NME.com and some more reports from our friends (thanks to all of you).

"A lot of tech problems (amp, mic, backline...)" says Easyolii "Peter also tried to sing along She Loves You with the crowd, but nobody seemed to know the lyrics… Average gig. It’s a shame that they don’t change more than this their setlist from a night to another. Anyway the band seemed to be in good mood".

"Last night was a total anti-climax" says Anjali "[...] then BS finally walked on and started "Carry on up the morning", the crowd was extatic, I had a good view so all was well... for about 20 seconds. Halfway through the first line Pete stopped the song and claimed he couldn't hear a thing. Technicians started running around in panic, fixing what could be fixed, but in the end Pete said they couldn't play "Carry on" and they charged into "Delivery" instead. For about 1 minute. In the first line of the chorus Pete stopped the song and said he couldn't hear Mik. Cue more panic, more fixing. Then they started "Delivery" again. but then the momentum was kind of lost and it took them about 4 songs to get into it properly. It was "Side if the road" if memory serves, and Pete said "The soundcheck is over now!". But all was not totally fixed and even if they could go on with the gig without stopping any more songs in the middle of them, you could hear little quirks and it was kind of unnerving. Drew and Mik and Adam were their usual self-contained selves but Pete was obviously pissed off and was randomly kicking into things like amps in frustration. He even repeatedly smashed his microphone on the floor at some point. On top of it all, the security were being total arseholes and didn't let us take pictures at all or smoke, it was fucking concentration camp. When they caught people they didn't just tell them to stop they were chucking them out of the building!!! [...] In the end they played "What Katie did", "Albion", "There she goes", which I'm happy about as they're my favourites. The best crowd reaction was for "You talk", "Fuck forever" and "I wish". [...] At the end of the main set, Pete turned round, grabbed his coat and hat that he had left on Adam's kit, put them on, and walked off. It was obvious that he wouldn't come back. And he didn't. The crowd was left rather understandably dejected".

Plus: a series of beautiful photos from Oliver Peel on Flickr.

Setlist from easyolii: Carry on up the morning (aborted), Delivery, Beg steal or borrow, Pretty sue, Baddies boogie, Unstookietitled, Side of the road, Unbilotitled, new song, Killamangiro, There she goes, You talk, Albion, Back from the dead, I wish, What Katie did, Pipedown, Fuck forever.

Warning: it's confirmed that the Lyon gig has been postponed to 5 February and Babyshambles are coming back to UK (Peter has a hearing in court). The tour will be resumed on 19 Jan in Luxembourg.

Take a break...

Mick Jones at Victoria Park in 1978

...from tour reports and stuff and read this:

Love music Hate Racism (LMHR) will stage a huge concert in London this April to mark the thirtieth anniversary of Rock Against Racism. Held in 1978, Rock Against Racism saw 100,000 protestors march through the streets of London on a day which culminated with a performance from The Clash. Organised in association with the Anti-Nazi League (ANL), the event tackled racist issues which were still prominent in the United Kingdom.

Speaking to Gigwise, Lee Billingham, a spokesperson for LMHR, said they hope event - which will take place in Victoria Park on April 27th - will “get people to think about and challenge some of the racist ideas that are being pushed at the moment”.
“We want to commemorate the original RAR/ANL carnival of thirty years ago which is seen as an iconic occasion that symbolised a great movement against racism and fascism,” he said. “A movement in which music played an important part, and an event which politicised thousands of people.”
As well as commemorating the original staging of the event, Billingham said that LMHR hope the anniversary event will stop parties such as the BNP gaining ground in the London Assembly and local authority elections which take place in May.
“We want to send out the biggest possible anti-racist/anti-fascist message,” he added.
The event in April will feature some of the biggest acts in UK music, from every genre, playing over two outdoor stages and a specialist dance tent. “We're going to have some nice surprises and collaborations,” Billingham said. “And we'll have some of the acts from original carnival representing on the day too.”
More details about Rock Against Racism are expected in the next few weeks.

Breck Road Lovers supports LMHR in everything they do; but in any case, this looks like the fucking event of the year to me...

Lille, 13/1/08

Not very much so far. A rather blurred video here (thanks anyway, Pocketchoco).

And this is from Angus 512 (a French Dog, of course):

Kinda short. No Albion. Peter seemed like at some point he wanted to finish off the gig quite quickly. Otherwise the same songs as the other gigs. Musically so much better than when I saw them a few years ago.
Most of the Blinding EP (except I love you but you're green) Lots of Shotters Nation Pipedown, Killamangiro & Fuck Forever
+ Back from the Dead + The boy David (announced as a new song) (sounded really good)

And a review, at last.

Something more from Spain

Nice chat between Peter and French Dog Writtle posters yesterday afternoon. Pete was writing from his hotel room in Barcelona and was so taken by the chat he forgot the tap of the tub open and flooded the floor of the room. That was his first post (e.e. cummings strikes again):

"greetings from the second floor of hotel Barcainternational.. and a fine view from the balcony of the back-end of washing-line vine tangle jungle web tenements here in the divine city of , aya, Barcelona, sherlocke. Two gigs into the ‘hang out the washing on the siegfriedline tour’ 2008. Lisbon never fails to catch the eye, the heart, and a shindig saw through the night. themed hotel, all rooms subject to a subject of hollywood fame - I was in the ‘stanley kubrick room’ much the same as mik’s ‘Hitchcock’ and Sally’s ‘stevemqueen’ cept different posters really.. cheap enough though. giggle all the way..saw some old friends and of course was inclined to drink coffee afore the flight to madrid in a 15th century coffee house with a dickinson obsessed confidente, chrmed my dear. Madrid - where my elder sister lives - kicked of, although i avoided the mayhem and was in bed by 3 watching watershipdown and working on some new songs. Been playing a few new ones in the set, and a real corker as yet untitled may make her society debut tonight. A wonderful afternoon in Barcelona, headed for the trinket market.. acres of tat./ bought some gifts for the gang and a fine strange crucifix with Jesus hammered up as per §, but also a skull and crossbones towards the foot of the cross. Its old too. hmm. oddle".

Later, he wrote again saying the floor was almost dry but revealing a spectacular strage fright.

He didn't need to worry though because people who went the show said everything was great.

Barcelona newspaper La Vanguardia (something like Thea Vantgarde) has a positive report which ends with these words: "They're not the eighth wonder, nor something that can stop time, or that you will find in the annals of history, we all agree, but last night Doherty and his Babyshambles proved to be a good modern brit-pop band, a group with some excellent songs and their own sound. Nothing more. And nothing less. And it is not little". However, the reporter was not too careful writing down the setlist, because Horrorshow (or any other Libertines song) was not played.

Photo above by The Charles on Flickr (more here).

Babyshambles - BCN - 01 - Untookie titled

Unstookietitled from last night's night. Thanks to MrPul for putting it up. You can find more on youtube just typing "Babyshambles".

The Spanish Inquisition

First of the two Spanish gigs yesterday in Madrid. Spanish newspapers are full of articles and all of them sound very appreciative. The main theme is that everybody is astonished at how sober and calm Peter was and how gentleman-like was his behavior (what were they expecting, Tommy Lee?).

Articles from:

• EL Pais
• Tele Cinco
• El Mundo
• 20 Minutos

Plus!

• Two videos here (sorry for the blabbing about Miss Irina)
• Photos

Tickets for the Barcelona show (tonight) are sold out.


Later with more and more stuff!

Freckles

• Adam and Peter posted to French Dog Writtles (messy as usual). I assume this comes from Pizza: "Oh I´ve slept 16 hours and i feel very strange..comes in tidal waves, an idle slave to dreams, i´ll sue those knaves for libel and dance upon tribal graves. aha! may the lord us preserve us gig-side and bless us with melody, mirth and singing in-tune".
• DPT's acoustic gig in Paris is officially confirmed (see Gigwise).
• Babyshambles might win something at the upcoming Brit Awards (nominations announced on Jan 14).

Stay tuned for reports from Madrid tomorrow!

Lisbon, 8 January 2008

Rave review from Portuguese site "BLITZ". Translation:

Those who still think that the Pete Doherty phenomenon is an English-only thing must be fooling themselves. At the Parades de Coura Festival last summer some indications had been noticed already and this night in Lisbon arrived the confirmation: the legions of fans of the Babyshambles (or of their charismatic vocalist) are well alive between us. The pilgrimage in the direction of the Lux – a little appropriate venue for a concert of this nature, but finding a substitute for the Coliseu of the Recreios was not easy - was substantial: the room was full of a hormone-charged and restless crowd. The public, mainly young and feminine (whose screaming choirs nearly reminded us of the old Beatles shows), revealed so enthusiastic during the concert that the organizers almost threatened to cancel the gig unless the spirits did not calm down.

After getting on the stage with a shy "Hello Lisbon" , the band gave way to a highly energetic night. Differently from the little convincing concert at the Parades de Coura, Pete Doherty revealed sufficiently focused and high spirited (especially at the end of the concert). "Delivery", first single of the recent Shotter's Nation, was one of the highlights of the night and the first one to receive choir honors, which joined the pleasant company of the muscular guitars. The felt hat decorating the head of Doherty was thrown to the crowd, that in waves seemed to want to invade the stage. "Beg, Steal or Borrow" followed, taken from The Blinding EP but quickly the band came back to Shotter's Nation to offer a naked "Baddie's Boogie" with a beautiful exchange between guitars. The ice seemed not broken yet for Pete, who became absorbed in thought while trying to keep the composure between dances of stumbles. Shortly after heating the environment with the ballad for lighters "UnBiloTitled", the band left the stage for an interval "without reasons for concerns" but that could have cost a cancellation, as guaranteed by the organization. This was followed by more choirs and demanding shouts: "Peter, Peter, Peter", then duly substituted by "Babyshambles, Babyshambles, Babyshambles".
The calmer spirits received the foursome again for the second part in crescendo. The show entered the final sequence: "Albion" had of course the greatest choir, "I Wish" was infective with its ska rhythm, and "Fuck Forever" (last song) was pure collective orgasm that pushed Doherty straight into the multitude of open arms. It could be thought that the hormonal had calmed down at the end of the concert, but this was not to happen. After recuperating the microphone that had been lost in the crowd the roadies went on distributing everything they could find on the stage, sweated towels and water bottles. Next stop (between explanations of how to steal chewing gums in a supermarket): the door, where the hunting for autographs started.

Plus beautiful photos from the same site.

Setlist (thanks to Bingle): Carry On Up The Morning, Delivery, Beg Steal and Borrow, Baddie’s Boogie, UnStookieTitled, Side Of The Road, UnBiloTitled, The Blinding, Pretty Sue, You Talk, Sedative, Albion, Pipedown, Back From The Dead, Killamangiro, I Wish, What Katie Did, Fuck Forever.

Pre-tour shenanigans

From NME.com:

Pete Doherty called Gold radio station especially to request The Beatles song 'I'll Be Back'. It was only when the DJ enquired about the listener’s week that Doherty replied "I'm off on the road with my band on Tuesday – we're off round Europe. The band’s called Babyshambles."

On DPT's front, French carlites will be happy to see this:

Vendredi 22 févier : « An acoustic evening with Dirty Pretty Things » + guests à Paris. Pour son rendez-vous inaugural de 2008, l’ICA ouvre le bal avec une affiche française portée par le dandy iconoclaste Sébastien Tellier, lequel revient à Londres après deux ans d’absence son quatrième album, “Sexuality”, produit par une moitié des Daft Punk en la personne de Guy-Manuel de Homen-Christo. Poète et musicien parisien aux multiples facettes dadaïstes évoquant l’univers d’artistes uniques tels que Robert Wyatt, Christophe ou Serge Gainsbourg, Sébastien Tellier jouit d’une place à part dans le paysage musical français. Il partagera l’affiche avec les jeunes Parisiens indie-rockers produits par Justice et prometteurs de Poney Poney. A Paris, le lendemain, une affiche « unplugged » : l’ex-leader des Libertines Carl Barat convie ses Dirty Pretty Things pour un live acoustique inédit, une première en exclusivité pour Stage of the Art + guest surprises…

In a few words, the ex-leader of Libertines Carl Barat (spectacular) will play with his DPT an acoustic gig in Paris at the Palais de Tokio on Feb 22 (thanks to Anjali for keeping her eyes open all the time).

Babyshambles hit Europe

On the eve of the Babyshambles European Tour, let's see how Europe is going to treat them.
Lisbon's newspaper Correio De Manha has published an introductory piece on the band which I had the pleasure (and fun) to translate (if Portuguese friends notice some errors please let me know):

Babyshambles, led by rebel Pete Doherty, are opening a series of 2008 shows tomorrow. The show, previously booked at the Lisbon Colosseum, has been moved to the Lux club, starting at 10.30 pm.
The British musician is promoting his latest work named Shotter's Nation, which is seen by many people as one of the best albums of 2007. The Lisbon show follows the band's appearance of 6 months ago at the Festival Heineken Paredes de Coura, when Babyshambles got on the stage without their guitar player, who had lost his passport.
Babyshambles are a project founded by Doherty after he left the Libertines and released their first record, an EP with the same title, in 2004. A proper album, Down in Albion, was released the following year, produced by ex-Clash Mick Jones, and has since imposed the band as one of the most powerful forces of British rock.
Other than with his songs, Doherty has also been often in the spotlight following his relationship with top model Kate Moss and frequent arrests related to drug use. Last August, during Paredes de Coura, the musician himself admitted, in an exclusive interview with CM, that he had trouble letting one day go without drugs.
Gossip aside, Doherty and Babyshambles are expected to put up an intense opening show. Tickets are on sale at 20 euros at the Colosseum or at the Lux.

Back to Blighty, the only piece of news about Peter that's not too laughable to be reported is that "Rebel Pete Doherty" has been working out six days a week with a personal trainer in order to get in shape for the shows.

And now let's recap the tour dates:

8.1. Lisbon - 10.1. Madrid - 11.1. Barcelona - 13.1. Lille - 14.1. Paris - 15.1. Lyon - 19.1. Luxembourg - 22.1. Cologne - 23.1. Berlin - 26.1. Graz - 27.1. Vienna - 28.1. Zurich - 1.2. Rome - 2.2. Bologna - 3.2. Milan - 4.2. Paris - 10.2. Manchester - 11.2. London - 13.2. Glasgow - 14.2. Glasgow - 16.2. Munich - 17.2. Basel - 18.2. Amsterdam - 19.2. Eindhoven - 20.2. Brussels

More about Dirty Pretty Things

While Babyshambles are warming up for their upcoming European tour (starting tomorrow in Lisbon), Carl and his guys have finally put a halt to the long period of silence caused by the recording of their second album.

British monthly Uncut has included the record in the list of the albums which are going to be released this year (although no release date has been communicated yet), and asked the mighty Carlos some info about the mysterious object, and here's his reply (thanks to Karen for the transcription):

"I was conscious of not making the same album for the fourth time. There’s the same intent, but with a lot of different instruments. Waterloo To Anywhere was written on the run, but this is more planned out. Lyrically, I’ve gathered all my inspirations together, read a lot of books and watched a lot of films. “Buzzards And Crows” is on there, which is one of Anthony’s. There are a few more offerings from the other boys on this album. There’s also “Punks, Suits, Military” and “Best Face In The Place”. There’s quite a bit of social commentary in it. It’s about drinking and going out. “Punks, Suits, Military” is about fashion and the world of Top Shop. For the producer, we’re using a guy called Nik Leman. He’s an ex- Green Beret who’s turned into music. He keeps us in line and is an old friend of Alan McGee’s. We didn’t want to go with a name producer for this one. Now I’ve found my writing space, I want to get out and start playing again".

For the moment though it seems Carl has just dj-ing duties waiting for him. He and Didz Hammond are thought to be spinning records at a gig of North London band Running Riots, on Jan 18. The gig will happen at the BRIXTON JAMM, 261 Brixton Road, Brixton, London. Cost : £8 (more info here).

Most anticipated things of 2008

Canadian site "The Ampersand" (nothing to do with Drusillo) includes DPT's second album among the most anticipated things of 2008. Pity the conclusion is rather disheartening.

"T.B.A. by Dirty Pretty Things. Former Libertines frontman and Pete Doherty's straight-man Carl Barat and his band Dirty Pretty Things are expected to release a follow-up to the band's 2006 debut, Waterloo to Anywhere. While Barat's tunes can't hope to match the three-chord brilliance of his Libertines days, they're a healthy alternative to Doherty's messy smack-rock. Please note: There's really no confirmation -- only NME speculation -- that this album will be coming out in '08. Then again, Rolling Stone had been promising a new Radiohead LP every year, from 2005-2007. --Rebecca Tucker"

Some little news

• The pic above, showing Drew McConnell and Edward Larrikin at the launch of Larrikin's new project The Pan I Am, is featured in the new NME, an all guitar special issue (out today).
• The new NME has also some photos of Peter's famous vomit night at the Rhythm Factory.
• Yeti's debut album, "The Legend of Yeti Gonzales", is out on March 08.
• The DPT's official forum has just jad a makeover.

HAPPY 2008

HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM

THE BRECK ROAD LOVERS