Carl and Didz spin records in Munich

Nobody thought it was true but actually it was! Last night ex-DPT best mates Carl Barat and Didz Hammond "reunited" to perform a dj set at the MusikExpress magazine's 40th birthday party in Munich (Germany).

Our friend Kjar, who was there, writes:

"yes it was really a surprise, i was there & had a great night,they played about 2 ½ hours... personal jesus, boys don´t cry,panic, blister in the sun, walk like an egyptian, twist & shout... sorry i can not remember more songs, was very busy drinking & dancing,but from my point of view the crowd was bit lame, think i have to apologize to the both for that hicksville manners here in munich, hope my friends here in town will wake up till end of november ;)"

For a few photos from the event scroll the gallery here.

Peter writes to French Dog Writtles

Peter wrote two posts to FDW a few hours ago, one entitled "by thee used disused power sta-tion, the Batter'd sea":
I know he's got his faults, but when he's off the wesleysnipe he's a warrior and he's a don. I first met him on the landing in Pentonville and he didn't stop singing . Terrifying.
It's on for the 6th..get yer tickets now cause we'll be showcasing shitloads of new songs... and it only holds about as much as a Brentford away mob.
P.D

And in reply to somebody who asked if the new songs will be performed by him and The General, Peter replied:
"£30 sobs... eh, blimey, you do you know he's just had his 9th kid. It's kinda of Bio-Jah-nows-we-need- a knees up. I guarantee it''ll be the best you've ever seen. What more can I say. I'm trying to help a mate but trust me i'll pull out all the stops. Barat? Ballerina's? Free demoof the new bumfest masterpieces....? c'mon.
No, the shitcasloaders will be the shambles who have been rehearsing at least two days a aweek".
Peter also announced he got a new implant two days ago:
"I'm 2 days back from another implant and a little fucked if at least clean for another few months. ow."

The second post was more obscure, but anyway:
"What is all this play rumy formoney and internet dating blurbs.Eek must be raking it in. Which reminds me. Adrian's sweet so stop blocking his posts or it'll all go off. the liquid kosh had me roaming portugese wards, getting into bed delerious with 90yr old women. Thinking I was an ice skater. marvelling at the way i could sleep upsidedown in the cupboard. Then they bang it in stitch you up and here i am.
sometimes you need to find a song to get you going, spark you up, make you cry. I'm trying. I need something so bad there'snothing left but st ettienne and the libershivershambles. suggestions for tear jerkers:"

Speaking of Adrian, the man posted a message in his blog, the first time we hear from him after he fell out with FDB's administrators. I hardly know what happened so I'm not taking sides whatsoever, but I'm glad Babybear is still alive and well.

Carl collaborating with Neil Hannon

Photo by Gabriel Green

Nothing particularly new in the Hotpress interview with Carl Barat, Brett Anderson and Jon McClure at the JD Set, but thanks to Jo for the typing. The only thing I find interesting is that Carlos has been collaborating with the Divine Comedy's leader Neil Hannon.

Read on:
A nervous-seeming type, Barat laughingly admitted that he was initially intimidated by the New Silver Cornet Band, but broke the ice with them by pointing out that they “don’t have a cornet between them!” Although he’s made some forays into the acting world recently (“I’ll be appearing in a play next year, but I’m not allowed to talk about it just yet”), Barat stated that his main focus remained on music: “I’m making a new record, that’s my main thing. I know everybody says this, but it’s a real new departure for me, because I’m doing things I haven’t done before. I’ve got about five or six songs that I’m really happy with. “I’ve been working with a few different people recently. I did a thing with Neil Hannon in Ireland. I went over to Dublin for a couple of days. It’s great learning how other people do things – a little like playing with the old boys this morning. Just watching how people write things”.
Deaf in one ear following an operation, he looked on the bright side: “I think it helps me to sing in tune actually. But being half-deaf is still a bit rubbish!”
A few hours later in the cavernous Village Underground, the JD Birthday Set kicks off on schedule in front of an invited audience of 500 people. McClure is up first. As the Channel 4 cameras swoop and dive, he knocks the audience dead with a stunning ‘Heavyweight Champion’, a great opening round. ‘I Found Out’ wasn’t quite as punchy as during the rehearsals but it still rocked.
Given his depth of experience it’s probably not surprising that Brett Anderson’s set is the most consistently impressive, the floppily fringed pop star coming on strong and injecting real emotion into ‘Wild Ones’ in particular.
There are some odd moments during Barat’s set, and I’m amused to see him singing the lyrics to ‘Too Late, Too Late’ from a lyric sheet but he makes a fiercely squalling rock’n’roll kind of noise – it’ll be fascinating to see how that sounds on television!. The undoubted highpoint of the evening’s entertainment, however, comes when the three musicians collaborate on a superb re-working of the VU classic, ‘Venus In Furs’.
All told then, it’s a good gig that’ll undoubtedly look great and sound even better when it’s been mixed down for TV. Before we all go gently into the good night, though, there’s time for a brief happy birthday to Mr. Jack Daniel himself. See you in Lynchburg some time...

"Shiny, shiny, shiny boots of leather..."
This, dear readers, is quite some privilege. It’s the afternoon of Wednesday October 7 and in a mid-sized rehearsal room in Hackney, your Hot Press correspondent is witnessing a musical collaboration that’s unlikely ever to happen again.
Well, in actual fact it’ll happen in front of a live audience tomorrow night, in a gig that will be shot by Channel 4 for broadcast over the coming weeks, but right now, just a few feet away from the couch I’m sitting on, Brett Anderson (formerly of Suede), Carl Barat (formerly of The Libertines) and Jon McClure (from Reverend & The Makers) are still divvying up the verses and working out the vocal parts of a stunningly inventive cover version of Velvet Underground’s ‘Venus In Furs’.

Another similar article has appeared at the site "Thumped".

Scattered news

• The Ficek has written a new entry in his blog. Check out the bits on Babyshambles' third album.
• The debut gig of The Invasion of... (Gary Powell's new band) last Sunday was witnessed by the other three ex-Dirty Pretty Things. Read the review here.
• Gary commented: "had a great nite at the waterrats on sunday nite! am looking forward to more madness in the not too distant future!!!!"
• Gary is also booked for a dee-jay set in the North on Saturday, but it's not too clear where.
• One more dee-jay set for Carlos Barat on Friday 6th November at Let's Go Disco, the Foundry, Sheffield University Students Union + Heebie Jeebies live, Nicola Bear (Ibiza Rocks), Deano (Threads). Tickets at £ 5.50.
• Oh nearly forgot: Hot Press has a joint interview with Carlos, Brett and Jon at the JDset. For subscribers only. Irish help needed.
• According to my (and Carl's) mate Fullo (the Italian King of the Decks) Peter was seen hanging in North Italy in the last days. Can't tell you more.

I'm not too sure about this...

... but anyway in the general lack of updates... oops, the General has been texting people with this message:

"PETER DOHERTY AND THE ALBION KNIGHTS
PRE XMAS PRESENTATION
CALLED INTIMACY
6TH NOVEMEBER
THE HALO 317 BATTERSEA PARK ROAD SW11.
TICKETS ONLINE THETICKETSELLERS.CO.UK.
DOORS OPEN 7.30PM. MUSIC LIVE".

Tickets are on sale here (£20.00 plus service charge)
Skuzzies are support act.

And no, I have no idea who The Albion Knights are.

Carl Barat - What Katie did

Solar time video!

See the man with the stage fright

While Peter has often enlightened us on the fear of climbing up a stage in front of a thousand people Carlos had never spoken about it... until now. Listen to what he thinks about stage fright in the latest episode of BBC6's The Music Week (here - Carl is at 14.30, followed by Don't look back into the sun).