The week Grace/Wastelands was released...

... the NME came out with a poster featuring Bilo and Biggles at the recent NME Awards. And more: "Pete Doherty has revealed that the duet he recorded with Amy Winehouse had been destined to appear on his solo album 'Grace/Wastelands' – until producer Stephen Street had other ideas. In this week's issue of NME, the former Libertine guides us through his latest offering and explains how he and Winehouse recorded '1939 Returning' on his mobile ahead of a potential recording session".

Well this time I'm grateful to Stephen Street and his "other ideas". 1939 is one of my fave songs on the album and frankly I think Miss Winehouse and her voice would have made a total disaster. Grace/Wastelands has been on my stereo in the last two weeks (errr yes) with alternate fortune, depending on my mood I think. Yes it's true, I once fell asleep while listening to I Am The Rain. But it was half past midnight and I had flown back from London a few hours earlier. I absolutely love Broken Love Song and New Love Grows On Trees (still puzzled about the production Stephen otherwise you've done a great work in most of the songs). I also adore 1939 Returning and Palace of Bone, and A Little Death Around the Eyes sounds good. Sometimes the tone of the album drops a bit though, and I Am The Rain is maybe the biggest responsible but I'm not too convinced by the single either, and maybe I'm one of the few people who don't like Salome. The NME wonders where the new songs are (in Carl Barat's drawer?). I wonder where rock'n'roll is. Peter has shown his most delicate, sensitive side with this record, and it sounds great. But I know he has also another side, and if he'd combined the two he might have sounded even greater. Three stars and half.

Peter played at the Lincoln Engine Shed last night, but I couldn't find anything on the show anywhere, apart from the photo above, which is by James Arnold.

Anyway, whereas LOTER was an undeniable flop last week, it seems the album won't. As I write G/W is at n. 7 in the midweek chart (yesterday it was at n. 5). Maybe a top 10 entry is in the cards after all.

As for my yesterday's post, it came out it wasn't Peter who's moved to Chiseldon but his manager Andy Boyd. Peter is still in his "24 hours" mansion.

And to the guy who asks what Bilo means, I'm not too sure but I think Mr. Peter Doherty senior renamed his son "Billy Bilo" after the character from a comedy they both loved. Maybe my Brit mates might give you a more detailed answer on the matter.