We had just woken up yesterday, and while staggering around with a cup of coffee in one hand and the remote in the other (Morning News yawwwwn) we also found five minutes to switch on the PC. Who knows, some interesting message in the mail. George Clooney proposing, or George W Bush dying. No, nothing like that. Somebody selling some cheap Viagra. I ain’t no bloke, sorry. Then you google for news and suddenly your PC screen is invaded by this headline “LOCK HIM UP”. Great. Maybe the McCann mystery has been solved, or maybe better, somebody has proved at last that GWB and Osama are the same person. No, the “article” is from The Sun, and it shows a blurred image of someone resembling Pete Doherty, the leader of Babyshambles, doing something with his arms. The Sun wants to lock up Doherty. What crime for? Injecting something in his arms in front of a mobile phone, while somebody asks him about some Wembley tickets. Locking him up? This demands capital punishment!!!
Unfortunately, people are often so ill informed and naïve they tend to lend their ears to this kind of insanity. Peter-loyals (a new breed of fans who think everything Peter does is absolutely perfect) were left sincerely distraught in front of that video, poor souls. Many started questioning the genuinity of the clip, arguing that Peter’s recent tattoos, one in honor of his son, the other a mysterious “VIC” writing (Very Interesting Creature? Vomiting Inside Cars? Vain Immature Carlos?) were not showing. Plus, Peter looked skinnier than in recent appearances and his hair darker. So, the clip was surely old, and the Shambles management had to sue The Sun (what a threat). Then, the day started properly and the debate went more and more inflamed and practically totally invaded the forum of Babyshambles’ website French Dog Blues, and to a lesser extent, the Libertines’ official site..
“Actually, if you look closely at his neck, a bit of tattoo is showing…”
“Shut up! That’s the shadow of his collar!”
“No way the clip is recent. Where’s Babybear? We want him to take the writer of that lurid article straight to court!”. (Babybear is the nickname of one of the Shambles manager).
“Ahem, excuse me, before taking action and talking about – cough - *court* - cough – maybe we have to be sure the video is REALLY old because the outcome might be disastrous and…”.
“I have lost all my faith in Pete Doherty”.
“Now the NME is talking about it too!”.
“Fuckwits”.
“That green wristband is not a wristband, it’s a watch!”
And on and on and on and on…
Let me say I’m not laughing at those people at all, I’m only trying to see everything with a bit of humor. I was a bit saddened too when I realized Peter’s not ready to stay off trouble yet, in spite of all his claims, but of course the usual “what did you expect?” question did its best to shrug off all the “sadness”. What irks me most is the way The Sun and similar rags always come out as winners. On the same day a mag like the NME is coming out with “the first clean interview with Peter ever” (Jesus Christ!!!), the Sun tells us that no, it’s all wrong, Peter is forever a junkie and should be hanged. NME 0, The Sun 6. And we talk football here, not rugby.
I don’t know who the “culprit” is, the person who shot the video, or Peter himself, or the fans and their naivety, or Rupert Murdoch. The result is that the Babyshambles appearance at Jools Holland last night was cancelled and people are now afraid the Arena Tour won’t go ahead at all. We learn that Peter now has decided to go back to rehab and has just produced an official statement. It reads: "Peter Doherty would like to apologise to the medical staff, fans and wellwishers who have helped and encouraged his progress in fighting his addiction to heroin. His ongoing rehabilitation was a source of such pride to him that Peter and those closest to him thought that he was close to winning his personal battle with the drug. However, Peter sadly relapsed last week and is now looking to check himself back into a rehab clinic so that he can try to continue the hitherto excellent attempts he had made to break free of heroin.He realises that he has not only let himself down but has let down those who trusted and encouraged his efforts and he is filled with remorse for what he describes today as 'a stupid, stupid action for which I feel only shame'."
I hope Peter will stop feeling remorse because he hasn’t done anything wrong. And people who “lost their faith” maybe should find something else to put their faith in (if they really need to), maybe not a rockstar. What I want from Peter is good music, great records and exciting gigs. Being also a person with a strong willpower who manages to overcome addiction is a bonus, and it’s not important to me, only to himself. Come on Peter. Wise up. We want to see you on a stage soon. Fat and red haired, and with all your tattoos showing.
And beware of the man with the mobile, for heaven’s sake!!!
