NME Awards - Arrivals part 2

And this is Peter in all his glory.

NME Awards 2009 - Arrivals

Take this for the moment, Check at 4.07 Carl BRAT signing autographs and then Gary and Didz (the funniest thing is that after Carl gets inside an ambluance arrives).
Kidding.

The Milan gig and other stuff

"Great show" says George from the Pete Doherty Italian Forum "all acoustic performance. Peter looking sombre and smart in a black suit, and a magnificent setlist, mixing new stuff with Babyshambles and Libertines".
"It lasted so little..." says the besotted Silvia82 "I think he only played one hour. But he was in top shape, looking very relaxed. While he was singing I was totally ecstatic... "

Beautiful photos by Emanuele Barboni.

There's a lot of stuff in the redtops on the 2010 Libertines reunion:
The Mirror hooks up with the boys.
And Zoe Griffin mistakes Carl's numbness for sobriety.
The Sun has something to say too.

Here's when you can see the Awards on the telly.

And finally The Ficek gives an interview to Female First.

More from last night

The radio interview with Peter and Carl is downloadable here.

Thanks a lot to the people at Libs Daily for their effort in decyphering and writing down the mumbles:

NME: Pete, it was lovely to see you win that award. In fact, now live on NME radio we're playing your song!

P: Oh yeah? Lovely.

NME: So, does it mean a lot to you to win that? You've got Carl behind you... It's been a tough year and a half for you, really.

P: Yeah, you know, in and out of jail... turning up late for probation... cats are playing up... but, yeah, managed to get a few tunes down, with the help of Stephen Street, Graham Coxon, Dot Allison, the Wolfman, Mik, Adam, Drew, and John Robinson from The Bandits, who've made it into the record and... yeah, hopefully it's being recognized and... awarded!

NME: Now you're fiddling with the Award you've got in your hand... How -

P: I've complained years ago about it! You know, NME, you know, great British institution - two fingers, surely? (woman's laughter heard in background)

NME: I think that's supposed to be a little more extreme! Pete, how much did it mean for Blur to hand over your award to you? That was an amazing moment for me to watch.

P: I dunno, how much did it mean for him to hand over the award, but his other bandmates who were playing a tune, you know? I dunno... Hello, who's this?

NME: Oh, and there's Carl, as well. A few years ago I would have had the Libertines in front of me, but I'm not allowed to say that now... Carl -

C: The Libertines are in front of you, what are you talking about?

NME: Okay, so it's still the Libertines in front of me. I saw you out there, when Pete went up to get his Award, Carl, you looked quite, sort of, emotional about that.

C: Yeah, I know, I felt - I felt I might have left the oven on.

NME: (laughter) So, apart from leaving the oven on, what does it mean for you to be here tonight at the NME Awards, still going strong, and will we see you performing together soon?

P: Oh I’ve just been trying to twist his arm about that one, like, y’know? I’m the one who’s been getting emotional...

C: I don’t know about that, pal...

P: ...I’m the sensitive one...

C: Because he doesn’t leave the oven on. Alright, alright, if you go and see this guru… That - that was a joke.

P: That's not true though, is it?

C: No it's not! Well, it's obviously hogwash!

P: That's what I was told!

C (to the interviewer's inaudible question): I read it, I read it, yeah. I want to meet him!

P: He doesn't exist, then?

C: The guru? No, no, I was talking about a marriage guidance counsellor!

NME: What about the cats? Can you offer any advice about his cats?

P: Two factions have formed, the good cats and the bad cats. I didn't just want to kill the bad cats, that's wrong, so I took them to the woods, but... they found their way back to the house. (To Carl:) You should come and see my house, Carl. I've said that before.

C: Are you still there? They say it's a dump.

P: Huh?

C: They say it's a dump!

P: The Daily Star!

C: Ah...

NME: Ah, Daily Star...

C: (???) it's a dump, I've lived with you before.

NME: So you were offered a lot of money to perform together again this year, which isn't going to happen, but what next? What next, come on?

P: What next? 2010, innit?

C: Yeah, but we'll do it for nothing.

NME: You'll do it for nothing?

C: Didn't say what, exactly. (laughter)

P: Ten pennies and half a Cronenberg, that's something, innit - if Stella McCartney married David Cronenberg, she'd be Stella Cronenberg.(laughter of incomprehension)

C: That's a good thought.

NME: So, we love "Last of the English Roses," and looking forward to the album coming out. Any advice to all your fans out there listening, who haven't heard from you in person for a while?

P: Really? They have. Er, buy it, I suppose, yeah. Why not? I’m going to. Be like me.

NME: So, Pete wins Best Solo; Carl, what's going on in your life at the moment? (laughter)

C: ...Fucker. (laughter) Well, I don't know, man. I always put Peter forth as a little guinea pig, and, er, I dunno, he's (done good?), Best Solo, that works out, I'll do that next year. Lovely. *comedic cough*

P: We're all looking forward to Carl's solo album, hm? Not more than me.

NME: So that's Pete saying he's looking forward to Carl's solo album. Thank you guys, you're being moved on, but it's lovely to talk to you. Pete, well done. Thank you.

Peter wins Best Solo Artist Award...

... and leaves us with a promise.

From NME.com: "Speaking at the Shockwaves NME Awards after picking up the award Doherty said in an exclusive video, that he planned to record more solo material and keep his current band Babyshambles going, as well as reforming The Libertines. "I've written and recorded a solo record," he said. "There's probably another on the way, there's an amazing 'Shambles record on the way, and The Libertines is gonna happen in the next couple of years, by hook or by crook.He added: "I don't twist it [Carl Barat's arm] too far. He doesn't take kindly to it. He's not harder than me, but he's got a nasty streak, twist it too far and it'll snap."

The video can be seen here.

It was a very beautiful night, Peter was awarded with the prize he deservers most, while both he and Carlos lost the Sexiest Male Award to the usual Matt Bellamy. But who cares about such as useless award? Carl was so happy after Peter's victory that he went straight to the Glasvegas gig at Death Disco and crowd surfed, while being held up by Jon McClure (he must have weighed as a feather, given his non-stop shrinking and McClure's shape!).

Oh but Peter, Peter... he was so sharp and beautiful, with a fantastic black suit and hat. Oh God, I wish I could stop smiling all around while thinking about him but I just can't. Wow.

For the record, Peter was with his Babyshambles buddies, and Carl was with Didz and Gary.

It's not hard finding any kind of info on last night's events in the press but of course the most detailed reports are at NME.com.

I think we'll keep talking about last night for a good while, but at the moment Peter is going south to my country, where he's supposed to be playing at Milan's Alcatraz Club tonight. I'm still in Londinium at the moment so I can't be there but I hope my Italian friends will give us a lot of reports.

LATER!!!

Off to the NME awards

Great stuff tonight, Peter will be there and Adam said he's going too, so I'd expect a line up similar to the other night (that is with Coxie). In the meantime, enjoy some snippets and gossip:

• Backstage video interview at the Empire.
• Pete'n'Carl fight for the sexiest male award.
• In any case, Peter is ALSO up for the Best Solo Artist award.
• David Wala took some beautiful photos at the Glasgow gig.
• More photos of Peter surronded by fans in Glasgow.
• From the "Libertines" Twitter: Bound Together will be published in America next July (Dear Anthony there are a few people who are willing to translate Bound Together in Italian. At the moment it's only an on-line thingy but nonetheless I think we should ask for your permission).

LATER!!!

Glasgow, 24-2-09

Peter gave another stunning performance last night at the legendary Glasgow's Barrowlands. I wasn't there and it's too early for videos and piccies but the Glasgow's Daily Record is out with an enthusiastic review by Beverley Lyons:

PETE Doherty gave his worst critics something to think about as he blasted through songs old and new at Glasgow's Barrowlands last night. Although he has embarked on his solo tour with the NME Awards show, Pete kicked off his set with Libertines favourite Music When the Lights Go Out. Blur's Graham Coxon then joined Pete on stage for the majority of his set - adding the same flavour that he put into Pete's new album, Grace/Wastelands. Peter rattled off tracks from his time with Babyshambles and The Libertines - but without the staggering and rambling of old. The heavy-basslined English Rose led into a host of new songs, including A Little Death Around The Eyes and the jaunty Through The Looking Glass. Pete whipped up the crowd further as he sang Libertines favourite What Katy Did and Albion, changing its lyrics to suit the Scottish landscape - East Kilbride, West Kilbride, Falkirk and Glasgow. His final offering - the fans' favourite Time For Heroes - left the crowd chanting for more.

Later with more stuff!

Gigs of the week (and something else)

PETER:

• Tuesday 24 February - NME Awards - Glasgow Barrowlands (support act: Exlovers)
• Wednesday 25 February - NME Awards Main Show??? - Brixton O2 Academy (only a vile rumour!!!)
• Thursday 26 February - Myspace Secret Show - Alcatraz Club, Milan

Plus!

• Photos of last night's gig here
• And here

Videos:

• LOTER
• Time for heroes
• Sheepskin Tearaway

Good old Anthony Thornton has put up a Twitter page. He's called it (cough) "Libertines".

And finally, Gigwise reviewed G/W and gave it 2 stars and half (I only read the first lines and I couldn't bother to carry on).

Shepherds Bush Empire, 22-2-09

Photo by Aurelien

We knew it would have been a fantastic night! Peter is on top form at the moment and put up a fantastic show, one of those things you store in your memory department under the tag "the best gigs I've ever been to". Everybody were pretty up for the night, not only Peter but also the magic Graham Coxon, the sweet Adam, the lovely Drew, the beautiful Dot, everybody included Stephen Street (although I'm still angry at him for what he did to New Love Grows on Trees). The crowd was very responsive too, with the hugest cheers going to Time for Heroes (of Peter's old band called The Libertines, whose ex-members should try and see what great shape Peter is in at the moment instead of going around whining like old acid hags). OK, we're not here to whine either, so let's enjoy Peter's new course as much as we can!

"Pete Doherty kicked off his solo UK tour earlier tonight" says NME.com "by playing a Shockwaves NME Awards show at the London Shepherd's Bush Empire, at which he was joined by guests including Blur's Graham Coxon. Coxon, who plays guitar on Doherty's forthcoming solo album 'Grace/Wastelands', played for most of the set, which also included solo acoustic stints from the Babyshambles man plus a rendition of Libertines classic 'Time For Heroes'. Doherty, wearing a dark suit and hat, opened the show with an acoustic rendition of The Libertines' 'Music When The Lights Go Out'. Later he was joined by Coxon plus Babyshambles bandmates Drew McConnell and Adam Ficek, as well as a three-piece string section.Later in the set guests including singer Dot Allison, producer Stephen Street (who played guitar) and guitarist John Robinson made appearances on stage.The sold-out crowd, meanwhile, featured The Who's Roger Daltrey, TV presenter Tim Lovejoy and footballer Gareth Ainsworth, the player/coach for Doherty's favourite team, Queen's Park Rangers. Doherty kept chat to a minimum aside from introducing his guests plus asking the crowd what they thought of his "brand new set" before playing a one-song encore of 'Time For Heroes'."

Setlist: 'Music When The Lights Go Out', 'Arcadie', 'Last Of The English Roses', '1939 Returning', 'A Little Death Around The Eyes', 'Salome''Through The Looking Glass', 'Palace Of Bone', 'What A Waster', 'Never Never', 'The Lost Art Of Murder', 'I Am The Rain', 'Sheepskin Tearaway', 'Lady Don't Fall Backwards', 'Sweet By And By'', New Love Grows On Trees', 'Broken Love Song', 'Albion', 'Time For Heroes'.

Pizza in a few hours!!!

Wow wow wow!!! Everybody seems to be quite excited about tonight, starting from Babybear and finishing with The Ficek! Apparently Mr. Coxon will be at the party too, and the album (G/W) will be played in its entirety "with some bonus balls thrown in". Ex-Lovers and Vaults will support. Doors open at 7 pm and Peter is supposed to get on the stage at 9.30. Check Adrian's blog for more excitement!

Peter Doherty - Last of The English Roses (official video)

Here we go.

Press corner

Peter is in the cover of Rolling Stone France (March issue). The headline says: "Peter Doherty: The last rock icon?".

The NME is showing the Grace/Wastelands Behind The Scenes video and tells us something about it:

"Pete Doherty has revealed details on an incident during which he was chased down a street in Liverpool by a kebab shop owner brandishing a skewer. In a new video the Babyshambles frontman tells a tale from his childhood which saw him drunkenly provocate a take-away proprietor. "My uncle Arthur's a Liverpudlian fellow," he said. "He had this pair of trousers in the bottom of my Nan's wardrobe for ages. When I used to stay [as a teenager] I'd root about and find them, and wore them. I thought I was the bollocks in those trousers. "There was a kebab shop, I thought these trousers would give me magic powers - I was about 15. I went in and demanded a kebab. I was a bit drunk, the fella said, 'Sorry mate, we're closed'." I said, 'Give me a fuckin' kebab'. They chased me up the street with a skewer, but the trousers didn't give in. They were furry with '80s patterned diamond on them."

Doherty also discussed why he decided to record a solo album ('Grace/Wastelands', out March 16). "I think it was about time," he said. "You've got a messy desk and you start putting things in order. There's always been this untidy pile of strong ideas, things that have always been left out along the way with The Libertines and Babyshambles that were never quite finished, or we never really wanted to do, or felt was right to do".

Peter's next moves

Grace/Wastelands promotional campaign is getting hotter and hotter. Next week, on February 26th, Peter will play at the Alcatraz club in Milan as part of the Myspace's Secret Shows for Milan Fashion Week. During the night an official listening party will occur and Grace/Wastelands will be played in full to all the attendants. Support band will be Italian combo Il Genio. No tickets needed! Just log here and follow the instructions.

After the Italian campaign (needless to say I'll be hopelessly in London), Peter will go back to Paris. According to Rockerparis: "Pete Doherty will be in Paris to promote his solo cd Grace/wastelands the first week of March 2009. He will play L' album de la semaine on March 2nd. Don't call now bookings are not open yet. It will be the first time you'll be able to listen to new songs even before the Official Listening party that will take place in Paris at a secret location on March 4th. Other radio and tv shows are booked".

Grace/Wastelands official ad

Salome, a sink and lots of blood (click on the image to enlarge it). Crude? Yup but stylish! Because Peter is one of the stylish kids in the riot, I mean in the world, at least according to GQ Magazine:
"Likes crack; digs heroin. Frequent run-ins with the law. But used to shag Kate Moss! What else is there to say about Pete Doherty? One more thing: He’s always had, for worse more than better, a certain authenticity. Rock ’n’ roll may be dying, but for now he’s the only bona fide let’s-dial-it-back-to-1972 rock star we’ve got. Other rockers look his part or act his part, or sport the lank hair and wet-Play-Doh complexion, but Pete actually does the drugs and has the sex. And in so doing, he provides us with that all-important figure: the young wastrel we sort of envy but we’re glad we’re not. As an old girlfriend of Pete’s once said in a British newspaper: “It is difficult for his friends to tell him he is going wrong in his life, because he’s been dating one of the world’s most beautiful women, he’s got a top-ten single with his band, and he’s on the front of every newspaper in this country". Fashion tip: Just because you’re wearing a suit doesn’t mean you can’t wear boots. But we’re not talking businessman suits—we’re talking slim-cut, rock-guy getups".

And now something about Salome, oops, I mean Carl Barat: the man, recently spotted at the Klaxons' secret gig at the Old Blue Last, has announced a second solo gig in Wakefield. "Former Libertines and Dirty Pretty Things man Carl Barat has announced that he will play a second live date at the Wakefield Escobar next month" says NME.com "Barat's first performance will now be on March 6, after the previously-announced March 7 date sold out". For more information go here.

Monday stuff

• Tonight, if you're in London, be there: The Social EP launch featuring Zac from Refusiniks, The Rapscallions, Drew Shambles & The Social all for free @ The Social little portland street 7pm. Suprise guests are in store. That is all. xxx
• Let's listen to "A little death around the eyes" at Peter's myspace page.
• Gigs of the week: PETE DOHERTY: Sunday 22 February - hr 20.00 - Shepherds Bush 02 Empire, London, (NME Awards Show).

The Libertines @ The Duke Of Clarence (18.02.04)

Let's put the future behind us

The Sanremo Horror

She's friends with Santana, you know...

Me, I love horrors. Starting from pure masterpieces (The Shining, The Cabinet of Dr, Caligari, The Night of the Living Dead) going through recent average commercial products (The Ring, The Blair Witch Project) and finishing with gory and splatterish B-movies. I love them all. BUT what's been going on in the last weeks at the Sanremo Festival tops everything I've seen and loved so far. Hey, I thought that was a Libertines site, what's the Sanremo Festival got to do with it? Let me carry on, And let me explain first what this Festival is to people who've never heard about it (and I expect there are many). Do you have in mind something like the Eurovision Song Contest? Nah, that's what Sanremo looked like ages ago. Now it's all different. The contest is still there but nobody cares about it. What people want from this Festival (that airs on prime time TV for 5 days in a row, believe me) is: a) seeing half-naked chicks; b) watching semi-forgotten comedians, actors, politicians, dancers, singers, nothing-doers, people famous for being famous, ex Big Brother or X-Factor contestants, ex football players, ex clowns, ex famous people's ex lovers, ex priests and ex nuns and even aspiring suicides (I thought there was one many years ago), all this mixed in a huge pot of bad taste, crap music and endless bore. This year's edition of the Festival starts next Tuesday and ends four days later (Saturday). So, what happened this year? The organizers chose to make "artists" perform in duets. And there's this Italian singer who should be about 160 years old, and goes under the nickname "Patty Pravo" (of course it's fake, but I have no idea what her real name is) and had her first moment of celebrity when my mother used to go to elementary schools, well, this woman decided that she was going to duet with... Pete Doherty. And of course she informed the Italian press about her choice. "He's a bit of a crazy kid" she said "and he told me he'd rather play on his own. But I'm sure I can convince him". The press went mad: "Druggie Doherty to rock Sanremo!", "Ill famed rocker on Sanremo's stage!", "Junkie Pete and Patty together!", "Kate Moss's ex lover will shock everyone!".
Pity that poor Peter didn't have a single fucking remote idea about all this. I asked Babybear if there was any truth. Adrian said "It's only a rumour, there's nothing confirmed". A few weeks passed, and nothing new surfaced, and the rumour remained rumour. Until two days ago, when the 165 year old singer was forced to admit that no, actually Peter was not going to sing with her at the Festival. "He's a very unstable man" she said "and when people are too unstable things may go the wrong way. I don't want to take risks, he might smash his guitar on the floor or hurt people in the audience. And actually I chose quality over quantity (Peter is quantity?) and decided to have people who made music history play with me" (she went on naming two people nobody's ever heard of) "I asked my great friend Carlos Santana but he was busy". Word to demented press: "Patty Pravo dumps Doherty", "Patty does not want druggie Peter anymore", "Poor Pete will have to watch the Festival at home!" (????), "The Pope is always right" (catholic press), "Berlusconi is a fascist dictator" (left wing press).
Today EMI Music Italy, the label distributing Babyshambles records in Italy, decided they'd had enough and released a note: "Pete Doherty has never been contacted by Sanremo Festival to appear at the event, and he's never been invited by Miss Patty Pravo for a possible collaboration. Miss Pravo didn't choose any quality over quantity because she's never even tried to get in touch with him. Doherty is currently very busy promoting his upcoming solo album Grace/Wasteland and has never had any remote intention to appear at the Sanremo Festival".
That's the whole story. I think any other comments are unnecessary. We'll be waiting for you Peter, when you decide to tour Italy to promote your beautiful album. All that crap will be forgotten, of course.

A handful of news

• The wonderful New Love Grows on Trees is freely downloadable here.
• Yay! Peter will play Oxegen!...
• And also T in The Park!
• The Irish Times recaps Peter's "lecture" at the Trinity College.
• Beautiful behind the scenes video!

Plus!

The NME wonders if "The Libs should reunite" (what kind of question is that? Is the Pope catholic?).

Gigwise reviews the Mongrel's album (3/5).

More and more to come! Stay tuned!

The Underground (Stoke) 12-2-09

Photo by... Tracey

Peter played at The Underground last night, and reports talk of a good gig.

"Just got back from the Underground" says Hokeystokie "What a fantastic night truely brilliant! The Vaults were fantastic, so were the Ritzz. Peter was on form lots of audience participation, great setlist. I personally think it was better than most gigs ive been to".

Hokeystokie also posted some beautiful photos (here) taken by his (her?) friend Tracey, and wrote the setlist:

fuck forever, back from the dead, snakey road, what a waster, mwtlgo, up the bracket, cant stand me now, dlbits, unbilo, killmangiro, albion, lost art of murder, good old days, beg steal or borrow, time for heroes, you talk

Later, we have lots of Peter stuff today!

That NME interview in full

With a lot of thanks to Bella, of course.


It's 9.30pm in Paris on the first day of February. Half a kilometre away at Place de L'Opéra, rioters are clashing with police in a protest against the government's handling of the economic crisis. Two and a half kilometres away at the Crazy Horse cabaret revue club, Dita Von Teese is preparing for the opening night of her new burlesque show - a glamorous showbiz spectacle to which she has personally invited every rock star, fashion mogul and proper celeb in the city. Here, over dinner at an upscale boutique hotel on the Parisian Right Bank, meanwhile, Peter Doherty is busy making his excuses to leave before dessert arrives.

"Are you going to the Dita party?" asks his manager, nervously eyeing the following day's schedule, which begins with a breakfast call followed by the NME covershoot.

"Well I was thinking about the party," demurs Peter, in that voice that can only be described as a louche Frank Spencer. "But I'm also just really enjoying sleeping at the moment, y'know?".

Tomorrow morning at breakfast (which he doesn't make it down to, but does take in his room), his PA will confirm that he was indeed fast asleep in his room by 9.40pm. Peter - the 'r', we are soon told by the man himself is now mandatory - has been living in Paris on and off since October, around the time he finished sessions for his forthcoming solo album, Grace/Wastelands, back in London. Produced by Stephen Street (whose previous credits include The Smiths, Blur, Kaiser Chiefs and Babyshambles flaccidly received second album 'Shotter's Nation'), it features Graham Coxon, singer-songwriter Dot Allison, his Babyshambles bandmates and longterm Doherty muse Wolfman as guests and co-writers. His record company PR tells me on the way to meet Peter that EMI hope this will be the album that redeems him in the eyes of the media.

While the time to re-educate the tabloids about Pete the Poet (as opposed to Pete The No Good Scaghead) is, they realise, long gone, the hope is that the broadsheets at least will accept Grace/Wastelands as the dawn of a new Doherty: creative, diligent and mature, with just the headiest whiff of a dangerous, tortured past. Peter himself seems happy enough to play along. He is, he says "growing fonder by the minute" of this "mellow, laidback album," named after a photo of Elvis which he couldn't afford to pay The King's estate to use as his cover-art. He's even removed the sole punky, Babyshambles-like number 'Through The Looking Glass' from the tracklisting at the 11th hour to replace it with the more dulcet 'I Am the Rain'. It's also perhaps why he shocked his entourage by showing up to this afternoon's interview band on time - "punctual and striding purposefully through the lobby!" he will later gloat. Or why tomorrow's schedule also includes going to the studio of a French music TV show, where he will perform 'Karma Chameleon' in an unlikely collaboration with indie's very own bedwetters Keane. Or most tellingly, why Peter nixes the idea of doing the NME interview in a nearby bar, and instead opts to go for a stroll "where we can find somewhere quiet." Which is how we come to find ourselves outside, drinking tea in the Jardin des Tuileries in the final few hours before Paris, the UK, and half of mainland Europe are enveloped in some of the heaviest snow since 1991 - Peter cadging a steady stream of cigarettes from passers-by and hardy autograph hunters, as the wooden horses and circus music of a nearby carousel whirr away serenely in the background.

NME: What brought you to Paris?

P: It's the end of the line really, of the train I got on. I had an unwelcome visitor who wouldn't leave my house [in Wiltshire]. I felt bad because he'd been evicted, so he came to stay, but it got too much so I said "Look, you'll have to go cos... I'm, er, leaving the country tomorrow!" He said, "I'll look after your house then," and I said "No, you can't... you're not allowed." And I just stayed. I love Paris. I walk around pretty much unmolested.

NME: How is your French coming along?

P: Badly (Leaning over to the next table) Une cigarette, s'il vous plait? Merci!

NME: Why have you done a solo album now, rather than another Babyshambles one?

P: Really? Because my Parlophone deal said I had to do a record as Pete Doherty and two records with Babyshambles.

NME: How do the rest of the band feel?

P: Bitter and malcontent. No, they're fine. They're all doing solo albums.

NME: Yeah, Drew's got Mongrel and Helsinki, Adam's doing solo stuff. Do you worry it's all falling apart?

P: No, they'll all be back. They can fly the nest, but they always come back to the mother when they're hungry.

NME: There are some old songs on the album......

P: There are quite a lot of old ideas, but if you trace them back they were always all unfinished. They're things that have mutated over the years. I don't think there's anything wrong with doing that. Some of them have just been titles for years. Like 'Sweet By and By', I got that from Quentin Crisp's The Naked Civil Servant...... he was like (camp voice) 'yes and this young painter came by in the sweet by and by' but really it was just a title. When people say "What have you been doing, got any new songs?" If you say no it makes you sound like an uncreative lump, so I'd say "Yeah, I've got this new song Sweet By and By".

NME: How did Graham Coxon get so involved with the record?

P: (Makes excitable noise) Stephen Street wanted someone I could bounce off of.......without bouncing off the walls simultaneously [Street} had seen me in action before and, I shouldn't really say this, but maybe he was worried about some of the likemindedness that was going on in the studio and he knew that Graham was quite straight-edged in that sense. Although he's had a few wobbly moments in the past.

NME: Yeah, he was an alcoholic through much of the mid and late 90's. Did he talk about his past or give you any advice about your present?

P: Yeah, but I don't think Graham saw any evidence of any - y'know..... Although, you say that, but you don't always know what people see.

NME: Have you seen the blog he wrote about you after the album session where he called you a scumbag magnet?

P: Really? This is the thing, someone else told me about that too, but Graham didn't see any of those things. Y'know, I think he was actually talking about the Primrose Hill set. I think he was talking about Kate Moss and Sadie Frost and people like that, not about Hackney drug cats or crackheads.

NME: Why would he be calling the Primrose Hill set scumbags?

P: Because they're the only people he came into contact with that I know. So I think that's quite offensive really, to be, y'know........(he completes his sentence with a cheeky grin) talking about that lot like that.

NME: Offensive?

P: I'm not offended! I think it's great, you know, that obviously he doesn't mind incurring the wrath of Primrose Hill's billionaire-esses.

NME: Do you ever miss that side of life?

P: No! Of course not. It was just like lots of broken guitars and scratches and ........ accusations. 'I'm a good girl I am'.

NME: Do you think you can hear much of Graham's influence on the album?

P: Yeah, a lot if you know what you're listening for. A lot of the chunky, slashing dirty guitar parts........ pretty much all the electric guitar parts that you hear on there is Graham.

NME: Did he teach you any good new guitar tricks?

P: He's a really lovely man y'know. He taught me humility and strength in adversity. March 12. It's coming up soon, I'm going to be 28.

NME: No you're not.

P: What? How dare you?

NME: It's a widely known fact that you're going to be 30.

P: Shit.

NME: How do you feel about turning 30?

P: I'm a bit pissed off to be honest. Why? Why do you think? Thirty. It's a terrible state of affairs.

NME: Are you scared of getting old?

P: Yeah.......... yeah.... No. I don't know. It's just a running joke isn't it? And there has to be something behind it. There's no smoke without fire. Why is it funny that I'm turning 30. Why do my friends think it's funny I'm turning 30? Why do I keep pretending I'm 28? There must be something behind it, y'know, if you look at the causes.

NME: Are you pleased with what you've achieved in your 30 years?

P: Well, I didn't do too much in the first couple of years, y'know, learnt to walk, learnt to talk. And it's true that I have spent a lot of time lying on my back gargling. But I think I've got everything in that I needed to get in before they close the book.

NME: You certainly seem to be doing alright at the moment. I mean, it wasn't long ago that there were all those pictures of you living under the Westway in a caravan...........

P: That was alright living there! It wasn't me who was the problem, it was all the 12 year old pikeys trying to sell me guns and stuff that was the problem. There was a workspace there available, somewhere to set up a little studio where I could park my cars. OK, I was living on a kind of shelf, but I had my desk there, and a sofa and light.

NME: Running water?

P: Well, cold water and a kettle. Yeah, nothing wrong with that place. It was a little unusual.

NME: Was it scarier than being in prison?

P: Well, the thing is, I was off drugs in prison, whereas there were times in that lock-up when I got into some real paranoid states and thought I was under siege. I thought the IRA were outside and the police. The IRA had teamed up with the police and they were all trying to get me and the cats! I was in a really bad way, crawling around, trying not to make a noise. Then my phone would ring and I'd pounce on it and be, 'Shhhhh! Don't call me here! Don't call me here!"

NME: Have you had any paranoid episodes recently?

P: Not so much, no. Not on that level where I really thought I was under siege. When I'd wait til nightfall to crawl across the roof, scale the turrets and get on to the Westway to flag down a post van.

NME: What did the postie say?

P: He drove off.

NME: Every time I read a Pete Doherty interview you're always a reformed character, 'in a much better place' than they were. Is this going to be one of those interviews?

P: Errrrr...... I always say that because generally being in a sober, coherent state [for interviews] I am. So it's never a lie.

NME: Last time NME saw you, you were proudly showing off your prison certificate that said you had a clean bill of health - the operative word being 'clean'. Dare we ask if this is still the case?

P: I've got a clean bill of health, I think. Yeah, the thing is, some people would say 'Oh, if he's just having a drink and the odd line then he's clean', but I'm not really a drink and an odd line person, y'know? I'm not really a big drinker. So it's either all or nothing really.

NME: Wasn't one of the songs on the album, '1939 Returning,' initially supposed to be a duet with Amy Winehouse?

P: There is a version with Amy Winehouse duetting on this. She sounds amazing on it. She's got a really weird way of moulding melodies y'know? Like Roger Daltrey on 'My Generation,' she sort of stutters and does all that - holds back and then spits out and it's a completely different song. But Stephen Street didn't really want to go ahead with it, which is a shame. But he just said that it would have made it a completely different song. I have the recording on a phone somewhere and she was up for [re-recording] it but............. yeah, probably couldn't afford it anyway. [And there are also some Carl moments:]‘A Little Death Around the Eyes’…… it’s the title of a novel his sister wrote and he hated me writing a song called that. The line ‘her boyfriend’s name was Dave’, that was Carl’s too.

NME: The start of ‘Sweet By and By’ sounds like you are very nostalgic for The Libertines…

P: ‘(Sings) Was it so long ago? When we first hit the road?’. That’s Wolfman anyway! Because whenever I get together with Wolfman he’s very nostalgic, we always end up talking about the first ever Libertines tour where we went out of London and it was just a complete tale of destruction. So it is kind of about that tour, yeah. But also there’s a little bit about ‘It wasn’t so long ago, when you said you loved me so/Where did you go? You didn’t even say goodbye,’ which is kind of true. It was a bit rude. Kate, she didn’t even say goodbye. I did finish with her, but she didn’t even say goodbye. So it’s quite a sad song really.

NME: Have you spoken to Carl since he’s become a free agent again?

P: Um, well yeah, because we had some ridiculous offers to headline Reading and stuff. Like £2 million to headline this festival, £1 million to headline that festival and I said ‘Why don’t we just to it? Let’s get the old band back together’. And he said, ‘yeah, but we can’t travel in separate cars.’ ‘Well, why would we?’ and he said, ‘We have to be friends, we can’t just do it for the money’. I said ‘OK, well let’s be friends! Friends who go and make lots of money together’ y’know, because I haven’t got any money and I know he’s skint. And then he said……… I shouldn’t tell you this……… he said I had to go and see an energy consultant, like some new-age guru who is going to measure my energy levels and see if I’m still surrounded by darkness and if I am then I’m not allowed to go near Carl because I’ll tap into his good energy and as usual I’ll sap all the good energy and bring nothing but darkness into his life and all this…..

NME: So have conversations faltered?

P: Well now I have to go through a third party because obviously until my energy levels are sorted I’m not allowed near him! My energy levels are fine. I’m doing really well. No, you’ll see, I’ve just got to show him that I’m together……. He’s very wary. He doesn’t want to have to go through it all a third time and just have the same result.

NME: It will be Valentine’s Day during the week that this issue comes out. How will you be spending it?

P: I don’t know……. Alone. Probably in Paris. Actually, there is someone I’d like to ask, she’s in Paris at the moment. But I invited her out to dinner once and I was really late, even though it wasn’t my fault, and I think I might have blown it.

As Peter’s eyes dip forlornly, the waitress arrives with our bill and impeccable timing. “Excuuuz moi, are you the man of television? What is your name?” she asks. “Pete……. Peter Doherty” the smile and glint return. Hold on, that reminds us, what exactly are you doing on TV with Keane later? “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Yes you do, spill it. “Well,” sighs Peter, “ages ago we were going to do ‘Karma Chameleon’ for the War Child album and it didn’t happen, so when this TV show asked if I’d do a song with Keane I said, ‘Alright, we’ll do ‘Karma Chameleon’ then……’ You don’t have to write about that though.” Why? Are you embarrassed? “Yeah, Noel Gallagher might laugh at me. Nah, I’m not embarrassed, he’s alright Tom [Chaplin], I met him in rehab. We’ve got a lot in common really. Both like Blackadder.” And here Peter lets out a nostalgic “Hmmmmmmm”. Christ, maybe he’s more ready for his thirties than he knows.

Three tips

Tonight:
THE UNDERGROUND - STOKE h. 20.00 - PETE DOHERTY + Special Guests (The Underground, Morley Street, Hanley, Stoke On Trent)

Will Peter play Oxegen?

And Carl Barat speaks

The NME interview video

For those who haven't seen it yet.

Gigs looming

Peter:

"Secret low key show in Dundee at the Doghouse on Feb 25th 2008" said Babybear "Tickets are first come first served in a local butcher's shop I think. First time on the East coast for a while. The venue only holds three hundred so I think we may have a suitable night of mayhem and melody".

Babyshambles:

SOS 4.8 Festival, La Fica (oh God... do you know what that means in Italian?), Spain, 1-2 May.

Peace and Love Festival, Borlange, Sweden, 22-27 June (or is Peter alone?)

And Carlos Barraatt:

CARL ANNOUNCES FIRST U.K.SOLO DATE in Wakefield. Carl hits the Merrie City on March 7th with a gig at Escobar. Also on the bill are Wakey's very own Last Gang, Kieran Leonard and Danny Allison. Tickets available from Ticketweb. Owing to the kennel-like proportions of Escobar, tickets are likely to sell out sharpish.

Of course, there's also Peter's tour, starting on 22 February.

Oh Peter... (shakes head and laughs)

Peter is in the cover of the new NME (see above). The preview says: "We take a romantic trip to Paris with Pete Doherty, where he muses on the three great loves of his life: drugs, Kate and Carl. Meanwhile, you can download a free Pete track and watch a video interview over on the Daily Download."

Meanwhile you can have an idea what the article is about from Metro:

Pete Doherty says a reunion with his old band The Libertines is set to become reality after receiving a staggering offer of £2million from festival organisers.
The druggie claims he and former bandmate, Carl Barat, are set to end years of bitter feuding to cash in on the offer. But there's one bizarre condition - Pete has his 'darkness' levels measured.He let details of the money-spinning deal slip after he was interviewed on the tattered state of their relationship.
Asked if they were speaking again, Pete told the NME: 'We had some ridiculous offers to headline Reading. £2million to headline this festival, £1million to headline that festival and I said, 'Why don't we just do it? Let's get the old band back together.''
But Doherty says while he can't resist the cash, Carl actually wants the reunion to be about 'friendship' more than money. Pete reveals: 'He said, 'Yeah, but we can't travel in separate cars.' 'Well, why would we?' and he said, 'We have to be friends, we can't just do it for the money.''I said, 'OK, well let's be friends! Friends who go and make lots of money together' y'know, because I haven't got any money and I know he's skint. '
Revealing Barat's deal breaker, Doherty reveals: 'I shouldn't tell this to you… he said I had to go and see an energy consultant, like some new-age guru who is going to measure my energy levels and see if I'm still surrounded by darkness.
'If I am then I'm not allowed to go near Carl because I'll tap into his good energy and as usual I'll sap all the good energy and bring nothing but darkness into his life and all this.Potty Pete's plan to return comes after he fell out with the band back in 2003 after reportedly breaking into Barat's flat. He formed his own group Babyshambles, while Barat went on to form the group Dirty Pretty Things.

Grace/Wasteland artwork

Thanks to Babybear for revealing the album's sleeve! I cannot wait till I have it in my hands, what I've heard so far is awesome.

Pete Doherty's poetry beyond Pat Kenny

What follows is a really beautiful article published in The Irish Times this morning. Many people were left totally disgusted by what happened Friday night on Irish TV, and this is a sincere and heartfelt apology from an intelligent journalist (there are some, you know). Yeah, I know Peter is said sometimes to be the one who first instigates those things in the press. But I think enough is enough. Every time I google “Pete Doherty news”, rather the finding news on his solo album, or reviews of his gigs I only seem to find idiocies like “Doherty’s house in haunted!” or “Doherty evicted from his house!”, and it gets frustrating after a while. Of course it’s an old story. But please Peter, listen to this suggestion: Think twice before accepting to appear on TV shows you have nothing to do with, and to be interviewed by people who have no fucking clue about who you are and can’t even be arsed to listen to at least ONE song of yours before talking to you. OK? And please forget the Sanremo Festival, if you’ve ever thought of going there (but I’m sure you haven’t). They will eat you alive.

Article: (by PETER MURTAGH)
THERE IS a great refrain in Bob Dylan’s 1968 song, Ballad of a Thin Man. In it, Dylan is merciless as he takes apart a hapless journalist, a scribe completely out of his depth and uncomprehending of the scene about which he is trying to write.
The putdown refrain in the song goes: “Because something is happening here/But you don’t know what it is/Do you, mister Jones?”
It was like that on Friday night watching our own Mr Jones flailing and failing to interview Pete Doherty on the Late Late Show to any illuminating effect. There sat Doherty, scruffy strolling minstrel with a foppish fedora-style hat (cigarette stuck in its ribbon), drainpipe jeans, anorexic-like physique, all dirty finger-nails and doe-eyed expression. His face exuded a mixture of wide-eyed innocence and a rabbit caught in headlights.
And there was Pat, looking like the head of HR, all stiff, formal attire, interviewing the bad boy – or someone he was told was a bad boy, ’cos sure as hell, Pat didn’t really know anything about the bloke he was talking to. Eight, nine (or was it 10 or 12?) questions about drugs and Kate Moss. Nothing about Doherty’s music, his poetry, his lyrics, what motivates him as an artist, what he’s trying to express and why; the influences on his life, his huge influence on the pop scene through his two bands, the Libertines and Babyshambles. None of that; only accusatory drug questions.
It was relentless, unyielding, toe-curling. At one point – Kenny’s breaking a butterfly on a wheel moment – Doherty pulled his hat down over his eyes and made as though to curl up in a foetal position. Trying to make himself small. Trying to get away from it all. And ne’er a question about his music.
I bet you don’t even know the name of any of my songs, do you?, Doherty quipped at one point. Er . . . no, I don’t, Kenny seemed to reply.
But Doherty picked up his battered acoustic guitar and sang one, The Last of the English Roses , so maybe he does now. It’s a lovely lyrical song and it’s getting lots of play on YouTube. I wonder if Pat caught the irony of the line “You charmed the bees’ knees off me . . .” Probably not. (You can watch it on YouTube – search under Peter Doherty on Ireland’s Late Late Show .)
On Saturday and yesterday, the web was humming as debate flared on the tube and on boards.ie and other blog sites. Bloggers tend not to mince their words – embarrassing, painful, uncomfortable, car crash TV, lazy and arrogant – they didn’t like what they saw and they weren’t, for the most part, referring to Doherty.
My son Patrick bounded into the bedroom some time after midnight on Friday, all energy and excitement. He’s still at secondary school but had borrowed a Trinity ID and bluffed his way into the Philosophical Society after queuing for hours to see his hero, Pete Doherty, perform in a more intimate setting before whizzing out to RTÉ. Many queued – hundreds perhaps – but few got in.
Amazing, incredible, sooooo interesting, said Patrick. He was, like, only about 20 ft from me and he sang loads of his songs.
What did he talk about? I asked bleary-eyed.
“Yeats and Oscar Wilde,” said Patrick (19). “Oh and Dad, I’ve borrowed your book of Yeats poems. They’re really good. And did you see Pat Kenny? (Yes) What an arse; what a complete arse!”
Had Patrick read any Wilde? I asked him. No but I’d like to, he said. I’ll get you some, I said. And we chatted a while about The Ballad of Reading Gaol and other stuff about Wilde and Yeats.
Excited, enthused (and, yes, fully aware of the self-destructive Doherty stuff that is a part, but only a part, of his life) Patrick went to bed thinking of music, and words and poems.
Thank you, Pete Doherty. Thank you for making poetry exciting for a 19-year-old boy learning how to express himself. And lay off the other stuff, eh?
What a complete arse that Mr Jones was. Dylan was so right.

Peter on Facebook

From Adrian:
Hi All, if you're on facebook you may want to sign up here.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Pete-Doherty/49047047926?ref=mf

This is the official page concerning Peter and his new album, Grace/Wastelands. There are so many pages on Facebook purporting to be Peter .... it's quite annoying. So we have made this one which at least you know you can trust for correct info and having at least a semblance of something to do with Peter. Just to let you know we have not requested any of the others to be taken down as part of our efforts but I believe some may have been removed by Facebook. That's their business not mine. So sign up folks. Over 1,500 new mates in less than a day. Quite encouraging. We'll also have a spanking new myspace page for the album up in a jiffy and something called Bebo. I doubt there will be a Twitter page because Twitter is essentially shite. Thanks to Morocco Mole for his sterling efforts in helping me with this new-fangled gubbins.

Pip Pip.

bb.

Peter in Dublin: the round-up

Peter's adventure in Dublin got mixed reactions: apparently the "lecture" at Trinity College went well, albeit starting with a two hour delay (not Peter's fault, the flight was late). But the appearance at The Late Late Show was a true disaster: the host candidly admitted he didn't know any songs of Peter's and spent the whole interview making questions about drug use. Anyway, a few articles in the press today:

The Herald

The Irish Independent

NME

Hot Press

Plus: photos at Getty Images

And videos taken at Trinity:

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Pete Doherty - The Last Of The English Roses - The Late Late Show 06-02-08

Apparently the interview was awful, but Peter looks lovely. Enjoy!

Reminder

Pete Doherty is due to give a lecture to students in Dublin's Trinity College this evening. The Philosophical Society invited the 29-year-old Babyshambles singer to the college. A statement on the society's website said that the singer will talk about: "...life, love and much more". The statement also said that the musician will give: "...a taste of what a rock 'n' roll (hopefully minus the sex and drugs) lifestyle entails." Al Pacino, 68, and Dame Helen Mirren, 63, have previously made speeches at the university. Doherty will be speaking in The Graduates' Memorial Building at 5pm.

For those who are still hoping for a 126 gig tonight (myself included): it's not going to happen. Tonight Peter is appearing on The Late Late Show, which airs live on Irish TV channel RTE One at 9.30 pm. Of course, a youtube rip will be much appreciated.

Professor Doherty to give a lecture in Dublin

only stone and steel accept my love...

From NME.com:
Pete Doherty is set to give a talk to students at the Trinity College in Dublin on Friday (February 6). The Babyshambes man will be a guest ofThe University Philosophical Society, following in the footsteps of past speakers at the college, including Oscar Wilde, former Presidential hopeful John McCain, 'Dracula' author Bram Stoker and actress Helen Mirren. According to the university website, Tcdphil.com, Doherty will discuss, "Life, love and much more". Attendees will be able to ask the star questions as part of the talk.

Waiting for the lecture, Peter has been spotted (and shot) while briskly exploring Paris's beauties (here).

More Grace/wasteland streaming

This way.

I haven't had the possibility to hear the songs yet (damn work) so I cannot tell you anything.
Later!

Carl what're you up to?

photo by ritskayaph

I wish I could post something about The Mighty Carlos nowadays that does not involve any wowing about Glasvegas, but it seems it's a mission impossible. So, last night, Glasvegas won Xfm's New Music Award, thanks to a panel formed by a bunch of musicians including the above mentioned Barat.

From Xfm.com:

"Former Libertine Carl Barat has been talking to Xfm London’s Alex Zane about the process of voting for this year’s Xfm New Music Award. Initially hesitant about the list, Carl found the process of sifting through the ten shortlisted bands a pleasure. It was actually a very tough decision and on the whole it was a joyous recommendation from Xfm listeners.
He was also particularly effusive about the NMA’s eventual winners, Glasvegas.
"The winner has always got to be someone that inspires a generation and the album itself was totally disarming. As a debut it seemed so innocent and inclusive, which made you feel part of a gang. At the same time, it also felt like you were getting flowers fisted down your throat. They’re an incredibly intelligent band and utterly eviscerating”.
James Allan, Glasvegas’s lead singer, was a very gracious winner. Talking to Alex Zane again he said,“The best thing about it is that some of my words and melodies are getting out to other people and that’s a brilliant thing.”.

Hear Carl and James's interview now.

Anyway, DJ Carlos is doing a new set in the following days but not in England. Snow permitting, the man is heading to Belgium, namely Ghent (somebody might know it as Gand), on Friday 6th February, at the Make up Club (Hindu Nights). Main attractions of the night will be The Tatianas, and Carl will be behind the decks with Paul Gallagher. Tickets at 10€. For more info email the club here.

Grace/Wasteland first review

This review comes from Band Weblogs, a blog brought to you by singer/musician Jenny May, based in Oxford, England.

"I’ve been waiting in the wings for awhile now for Pete Doherty to release a solo album, and finally that day has come. For me, his best performances have been the times that I’ve seen him play on his own with just an acoustic guitar and his voice. However, with debut solo album Grace/Wasteland, there’s a mix of some of the acoustic Pete Doherty that is endearing and raw and also songs filled with the colorful musicianship of a full band.With all that’s been written in the media about Pete Doherty and his personal life, the highs along with the extreme lows, it would be easy to cast aside the idea that he might actually be a talented songwriter and musician. Grace/Wasteland is a great example of an artist at work - doing what he does best. This album excites me. For someone like Doherty who is young and in the public eye as much as he is, to release such an eclectic mix of songs so far away from the current chart releases is to be applauded. Grace/Wasteland should be listened to and digested like a fine wine.Each song is a treat - and listening to the album for the first time, I soon realized that I didn’t know what was going to come next. Maybe a record company’s nightmare, but a refreshing change for me.

The first single set for release off of Grace/Wasteland is “Last of the English Roses”. A very good choice. Immediately the the song is reminiscent of The Clash, the bass like Paul Simonon dub or something that Damon Albarn’s (Blur) The Good ,The Bad and The Queen along with Simonon might have come up with and yet it’s Albarn’s Blur bandmate Graham Coxon who contributes his excellent guitar skills throughout the album.Other musicians involved with Grace/Wasteland include Doherty’s Babyshambles bandmates Mick Whitnall on guitar, Drew McConnell on bass and Adam Ficek on drums. Scottish singer Dot Allison co-wrote the duet “Sheepskin Tearaway” and Peter “Wolfman” Wolfe is co-writer and guitarist on “Broken Love Song”. On “1939 Returning” Doherty’s voice is right up front in the mix, sultry even…nice acoustic guitars and strings. “A Little Death Around the Eyes” is so far away from the Pete Doherty that you think you know. The lyrics maybe, but the Leonard Cohen/Serge Gainsbourg feel is probably the most unexpected of the 12 track album. Radio friendly indie/pop number “Through The Looking Glass” is such a contrast to some of the other, darker tracks. There are some old-school surprises, like piano based “Sweet By and By”. Some might wonder, “why is Pete Doherty singing songs his grandmother would like?” and the easy guess would be that the songs that he’s producing reflect his taste in music. A wide range. The instrumentation on “New Love Grows On Trees” is tight - the upright bass is outstanding, another welcome change with this album. The lyrics so personal. B-Side “I Am The Rain” starts with just Pete and an acoustic guitar, then the chorus lifts with tambourine and harmony, and then back to just the guitar during the verse - gradually building as the song goes on. An excellent example of good dynamics normally captured in a live setting, which this sounds like. Hopefully this album will be recognized as one of the best releases of the year".

Well, I haven't listened to the album yet (no, I haven't) and I'm glad this reviewer appreciates it so much. Although I must disagree with her statement "best performances have been the times that I’ve seen him play on his own with just an acoustic guitar and his voice" (no, best performances were the times I've seen him play with his old band named "The Libertines",) I have huge hopes for this adventure.

Mongrel: the tour dates

Drew writes to FDW (how about an account of your own, honey?):

Hello all its drew here. I'm in Norwich on the 1st date of this little MONGREL tour and I'm very excited. we're playing little venues and its gonna be a right laugh. come see us and say hello (we're manning our own t shirt stall) if we come anywhere near your town x.

Dates are:
Norwich Waterfront (February 1)
Oxford Academy (2)
Bristol Fleece (3)
Stoke Sugarmill (5)
Glasgow King Tut's (6)
Middlesbrough Arena (7)
Nottingham Brownes (8)
York Duchess (10)
Manchester Academy (11)
Brighton Coalition (13)
Sheffield Plug (14)
London Scala (18)

love you guys. drew

Some Peter news

• First of all, the video posted earlier this morning is NOT the official video, OK? "It's a teaser" Babybear said "Official vid to come directed by Douglas Hart (Jesus And Marychain)". Good to know (this News of The World exclusive was rather puzzling anyway).
• Peter is throwing his arms around Paris once again. In the next days he's going to appear on French TV, namely "he's going to play few songs on Cuisine Tv and then an interview for the Tv Show Midi les Zouzous" (thanks to Al for the tip), and (apparently) also on Taratata. Cuisine TV should be something like Ready Steady Cook (or, for my local fellows, La Prova Del Cuoco). That should be a laugh.
• As the promotional machine is starting to warm up, there are also some speculations about Peter appearing at the San Remo Festival (from 17th to 21st February), particularly on the Friday night (i.e. the 20th). I can't tell you anything more since I haven't watched the San Remo Festival since 1982 (i.e. when I was 1). But, we'll see!
• As for the last failed show at 126 of last Friday, the only explanation given was that the venue received a visit from the boys in blue early in the afternoon, who decided the show was not going on. Dropper (our secret agent in Havana) said the gig MIGHT be rescheduled next Friday (Paris permitting).

That's all for now. Stay tuned.

Peter Doherty - Last of the English roses video exclusive

Cuteness overload!