Carl Barât
Encyclopedia
Carl Ashley Raphael Barât (born 6 June 1978) is an English
musician, actor and author. He was the frontman
and lead guitar
ist of Dirty Pretty Things
, and recently debuted a solo album
, but is best known for being the co-frontman with Peter Doherty
of the garage rock band The Libertines
.
, England
on 6 June 1978, and spent most of his childhood in Whitchurch, Hampshire
. In a September 2004 interview with Blender Magazine, Barât mentioned having a French
, Russian and Polish ethnic background.
As a youth, Barât divided his time between his divorced parents. His father, a former artist, worked in an armaments
factory, and his mother, Chrissie, was part of the commune-dwelling counterculture and a member of peace groups such as the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament
. Barât spent part of his childhood living with his mother on a commune in Somerset
. He has one sister, actress-turned-singer Lucie Barât
, who played Helen's handmaiden in the 2004 film Troy
, founded publishing house and artistic organization Little Episodes, and is currently the lead singer of The Fay Wrays. He also has three half-siblings, one step brother and one step sister. .
In 1996, Barât was studying for a drama degree at Brunel University
at the Twickenham
campus in St. Margarets, Twickenham
. Although he dropped out halfway through, during his time he became well-acquainted with Peter Doherty's sister, Amy-Jo and through her, Barât met Doherty. They soon developed an intense friendship based on a shared interest in music and songwriting. Barât and Doherty also developed a shared mythology in which they were on a ship called 'The Albion' sailing to 'Arcadia'. After both dropped out of school, they formed The Libertines. The band in its final incarnation included bassist
John Hassall
and drummer
Gary Powell
. Barât and Doherty shared songwriting, vocal and guitar duties.
' first album, Up the Bracket
, was released in 2002 to critical acclaim. The band appeared on the cover of NME before the album was released and rapidly rose to fame in the UK. This was due in part, to their volatile stage performances, which were characterised by intense bouts of mic-sharing and play-fighting between Barât and Doherty. This paralleled their relationship, which by 2003 had progressed to verging on dysfunctional and abusive, with Barât and Doherty being equally competitive and possessive with each other.
In 2003, Doherty's addiction to heroin and crack cocaine
led Barât to ask him not to participate in the band's next tour. When Doherty discovered that The Libertines had left without him to perform in Japan
he broke into Barât's Mayfair
flat and stole various items, including an antique guitar and an NME
Award. He was convicted and sentenced to six months in prison (this sentence was later shortened to two months). Barât warmly welcomed Doherty back to The Libertines on the day of his release, and they later performed an impromptu "Freedom Gig" at the Tap 'n' Tin club in Chatham, Kent on 8 October 2003. A photograph of the gig, taken by Roger Sargent, adorns The Libertines' self-titled second album, The Libertines
, and the cover of Sargent's and Anthony Thornton
's book, The Libertines Bound Together
.
Doherty's drug addiction continued while the band worked on their second album (the aforementioned The Libertines) in 2004, which strained his relationship with Barât. Bodyguards were needed in the recording sessions, allegedly to prevent Barât and Doherty from physically assaulting each other (though this is claimed to be an exaggeration of the press in Bound Together) and to keep Doherty's hangers-on away from him. Before the release of the album in 2004, relations between Barât and Doherty reached a breaking point and Doherty was once again prevented from performing with the band before addressing his addictions. Doherty did not take the ultimatum well, especially as The Libertines continued touring without him to fulfill contractual obligations. Doherty admitted in a September 2005 interview that he had not spoken to any of his former bandmates since then.
What was intended as a short leave of absence turned into something more permanent, as Doherty formed a new band, Babyshambles
, and the Libertines officially disbanded after their final gig in December 2004.
In February 2005, the Libertines won the NME
Best British Band award and Barât paid tribute to Doherty in his acceptance speech. Days later, it was officially announced that Barât had signed to Vertigo Records
as a solo artist.
Barât's first work as a solo artist was providing vocals for the Europe
an duo Client
on their single, "Pornography". Barât set up the London
club Dirty Pretty Things in June 2004, where he regularly serves as a DJ. In July 2005, he released an album contributing to the Under the Influence series, where musicians select tracks that have influenced them as artists.
Barât was seen with Doherty on 18 April 2005, where the two publicly reunited at the Boogaloo Bar in Highgate
, North London
.
On 17 April 2006, Barât said about Doherty's drug addiction, "It's just sad and I wish he would sort it out. I would really like to work with him again some day. I don't deny that but I've not seen him really."
On the 7 July 2006 episode of Friday Night with Jonathan Ross
, Doherty said that he did not have a relationship with Barât anymore, shooting down rumours that the pair speak regularly. However, Doherty stated that he would like to work with Barât again.
On 18 July 2006, Barât and Doherty met in the Dublin Castle pub in Camden
, London
..
On 12 April 2007, Pete Doherty and Carl Barât played 13 songs together at the second of Doherty's "An Evening with Pete Doherty" gigs at the Hackney Empire, London. At the end of the concert, Barât and Doherty swapped trilby hats, a symbolic reference to the Libertines song "The Good Old Days".
In August 2007, Barât and Doherty recorded a version of The Beatles' "A Day In The Life" for a celebration of the 40th anniversary of the release of The Beatles
' album, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
. They also both contributed to a cover of "Janie Jones
" for Strummerville
, but never met during the recording process.
In May 2008, Barât said that he would reunite with Doherty only to make a new album, but also said that he wanted to "let it be for a while" as he was busy with his new band. Despite referring to his relationship with Doherty as "a friendship I cherish" and stating that a reunion would not be difficult, they currently do not have any firm plans to record together again.
Barât has said that he wants to work with Doherty again and they have 'supposedly' begun writing a musical together due to be released in early 2009. However, he has recently rubbished rumours that the pair are recording new material, stating that he has not seen Doherty "for donkeys" and the musical "is off".
In a July 2008 interview, Barât said that The Libertines had "unfinished business" and that he missed performing with Doherty, which he was particularly reminded of at their Hackney Empire gig. At the question of a Libertines reformation, he stated that it is "a big maybe".
On 17 September 2008, Barât surprised Doherty by joining him on stage near the end of Doherty's solo set at the Prince of Wales pub in Camden. The pair showed signs of their trademark chemistry while performing several Libertines songs and a cover of Oasis' "Don't Look Back in Anger". Barât also stated that he had a new tattoo of the words 'let's put our futures behind us', which could indicate a possible forgiveness and reunion with Doherty.
In a statement announcing Dirty Pretty Things' split, Barât stated that his new musical project would not involve The Libertines.
In February 2009, Pete Doherty claimed that he and Barât had been offered millions to reform and headline the Reading and Leeds Festival, but although he had been keen, Barât had turned the offer down. Barât has been quoted as saying "I’ve just freed myself up so the last thing I wanna do is completely burden my mind [with a reunion]. No, not right now...I'd rather do a film really, or I might do a play one day, learn the craft." As well as expressing his interest in more acting, he also stated that there is a possibility of releasing a solo album.
At the Shockwave NME Awards
on 25 February 2009, Barât stated that the pair were still the Libertines, while Doherty admitted that he had tried to "twist [Barât's] arm" about a reformation, before saying "2010" for a possible date. Barât also hinted at releasing a solo album in 2010 and confirmed that he had started work on the record in a statement on 2 September 2009.
On 16 May 2009, Pete, Carl and Gary of the Libertines played on stage together for the first time since the split in 2004. The Libertines (minus Denmark-residing bassist John Hassal) came together for a tribute gig for their late promoter, Johnny Sedassy. The six song set, which included "What a Waster", "Up the Bracket" and "Death on the Stairs", was played after Babyshambles appeared on stage. Barât explained that the show was a 'one off', although he admitted that the likelihood of more shows could not be ruled out. Barât also expressed his want to get on stage with Pete again, although perhaps not until 2010. Drummer Gary Powell also confirmed that he'd be interested in a full reunion, although he wishes to "readdress old ghosts first".
On 16 January 2010, when being asked on a Libertines reunion Barat told the Evening Standard
that "It's not definite. I can say 2011, but it's hard to plan The Libertines until next Tuesday. But 2011 is where there's room for that to happen. So if everything's all right, then, yeah, it would be glorious to get on the old jacket and venture forth, into the known."
The Libertines delighted their fans by announcing that year that they would be headline artists at the 2010 Reading and Leeds Festivals
. Their set and the characteristic chemistry between the pair, was for many people one of the highlights of the weekend.
; Anthony Rossomando
, who filled in as guitarist following Pete Doherty's departure from the group; and Didz Hammond
, formerly of The Cooper Temple Clause
, on bass
. It was later announced that the band's name was "Dirty Pretty Things".
The group played their first shows in Italy
and Paris
, France
in October 2005, before recording their debut album in November 2005 in Los Angeles
, California
. This was produced by Dave Sardy
, who has also worked with Supergrass
, the Dandy Warhols, Jet
, Marilyn Manson
, Rolling Stones, and Oasis
. The album - entitled Waterloo to Anywhere
- was released on 8 May 2006 in the UK and 8 August 2006 in the US.
Their first studio recorded demo, "Bang Bang You're Dead", was released on their website in the form of a flash video. Its sound has been likened to that of the early Libertines', mixing punk
and reggae
influences. This song was released as their debut single on 24 April 2006 and reached number 5 in the UK single chart. This coincided with the latter part of their first tour of the United Kingdom
, which spanned from 26 February to 24 May 2006. Their debut album, Waterloo to Anywhere, was released on 8 May 2006, and reached number 3 in the UK album chart. They have since released "Deadwood" and "Wondering
".
The band were forced to postpone their Real Fits fundraiser gig, which had been set to take place at the London Hackney Round Chapel on 20 June 2008 as Barât was rushed to hospital on 17 June with acute pancreatitis
. He was released from hospital on 22 June.
The band released their new single, "Tired of England
", on 23 June 2008, and their album, Romance at Short Notice
, a week later on 30 June.
Their album failed to chart highly despite heavy touring schedules. Powell wrote in the band's message board that it had been a difficult year. On 1 October 2008, Dirty Pretty Things split up, though they finished their final tour which began in Glasgow on 4 October and ended in London on 20 December.
of The Moldy Peaches
appeared in a documentary following the pair on a night out in London. He also modelled for clothing brand J. Lindeberg, along with Juliette Lewis
.
On 7 July 2006, Carl announced that he would become the fifth mentor in the Road to V competition, which involved a UK search for the best unsigned music talent in the UK with the winner opening V Festival
in either Chelmsford
or Staffordshire
.
In 2008, he featured as actor in the film Telstar
in the role of Rock'n'Roll singer Gene Vincent
. The film premiered at the London Film Festival on 25 October 2008 and was released on 19 June 2009. He also featured in an advertisement for BBC Two's The Culture Show
, being asked about British culture. A longer version of his interview can be found on the Culture Show website.
Tim Burgess has stated that he and Barât's supergroup The Chavs
plan to record their debut album in August 2008.
In September 2008, Barât stated that he was set to play Gene Vincent
in a new British film, Telstar
.
Barât toured as a solo artist with Glasvegas
, performing with them at Edinburgh's Hogmanay celebrations on 31 December 2008, and at the Popscene in San Francisco on 8 January 2009. On 14 January 2009, Barât supported Glasvegas with a solo show during their gig at the Los Angeles Troubadour
.
Carl Barât played his first headline solo shows on 6 and 7 March 2009 at the Wakefield Escobar. He also played at the KU Bar in Stockton-on-Tees
on 8 March. Barât also featured as himself in a pilot episode for Svengali, alongside former manager Alan McGee
and Welsh actor Jonathan Owen
, in May 2009.
On 9 June 2009, Barât debuted two new songs, "So Long" and "Monday Morning" at a solo show at Dunfermline's Carnegie Hall. On 25 August, a short video entitled "Two British Dudes" featuring Barât and fellow musician Har Mar Superstar
was released on crappyholidays.net. On 2 September, Barât confirmed his intentions to release a solo album. Barât also produced the debut EP "Scapegoat" of London-based singer-songwriter Kieran Leonard
which was released in October.
In January 2010, Barat appeared in the stage play Fool For Love alongside actress Sadie Frost
. The play ran until March 2010 at Riverside Studios in Hammersmith, London.
Barât also narrated a new artist documentary, Mark Donne's "The Rime Of The Modern Mariner". The film had its world premiere at St Anne's Church in Limehouse, East London, during the ninth East End Film Festival
. Barât's former Dirty Pretty Things
bandmate Anthony Rossomando
composed the score for the film.
He released his self-titled
, first solo album on 4 October 2010. In an interview with C.B.Liddell of Metropolis magazine he described the album as "the first album I've done that is kind of introspective rather than escapist."
In the same interview, he also talked about "stepping away from big loud guitars" as the album is stylistically more diverse and less rock-oriented than previous work.
The release of Barât's solo album also coincided with the release of Threepenny Memoir: The Lives Of A Libertine, an autobiography documenting his years in The Libertines and Dirty Pretty Things.
He is part of the supergroup
The Bottletop Band
with Matt Helders
(Arctic Monkeys
), Andy Nicholson (Arctic Monkeys
), Drew McConnell
(Babyshambles
) and Gruff Rhys
(Super Furry Animals
). The band's single, "The Fall of Rome", was released in December 2010.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
musician, actor and author. He was the frontman
Lead vocalist
The lead vocalist is the member of a band who sings the main vocal portions of a song. They may also play one or more instruments. Lead vocalists are sometimes referred to as the frontman or frontwoman, and as such, are usually considered to be the "leader" of the groups they perform in, often the...
and lead guitar
Lead guitar
Lead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
ist of Dirty Pretty Things
Dirty Pretty Things (band)
Dirty Pretty Things were an English band fronted by Carl Barât, a member of The Libertines. The formation of the band was announced in September 2005, after a dispute between Barât and Pete Doherty led to the breakup of The Libertines in 2004. Barât had worked with Vertigo Records and had...
, and recently debuted a solo album
Carl Barât (album)
Carl Barât is the debut solo album by Libertines co-frontman Carl Barât. It was released on 4 October 2010 in the UK. The album was mastered in New York and was the first album released through his own self-funded record label Arcady, but distributed through PIAS Recordings...
, but is best known for being the co-frontman with Peter Doherty
Pete Doherty
Peter Doherty is an English musician, writer, actor, poet and artist. He is best known musically for being co-frontman of The Libertines, which he reformed with Carl Barât in 2010. His other musical project is indie band Babyshambles...
of the garage rock band The Libertines
The Libertines
The Libertines were an English rock band, formed in London in 1997 by frontmen Carl Barât and Pete Doherty . The band, centred on the song-writing partnership of Barat and Doherty, also included John Hassall and Gary Powell for most of its recording career...
.
Early life
Carl Barât was born in BasingstokeBasingstoke
Basingstoke is a town in northeast Hampshire, in south central England. It lies across a valley at the source of the River Loddon. It is southwest of London, northeast of Southampton, southwest of Reading and northeast of the county town, Winchester. In 2008 it had an estimated population of...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
on 6 June 1978, and spent most of his childhood in Whitchurch, Hampshire
Whitchurch, Hampshire
Whitchurch is a town in Hampshire, England. It is on the River Test, from Newbury, Berkshire, from Winchester, miles from Andover and miles from Basingstoke. Much of the town is a Conservation Area. Because of the amount of wildlife in and near the river, parts of the town are designated as...
. In a September 2004 interview with Blender Magazine, Barât mentioned having a French
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
, Russian and Polish ethnic background.
As a youth, Barât divided his time between his divorced parents. His father, a former artist, worked in an armaments
Weapon
A weapon, arm, or armament is a tool or instrument used with the aim of causing damage or harm to living beings or artificial structures or systems...
factory, and his mother, Chrissie, was part of the commune-dwelling counterculture and a member of peace groups such as the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament
Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament
The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament is an anti-nuclear organisation that advocates unilateral nuclear disarmament by the United Kingdom, international nuclear disarmament and tighter international arms regulation through agreements such as the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty...
. Barât spent part of his childhood living with his mother on a commune in Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
. He has one sister, actress-turned-singer Lucie Barât
Lucie Barât
Lucie Barât is a British actress, writer, lyricist and musician. She is the lead singer of rock group The Fay Wrays.The sister of successful actor/guitarist and singer Carl Barât of The Libertines and Dirty Pretty Things, Barât won a scholarship to drama school as a teenager...
, who played Helen's handmaiden in the 2004 film Troy
Troy
Troy was a city, both factual and legendary, located in northwest Anatolia in what is now Turkey, southeast of the Dardanelles and beside Mount Ida...
, founded publishing house and artistic organization Little Episodes, and is currently the lead singer of The Fay Wrays. He also has three half-siblings, one step brother and one step sister. .
In 1996, Barât was studying for a drama degree at Brunel University
Brunel University
Brunel University is a public research university located in Uxbridge, London, United Kingdom. The university is named after the Victorian engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel....
at the Twickenham
Twickenham
Twickenham is a large suburban town southwest of central London. It is the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames and one of the locally important district centres identified in the London Plan...
campus in St. Margarets, Twickenham
Twickenham
Twickenham is a large suburban town southwest of central London. It is the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames and one of the locally important district centres identified in the London Plan...
. Although he dropped out halfway through, during his time he became well-acquainted with Peter Doherty's sister, Amy-Jo and through her, Barât met Doherty. They soon developed an intense friendship based on a shared interest in music and songwriting. Barât and Doherty also developed a shared mythology in which they were on a ship called 'The Albion' sailing to 'Arcadia'. After both dropped out of school, they formed The Libertines. The band in its final incarnation included bassist
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
John Hassall
John Hassall (musician)
John Hassall is an English musician and bassist for The Libertines. He now performs with his own band, Yeti. He has been described by Dirty Pretty Things bassist Didz Hammond as "...a fucking class bass player. Top grade...
and drummer
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
Gary Powell
Gary Powell
Gary Armstrong Powell is a British drummer. He is primarily the drummer for The Libertines, as well as doing the same for the band formed by his bandmate Carl Barat after the Libertines split, Dirty Pretty Things and Guyanese artist, Eddy Grant...
. Barât and Doherty shared songwriting, vocal and guitar duties.
The Libertines
The LibertinesThe Libertines
The Libertines were an English rock band, formed in London in 1997 by frontmen Carl Barât and Pete Doherty . The band, centred on the song-writing partnership of Barat and Doherty, also included John Hassall and Gary Powell for most of its recording career...
' first album, Up the Bracket
Up the Bracket
Up the Bracket is the debut album by British rock band The Libertines, released in October 2002. It reached #35 in the UK Albums Chart.The album was re-released on 8 September 2003 with an additional track, "What a Waster" and DVD featuring the promotional videos for the singles: "Up the Bracket",...
, was released in 2002 to critical acclaim. The band appeared on the cover of NME before the album was released and rapidly rose to fame in the UK. This was due in part, to their volatile stage performances, which were characterised by intense bouts of mic-sharing and play-fighting between Barât and Doherty. This paralleled their relationship, which by 2003 had progressed to verging on dysfunctional and abusive, with Barât and Doherty being equally competitive and possessive with each other.
In 2003, Doherty's addiction to heroin and crack cocaine
Crack cocaine
Crack cocaine is the freebase form of cocaine that can be smoked. It may also be termed rock, hard, iron, cavvy, base, or just crack; it is the most addictive form of cocaine. Crack rocks offer a short but intense high to smokers...
led Barât to ask him not to participate in the band's next tour. When Doherty discovered that The Libertines had left without him to perform in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
he broke into Barât's Mayfair
Mayfair
Mayfair is an area of central London, within the City of Westminster.-History:Mayfair is named after the annual fortnight-long May Fair that took place on the site that is Shepherd Market today...
flat and stole various items, including an antique guitar and an NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
Award. He was convicted and sentenced to six months in prison (this sentence was later shortened to two months). Barât warmly welcomed Doherty back to The Libertines on the day of his release, and they later performed an impromptu "Freedom Gig" at the Tap 'n' Tin club in Chatham, Kent on 8 October 2003. A photograph of the gig, taken by Roger Sargent, adorns The Libertines' self-titled second album, The Libertines
The Libertines (album)
The Libertines is the second album by the British indie rock band The Libertines. Released on 30 August 2004, it is particularly biographical of the relationship between frontmen Carl Barât and Pete Doherty. The album instantly reached #1 in the UK and is on its way to achieving platinum...
, and the cover of Sargent's and Anthony Thornton
Anthony Thornton (writer)
Anthony Thornton is the Group Digital Editor of IPC Inspire Men & Music. From 1998-2003 he successfully edited NME.COM, it became Europe's most visited music news website under his editorship. During this time he twice won the Online Editor Of The Year at the British Society Of Magazine Editors...
's book, The Libertines Bound Together
The Libertines Bound Together
The Libertines Bound Together is a book focused on the English rock band The Libertines by the writer, Anthony Thornton, and the photographer, Roger Sargent...
.
Doherty's drug addiction continued while the band worked on their second album (the aforementioned The Libertines) in 2004, which strained his relationship with Barât. Bodyguards were needed in the recording sessions, allegedly to prevent Barât and Doherty from physically assaulting each other (though this is claimed to be an exaggeration of the press in Bound Together) and to keep Doherty's hangers-on away from him. Before the release of the album in 2004, relations between Barât and Doherty reached a breaking point and Doherty was once again prevented from performing with the band before addressing his addictions. Doherty did not take the ultimatum well, especially as The Libertines continued touring without him to fulfill contractual obligations. Doherty admitted in a September 2005 interview that he had not spoken to any of his former bandmates since then.
What was intended as a short leave of absence turned into something more permanent, as Doherty formed a new band, Babyshambles
Babyshambles
Babyshambles are an English indie rock band established in London. The band was formed by Pete Doherty during a hiatus from his former band The Libertines, but Babyshambles has since become his main project . Babyshambles has released two albums, three EPs and a number of singles...
, and the Libertines officially disbanded after their final gig in December 2004.
Post-Libertines
In 2005, Barât underwent surgery to remove a tumour behind his ear and spent several weeks recovering from the operation. The tumour and resulting surgery left the singer partially deaf.In February 2005, the Libertines won the NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
Best British Band award and Barât paid tribute to Doherty in his acceptance speech. Days later, it was officially announced that Barât had signed to Vertigo Records
Vertigo Records
Vertigo Records today is a UK-based record label operated by Universal Music UK.-History:Vertigo Records was the name Philips Records chose in the late 1960s for its record sub-label to counter the progressive labels of its rivals EMI with Harvest Records and Decca Records with Deram...
as a solo artist.
Barât's first work as a solo artist was providing vocals for the Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an duo Client
Client (band)
Client are an English electronic musical group from London. They are most popular in Germany where they have had limited commercial success...
on their single, "Pornography". Barât set up the London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
club Dirty Pretty Things in June 2004, where he regularly serves as a DJ. In July 2005, he released an album contributing to the Under the Influence series, where musicians select tracks that have influenced them as artists.
Barât was seen with Doherty on 18 April 2005, where the two publicly reunited at the Boogaloo Bar in Highgate
Highgate
Highgate is an area of North London on the north-eastern corner of Hampstead Heath.Highgate is one of the most expensive London suburbs in which to live. It has an active conservation body, the Highgate Society, to protect its character....
, North London
North London
North London is the northern part of London, England. It is an imprecise description and the area it covers is defined differently for a range of purposes. Common to these definitions is that it includes districts located north of the River Thames and is used in comparison with South...
.
On 17 April 2006, Barât said about Doherty's drug addiction, "It's just sad and I wish he would sort it out. I would really like to work with him again some day. I don't deny that but I've not seen him really."
On the 7 July 2006 episode of Friday Night with Jonathan Ross
Friday Night with Jonathan Ross
Friday Night with Jonathan Ross was a British comedy chat show presented by Jonathan Ross. It was first broadcast on BBC One on 2 November 2001. The programme featured Ross's take on current topics of conversation, guest interviews and live music from both a guest music group and the house band...
, Doherty said that he did not have a relationship with Barât anymore, shooting down rumours that the pair speak regularly. However, Doherty stated that he would like to work with Barât again.
On 18 July 2006, Barât and Doherty met in the Dublin Castle pub in Camden
London Borough of Camden
In 1801, the civil parishes that form the modern borough were already developed and had a total population of 96,795. This continued to rise swiftly throughout the 19th century, as the district became built up; reaching 270,197 in the middle of the century...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
..
On 12 April 2007, Pete Doherty and Carl Barât played 13 songs together at the second of Doherty's "An Evening with Pete Doherty" gigs at the Hackney Empire, London. At the end of the concert, Barât and Doherty swapped trilby hats, a symbolic reference to the Libertines song "The Good Old Days".
In August 2007, Barât and Doherty recorded a version of The Beatles' "A Day In The Life" for a celebration of the 40th anniversary of the release of The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
' album, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band is the eighth studio album by the English rock band The Beatles, released on 1 June 1967 on the Parlophone label and produced by George Martin...
. They also both contributed to a cover of "Janie Jones
Janie Jones
Marion Mitchell , better known by her stage name, Janie Jones, was an English singer. She became renowned for being a madame in London during the 1970s, and was jailed for her involvement in the BBC Radio One 'sex for airplay' payola scandal...
" for Strummerville
Strummerville
Strummerville is the Joe Strummer Foundation for New Music. It was established shortly after Strummer's death in the winter of 2002 by his wife Lucinda, who serves as a trustee...
, but never met during the recording process.
In May 2008, Barât said that he would reunite with Doherty only to make a new album, but also said that he wanted to "let it be for a while" as he was busy with his new band. Despite referring to his relationship with Doherty as "a friendship I cherish" and stating that a reunion would not be difficult, they currently do not have any firm plans to record together again.
Barât has said that he wants to work with Doherty again and they have 'supposedly' begun writing a musical together due to be released in early 2009. However, he has recently rubbished rumours that the pair are recording new material, stating that he has not seen Doherty "for donkeys" and the musical "is off".
In a July 2008 interview, Barât said that The Libertines had "unfinished business" and that he missed performing with Doherty, which he was particularly reminded of at their Hackney Empire gig. At the question of a Libertines reformation, he stated that it is "a big maybe".
On 17 September 2008, Barât surprised Doherty by joining him on stage near the end of Doherty's solo set at the Prince of Wales pub in Camden. The pair showed signs of their trademark chemistry while performing several Libertines songs and a cover of Oasis' "Don't Look Back in Anger". Barât also stated that he had a new tattoo of the words 'let's put our futures behind us', which could indicate a possible forgiveness and reunion with Doherty.
In a statement announcing Dirty Pretty Things' split, Barât stated that his new musical project would not involve The Libertines.
In February 2009, Pete Doherty claimed that he and Barât had been offered millions to reform and headline the Reading and Leeds Festival, but although he had been keen, Barât had turned the offer down. Barât has been quoted as saying "I’ve just freed myself up so the last thing I wanna do is completely burden my mind [with a reunion]. No, not right now...I'd rather do a film really, or I might do a play one day, learn the craft." As well as expressing his interest in more acting, he also stated that there is a possibility of releasing a solo album.
At the Shockwave NME Awards
NME Awards
The NME Awards is an annual music awards show in the United Kingdom, founded by the music magazine, NME .The first awards show was held in 1953 as the NME Poll Winners Concerts, shortly after the founding of the magazine....
on 25 February 2009, Barât stated that the pair were still the Libertines, while Doherty admitted that he had tried to "twist [Barât's] arm" about a reformation, before saying "2010" for a possible date. Barât also hinted at releasing a solo album in 2010 and confirmed that he had started work on the record in a statement on 2 September 2009.
On 16 May 2009, Pete, Carl and Gary of the Libertines played on stage together for the first time since the split in 2004. The Libertines (minus Denmark-residing bassist John Hassal) came together for a tribute gig for their late promoter, Johnny Sedassy. The six song set, which included "What a Waster", "Up the Bracket" and "Death on the Stairs", was played after Babyshambles appeared on stage. Barât explained that the show was a 'one off', although he admitted that the likelihood of more shows could not be ruled out. Barât also expressed his want to get on stage with Pete again, although perhaps not until 2010. Drummer Gary Powell also confirmed that he'd be interested in a full reunion, although he wishes to "readdress old ghosts first".
On 16 January 2010, when being asked on a Libertines reunion Barat told the Evening Standard
Evening Standard
The Evening Standard, now styled the London Evening Standard, is a free local daily newspaper, published Monday–Friday in tabloid format in London. It is the dominant regional evening paper for London and the surrounding area, with coverage of national and international news and City of London...
that "It's not definite. I can say 2011, but it's hard to plan The Libertines until next Tuesday. But 2011 is where there's room for that to happen. So if everything's all right, then, yeah, it would be glorious to get on the old jacket and venture forth, into the known."
The Libertines delighted their fans by announcing that year that they would be headline artists at the 2010 Reading and Leeds Festivals
Reading and Leeds Festivals
The Reading and Leeds Festivals are a pair of annual music festivals that take place in Reading and Leeds in England. The events take place simultaneously on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the August bank holiday weekend, sharing the same bill. The Reading Festival is held at Little John's Farm...
. Their set and the characteristic chemistry between the pair, was for many people one of the highlights of the weekend.
Dirty Pretty Things
On 15 September 2005, it was announced that Barât was forming a new band. His bandmates included former Libertines drummer Gary PowellGary Powell
Gary Armstrong Powell is a British drummer. He is primarily the drummer for The Libertines, as well as doing the same for the band formed by his bandmate Carl Barat after the Libertines split, Dirty Pretty Things and Guyanese artist, Eddy Grant...
; Anthony Rossomando
Anthony Rossomando
Anthony Pasquale Rossomando is a guitarist, most recently with Carl Barat's rock band Dirty Pretty Things. He previously stood in for Pete Doherty in The Libertines, after Doherty was first suspended from the band and then sacked due to his drug habits...
, who filled in as guitarist following Pete Doherty's departure from the group; and Didz Hammond
Didz Hammond
David Jonathan Hammond , better known as Didz Hammond, is an English bassist. He was the bassist and backing vocalist in The Cooper Temple Clause , and in Carl Barât's Dirty Pretty Things...
, formerly of The Cooper Temple Clause
The Cooper Temple Clause
The Cooper Temple Clause were an English six-piece alternative rock band originating from Wokingham, Berkshire. Formed in 1998, the band quickly gained a following through their live concerts, and have produced three albums, the latest being Make This Your Own...
, on bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
. It was later announced that the band's name was "Dirty Pretty Things".
The group played their first shows in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in October 2005, before recording their debut album in November 2005 in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. This was produced by Dave Sardy
Dave Sardy
David Sardy is a Brooklyn born-and-raised composer, musician, songwriter, and record producer- Biography :...
, who has also worked with Supergrass
Supergrass
Supergrass was an English alternative rock band from Oxford. The band consisted of brothers Gaz and Rob Coombes , Mick Quinn and Danny Goffey ....
, the Dandy Warhols, Jet
Jet (band)
Jet are an Australian rock band formed in 2001 while attending St Bede's College Mentone in Melbourne, . The band consists of lead guitarist Cameron Muncey, bassist Mark Wilson, and brothers Nic and Chris Cester on vocals/rhythm guitar and drums respectively...
, Marilyn Manson
Marilyn Manson (band)
Marilyn Manson is an American metal band from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Formed in 1989 by Brian Warner and Scott Putesky, the group was originally named Marilyn Manson & the Spooky Kids with their uniquely theatrical performances gathering a local cult following in the early '90s. This attention...
, Rolling Stones, and Oasis
Oasis (band)
Oasis were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1991. Originally known as The Rain, the group was formed by Liam Gallagher , Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs , Paul "Guigsy" McGuigan and Tony McCarroll , who were soon joined by Liam's older brother Noel Gallagher...
. The album - entitled Waterloo to Anywhere
Waterloo to Anywhere
Waterloo to Anywhere is the debut album by English indie rock band Dirty Pretty Things, fronted by then former Libertine Carl Barât. The album was produced by Dave Sardy and Tony Doogan, and released on May 8, 2006 in the United Kingdom where it debuted at #3 in the UK Albums Chart .The album was...
- was released on 8 May 2006 in the UK and 8 August 2006 in the US.
Their first studio recorded demo, "Bang Bang You're Dead", was released on their website in the form of a flash video. Its sound has been likened to that of the early Libertines', mixing punk
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
and reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
influences. This song was released as their debut single on 24 April 2006 and reached number 5 in the UK single chart. This coincided with the latter part of their first tour of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, which spanned from 26 February to 24 May 2006. Their debut album, Waterloo to Anywhere, was released on 8 May 2006, and reached number 3 in the UK album chart. They have since released "Deadwood" and "Wondering
Wondering (Dirty Pretty Things song)
"Wondering" is a song by the band Dirty Pretty Things. It was released as a single on October 15, 2006 and was the third to be released from the band's debut album Waterloo to Anywhere...
".
The band were forced to postpone their Real Fits fundraiser gig, which had been set to take place at the London Hackney Round Chapel on 20 June 2008 as Barât was rushed to hospital on 17 June with acute pancreatitis
Acute pancreatitis
Acute pancreatitis or acute pancreatic necrosis is a sudden inflammation of the pancreas. It can have severe complications and high mortality despite treatment...
. He was released from hospital on 22 June.
The band released their new single, "Tired of England
Tired of England
Tired of England is the first single from Romance at Short Notice, the second album by Dirty Pretty Things, which was released on 23 June 2008.The chorus is reminiscent of Panic by The Smiths....
", on 23 June 2008, and their album, Romance at Short Notice
Romance at Short Notice
Romance at Short Notice is the second and last album by Dirty Pretty Things, released in the UK on June 30, 2008. The first single, "Tired of England", was released on June 23, 2008...
, a week later on 30 June.
Their album failed to chart highly despite heavy touring schedules. Powell wrote in the band's message board that it had been a difficult year. On 1 October 2008, Dirty Pretty Things split up, though they finished their final tour which began in Glasgow on 4 October and ended in London on 20 December.
Solo work
In 2005, Barât and his friend, Adam GreenAdam Green (musician)
Adam Green is an American singer-songwriter.Green's off-kilter style has achieved a moderate college radio following in the United States, and enjoys increasing popularity in a number of European countries, particularly Germany.-Career:Green attended Emerson College for one semester in 1998 before...
of The Moldy Peaches
The Moldy Peaches
The Moldy Peaches was an indie group founded by Adam Green and Kimya Dawson. Leading proponents of the anti-folk scene, the band has been on hiatus since 2004...
appeared in a documentary following the pair on a night out in London. He also modelled for clothing brand J. Lindeberg, along with Juliette Lewis
Juliette Lewis
Juliette Lewis is an American actress and musician. She gained international fame for her role in the 1991 thriller Cape Fear for which she was nominated for both an Academy Award and Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress...
.
On 7 July 2006, Carl announced that he would become the fifth mentor in the Road to V competition, which involved a UK search for the best unsigned music talent in the UK with the winner opening V Festival
V Festival
The V Festival is an annual music festival held in England during the penultimate weekend in August. The event is held at two parks simultaneously which share the same bill; artists perform at one location on Saturday and then swap on Sunday. The sites are located at Hylands Park in Chelmsford and...
in either Chelmsford
Chelmsford
Chelmsford is the county town of Essex, England and the principal settlement of the borough of Chelmsford. It is located in the London commuter belt, approximately northeast of Charing Cross, London, and approximately the same distance from the once provincial Roman capital at Colchester...
or Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
.
In 2008, he featured as actor in the film Telstar
Telstar (film)
Telstar is a film adaptation of James Hicks' play of the same name. It stars Con O'Neill as Joe Meek and Kevin Spacey as Meek's business advisor, Major Banks...
in the role of Rock'n'Roll singer Gene Vincent
Gene Vincent
Vincent Eugene Craddock , known as Gene Vincent, was an American musician who pioneered the styles of rock and roll and rockabilly. His 1956 top ten hit with his Blue Caps, "Be-Bop-A-Lula", is considered a significant early example of rockabilly...
. The film premiered at the London Film Festival on 25 October 2008 and was released on 19 June 2009. He also featured in an advertisement for BBC Two's The Culture Show
The Culture Show
The Culture Show is a weekly BBC Two Arts magazine programme. It is broadcast in the UK on Thursday nights at 7pm, focusing on the best of the week's arts and culture news, covering books, art, film, architecture, music, visual fashion and the performing arts...
, being asked about British culture. A longer version of his interview can be found on the Culture Show website.
Tim Burgess has stated that he and Barât's supergroup The Chavs
The Chavs
The Chavs are a Rock supergroup formed in 2004, by former Libertines and Dirty Pretty Things guitarist Carl Barât. Alongside Barât in the band are Tim Burgess of The Charlatans, Primal Scream keyboardist Martin Duffy and drummer Andy Burrows from We Are Scientists...
plan to record their debut album in August 2008.
In September 2008, Barât stated that he was set to play Gene Vincent
Gene Vincent
Vincent Eugene Craddock , known as Gene Vincent, was an American musician who pioneered the styles of rock and roll and rockabilly. His 1956 top ten hit with his Blue Caps, "Be-Bop-A-Lula", is considered a significant early example of rockabilly...
in a new British film, Telstar
Telstar
Telstar is the name of various communications satellites, including the first such satellite to relay television signals.The first two Telstar satellites were experimental and nearly identical. Telstar 1 was launched on top of a Thor-Delta rocket on July 10, 1962...
.
Barât toured as a solo artist with Glasvegas
Glasvegas
Glasvegas are a Scottish indie rock band from Glasgow. The band consists of James Allan , Rab Allan , Paul Donoghue and Jonna Löfgren . The band received critical acclaim for their debut album Glasvegas which was released in September 2008, reaching No...
, performing with them at Edinburgh's Hogmanay celebrations on 31 December 2008, and at the Popscene in San Francisco on 8 January 2009. On 14 January 2009, Barât supported Glasvegas with a solo show during their gig at the Los Angeles Troubadour
.
Carl Barât played his first headline solo shows on 6 and 7 March 2009 at the Wakefield Escobar. He also played at the KU Bar in Stockton-on-Tees
Stockton-on-Tees
Stockton-on-Tees is a market town in north east England. It is the major settlement in the unitary authority and borough of Stockton-on-Tees. For ceremonial purposes, the borough is split between County Durham and North Yorkshire as it also incorporates a number of smaller towns including...
on 8 March. Barât also featured as himself in a pilot episode for Svengali, alongside former manager Alan McGee
Alan McGee
Alan McGee has been a record label owner, musician, manager, and music blogger for The Guardian.McGee is best-known for co-forming and running the independent Creation Records label from 1983–1999, and then Poptones from 1999-2007...
and Welsh actor Jonathan Owen
Jonathan Owen
Jonathan Owen is a film and theatre actor.-Career:He has been a member of Equity, the British trade union for actors/actresses, since 1978.Owen appeared as Broter Timoteo in the comedy-drama film The Mandrake Root ....
, in May 2009.
On 9 June 2009, Barât debuted two new songs, "So Long" and "Monday Morning" at a solo show at Dunfermline's Carnegie Hall. On 25 August, a short video entitled "Two British Dudes" featuring Barât and fellow musician Har Mar Superstar
Har Mar Superstar
Sean Matthew Tillmann , better known by his stage names of Har Mar Superstar and Sean Na Na, is an American singer.-Life and career:...
was released on crappyholidays.net. On 2 September, Barât confirmed his intentions to release a solo album. Barât also produced the debut EP "Scapegoat" of London-based singer-songwriter Kieran Leonard
Kieran Leonard
Kieran Leonard is a British singer-songwriter and musician of Irish descent, who performs as a solo artist and with his four piece band he refers to as 'The Horses'.He is particularly known for his poetical songwriting, and compelling live performances...
which was released in October.
In January 2010, Barat appeared in the stage play Fool For Love alongside actress Sadie Frost
Sadie Frost
Sadie Frost is an English actress, who currently runs fashion label Frost French and has designed the kitchens for a new development in the East End of London.-Biography:Frost was born Sadie Liza Vaughan in London...
. The play ran until March 2010 at Riverside Studios in Hammersmith, London.
Barât also narrated a new artist documentary, Mark Donne's "The Rime Of The Modern Mariner". The film had its world premiere at St Anne's Church in Limehouse, East London, during the ninth East End Film Festival
East End Film Festival
The East End Film Festival is one of the biggest film festivals in London. Taking place annually in various venues throughout East London, the festival "showcases hot new talent and homegrown films alongside larger independent releases and special events, informing and inspiring a new generation of...
. Barât's former Dirty Pretty Things
Dirty Pretty Things (band)
Dirty Pretty Things were an English band fronted by Carl Barât, a member of The Libertines. The formation of the band was announced in September 2005, after a dispute between Barât and Pete Doherty led to the breakup of The Libertines in 2004. Barât had worked with Vertigo Records and had...
bandmate Anthony Rossomando
Anthony Rossomando
Anthony Pasquale Rossomando is a guitarist, most recently with Carl Barat's rock band Dirty Pretty Things. He previously stood in for Pete Doherty in The Libertines, after Doherty was first suspended from the band and then sacked due to his drug habits...
composed the score for the film.
He released his self-titled
Carl Barât (album)
Carl Barât is the debut solo album by Libertines co-frontman Carl Barât. It was released on 4 October 2010 in the UK. The album was mastered in New York and was the first album released through his own self-funded record label Arcady, but distributed through PIAS Recordings...
, first solo album on 4 October 2010. In an interview with C.B.Liddell of Metropolis magazine he described the album as "the first album I've done that is kind of introspective rather than escapist."
In the same interview, he also talked about "stepping away from big loud guitars" as the album is stylistically more diverse and less rock-oriented than previous work.
The release of Barât's solo album also coincided with the release of Threepenny Memoir: The Lives Of A Libertine, an autobiography documenting his years in The Libertines and Dirty Pretty Things.
He is part of the supergroup
Supergroup (music)
In the late 1960s, the term supergroup was coined to describe "a rock music group whose performers are already famous from having performed individually or in other groups"....
The Bottletop Band
The Bottletop Band
The Bottletop Band is a supergroup consisting of leading musicians of both Brazilian and English music. Mario Caldato, Jr. is the prime organiser of the band, overseeing the whole Bottletop band record and he was behind the mixing and production of the majority of tracks. Notable musicians include...
with Matt Helders
Matt Helders
Matthew Helders , is the drummer for English indie rock band Arctic Monkeys. He is the most comprehensive backing vocalist in the group, appearing on several tracks, including the majority of 'Humbug'...
(Arctic Monkeys
Arctic Monkeys
Arctic Monkeys are an English indie rock band. Formed in 2002 in High Green, a suburb of Sheffield, the band currently consists of Alex Turner , Jamie Cook , Nick O'Malley and Matt Helders...
), Andy Nicholson (Arctic Monkeys
Arctic Monkeys
Arctic Monkeys are an English indie rock band. Formed in 2002 in High Green, a suburb of Sheffield, the band currently consists of Alex Turner , Jamie Cook , Nick O'Malley and Matt Helders...
), Drew McConnell
Drew McConnell
Drew McConnell is the bass guitarist and backing vocalist with Babyshambles, the band formed and fronted by frontman of The Libertines, Pete Doherty. He lived in Tenerife, Spain, for much of his childhood, and he speaks Spanish fluently...
(Babyshambles
Babyshambles
Babyshambles are an English indie rock band established in London. The band was formed by Pete Doherty during a hiatus from his former band The Libertines, but Babyshambles has since become his main project . Babyshambles has released two albums, three EPs and a number of singles...
) and Gruff Rhys
Gruff Rhys
Gruffydd Maredudd Bowen Rhys is a Welsh musician, performing solo and with several bands, including Super Furry Animals who obtained mainstream success in the 1990s. He also most recently formed the electro-pop outfit Neon Neon with Boom Bip. Their album Stainless Style was nominated for the 2008...
(Super Furry Animals
Super Furry Animals
Super Furry Animals are a Welsh rock band that lean towards psychedelic rock and electronic experimentation. Since their formation in Cardiff, Wales in 1993, the band has consisted of Gruff Rhys , Huw Bunford , Guto Pryce , Cian Ciaran and Dafydd Ieuan Super Furry Animals are a Welsh rock band...
). The band's single, "The Fall of Rome", was released in December 2010.
Personal life
Between 2003 and 2008, Barât had a relationship with DJ, TV presenter and actress Annalisa Astarita. His current girlfriend, Edie Langley gave birth to the couple's first child, a boy named Eli on the 9 December 2010.Pedals
- MXR Dyna CompMXR Dyna CompThe MXR Dyna Comp is an effects unit produced by the MXR company intended for use with electric guitar. Made since the 1970s, the MXR Dyna Comp, which adds its own coloring to the tone, has become a frequently copied and widely used guitar effect, even a standard.-History:The MXR Dyna Comp was...
(sometimes replaced by a MXR Micro AmpMXRMXR, also known as MXR Innovations, was a manufacturer of guitar effects units, co-founded in 1973 by Keith Barr and Terry Sherwood . MXR was based in the United States in Rochester, New York. MXR Innovations, Inc. was incorporated in 1974...
) - BOSS TU-2 Chromatic TunerBoss CorporationBoss is a manufacturer of effects pedals for electric guitar and bass guitar. It is a division of the Roland Corporation, a Japanese manufacturer that specializes in musical equipment and accessories...
Solo work
- Carl BarâtCarl Barât (album)Carl Barât is the debut solo album by Libertines co-frontman Carl Barât. It was released on 4 October 2010 in the UK. The album was mastered in New York and was the first album released through his own self-funded record label Arcady, but distributed through PIAS Recordings...
(4 October 2010) #52 UK - Threepenny Memoir: The Lives Of A Libertine (30 September 2010) Book