First review of Broken Love Song

From Contact Music. There you go:

Pete Doherty makes for an unlikely renaissance man. As a Libertine he almost singlehandedly reconnected a nation with guitars and the ways of Merrie England, a feat achieved using a peculiar brio which made the Gallagher's cliched hubris look like cliched nationalism. Since then his post Libs work has been far more miss than hit, meaning a decision to place Babyshambles on hold, revert to his full given forename and release a solo album represented something of a gamble even by the chaotic standards he'd forged. And yet Grace/Wastelands, the album which duly arrived, revealed some of the charisma and songwriting talent which his relentless drug abuse has evidently submerged, of which Broken Love Song is one of the most obvious cases in point. And yet of course it wouldn't be Pete(r) if there wasn't a squib of controversy around it, with guitar and co-writing credits going to Peter 'Wolfman' Wolfe, the individual charged by most Doherty insiders as being chiefly responsible for his descent into purgatory. Whatever the peculiar symbiosis they share (Wolfe performed a similar role on 2004's 'For Lovers') the results are of a dimension suitably detached from Doherty's previous endeavours to suggest a new leaf may have been turned over. Essentially a torch song from a smoky room, the accompaniments are mostly a gently strummed guitar and subconscious piano, the feeling jazz inspired in the way Hopper's Nighthawks is a painting of a bar. The lyrics suggest that not all his demons may have been exorcised: 'Take a broken love song, keep it by your side, never be lonely, find a place to hide', but the melancholia is for once not mere self pity. The truth remains that Doherty's voice remains his achilles heel, especially when as naked as here, but in keeping with Broken Love Song's sense of quiet triumph, it's fragility is entirely in keeping with the song's vernacular.

For now, all is again well.

Andy Peterson

Pete Doherty: A Life of Strife

Peter at Heathrow with his QPR-autographed football

This article by Sam Peters appeared this morning on Times-on-line. It's not too bad, albeit a little "deja-vued":

For a man who’s done three gigs in three countries in three days, seems to have slept for barely none of those 72 hours, and recently had an anti-heroin implant fitted in his stomach (again) pending an appearance (another one) before m’learned friends, Peter Doherty is in good form. “It’s lovely here,” he says, smiling and casting an appreciative eye around the artists’ compound at T in the Park a few weeks ago. The erstwhile member of the Libertines, occasional leader of Babyshambles and, in 2009, 30-year-old solo artist is hot (and damp) from his performance in the festival’s 10,000-capacity King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut tent, and rather in need of a wash and a change of clothes. Not that his “tourbus” offers such provision. Doherty appears to have driven all the way here from yesterday’s show — in Ireland — in his manager’s Jaguar.
It’s been a good summer for Pete Doherty. And a bad one. On the plus side: a successful if brief reunion gig at the Rhythm Factory in East London with his former Libertines compadre Carl Barât, their first Libertines-type show since 2004, when Barât kicked Doherty from the band they had co-founded. More positivity: an ear-tickling duet and a co-write with the Scots singer Dot Allison on her imminent solo album, a return of the favours she did him in contributing woozy vocal warmth to Doherty’s first solo album, Grace/Wastelands. A run of mostly well-received festival appearances here and in Europe.
Grace/Wastelands was shepherded into coherence by its watchful producer Stephen Street — he had bitter experience of working on both Babyshambles albums, which were mired in the chaos surrounding Doherty’s drug use and his relationship with Kate Moss, which ended in 2007. Street hired the Blur guitarist Graham Coxon, a man who had had his own battles with booze and depression (and overcame them), to help to flesh out Doherty’s songwriting and musicianship, and to provide a good role model. And it worked, to beautiful, tuneful and winningly simple effect. The album’s title, Doherty explains, came from a song he wrote, “which was kinda nicked off Good Morning Heartache by Billie Holiday. The lyric is ‘grace and waseteland, and wasting Graceland.’” He wanted to conjure images, he says, “of Elvis, wasting on the bog”.
The songs are, in every sense, his most intriguing since the glory days of the Libertines’ 2002 debut Up The Bracket. A Little Death Around the Eyes, like the Libertines anthem Don’t Look Back Into the Sun and the Babyshambles tune Killamangiro, was “born in Paris. That was in 2004, it was me and Carl, and we didn’t really have much money so we checked into a room together, much to his annoyance. It was around when Baz Luhrmann’s Moulin Rouge! came out and he was determined to go and see the Moulin Rouge show, which was just across the way from our hotel. I think he thought it was gonna be just like he’d imagined it to be from the film. But it was lots of Japanese businessmen.”

Work on the song stalled but Doherty persevered. “Carl’s sister had written a novel called A Little Death Around the Eyes, and I loved that title. Carl point-blank refused to be involved in a song called that but it was too good a title to go unnoticed by the world. So I took it for myself.”
Then there’s Sheepskin Tearaway (“She opened her heart to a tearaway . . .”) — is that about Moss? “No!” he exclaims, smiling. “No,” he repeats more softly. He clearly still thinks a great deal of his ex and struggles not to discuss her. “Inevitably there are certain lines in certain songs that when I’m singing them I´ll tend to think of her. But no songs particularly about her, no.” Nor, for that matter, is the new single Broken Love Song (out now on Parlophone).
Doherty was sentenced to 14 weeks in jail last year for breaching a probation order handed down after a mind-boggling run of drugs-related incidents. “I was getting arrested daily almost,” he says. “At one point I was arrested three times in 24 hours. Yeah, so I was a persistent offender.”
The previous year he’d spent time in the Clouds residential rehab centre. His memories of the unsuccessful stay are fractured. “I was allowed a guitar once a week. Everyone was banging on all the time about how Robbie Williams had written a song downstairs ... I found a bit of graffiti that Aleister Crowley had scrawled under one of the paving slabs, ‘cause it had been his gaff before being a rehab ... The whole place is kinda strange. But yeah, I just felt blessed really that I wasn’t inside.”
But the following year, he was. Doherty served 29 days of his sentence and spent much of his time at Wormwood Scrubs in solitary confinement. Why? “There was this trail of havoc round the prison wherever they put me. Then there was pictures taken, they got the pictures out and in the papers ... There was all kinds of things going on, people were on me all the time.”
Does he mean threats? “Not so much to my face. But I was hearing things like: ‘That fellow you were talking to there, you wanna watch him, he’s been saying he’s gonna do you . . .’ But you don’t know who to believe. People talk so much shit.”
Was Doherty in fear of his life? “Not so much, no. Because I was on the detox wing it was clear I didn’t have anything on me, so I was in the same boat as everyone else. When you’re coming off gear the last thing on your mind is the celebrity rock star in the next cell, ‘cause he’s clucking just the same as you. You’re all waiting for the little pill twice a day that’s gonna make things a little bit better.”
One of the terms of his release was that Doherty wasn’t allowed to be in London between the hours of midnight and 9am and had to have a “non-London postcode”, which is why he’s been living in Wiltshire for the past year. But that enforced rural exile has meant a lot more driving back and forth to shows.
Which is where the negative side of Doherty’s summer 2009 comes in. In June he was arrested in Gloucestershire on drug and driving offences. Just before that he had been taken into custody in Geneva after a British Airways flight from the UK. He was reportedly found slumped in the aircraft toilets by attendants and was duly fined for heroin possession. At the end of last month there was further airborne trouble: after easyJet decided he was too drunk to board a flight he was reportedly forced to hire a private jet at a cost of £10,000.
However it’s the Gloucestershire incident that’s the most ominous. It won’t have helped his relationship with his parents any: his mother’s frustration with her son’s behaviour is well-known, via the book she published in 2006. His father, an ex-army major, has said that he won’t have any dealings with his son until he’s straight. The situation with his family breaks Doherty up and, as with Moss, he has to force himself not to discuss the situation for fear of exacerbating an already tricky situation. He clearly idolises his father, after whom he was named, and for a long time followed his advice closely. “I wanted to be a footballer — aged 9 to 14 it was football football football. Then when I reached the age where you’re either gonna make it or you aren’t he was quite clear that I wasn’t — ‘You lack a yard of pace, you haven’t got the aggression . . .’”
His father advised him to seek a career in the City. And Doherty did sign up for Economics A level, “with the idea of maybe becoming an economist — or the Chancellor of the Exchequer! But its f***ing difficult, Economics A level. I think I got a D.”
Pending his appearance in court he has had another curfew imposed. He’s allowed to meet any pre-existing concert bookings, but he can’t undertake any new gigs, and he had to secure dispensation to attend his sister’s graduation last month. He has also had the implant fitted, as he did in 2007, in an attempt to keep him off heroin. If he is found guilty at his trial he could be sent back to prison. Despite this cloud, Doherty is upbeat about the musical future. “I just see Grace/Wastelands 2,” he says. “I think I’ve got a Harvest in there,” referring to Neil Young’s classic. “I keep getting flashes of it, even if it’s just for a couple of minutes.”
And then there’s his relationship with Carl Barât. Rumours persist of million-pound offers for the Libertines to get back together. To many observers they’re one of our great lost bands, But for all the thrills of their rough-around-the-edges rock’n’roll, and for all of Doherty’s undoubted artistry and intelligence, they’re a wasted opportunity squandered by drug abuse and ego. Doherty burgling Barât’s flat, as he did while the Libertines were away on tour without him, didn’t help either.
Doherty admits he’s still upset by the Libertines appearances Barât did without him. “My heart caved in. I was destroyed. Not by the fall-out, but by seeing him on Top of the Pops doing Don’t Look Back Into the Sun without me. The very idea of them doing a gig without me was just, like . . .” He stops. “Whatever happened, whatever he did, I would never, ever do a gig without him and call myself the Libertines.
There’s less and less bitterness on my part. But it rears up, like the time I took acid watching football at Loftus Road and the whole pitch just went whoosh, like a tsunami. The bitterness inside me comes up like that, swelling . . .”
Still, he raves about their Rhythm Factory set. Did they — the former Libertines drummer Gary Powell was also there — all slot back into playing together easily? “Well, yeah, you say easy, it was f***ing breakneck speed. I’d forgotten how fast we used to play. The place kicked off.”
He is unwilling to go into much details of his and Barât’s conversation that night. “Basically we had a good couple of hours. We were up all night together. Yeah, it was amazing really. “Eventually he admits that they did discuss putting the band back together. “I think we’re gonna make a record, and tour. Get the Libertines to take it to the next step, next stage. Next year.”
He thinks “presumably” Barât wants to record some solo material. “I think he’s got a few things to prove, mostly to himself.” And does Pete Doherty have things to prove musically too? “I don’t think I’ve got anything to prove to anyone.”
Peter Doherty plays the V festival at Chelmsford on Aug 22 and Stafford on Aug 23

A life of strife
1979: Born in Hexham, Northumberland to a nurse and an army major, grew up in different bases around the UK.
1997: Forms the Libertines with Carl Barât.
2001: The Libertines sign a record deal with Rough Trade and released their debut album, Up the Bracket.
2003: Doherty’s increasing drug problems cause tension within the band, and he served two months in jail for burgling Barât’s flat. Has a son, Astile, with the singer Lisa Moorish. Forms Babyshambles.
2004: After a second successful Libertines album, Doherty is sacked for further drug abuse.
2005: Begins an on-off relationship with Kate Moss; disowned by his father until he kicks drugs

2006: Babyshambles signed by Parlophone. Doherty’s mother, Jackie, publishes a memoir detailing the family’s struggle with Doherty’s addiction

2007: Rumoured to have married Kate Moss in Thailand. They break up later that year. First exhibition of his paintings, followed by a further exhibition of work made with his own blood.
2008: Serves a month at Wormwood Scrubs for breaking the terms of his probation order, imposed after repeated arrests. Relocates to Wiltshire when his terms of release deny him access to London between midnight and 9am

2009: Releases solo album, Grace/Wastelands; expresses interest in Libertines reunion, but Barât has so far ruled this out.

Carl deejays at Vauxhall Skate

Carl might not have any clue about cars but he knows how to dee-jay! Last night at The Village Underground he joined a list of celebrities (namely Alfie Allen and Sophie Ellis Bextor) behind the decks and made all the people dance around.

Backed by old Libs mates Tabitha and Mairead (AKA The Queens of Noize) he joined the party around midnight and played a set of various songs like Coral's Dreaming of You, Dizzee Rascal's Bonkers, and of course Time for Heroes (thanks to Cleo for the info). Anthony Rossomando was there too.

Grimaldi little preview

Amazon.co.uk has put up a few seconds of Broken Love Song's b-side, Libertines oldie "The Ballad of Grimaldi". Babybear wrote: "It was produced by Iain Slater (our FOH) aka The Slater aka McMeldrew in Portugal. We spent a few days hanging out in Porto and had a little trip to a studio to knock this out. It's quite mellow and far from over-produced .... more representative of Peter playing live shows on his own rather than the production Mr Street adds when in the studio with him. Hope you enjoy".

Peter's new single is out next Monday (Aug 3) and the man pictured on the sleeve is... clearly Wolfman.

Gigs of the week

PETER

Friday 31 July: Co jest grane Festival, Warsaw, Poland

Saturday 1 August: Storasfestivalen, Storas, Norway - Trollheimen Scene h. 20.00

CARL

Wednesday 29 July: Vauxhall Skate, Shoreditch (London), from h. 20.00 to late night (dj set).

Carl Barat: the Swedish interview

Carl gave this nice interview to Swedish journalist Rosanna Rundlöf for the site Musiclandet. The translation was made by me with the help of the usual google translator. If you have any corrections to make, please speak up!

He left his band to follow his own path. At least for now. And one day he left England to play at Peace & Love Festival in Borlänge. In an exclusive interview, Carl talked about the band's separation, his future plans and how it feels to be playing as a solo artist for the first time.

Shortly after the end of the show, we sit down with him on the grass, with a bottle of Heineken. The sun shines and the wind is weak. Carl thinks we should do a toast. The whole thing is pleasant until the next band starts moving on the stage. Soon the noise gets too high and the situation becomes somewhat comical. Carl laughs a little and leans forward to hear me better. He says he comes straight from a few hour flight from England and today he’s not at his best.
“I’m recovering from a cold” Carl says, running is hand on his neck.
That did not interfere with his performance. He treated the audience with songs of the Libertines and Dirty Pretty Things and now he says: “I love to be back to Sweden. The show was good, it was hot, but the audience was good anyway and really helpful”.
Do you like to play festivals?
“Yes, of course! But I prefer smaller shows. Glastonbury, however, is always amazing! Whether you play or you’re just in the crowd”.
Luckily the sound stops and Carl does not need to lean forward anymore to listen. He takes off the jacket and tie he wore during his set and although he sounds relaxed, he hints that recent times have not been easy. Last autumn, his band officially disbanded. For the second time in his life Carl was splitting a band.
“I have a lot more space, it’s good. More freedom to do what I want and when I want. But on the stage I feel more vulnerable. Naked”.
Does it worry you being alone at the centre of the stage?
“Yes, I get a little nervous. But I try not to let it affect my concentration. I like the feeling of being free”.
Do you miss the security of being in a band?
“Yes, for a few moments. But it works anyway. Despite the fact that I’m not able to share the spotlight anymore” says Carl and confesses that he’s nervous before the show “But I have improved over the years ” he says with a smile.
Just because he’s now following his own way, that doesn't mean he stopped writing, it’s exactly the opposite. He said that he has already plans for a solo album which is expected at the end of year or as soon as possible.
“I have some songs that were already almost ready when I was still busy with Dirty Pretty Things, then I recently worked on them”.
How do they sound, will they be different from what you made in the past?
“Yes, they will be more melodic. They will rotate more around the music, will be more pleasant to hear. They will be different, but we will see”.
Where do you get inspiration?
“It can be anything. Everything! Anything that makes me feel something”.
You don’t have plans to start a new band.
“Ha ha, no, not at this point. I have, or I had, two bands, and I can always return to them”.
And the Chavs …
“Yes, exactly, I have three bands! Let me see, Libertines, the Chavs, Dirty Pretty Things … then yes. I can do something with any of them at any time”.
When the news of the separation of DPT were disclosed, it came to many as a shock and disappointment. The reason has never been clear, but Carl wanted to say that the friendship came first. The CD “Romance at short notice” was the last one on which they worked.
“It was a difficult process, competitively complicated”.
But that was all so well for you!
“Ha ha thank you! But everyone wanted to move forward in musical terms. We’re still good friends”.
Was it a difficult decision?
“Yes and no” he says after a pause “it was a great relief, but also quite sad”.
How were the last gigs?
“The last in London was exciting. Some of the gigs were the best we’d ever made but the latter might not. There was too much expectation in the air and so many sound problems” …
He says a reunion is not impossible. Nor for the Libertines. He had a small meeting with Doherty and Gary Powell in London recently.
“It was a memorial to a friend. But it was fun”.
He’s not really prepared for a proper reunion yet.
“You never know. It depends on our mental health. I am rather reluctant, partly because there would be a lot of expectations and it may not be what people expect ” Carl says sipping his beer.
What music you have heard recently ?
“Something by the Doors… as I did when a was a kid. Then something by this hip hop band named Immortal Technique, have you heard about them?
No, I don’t think so, where are they from?
“United States” he replies with enthusiasm “I think they will play at this festival too”
You'll see other bands at his festival?
“Motley Crue”.
Of course, everyone wants to see Motley Crue. And after a small survey, I discovered that Carl is right about the Immortal Technique. However, they’re on two days later and he must go back to England the next day. Back home to keep writing for his solo project and God knows what else. Carl really seems to have many doors open. Whatever happens, it will be interesting to see and hear the new material, although he has every right to be proud of the songs which he’s made over the years.
Your favorite?
“Death on the stairs.”

Peter's French double date

Photo by Patrick Mercier

Peter really loves France doesn't he. In the last two days he played at Les Escales du Cargo Festival in Arles (Saturday) and at the Nuits de Fourvière in Lyon (Sunday).

We have a cute video from Arles here and beautiful photos here.

As for the Lyon gig for the moment we only have a review (with slideshow) from "Le Progres de Lyon".

Peter in Switzerland

Last night Peter played at The Paleo Festival in Nyon, Switzerland. Judging from the photos he looked on a smashing form, although some of the reviews are not so tender...

Swissinfo.com talks of a "weightless gig".

And 24heures underlines Peter's allure to "les filles". "The highlight of the evening, the weird thing not to be missed, of course was Pete Doherty. Bold little man while drunk, which is only the public face of the tent. Folk guitar, hat, the eye moist, beard and big sleeper veiled timbre. Pete Doherty looked as threatening as the white wolf, the beast, the thing that smells badly adjusted so good to the big sentimental mess" (Google translation).

Photos at Getty.

Carl Barât - Famous Blue Raincoat

Video shot at the Tenderpixel Gallery on 8/7/09. Thanks to The Angel of Islington.

Peter and Dot: update

It's on the new NME and now also on Contact Music:
Pete Doherty is set to release an album of duets with Scottish singer Dot Allison.
Pete Doherty is set to release a duets album.
The Babyshambles rocker has recorded several songs with Scottish singer Dot Allison, and she is keen for them to be made into an LP.
Allison said: "The initial idea that me and Pete had was to make an album of duets. I really hope it will happen. I've got a few sketches that Pete and I need to sit down and finish. One of them is finished already, and he's got lots of stuff on his computer too."
Allison and Doherty first performed together in 2004, and she recorded the track 'Sheepskin Tearaway' - which featured on his solo album 'Grace/Wastelands' - with him.
Allison - who fronted 90s band One Love - is no stranger to collaborations.
She has worked with Death in Vegas, Massive Attack, former Stone Roses and now Primal Scream bassist Gary 'Mani' Mounfield and Paul Weller.
Weller appears on the track 'Love's Got Me Crazy' which is included on Allison's upcoming LP 'Room Seven And A Half'.
She said: "Paul texted me out of the blue and was like, 'Do you want to write a song together?' I couldn't believe it! It turned out to be a beautiful love song."

This entry needs to be updated, beacuse it's not really correct. Babybear wrote to French Dog Writtles a few hours ago:

Ehmmm .....Dot e mailed me to let me know that this has been somewhat misreported. Peter will appear singing 'I Wanna Break Your Heart' and he's co-written another song on the album. It's most definitely not an album of duets of Dot and Peter but I reckon it's definitely worth checking out. Dot is a very talented musician and a lovely lady so I'd thoroughly recommend her forthcoming album to you guys. bb.

GIGS & CO

Good news from Hot Press:
Pete Doherty follows his well-received Oxegen performance with visits to Mandela Hall, Belfast (October 13); The Academy, Dublin (14); and Roisin Dubh, Galway (15) as part of Heineken Green Spheres.
Tickets for The Academy go on sale on Wednesday July 22 priced €26.50. As for Galway, you�ll be able to apply online at www.heinekengreenspheres.ie for free tickets in early September.
In addition to his solo pursuits, Doherty has also confirmed that a new Babyshambles record is at the writing stage, with Stephen Street tipped to produce.

Plus! A euroweek ahead for Peter!

• Friday July 24: Paléo Festival Nyon Nyon, Switzerland
• Saturday July 25: Les Escales du Cargo, Theatre Antique, Arles, France
• Sunday July 26: Nuits de Fourvière, 5, rue de l'Antiquaille Lyon, France

Plus again! We have three more dates in Holland for next Autumn:

24/11/2009 Pete Doherty (Solo) Effenaar (Eindhoven)

22/11/2009 Peter Doherty Tivoli (Utrecht)

23/11/2009 Peter Doherty Watt (Rotterdam)

Stay tuned.

The Benicassim adventure

In spite of fires, storms and a few cancelled sets, Babyshambles managed to play at the Festival Internacional de Benicassim in Spain last night.

NME.com writes: "The Killers, Babyshambles, Friendly Fires, White Lies and TV On The Radio were among the acts to play on the final day of the Benicassim festival 2009 last night (July 19) and into the early hours of this morning (20). [...] Babyshambles played on the Escenario Fiberfib.com stage. The show had been billed as a Pete Doherty solo show, but it was the full band who emerged on stage. The four-some – augmented by a keyboard player – played both their own hits plus The Libertines' 'What Katy Did' and near set-closer 'Time For Heroes', while Doherty played The Libertines' 'Music When The Lights Go Out' acoustically solo. They also played a shortened version of The Stone Roses' 'I Wanna Be Adored', with the frontman donning a horse mask thrown on stage by a fan between two songs. Babyshambles ended with 'Fuck Forever' after Doherty had acknowledged the British fans in the crowd. "Your English is pretty good," he joked. "If I didn’t know you better…"."

This curious video shows the Shambles climbing on the stage.

Peter Doherty @ POSITIVUS 09

Peter in Latvia last night, singing Delivery. Enjoy!

Mick calling!

Take everything with a grain of salt, but really, this piece of news has just put a huge smile on my face:

Mick Jones has told The Quietus that he would be interested in producing any new material with The Libertines.
Speaking at a special preview showing of his Rock n Roll Public Library exhibition, he said that although he hadn't heard from Pete Doherty or Carl Barat, he would be keen to get back in the studio with the pair.
Earlier this year, Barat told The Sun newspaper he was interested in recording "new material" with his former bandmate.
And when Jones, who produced both their debut Up The Bracket and eponymous swansong The Libertines, was asked if he would be interested in working with the band again, he replied: "Oh yes, please, you know? I haven't heard anything from them, but I hope they do [get back in the studio]. I love them.
"If it's meant to be it's meant to be, and if it's written then it's written. I hope it happens."
The former guitarist was speaking ahead of the official opening of his Rock n Roll Public Library, a display of music memoribillia he has collected over the years that will be on display at two Acklam Road, Portobello Green until August 25.
He said: "I grew up in a really exciting times with the big five beat bands - The Beatles, The Stones, The Who, The Kinks and The Small Faces - and they made me want to be in a band. They lived how I wanted to live.
"It's fantastic to see it now. I really want it to be a hang out place where people can interact with the stuff."

Acting lessons no. 2

After Carl Barat's breakthrough (?) in the youtube sitcom Svengali Peter couldn't be surely left behind! Our man will appear in the second season of Swiss sitcom "Photo sévices" on swiss TV channel TSR1 next December, as himself. Babybear has just confirmed this piece of news: "Yup, this is true" he wrote "The guys who made it are lovely and more may be to come".

The "guys who made it" are Sophie Lukasik and Laurent Deshusses (in the photo above with the Pizza). When asked why on earth they decided to employ Peter for their sitcom, Laurent said: "It is an idea of my son, Romain, who reads all my scenarios. When he saw that I was thinking of a rock'n'roll-star, he suggested me engaging Peter!”. But the large instigator of the blow is Sophie Lukasik, alias Sophie, the heroin of the serial. She tells: “I met Peter Doherty in Montreux Jazz Festival in 2008. The power was on between us… I will not say any more. Since, we kept contact, reveals the actress. When I sent email to him, Peter was enchanted and did not hesitate.” “Doherty turned up for one hour and learned his text perfectly! That remains one very poetic moment”, concludes Laurent Deshusses.

Roll on, Peter! And stop fighting with Carlos over the next Oscars.

Peter on Shambles third album

Peter at T in the Park

From NME.com:

Pete Doherty has spoken about the next Babyshambles album, which he says is close to being written. In an interview with French radio station Inter on July 6, Doherty revealed that Babyshambles' guitarist Mik Whitnall is writing all of the music for the album, leaving him to focus on the lyrics.

"Even as we speak, at this very moment in London somewhere, Mr Michael Whitnall – my erstwhile guitarist and songwriting partner in Babyshambles – is getting the demos together for our new album," Doherty explained in the interview, "He's got most of the tunes ready, I've just got to write the lyrics now," the frontman added.

When asked if Stephen Street would produce the album – as he has with Doherty's solo record 'Grace/Wastelands' and Babyshambles last LP, 2007's 'Shotters Nation' – the former Libertine replied: "I think so, he's a geezer."

Doherty also spoke about his recent arrests (the singer was detained by police on two separate occasions in June, both relating to drugs). "I've kind of just come out of a bit of a car crash," he explained of the arrests. He added: "I got nicked in England, arrested again, and since then I've had to go to rehab. Since then, I'm clean – the last 11 days I've been clean for the first time in quite a long time. He continued, before trailing off, by saying that he is keen to start writing music again whilst not on drugs, saying: "I have to address my creative standards soon, because I haven't written a song whilst not under the influence of something for…[trails off]".

Gigs of the week

PETER

• Friday 17 July - Positivus Festival, Salacgrīva, Latvia
• Sunday 19 July - Festival Internacional de Benicassim, 12560 Castellón de la Plana, Spain; h. 00.45, Escenario Fiberfib.com

Peter at T in the Park

Peter has already played at T in the Park this afternoon. Here's a review from NME.com:

Pete Doherty wowed fans on T In The Park's King Tuts Wah Wah Tent today (July 12), playing a set that included solo tracks, Libertines and Babyshambles favourites and a few surprise covers. Bounding onstage on time, Doherty started his set by singing a burst of The Corries' 'Flower Of Scotland', one of the country's unofficial national anthems. Most of the crowd cheered him on, and after a short while he launched into solo single 'The Last Of The English Roses'. He was joined for the track by two ballerinas, along with his solo tour band (consisting of Babyshambles' members Drew McConnell and Adam Ficek, producer Stephen Street, a string section and keyboardist). Street was playing his second set of the day, having earlier joined Squeeze onstage. Backed by his band, Doherty also played 2003 single 'For Lovers', prowling the stage with a bottle of beer as he did so. As one fan threw his bottle on the stage during the track, the singer caught it and lobbed it back into the crowd. An electrified version of 'Through The Lookin' Glass' followed, with the line "He's got a Scottish fiver up his nose" going down particularly well with the T crowd. Following track 'Palace Of Bone' featured Doherty singing elements of Oasis' classic Britpop track 'Hello', while forthcoming b-side 'The Ballad Of Grimaldi' saw him play while smoking a cigarette. Later in his set he played a burst of novelty track 'I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles', before a spirited rendition of Libertines' favourite 'Music When The Lights Go Out'. Before playing 'Albion', Doherty led the audience through a version of 'Happy Birthday', stating that today is his manager Andy Boyd's birthday. Doherty and his band ended their set in energetic style, playing a ballsy version of another Libertines favourite, 'Time For Heroes'.

Pete Doherty played: 'Flower Of Scotland', 'Last Of The English Roses', 'A Little Death Around The Eyes', 'Salome', 'For Lovers', 'Through The Lookin' Glass', 'Palace Of Bone'/'Hello' 'The Ballad Of Grimaldi' 'I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles'/'Music When The Lights Go Out' 'Broken Love Song''Albion' 'Time For Heroes'.

Peter at Oxegen

"A healthy and very "with it" Peter played solo" said Jackeroo "literaly, no band at all just him and his guitar unlike Glasto. He was the "hounds undercarraige" and I'd have paid over two hundred quid just to see that performance, absolutly brilliant!".

Apparently Peter stayed until late and saw the Kings of Leon set from the side of the stage.

Pictures from the Festival here.

Today it's T in the Park. Adam twittered about 5 hours ago: "right the gang are here, we're off to T, need some brekkie, speak later".

Something for the weekend

Babyshambles played the BBK Live Festival in Bilbao last night. Earlier in the afternoon Adam twittered "10 mins until plane leaves, one shamble down, place yer bets...". I guess this means Mik is out of the band again. Anyway, there's a review (in Spanish) here, and a video (Fuck Forever).

Today it's Oxegen Festival, and tomorrow it's T in The Park.

Not excessive emphasis was given to Carl's words yesterday in the press. The Sun came out with an "exclusive" interview with Carl where he said "he and ex bandmate PETE DOHERTY have busy been putting their heads together to get a date in for THE LIBERTINES reunion next year". Of course if finding a date was the only problem we would be already queueing for tickets. But I'm afraid the "date" seems to be the last of the things that matter. "Pete's very keen and persuasive" Carl said "He rings me up and tells me he going to keep on the straight and narrow."

Carl Barat - What a waster @ Tenderpixel Gallery

Great funny evening at the Tenderpixel Gallery. Carlos also played Time for Heroes and Leonard Cohen's Famous Blue Raincoat. Gallons of Guinness were consumed by everyone and Drew's hair is getting longer. Thanks to Sophie for the video.

Gigs of the week part 2

From NME.com:

Artists including Carl Barat, Kid Harpoon and The Bluetones' Mark Morriss are set to play a one-off free show in a London art gallery this Wednesday (July 8). The acts, along with Babyshambles' Drew McConnell, play the Pages In Plectrums night at the Tenderpixel Gallery in London's Cecil Court. Curated by Kieran Leonard (who will also play), the night is hosted by literary journal Real Fits and the Ink Illustration collective. The free gig starts at 6pm (BST), with the acts performing tracks from their own back catalogues that have been particularly influenced by literature. In addition to the music, the show also features 40 illustrations and short stories from imaginary books that have only ever been referenced in other literature before now.

See Tenderpixel.com for more information.

Gigs of the week

Peter is on a roll. The summer is still looking bright after all...

Saturday 11 July
Oxegen Festival, Punchestown Racecourse, IRE - Heineken Green Spheres

Sunday 12 July
T in The Park 2009, Balado, Kinross, UK - King Tut's Wah Wah Tent

WITH BABYSHAMBLES:
Friday 10 July
Bilbao BBK Live 2009, Calle del Monte Cobetas, Bilbao, Spain

Pete Doherty, Roskilde, Michael Jackson tribute

God bless you Michael!

And Peter at Roskilde

Peter has already played at the Roskilde Festival this afternoon. And once again he did Billy Jean and Needle and Damage Done! This is a review in Swedish, with a ragged google translation below:

"During the four minutes is Pete Doherty worth all the attention and all the crowds, writes Håkan Engström.
Peter Doherty reveals that he has not done its homework. When he bit into his solo gig in Roskilde manages to get halfway into the Neil Young "The Needle And The Damage Done" without any serious FOOLISHNESS as it appears in the key line.
Hey, Peter: what happens to all drug addicts?
"Every junkie's like a fucking … SORRY! like a setting sun", it will be in his collection.
In the end he got right on it. Approximately.
That was the whole gig: quite right, approximately. He managed to charm in the role of threadbare MUDDLE pelle, he managed with his singing and his rudimentary guitar playing fitfully in tempo to suggest what the songs have been or could have been. In the most successful moments tinted he presented as the world's best bad example, but just as often he had just a dozen troubadour Billy Bragg in the spirit of limited routine. Some songs are better than others, and it can make a world of difference, while in "Do not Look Back Into the Sun" from his time in Babyshambles sound like a hopeless Lalla sprite as solo plate "Last of the English Roses' a so classic cut folk that it is difficult to fail with it. The sympathetic audience helps him to row home the goodies, even though he repeatedly during the concert time interrupts to do what the moment feels more urgent: lighting a cigarette. Fingers on a harmonica. Roskilde inhaled air. Correcting to a cap placed on the microphone stand. In a surely sincere tribute to Michael Jackson he is the second song to grips with "Billie Jean". He throws twice. He will not get very far. But in time, noting what the song could have been on the anglifierades and was as troubadour entertainment in a small English bar hipp quarter before closing time. Time, also note that none of it there is a particularly good idea. But it is reminiscent of what Peter Doherty does when he is the best, that day and other days - when he accepts the role as club and publivskrönikör, especially in the "Music When the Lights Go Out". During those four minutes, he is worth all the attention and all the congestion".

Peter at Eurockeennes

Review (and bootleg) of the show at France Albion.

Photos at Getty.

Setlist by c-c:

don't look back into the sun ; Last of the english roses; time for heroes; hired gun; back from the dead; arcadie; billie jean; music when the lights go out; can't stand me now, smashing, death on the stairs, killamangiro, a cover of a song by The Specials (apparently it was A message to you Rudy with changed lyrics); the man who would be king; you talk, needle and the damage done (neil young's cover), the ballad of grimaldi, albion; for lovers.

Peter Doherty - Billy Jean@Beauregard 03.07

Peter does a tribute to Jacko at Beauregard Festival. Everybody sing with him "Billy Jean is not my lover"!

Snippets from the NME

From NME.com:

Pete Doherty has pledged that he can reunite The Libertines while still juggling a solo career and his Babyshambles work. In an interview viewable on Babelgum promoting his new solo single, 'Broken Love Song', the singer denied that three separate projects would be too much to take on. "Even though people presume that Babyshambles was a substitute band, it existed back in the day alongside The Libertines," Doherty said, referencing the fact he first started working under the name Babyshambles before The Libertines' biggest hit, 'Can't Stand Me Now', was even released (it came out in 2004). "It's not weird having all three [bands] going, it's ideal. It's what I want, just to make music and then perform it or release it in a way that's the most natural, he continued. However, Doherty admitted that certain songs he's written aren't suited to both The Libertines and Babyshambles, because they are too personal. "Sometimes doing Libertines songs with Babyshambles just doesn't feel right - for them and for me," he said. "In the same way that back in the Libertines days…playing certain songs that were all about how much I hated playing song with The Libertines… I wasn't really happy playing [those songs] with The Libertines. I had to get another band on the go."' Broken Love Song' is released on July 27, backed by 'The Ballad Of Grimaldi' (a song that both Doherty and former Libertines bandmate Carl Barat have played live during solo gigs).

Meanwhile, in the same new NME issue (Jacko on the cover) Carlos tells us about his troubles in reaching Glastonbury:

CARLY’S (LACK OF) ANGELS - Poor Carl Barat has only just got onsite, because security wouldn’t let him in. “They made me walk about four miles to a different entrance,” he tells us, with the air of a man who maybe knows his “don’t you know who I am?” days are numbered. “I’ve missed Pete, and I’m fucking knackered now.” And to add insult to injury, the lens on his RayBans has fallen out. Bad times.

Peter Doherty - Lady Don't Fall Backwards

Vauxhall and Carl

The roller disco twins

Carl Barat will dj at a special event called Vauxhall Skate, set to take place on 29 July in Shoreditch, east London.

Roll up, Roll up – We've got 35 pairs of tickets for London’s ultimate roller disco. With Carl Barat, Remi Nicole, Alfie Allen & Smash and Grab’s very own DJ duo Queens of Noize providing the soundtrack of the evening and none other than ‘Shoreditch’s ringmaster’ Jonny Woo hosting a car-aoke - complete with dress-up props galore - time to get your skates on to bag yourself the hottest ticket in town. Vauxhall Skate is a FREE invite-only event.

To enter the competition click here and follow the instructions.