The Libertines
Encyclopedia
The Libertines were an English rock
band, formed in London
in 1997 by frontmen Carl Barât
(vocals/lead guitar) and Pete Doherty
(vocals/rhythm guitar). The band, centred on the song-writing partnership of Barat and Doherty, also included John Hassall
(bass) and Gary Powell
(drums) for most of its recording career. The band was part of the garage rock revival and spearheaded the movement in the UK.
The band gained some notoriety in the early 2000s. Although their mainstream success was initially limited, their profile soon grew, culminating in a #2 single and #1 album on the UK
Charts. In December 2004, their self-titled second album
was voted the second best album of the year by NME
magazine. Both of their full-length LPs were produced by Mick Jones
, of the British punk band
The Clash
.
In spite of their critical success as well as decent commercial success, the band's music was often eclipsed by its internal conflicts, stemming from Doherty's addictions to crack cocaine
and heroin, which eventually led to the breakup of the band. Doherty has since stated that the breakup of the band was due to relationship difficulties between Barât and himself that were not related to his drug addictions. The members of The Libertines went on to form new bands with varying degrees of commercial and critical success.
In August 2010, the four members of The Libertines reunited to play a series of shows, including slots at the 2010 Reading and Leeds Festivals. The reunion shows received a highly positive response from the press and fans.
in Uxbridge
and sharing a flat in Richmond with Amy-Jo Doherty, Peter's elder sister. This lasted until they realized their collective creative capabilities and forged a bond over their shared passion for songwriting.
Barât abandoned his drama course two years in; Doherty left his English literature course at Queen Mary, University of London
, after only a year, and they moved into a flat together on Camden Road in North London, which they named "The Delaney Mansions."
They formed a band with their neighbour Steve Bedlow, commonly referred to as "Scarborough Steve," and named themselves The Strand, later discarded for The Libertines after the Marquis de Sade
's Lusts of the Libertines ("The Albions" was also considered, but rejected; Albion is an archaic name for Britain). They later met John Hassall
and Johnny Borrell
, who played bass with the Libertines for a short period. Many of their early gigs took place in the flat shared by Doherty and Barât.
They had booked themselves into the Odessa studios to record three songs, assisted by Gwyn Mathias, who had previously worked with the Sex Pistols
. However, they were disappointed by their scheduled drummer, so at short notice Mathias enlisted the help of Paul Dufour, who agreed to record with the band for £50. At 54, Dufour was considerably older than the others. Despite this age difference, he impressed the band enough to become a member. The Libertines started recording more sessions and playing gigs at venues further afield. Roger Morton, a journalist from the NME
who went to see them play at Filthy Macnasty's Whiskey Cafe in Islington
where Pete was working as a barman, thought they had potential and offered with a friend to manage The Libertines. Despite a separate offer from an experienced member of the music industry, John Waller, the band accepted Morton's services as manager. However, Morton would eventually give up the job after an unsuccessful six months.
In March 2000, The Libertines met Banny Poostchi, a lawyer for Warner Chappell Music Publishing
. Recognizing their potential, she took on an active role in managing them. They recorded "Legs XI", a set of their best 8 tracks at the time (and later a popular bootleg recording among fans). However, by December 2000, they had still not been signed and this caused Dufour, Hassall and Pootschi to part ways with The Libertines.
The subsequent success of The Strokes
, a band with a similar style, caused Pootschi to reconsider her position. She formed a plan (dubbed "Plan A") to get the Libertines signed to Rough Trade Records
within 6 months. In this period, Barât and Doherty wrote many of the songs which ended up on their first album. Gary Powell
was recruited to play drums, as Paul Dufour was deemed by Pootschi to be 'too old'. On 1 October 2001, Barât and Doherty played a showcase for James Endeacott from Rough Trade. After Borrell failed to attend this important rehearsal, they telephoned him to discover he was on tour "living the high life." Endeacott's support led to them playing for the heads of Rough Trade, Geoff Travis and Jeanette Lee, on 11 December that year. They were told they would be signed, and the official deal took place on 21 December.
The Libertines were in need of a bassist, so Hassall rejoined the band at their request, but was informed he would have to stay in the background, as the band would be focused on the partnership of Doherty and Barât. After signing with Rough Trade, Doherty and Barât rented a flat together at 112a Teesdale Street in Bethnal Green
which they named "The Albion Rooms" (a venue that became a location for many of their Guerilla gigs).
and The Vines
in quick succession. This succeeded in spreading their name around the music press, with the NME taking a particular interest in them (an interest which continued throughout their career).
Their first single was a double A-side of "What a Waster
" and "I Get Along", produced by former Suede
guitarist Bernard Butler
. It was released on 3 June 2002 to a lukewarm media reception and received very little airplay due to its liberal use of profanities. A censored version appeared as BBC Radio 1
DJs Mark and Lard
's single of the week. On the week the single came out, The Libertines featured on the cover of the NME for the first time. The single reached #37 in the UK Singles Chart
.
Their first album was recorded and produced by Mick Jones
, formerly of The Clash
. Entitled Up the Bracket
, it was recorded at the RAK studios in St John's Wood
, with mixing taking place at Whitfield studios. During this time, the band were playing as many gigs as possible (over 100 in 2002 alone) including support acts for the Sex Pistols
and Morrissey
.
Their second single and title track from the album, "Up the Bracket
", was released on 30 September and charted at #29. This was soon followed by the release on the 21 October of the album, which charted at #35. They won Best New Band at the NME Awards
for that year and Barât moved out of The Albion Rooms.
", his personal collection of notes, thoughts and poems, and also more and more frequently on the libertines.org fan forums using the user name "heavyhorse". His posts and writings at this time were unpredictable: at times, he seemed distressed and angry; at others, he came across as calm and happy.
They went to the U.S.
to promote themselves and work on new material. While in New York
around May 2003, they recorded the Babyshambles Sessions, where they recorded versions of current and future Libertines and Babyshambles
releases such as "Last Post on the Bugle", "Albion
", "In Love With a Feeling" and "Side of the Road". As a mark of their commitment to the band, Doherty and Barât both got tattoos of the word "Libertine" on their arms, written in Carl's handwriting. The prelude to this moment can be heard on "The Good Old Days" from the Babyshambles Sessions, in which, after the lyric, "A list of things we said we'd do tomorrow," Doherty yells 'Get a tattoo
!' However, Barât became increasingly exasperated with the people with whom Doherty was associating and the drugs they brought. Barât quit the sessions in disgust and Doherty finished recording alone. The sessions were given to a fan called Helen Hsu who, as Doherty allegedly instructed, put them for free on the Internet
.
Back in the UK, tensions continued to grow as Doherty organised and played guerrilla gigs which Barât did not attend. Their new single "Don't Look Back into the Sun
" saw the return of Bernard Butler
as producer. The lyrical quality of the song was praised, and the single held as a prime example of Doherty and Barât's songwriting talents. However, Doherty did not work well with Butler and was rarely present during the recording process. As a result, the song had to be pieced together from the vocals he provided, with Butler himself recording Doherty's guitar parts.
As Barât's birthday approached, Doherty organised a special celebration gig in an attempt to smooth the tensions between them. Barât, however, was already attending a party organized by some of his friends, and the hosts convinced him not to leave. Doherty was left to play the gig himself. Feeling betrayed, Doherty neglected to take the train to Germany the next day for The Libertines' European tour. The Libertines were forced to play without Doherty: a guitar technician learned his guitar parts and several songs were dropped altogether. Soon, however, positions changed and it was Barât who refused to let Doherty into the band unless he cleaned himself up. Doherty continued to play with separate musical project Babyshambles
whilst The Libertines completed tour commitments in Japan without him. Distraught and angry, Doherty burgled Barât's flat and was subsequently arrested. On 11 August, he pleaded guilty at the preliminary hearing to the charge of burglary.
Amidst the internal turmoil, "Don't Look Back into the Sun
" was released on 18 August and charted at #11, the highest position they had managed at that point. The Libertines played the Carling Weekend
with replacement guitarist Anthony Rossomando
(who later joined Dirty Pretty Things
). On 7 September, Judge Roger Davies sentenced Doherty to 6 months in prison. He served his sentence in Wandsworth prison
. This sentence was later reduced on appeal by Judge Derek Inman to two months.
in mid-December 2003, ending in stage invasions by the fans. These gigs would be named amongst the top 100 gigs of all time by Q Magazine
. The Libertines also went on a widely-acclaimed UK tour in March 2004 that included three more consecutive sold-out dates in London, this time at Brixton Academy.
Banny Pootschi resigned and was replaced as manager by Alan McGee
, previously the founder and MD of Creation Records
(most famous for signing Oasis
) and later to become manager of Dirty Pretty Things
. They continued to play gigs and commenced recording their second album with Bernard Butler. However, the relationship between Doherty and Butler was as unsuccessful as before and the attempts were soon abandoned. In early 2004, The Libertines won Best Band at the NME Awards
, despite the fact that "Don't Look Back Into The Sun" was their only official release during the preceding year.
As an aside from The Libertines, Doherty had recorded the vocals for "For Lovers
", a song written by his friend and local poet Peter "Wolfman" Wolfe. "For Lovers" was released on 13 April 2004 and reached #7 in the charts, eclipsing The Libertines' highest charting single to that date. Despite Barât's intolerance of Wolfe and the associated drugs, he recorded guitar for the B-side to the single, "Back From the Dead".
Mick Jones
returned as producer for the second attempt to record the second album. Doherty had returned to his drug habit and so relationships were strained. Security hired for the protection of Doherty and Barât had to be used to keep them from fighting. The album was finished and Doherty left the mixing and dubbing to the others; he would never return to the studio with The Libertines. On 14 May 2004, he was admitted to The Priory, a high-profile retreat, in an attempt to overcome his addictions. He left early, then returned, only to leave again a week later on 7 June.
During this time, Barât had been setting up a weekly club night called Dirty Pretty Things (a later dispute forced it to be renamed Bright Young Things) at the Infinity Club in the West End
. The day Doherty left the Priory for the second time, he went to the club and spoke with Barât, with Hassall and Powell present as well. Doherty told him that he was going to Wat Tham Krabok
in Thailand
to get clean. The Libertines performed a short set that night: it was the last time they would all play together for more than six years, and the last time Doherty would speak to Barât for more than 9 months.
The Libertines did not let Doherty play with them but promised that "when he cleans up his addictions he will be immediately welcomed back into the band." However, Doherty had managed to achieve growing success and fame with his new venture, Babyshambles, which further reduced the likelihood of reconciliation.
Meanwhile, The Libertines were still releasing fresh material. The new single "Can't Stand Me Now
", which detailed the breakdown of the ailing frontmen's once seemingly cast iron friendship while illustrating the love-hate relationship
between Doherty and Barât, was released on 9 August and charted at #2. The song included Doherty asking the question: 'Have we enough to keep it together?' Their eponymous second album, The Libertines
was released in late August and topped the albums chart. Their final single "What Became of the Likely Lads
" reached #9.
The Libertines played what would be their final show for over five years in Paris
on 17 December 2004, still without Doherty. Barât chose to then dissolve The Libertines as he was no longer willing to tour and record under the name without Doherty.
, North London. This was said to be a friendly meeting and was the first time the pair had met since 8 June 2004, just before Doherty went to Thailand. The reunion took place when Barât arrived at the bar at 10pm and was told there was a strong possibility that his former bandmate would also be visiting the pub that evening. Upon learning a reunion was possible, Barât told journalist Anthony Thornton that "it might as well happen now, because it’s going to happen sometime". The pair were said to have seemed nervous at first, but greeted each other with a hug, before talking together. Barât has also said that The Libertines is only "on ice" and that he is in "intermittent contact" with Doherty.
The next sighted meeting of the pair was on 18 July 2006, at the Dublin Castle pub in Camden, London.
They also talked to the Los Angeles band The Tender Box who were playing the venue that night. They said in the NME "Who knows if they will reform? It seemed like there was a lot of chemistry between them." Barât said in a later interview that it was "all a bit public for my liking. I was blind drunk that night."
The pair were temporarily re-united at the 2007 NME Awards
. After being guided over to Doherty's table by his entourage, Barât and Doherty talked for a while at the table, before going off to the bar. According to the NME, they seemed to be really getting on well, even though they had not met since the Dublin Castle meeting of 2006.
On 12 April 2007 at the Hackney Empire
, London
, Barât joined Doherty on stage to play through some old Libertines songs together, their first live performance since the pair originally split. The reunited duo played: "What a Waster", "Death on the Stairs", "The Good Old Days", "What Katie Did", "Dilly Boys", "Seven Deadly Sins", "France", "Tell the King", "Don't Look Back Into the Sun", "Dream a Little Dream of Me", "Time for Heroes", "Albion", and "The Delaney".
However, both Doherty and Barât have remarked that this was a one-off. Quelling the rumours of more shows together, Barât said: "We're both doing different things and I'm really into Dirty Pretty Things... I'm focused on Dirty Pretty Things' new album." Meanwhile Doherty revealed that in addition to a solo acoustic album, he and Babyshambles were going into the studio to work on their new album with Stephen Street
.
BBC Radio 2 rerecorded the entire Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
for the 40th Anniversary of the album in June 2007, and Doherty and Barât covered the track "A Day in the Life
" for the project. It was the first time they recorded a song together since April 2004.
On 29 June, Doherty was a guest on Friday Night with Jonathan Ross
, where, when prompted, he hinted at a possible reunion of the band. Doherty joked that Barât was down on money and could do with the revenue of a reunion tour. Later that year, it was announced that a new 'best of album', entitled Time for Heroes - The Best of The Libertines
would be released on 29 October 2007. Its tracklisting contains no unreleased songs.
Pete Doherty and Carl Barât were reported to be collaborating on a "rock'n'roll" musical
for the Donmar Warehouse
in London. However, Barât rubbished rumours that the pair were recording new material, saying that he had not seen Doherty 'for donkey's' and the musical 'is off'.
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.
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, Doherty was playing a private gig at the Prince of Wales pub in Camden
as part of London Fashion Week
. Towards the end of the 45 minute set Barât was led onstage by security to join his former bandmate. The reunion appeared to be unplanned; Doherty greeted Barât with the exclamation, "Stone me, Carl!" With trademark chemistry, the pair played a variety of Libertines songs including "Time for Heroes", "Don't Look Back into the Sun", "Horrorshow", "France", and "Death on the Stairs", as well as a cover of Oasis
' "Don't Look Back in Anger
". This was the first time Barât and Doherty had played together publicly since April 2007. Though they appeared close in an interview following the show, their intentions regarding future collaborations remain cryptic. Barât also stated he had a new tattoo, with the words 'let's put our futures behind us', which could indicate a possible forgiveness and reunion with Doherty.
On 1 October 2008, it was announced that Barât's band, Dirty Pretty Things
would split after a month long UK tour. In a statement, the band said it was time for them "to try new things" but added that these would not involve The Libertines.
In February 2009, Doherty revealed that he and Barât had been offered millions to reform and headline the Reading and Leeds Festivals, but although he had been keen, Barât had turned the offer down. In response to this, Barât stated "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."
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.
On 15 May 2009, Doherty, Barât and drummer Gary Powell reunited at the London Rhythm Factory, at a tribute gig to the late Johnny Sedassy, who used to put on gigs by the band plus those by Doherty's current band Babyshambles and his solo shows. John Hassall was absent, but Babyshambles bassist Drew McConnell
filled in. The band played songs including "What A Waster", "Up The Bracket", "Can't Stand Me Now", and "Time For Heroes". It was the first time the band had played live together since their split in 2004.
On 29 March 2010, it was announced that The Libertines were to reform for the Reading and Leeds Festivals
in 2010. They were special guests to headliners Arcade Fire on Friday 27 August at Bramham Park
, Leeds
and Saturday 28 August at Little John's Farm, Reading
. Following the announcement, the band held a press conference on 31 March 2010 to discuss their reformation at the Boogaloo pub. The press conference then turned into an impromptu "guerilla gig" with the band playing many of their old tunes. The Reading and Leeds festival appearances were preluded by 2 nights at the HMV Forum. A 300-strong rehearsal gig for friends, family and some members of the musical press on Tuesday 24 August 2010 and a sold-out fans-only show on Wednesday 25 August.
Doherty promised The Libertines' special guest performance at Reading and Leeds Festivals would be to be remembered. Watch BBC recordings of their Reading Festival performance. The performance at the festival received very positive reviews from both fans and the press. After the gigs at the Reading and Leeds festival, it remains unclear as to what The Libertines will do next as both Carl Barat
and Pete Doherty
are embarking on solo tours. There were hints of more Libertines gigs in the future which both Barat and Doherty confirming they have received offers for gigs at some point in 2011. However, an interview with Carl Barat in May 2011 for NME magazine suggested the band did not have any current plans for future activities together.
Recently, The Libertines have requested that Luke Perry from Wickford in Essex join the band. "We feel that Luke has that gritty edge that it takes to blend with Pete and myself" said Carl. Luke is expected to join the band officially next spring, but an album containing the most recent sessions of the newly formed group is expected in March 2012.
and 1977 style punk rock
. Lead singers and guitarists Doherty and Barât had different influences musically. Doherty was inspired by bands such as (principally) The Jam
, Sex Pistols
, The Smiths
, Chas & Dave. Doherty has expressed "Still Ill" by The Smiths as a song that means a lot to him, in an interview. Barât admired The Velvet Underground
, The Clash
, The Doors
, Django Reinhardt
and Nirvana
. Doherty liked the written works of William Blake
, Emily Dickinson
and Thomas Chatterton
, whereas Barât preferred Saki
and the Edwardian
idea of wit.
On their collective sound, Doherty commented that "if Oasis
is the sound of a council estate singing its heart out, then the Libertines sounded like someone just put in the rubbish chute at the back of the estate, trying to work out what day it is".
Doherty and Barât followed one common dream whilst in The Libertines: "It's either to the top of the world, or the bottom of a canal", Barât once said this phrase to Doherty in the early days of their friendship.
The Libertines' lyrics occasionally reference their idea of sailing on "the good ship Albion
to Arcadia
". This idea was especially important to Doherty who has continued the theme when writing for Babyshambles. He thinks of Arcadia as a utopia without any rules or authority.
Their recordings were fairly lo-fi
. Mick Jones' recording method was hands-off: he allowed the band to perform one song several times through and would then choose the best take. He performed minimal audio mixing
and dubbing
. Bernard Butler was less strict with this, however the final sound still came across as raw and unpolished.
The band has been compared to many classic British rock bands, as their angle on rock is uniquely English. The resemblance to The Beatles
, both in their mop-top appearance and their wild yet melodic music, is striking. Their sound is often likened to that of The Jam and The Kinks
' early records as well as The Clash's
first album and early singles. They are perhaps most similar to pioneer rockers, Buzzcocks
. Morrissey
is another strong influence cited by the band members. Many of their lyrics refer to elements of British life, use English/cockney
slang and are sung in a near-drunken sounding slur. In their attitude they are sometimes compared to the Sex Pistols
due to their chaotic and energetic live performances.
The Libertines were praised for forming a very close relationship with fans. The band befriended several of their fans, and their Guerrilla gig
s allowed devoted supporters to see them in close proximity. The film Fuck the Police shot in 2003 by Anne McCloy captured one such gig at The Albion Rooms when the police raided and closed down an impromptu gig after complaints by irate neighbours. Doherty published the "Books of Albion" online, sharing his personal thoughts and feelings freely. He also frequently posted on the fan forums. This allowed fans a deep insight into his life and helped cement the relationship between the band and the public. They were also very free with their recordings, releasing songs free onto the internet and via word-of-mouth giveaways. This allowed their fan base to hear unfinished songs or ideas, some of which would grow into finished versions on the albums, some of which would be discarded.
The Libertines have had two biographies written about them, both written after the band split. The first was Kids in the Riot: High and Low with The Libertines written by Peter Welsh, a friend. The second was The Libertines Bound Together
: The Story of Peter Doherty and Carl Barât and How They Changed British Music written by Anthony Thornton and Roger Sargent, an NME journalist and photographer respectively who had followed the band from an early stage.
The Libertines have had a lasting effect on the British music scene. The image of Doherty and Barât entwined, Barât looking up protectively as his friend leans into his shoulder, on the front of their second album, has been called by Anthony Thornton "one of the most iconic rock images of the last decade".
However, in a 2008 article, Barât described their relationship as "not too different from falling in love" and later said in a 2011 interview that "there have been moments in our relationship where physicality has ensued."
The volatility and ardency of Barât's relationship with Doherty formed a significant, if not essential, aspect of their music and live performances. Doherty frequently posted passionate declarations addressed to Barât on the Libertines forum; in June 2002 he wrote, "I'm obsessed to the point of needing to know everything. All of you...I quite love you." In another post from 2003, referring to an incident in 1997 in which Barât had wanted to form a suicide pact, Doherty wrote, 'let's keep going i love you i love you so much.' Speaking of his separation from Doherty in 2004, Barât revealed, "There was one point where I very very nearly, just to be close to him, started taking full on heroin."
In a March 2009 interview with NME Radio, when discussing a potential Libertines reunion, Doherty revealed, "He [Carl] was saying, 'Well, look, what if it's all gonna happen again?' and I said, 'One thing: maybe it will, maybe it won't, but one thing that's going to help me not fuck up again is you, and doing all that together.' Because he means a lot..." And referring to their relationship in a January 2010 interview, Barat said, '...it’s a deep love. Deep love does funny things to people'. In a joint 31 March 2010 interview following the band's reformation, upon being asked what he had missed about Doherty, Barat replied, "If I'm honest, I miss having a best friend who, for all his foibles, who got me...you know, when you meet someone who gets you and you get them on the deepest level, I mean that...that's something that I always missed about Pete." In response to the same question about Barat, a visibly choked up Doherty then simply replied that he had "just missed Carl."
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band, formed in 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...
in 1997 by frontmen Carl Barât
Carl Barât
Carl Ashley Raphael Barât is an English musician, actor and author. He was the frontman and lead guitarist 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.-Early life:Carl Barât was...
(vocals/lead guitar) and Pete 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...
(vocals/rhythm guitar). The band, centred on the song-writing partnership of Barat and Doherty, also included 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...
(bass) and 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...
(drums) for most of its recording career. The band was part of the garage rock revival and spearheaded the movement in the UK.
The band gained some notoriety in the early 2000s. Although their mainstream success was initially limited, their profile soon grew, culminating in a #2 single and #1 album on the UK
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...
Charts. In December 2004, their self-titled second album
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...
was voted the second best album of the year by 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...
magazine. Both of their full-length LPs were produced by Mick Jones
Mick Jones (The Clash)
Michael Geoffrey "Mick" Jones is the former lead guitarist, secondary vocalist and co-founder for the British punk rock band The Clash until his dismissal in 1983. He went on to form the band Big Audio Dynamite with Don Letts before line-up changes led to the formation of Big Audio Dynamite II and...
, of the British punk band
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...
The Clash
The Clash
The Clash were an English punk rock band that formed in 1976 as part of the original wave of British punk. Along with punk, their music incorporated elements of reggae, ska, dub, funk, rap, dance, and rockabilly...
.
In spite of their critical success as well as decent commercial success, the band's music was often eclipsed by its internal conflicts, stemming from Doherty's addictions to 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...
and heroin, which eventually led to the breakup of the band. Doherty has since stated that the breakup of the band was due to relationship difficulties between Barât and himself that were not related to his drug addictions. The members of The Libertines went on to form new bands with varying degrees of commercial and critical success.
In August 2010, the four members of The Libertines reunited to play a series of shows, including slots at the 2010 Reading and Leeds Festivals. The reunion shows received a highly positive response from the press and fans.
Early history (1997-2001)
The founding members of The Libertines, Peter Doherty and Carl Barat, met when Barat was studying drama at Brunel UniversityBrunel 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....
in Uxbridge
Uxbridge
Uxbridge is a large town located in north west London, England and is the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Hillingdon. It forms part of the ceremonial county of Greater London. It is located west-northwest of Charing Cross and is one of the major metropolitan centres...
and sharing a flat in Richmond with Amy-Jo Doherty, Peter's elder sister. This lasted until they realized their collective creative capabilities and forged a bond over their shared passion for songwriting.
Barât abandoned his drama course two years in; Doherty left his English literature course at Queen Mary, University of London
Queen Mary, University of London
Queen Mary, University of London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
, after only a year, and they moved into a flat together on Camden Road in North London, which they named "The Delaney Mansions."
They formed a band with their neighbour Steve Bedlow, commonly referred to as "Scarborough Steve," and named themselves The Strand, later discarded for The Libertines after the Marquis de Sade
Marquis de Sade
Donatien Alphonse François, Marquis de Sade was a French aristocrat, revolutionary politician, philosopher, and writer famous for his libertine sexuality and lifestyle...
's Lusts of the Libertines ("The Albions" was also considered, but rejected; Albion is an archaic name for Britain). They later met 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 Johnny Borrell
Johnny Borrell
Johnny Borrell is an English guitarist and singer, currently the frontman of the band Razorlight.-Early life and career:...
, who played bass with the Libertines for a short period. Many of their early gigs took place in the flat shared by Doherty and Barât.
They had booked themselves into the Odessa studios to record three songs, assisted by Gwyn Mathias, who had previously worked with the Sex Pistols
Sex Pistols
The Sex Pistols were an English punk rock band that formed in London in 1975. They were responsible for initiating the punk movement in the United Kingdom and inspiring many later punk and alternative rock musicians...
. However, they were disappointed by their scheduled drummer, so at short notice Mathias enlisted the help of Paul Dufour, who agreed to record with the band for £50. At 54, Dufour was considerably older than the others. Despite this age difference, he impressed the band enough to become a member. The Libertines started recording more sessions and playing gigs at venues further afield. Roger Morton, a journalist from 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...
who went to see them play at Filthy Macnasty's Whiskey Cafe in Islington
Islington
Islington is a neighbourhood in Greater London, England and forms the central district of the London Borough of Islington. It is a district of Inner London, spanning from Islington High Street to Highbury Fields, encompassing the area around the busy Upper Street...
where Pete was working as a barman, thought they had potential and offered with a friend to manage The Libertines. Despite a separate offer from an experienced member of the music industry, John Waller, the band accepted Morton's services as manager. However, Morton would eventually give up the job after an unsuccessful six months.
In March 2000, The Libertines met Banny Poostchi, a lawyer for Warner Chappell Music Publishing
Warner Music Group
Warner Music Group is the third largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry, making it one of the big four record companies...
. Recognizing their potential, she took on an active role in managing them. They recorded "Legs XI", a set of their best 8 tracks at the time (and later a popular bootleg recording among fans). However, by December 2000, they had still not been signed and this caused Dufour, Hassall and Pootschi to part ways with The Libertines.
The subsequent success of The Strokes
The Strokes
The Strokes are an American indie rock band formed in 1999 in New York City. Consisting of Julian Casablancas , Nick Valensi , Albert Hammond, Jr. , Nikolai Fraiture and Fabrizio Moretti ....
, a band with a similar style, caused Pootschi to reconsider her position. She formed a plan (dubbed "Plan A") to get the Libertines signed to Rough Trade Records
Rough Trade Records
Rough Trade Records is an independent record label based in London. It was formed in 1978 by Geoff Travis who had opened a record store off Ladbroke Grove...
within 6 months. In this period, Barât and Doherty wrote many of the songs which ended up on their first album. 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...
was recruited to play drums, as Paul Dufour was deemed by Pootschi to be 'too old'. On 1 October 2001, Barât and Doherty played a showcase for James Endeacott from Rough Trade. After Borrell failed to attend this important rehearsal, they telephoned him to discover he was on tour "living the high life." Endeacott's support led to them playing for the heads of Rough Trade, Geoff Travis and Jeanette Lee, on 11 December that year. They were told they would be signed, and the official deal took place on 21 December.
The Libertines were in need of a bassist, so Hassall rejoined the band at their request, but was informed he would have to stay in the background, as the band would be focused on the partnership of Doherty and Barât. After signing with Rough Trade, Doherty and Barât rented a flat together at 112a Teesdale Street in Bethnal Green
Bethnal Green
Bethnal Green is a district of the East End of London, England and part of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, with the far northern parts falling within the London Borough of Hackney. Located northeast of Charing Cross, it was historically an agrarian hamlet in the ancient parish of Stepney,...
which they named "The Albion Rooms" (a venue that became a location for many of their Guerilla gigs).
Success (2002-2003)
Now with a firm line-up, they began to play more gigs alongside The StrokesThe Strokes
The Strokes are an American indie rock band formed in 1999 in New York City. Consisting of Julian Casablancas , Nick Valensi , Albert Hammond, Jr. , Nikolai Fraiture and Fabrizio Moretti ....
and The Vines
The Vines
https://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/Special:LandingCheck?landing_page=L11_1121_WMUK_Jimmy_DDOptimised&utm_medium=sitenotice&utm_campaign=C11_1121_WMUK_DDvOneOff&utm_source=B11_1121_WMUK_Jimmy&language=en&country=GB...
in quick succession. This succeeded in spreading their name around the music press, with the NME taking a particular interest in them (an interest which continued throughout their career).
Their first single was a double A-side of "What a Waster
What a Waster
"What a Waster" is the first single from The Libertines. The song was used in the film The Football Factory. The song received little airplay because it has a lot of profanity. "What a Waster" was initially left off debut album Up the Bracket but was later included as the 13th track on a subsequent...
" and "I Get Along", produced by former Suede
Suede (band)
Suede are an English alternative rock band from London, formed in 1989. The group's most prominent early line-up featured singer Brett Anderson, guitarist Bernard Butler, bass player Mat Osman and drummer Simon Gilbert. By 1992, Suede were hailed as "The Best New Band in Britain", and attracted...
guitarist Bernard Butler
Bernard Butler
Bernard Joseph Butler is an English musician and record producer. He first emerged in the early Britpop era with Suede. He has been hailed by some critics as the greatest guitarist of his generation, as well as one of Britain's most original and influential guitarists...
. It was released on 3 June 2002 to a lukewarm media reception and received very little airplay due to its liberal use of profanities. A censored version appeared as BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
DJs Mark and Lard
Mark and Lard
Mark and Lard, the stage name of Mark Radcliffe and Marc Riley , are former BBC Radio 1 disc jockeys. Mark and Lard joined Radio 1 in October 1993 and left in March 2004...
's single of the week. On the week the single came out, The Libertines featured on the cover of the NME for the first time. The single reached #37 in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
.
Their first album was recorded and produced by Mick Jones
Mick Jones (The Clash)
Michael Geoffrey "Mick" Jones is the former lead guitarist, secondary vocalist and co-founder for the British punk rock band The Clash until his dismissal in 1983. He went on to form the band Big Audio Dynamite with Don Letts before line-up changes led to the formation of Big Audio Dynamite II and...
, formerly of The Clash
The Clash
The Clash were an English punk rock band that formed in 1976 as part of the original wave of British punk. Along with punk, their music incorporated elements of reggae, ska, dub, funk, rap, dance, and rockabilly...
. Entitled 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",...
, it was recorded at the RAK studios in St John's Wood
St John's Wood
St John's Wood is a district of north-west London, England, in the City of Westminster, and at the north-west end of Regent's Park. It is approximately 2.5 miles north-west of Charing Cross. Once part of the Great Middlesex Forest, it was later owned by the Knights of St John of Jerusalem...
, with mixing taking place at Whitfield studios. During this time, the band were playing as many gigs as possible (over 100 in 2002 alone) including support acts for the Sex Pistols
Sex Pistols
The Sex Pistols were an English punk rock band that formed in London in 1975. They were responsible for initiating the punk movement in the United Kingdom and inspiring many later punk and alternative rock musicians...
and Morrissey
Morrissey
Steven Patrick Morrissey , known as Morrissey, is an English singer and lyricist. He rose to prominence in the 1980s as the lyricist and vocalist of the alternative rock band The Smiths. The band was highly successful in the United Kingdom but broke up in 1987, and Morrissey began a solo career,...
.
Their second single and title track from the album, "Up the Bracket
Up the Bracket (song)
"Up the Bracket" is the second single from The Libertines and their first from debut album Up the Bracket.In May 2007, NME magazine placed "Up the Bracket" at number 47 in its list of the 50 Greatest Indie Anthems Ever.-Chart performance:...
", was released on 30 September and charted at #29. This was soon followed by the release on the 21 October of the album, which charted at #35. They won Best New Band at the 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....
for that year and Barât moved out of The Albion Rooms.
Problems (2003)
During the recording of Up the Bracket and in the subsequent touring, Doherty's drug use had increased greatly (he was using both crack cocaine and heroin by this time) and his relationship with the rest of the band deteriorated. The band had become fractious, and some of this tension was visible in their performances. Doherty expressed himself in the "Books of AlbionBooks of Albion
The Books of Albion, or Journals: The Collected Writings of Peter Doherty, is an anthology of the poetry and diary entries of English musician and poet Pete Doherty, currently of The Libertines. He is also currently a member of the group Babyshambles but is now working as a member of The...
", his personal collection of notes, thoughts and poems, and also more and more frequently on the libertines.org fan forums using the user name "heavyhorse". His posts and writings at this time were unpredictable: at times, he seemed distressed and angry; at others, he came across as calm and happy.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
to promote themselves and work on new material. While in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
around May 2003, they recorded the Babyshambles Sessions, where they recorded versions of current and future Libertines and 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...
releases such as "Last Post on the Bugle", "Albion
Albion (song)
"Albion" is a song by English band Babyshambles. It was released as the third single from Down in Albion on November 28, 2005 in the UK. The single was released in Japan on March 8, 2006 by Reservoir Records/EMI....
", "In Love With a Feeling" and "Side of the Road". As a mark of their commitment to the band, Doherty and Barât both got tattoos of the word "Libertine" on their arms, written in Carl's handwriting. The prelude to this moment can be heard on "The Good Old Days" from the Babyshambles Sessions, in which, after the lyric, "A list of things we said we'd do tomorrow," Doherty yells 'Get a tattoo
Tattoo
A tattoo is made by inserting indelible ink into the dermis layer of the skin to change the pigment. Tattoos on humans are a type of body modification, and tattoos on other animals are most commonly used for identification purposes...
!' However, Barât became increasingly exasperated with the people with whom Doherty was associating and the drugs they brought. Barât quit the sessions in disgust and Doherty finished recording alone. The sessions were given to a fan called Helen Hsu who, as Doherty allegedly instructed, put them for free on the Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
.
Back in the UK, tensions continued to grow as Doherty organised and played guerrilla gigs which Barât did not attend. Their new single "Don't Look Back into the Sun
Don't Look Back into the Sun
"Don't Look Back into the Sun" is the fourth single released by The Libertines. NME Magazine awarded it single of the week upon its release. It was released as a single only, therefore not appearing on any albums....
" saw the return of Bernard Butler
Bernard Butler
Bernard Joseph Butler is an English musician and record producer. He first emerged in the early Britpop era with Suede. He has been hailed by some critics as the greatest guitarist of his generation, as well as one of Britain's most original and influential guitarists...
as producer. The lyrical quality of the song was praised, and the single held as a prime example of Doherty and Barât's songwriting talents. However, Doherty did not work well with Butler and was rarely present during the recording process. As a result, the song had to be pieced together from the vocals he provided, with Butler himself recording Doherty's guitar parts.
As Barât's birthday approached, Doherty organised a special celebration gig in an attempt to smooth the tensions between them. Barât, however, was already attending a party organized by some of his friends, and the hosts convinced him not to leave. Doherty was left to play the gig himself. Feeling betrayed, Doherty neglected to take the train to Germany the next day for The Libertines' European tour. The Libertines were forced to play without Doherty: a guitar technician learned his guitar parts and several songs were dropped altogether. Soon, however, positions changed and it was Barât who refused to let Doherty into the band unless he cleaned himself up. Doherty continued to play with separate musical project 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...
whilst The Libertines completed tour commitments in Japan without him. Distraught and angry, Doherty burgled Barât's flat and was subsequently arrested. On 11 August, he pleaded guilty at the preliminary hearing to the charge of burglary.
Amidst the internal turmoil, "Don't Look Back into the Sun
Don't Look Back into the Sun
"Don't Look Back into the Sun" is the fourth single released by The Libertines. NME Magazine awarded it single of the week upon its release. It was released as a single only, therefore not appearing on any albums....
" was released on 18 August and charted at #11, the highest position they had managed at that point. The Libertines played the Carling Weekend
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...
with replacement guitarist 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 later joined 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...
). On 7 September, Judge Roger Davies sentenced Doherty to 6 months in prison. He served his sentence in Wandsworth prison
Wandsworth (HM Prison)
HM Prison Wandsworth is a Category B men's prison at Wandsworth in the London Borough of Wandsworth, south west London, England. It is operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service and is the largest prison in London and one of the largest in western Europe, with similar capacity to Liverpool...
. This sentence was later reduced on appeal by Judge Derek Inman to two months.
Second album and the end of The Libertines (2003-2004)
Barât was waiting for Doherty at the prison gates when he was released in October 2003. After an emotional reunion they played a gig the same day at the Tap'n'Tin pub, in Chatham, Kent - with both Hassall and Powell, who had not been expected to come. The show became NMEs Gig Of The Year. The Libertines went on to play three consecutive sold-out dates at the London ForumLondon Forum
The London Forum, or sometimes Kentish Town Forum is a well-known venue for concerts in Kentish Town, London, United Kingdom owned by the MAMA Group. The venue was built in 1934 and was originally used as an art deco cinema. After the closure of the cinema, The Town & Country Club was established...
in mid-December 2003, ending in stage invasions by the fans. These gigs would be named amongst the top 100 gigs of all time by Q Magazine
Q (magazine)
Q is a popular music magazine published monthly in the United Kingdom.Founders Mark Ellen and David Hepworth were dismayed by the music press of the time, which they felt was ignoring a generation of older music buyers who were buying CDs — then still a new technology...
. The Libertines also went on a widely-acclaimed UK tour in March 2004 that included three more consecutive sold-out dates in London, this time at Brixton Academy.
Banny Pootschi resigned and was replaced as manager by 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...
, previously the founder and MD of Creation Records
Creation Records
Creation Records was a British independent record label headed by Alan McGee. Along with Dick Green and Joe Foster, McGee founded Creation in 1983. The label lasted until its demise in 1999. The name came from the 1960s band The Creation , whom McGee greatly admired. McGee, Green and Foster were...
(most famous for signing 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...
) and later to become manager 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...
. They continued to play gigs and commenced recording their second album with Bernard Butler. However, the relationship between Doherty and Butler was as unsuccessful as before and the attempts were soon abandoned. In early 2004, The Libertines won Best Band at the 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....
, despite the fact that "Don't Look Back Into The Sun" was their only official release during the preceding year.
As an aside from The Libertines, Doherty had recorded the vocals for "For Lovers
For Lovers
"For Lovers" is the debut single by Wolfman featuring Pete Doherty. The single reached No. 7 in the UK singles chart. Rumours that the pair received relatively little money , having already sold the publishing rights for a small amount in a pub are unfounded as in reality the rights were shared...
", a song written by his friend and local poet Peter "Wolfman" Wolfe. "For Lovers" was released on 13 April 2004 and reached #7 in the charts, eclipsing The Libertines' highest charting single to that date. Despite Barât's intolerance of Wolfe and the associated drugs, he recorded guitar for the B-side to the single, "Back From the Dead".
Mick Jones
Mick Jones (The Clash)
Michael Geoffrey "Mick" Jones is the former lead guitarist, secondary vocalist and co-founder for the British punk rock band The Clash until his dismissal in 1983. He went on to form the band Big Audio Dynamite with Don Letts before line-up changes led to the formation of Big Audio Dynamite II and...
returned as producer for the second attempt to record the second album. Doherty had returned to his drug habit and so relationships were strained. Security hired for the protection of Doherty and Barât had to be used to keep them from fighting. The album was finished and Doherty left the mixing and dubbing to the others; he would never return to the studio with The Libertines. On 14 May 2004, he was admitted to The Priory, a high-profile retreat, in an attempt to overcome his addictions. He left early, then returned, only to leave again a week later on 7 June.
During this time, Barât had been setting up a weekly club night called Dirty Pretty Things (a later dispute forced it to be renamed Bright Young Things) at the Infinity Club in the West End
West End of London
The West End of London is an area of central London, containing many of the city's major tourist attractions, shops, businesses, government buildings, and entertainment . Use of the term began in the early 19th century to describe fashionable areas to the west of Charing Cross...
. The day Doherty left the Priory for the second time, he went to the club and spoke with Barât, with Hassall and Powell present as well. Doherty told him that he was going to Wat Tham Krabok
Wat Tham Krabok
Wat Tham Krabok is a Buddhist temple in Thailand, located in the Phra Phutthabat district of Saraburi Province.The temple was first established as a monastery in 1958 by the Buddhist nun Mae Chee Boonruen. It was upgraded to temple status 17 years later, in 1975...
in Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
to get clean. The Libertines performed a short set that night: it was the last time they would all play together for more than six years, and the last time Doherty would speak to Barât for more than 9 months.
The Libertines did not let Doherty play with them but promised that "when he cleans up his addictions he will be immediately welcomed back into the band." However, Doherty had managed to achieve growing success and fame with his new venture, Babyshambles, which further reduced the likelihood of reconciliation.
Meanwhile, The Libertines were still releasing fresh material. The new single "Can't Stand Me Now
Can't Stand Me Now
"Can't Stand Me Now" is the first single from The Libertines' eponymous second album. The song was their biggest hit and peaked at #2 on the UK singles chart....
", which detailed the breakdown of the ailing frontmen's once seemingly cast iron friendship while illustrating the love-hate relationship
Love-hate relationship
A love–hate relationship is an interpersonal relationship involving simultaneous or alternating emotions of love and hate. This relationship does not have to be of a romantic nature, and may be instead of a sibling one...
between Doherty and Barât, was released on 9 August and charted at #2. The song included Doherty asking the question: 'Have we enough to keep it together?' Their eponymous 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...
was released in late August and topped the albums chart. Their final single "What Became of the Likely Lads
What Became of the Likely Lads
"What Became of the Likely Lads" is a song by The Libertines, which was released as the final single from their self-titled, second album, The Libertines....
" reached #9.
The Libertines played what would be their final show for over five years in 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...
on 17 December 2004, still without Doherty. Barât chose to then dissolve The Libertines as he was no longer willing to tour and record under the name without Doherty.
Reunions (2005-present)
Doherty and Barât remained out of contact for several months after The Libertines had ended. However, on 18 April 2005, at around 11:30pm, Pete Doherty and Carl Barât reunited at the Boogaloo Bar in HighgateHighgate
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. This was said to be a friendly meeting and was the first time the pair had met since 8 June 2004, just before Doherty went to Thailand. The reunion took place when Barât arrived at the bar at 10pm and was told there was a strong possibility that his former bandmate would also be visiting the pub that evening. Upon learning a reunion was possible, Barât told journalist Anthony Thornton that "it might as well happen now, because it’s going to happen sometime". The pair were said to have seemed nervous at first, but greeted each other with a hug, before talking together. Barât has also said that The Libertines is only "on ice" and that he is in "intermittent contact" with Doherty.
The next sighted meeting of the pair was on 18 July 2006, at the Dublin Castle pub in Camden, London.
They also talked to the Los Angeles band The Tender Box who were playing the venue that night. They said in the NME "Who knows if they will reform? It seemed like there was a lot of chemistry between them." Barât said in a later interview that it was "all a bit public for my liking. I was blind drunk that night."
The pair were temporarily re-united at the 2007 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....
. After being guided over to Doherty's table by his entourage, Barât and Doherty talked for a while at the table, before going off to the bar. According to the NME, they seemed to be really getting on well, even though they had not met since the Dublin Castle meeting of 2006.
On 12 April 2007 at the Hackney Empire
Hackney Empire
The Hackney Empire is a theatre on Mare Street, in the London Borough of Hackney, built in 1901 as a music hall.-History:Hackney Empire is a grade II* listed building...
, 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...
, Barât joined Doherty on stage to play through some old Libertines songs together, their first live performance since the pair originally split. The reunited duo played: "What a Waster", "Death on the Stairs", "The Good Old Days", "What Katie Did", "Dilly Boys", "Seven Deadly Sins", "France", "Tell the King", "Don't Look Back Into the Sun", "Dream a Little Dream of Me", "Time for Heroes", "Albion", and "The Delaney".
However, both Doherty and Barât have remarked that this was a one-off. Quelling the rumours of more shows together, Barât said: "We're both doing different things and I'm really into Dirty Pretty Things... I'm focused on Dirty Pretty Things' new album." Meanwhile Doherty revealed that in addition to a solo acoustic album, he and Babyshambles were going into the studio to work on their new album with Stephen Street
Stephen Street
Stephen Street is an English music producer best known for his work with The Smiths in the 1980s, as well as Blur and The Cranberries in the 1990s. Street also collaborated with Morrissey on some of his most popular work after The Smiths broke up, playing instruments and co-writing songs...
.
BBC Radio 2 rerecorded the entire 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...
for the 40th Anniversary of the album in June 2007, and Doherty and Barât covered the track "A Day in the Life
A Day in the Life
"A Day in the Life" is a song by The Beatles, the final track on the group's 1967 album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. Credited to Lennon–McCartney, the song comprises distinct segments written independently by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, with orchestral additions...
" for the project. It was the first time they recorded a song together since April 2004.
On 29 June, Doherty was a guest on 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...
, where, when prompted, he hinted at a possible reunion of the band. Doherty joked that Barât was down on money and could do with the revenue of a reunion tour. Later that year, it was announced that a new 'best of album', entitled Time for Heroes - The Best of The Libertines
Time for Heroes - The Best of The Libertines
Time for Heroes – The Best of The Libertines is the greatest hits collection by English rock band The Libertines, released in October 2007 on Rough Trade Records...
would be released on 29 October 2007. Its tracklisting contains no unreleased songs.
Pete Doherty and Carl Barât were reported to be collaborating on a "rock'n'roll" musical
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
for the Donmar Warehouse
Donmar Warehouse
Donmar Warehouse is a small not-for-profit theatre in the Covent Garden area of London, with a capacity of 251.-About:Under the artistic leadership of Michael Grandage, the theatre has presented some of London’s most memorable award-winning theatrical experiences, as well as garnered critical...
in London. However, Barât rubbished rumours that the pair were recording new material, saying that he had not seen Doherty 'for donkey's' and the musical 'is off'.
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.
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, Doherty was playing a private gig at the Prince of Wales pub in Camden
Camden Town
-Economy:In recent years, entertainment-related businesses and a Holiday Inn have moved into the area. A number of retail and food chain outlets have replaced independent shops driven out by high rents and redevelopment. Restaurants have thrived, with the variety of culinary traditions found in...
as part of London Fashion Week
London Fashion Week
London Fashion Week is an apparel trade show held in London, England twice each year, in February and September. It is one of the "Big Four" fashion weeks, along with New York Fashion Week, Milan Fashion Week and Paris Fashion Week.-Organization:...
. Towards the end of the 45 minute set Barât was led onstage by security to join his former bandmate. The reunion appeared to be unplanned; Doherty greeted Barât with the exclamation, "Stone me, Carl!" With trademark chemistry, the pair played a variety of Libertines songs including "Time for Heroes", "Don't Look Back into the Sun", "Horrorshow", "France", and "Death on the Stairs", as well as a cover of 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...
' "Don't Look Back in Anger
Don't Look Back in Anger
"Don't Look Back in Anger" is a song by English rock band Oasis, released in 1996 as the fourth single from their hit second album Morning Glory?. The song was written by the band's guitarist and main songwriter, Noel Gallagher. The song became the band's second single to reach #1 in the UK...
". This was the first time Barât and Doherty had played together publicly since April 2007. Though they appeared close in an interview following the show, their intentions regarding future collaborations remain cryptic. Barât also stated he had a new tattoo, with the words 'let's put our futures behind us', which could indicate a possible forgiveness and reunion with Doherty.
On 1 October 2008, it was announced that Barât's band, 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...
would split after a month long UK tour. In a statement, the band said it was time for them "to try new things" but added that these would not involve The Libertines.
In February 2009, Doherty revealed that he and Barât had been offered millions to reform and headline the Reading and Leeds Festivals, but although he had been keen, Barât had turned the offer down. In response to this, Barât stated "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."
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.
On 15 May 2009, Doherty, Barât and drummer Gary Powell reunited at the London Rhythm Factory, at a tribute gig to the late Johnny Sedassy, who used to put on gigs by the band plus those by Doherty's current band Babyshambles and his solo shows. John Hassall was absent, but Babyshambles bassist 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...
filled in. The band played songs including "What A Waster", "Up The Bracket", "Can't Stand Me Now", and "Time For Heroes". It was the first time the band had played live together since their split in 2004.
On 29 March 2010, it was announced that The Libertines were to reform for the 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...
in 2010. They were special guests to headliners Arcade Fire on Friday 27 August at Bramham Park
Bramham Park
Bramham Park is a country house between Leeds and Wetherby, West Yorkshire, England. The Baroque mansion was built in 1698 by Robert Benson, 1st Baron Bingley. It has remained in the ownership of Benson's descendents since its completion in 1710...
, Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
and Saturday 28 August at Little John's Farm, Reading
Reading, Berkshire
Reading is a large town and unitary authority area in England. It is located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, and on both the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway, some west of London....
. Following the announcement, the band held a press conference on 31 March 2010 to discuss their reformation at the Boogaloo pub. The press conference then turned into an impromptu "guerilla gig" with the band playing many of their old tunes. The Reading and Leeds festival appearances were preluded by 2 nights at the HMV Forum. A 300-strong rehearsal gig for friends, family and some members of the musical press on Tuesday 24 August 2010 and a sold-out fans-only show on Wednesday 25 August.
Doherty promised The Libertines' special guest performance at Reading and Leeds Festivals would be to be remembered. Watch BBC recordings of their Reading Festival performance. The performance at the festival received very positive reviews from both fans and the press. After the gigs at the Reading and Leeds festival, it remains unclear as to what The Libertines will do next as both Carl Barat
Carl Barât
Carl Ashley Raphael Barât is an English musician, actor and author. He was the frontman and lead guitarist 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.-Early life:Carl Barât was...
and Pete 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...
are embarking on solo tours. There were hints of more Libertines gigs in the future which both Barat and Doherty confirming they have received offers for gigs at some point in 2011. However, an interview with Carl Barat in May 2011 for NME magazine suggested the band did not have any current plans for future activities together.
Recently, The Libertines have requested that Luke Perry from Wickford in Essex join the band. "We feel that Luke has that gritty edge that it takes to blend with Pete and myself" said Carl. Luke is expected to join the band officially next spring, but an album containing the most recent sessions of the newly formed group is expected in March 2012.
Musical style and legacy
The Libertines musical style is often characterized as a mix between indie rockIndie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
and 1977 style punk rock
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...
. Lead singers and guitarists Doherty and Barât had different influences musically. Doherty was inspired by bands such as (principally) The Jam
The Jam
The Jam were an English punk rock/New Wave/mod revival band active during the late 1970s and early 1980s. They were formed in Woking, Surrey. While they shared the "angry young men" outlook and fast tempos of their punk rock contemporaries, The Jam wore smartly tailored suits rather than ripped...
, Sex Pistols
Sex Pistols
The Sex Pistols were an English punk rock band that formed in London in 1975. They were responsible for initiating the punk movement in the United Kingdom and inspiring many later punk and alternative rock musicians...
, The Smiths
The Smiths
The Smiths were an English alternative rock band, formed in Manchester in 1982. Based on the song writing partnership of Morrissey and Johnny Marr , the band also included Andy Rourke and Mike Joyce...
, Chas & Dave. Doherty has expressed "Still Ill" by The Smiths as a song that means a lot to him, in an interview. Barât admired The Velvet Underground
The Velvet Underground
The Velvet Underground was an American rock band formed in New York City. First active from 1964 to 1973, their best-known members were Lou Reed and John Cale, who both went on to find success as solo artists. Although experiencing little commercial success while together, the band is often cited...
, The Clash
The Clash
The Clash were an English punk rock band that formed in 1976 as part of the original wave of British punk. Along with punk, their music incorporated elements of reggae, ska, dub, funk, rap, dance, and rockabilly...
, The Doors
The Doors
The Doors were an American rock band formed in 1965 in Los Angeles, California, with vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, drummer John Densmore, and guitarist Robby Krieger...
, Django Reinhardt
Django Reinhardt
Django Reinhardt was a pioneering virtuoso jazz guitarist and composer who invented an entirely new style of jazz guitar technique that has since become a living musical tradition within French gypsy culture...
and Nirvana
Nirvana (band)
Nirvana was an American rock band that was formed by singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen, Washington in 1987...
. Doherty liked the written works of William Blake
William Blake
William Blake was an English poet, painter, and printmaker. Largely unrecognised during his lifetime, Blake is now considered a seminal figure in the history of both the poetry and visual arts of the Romantic Age...
, Emily Dickinson
Emily Dickinson
Emily Elizabeth Dickinson was an American poet. Born in Amherst, Massachusetts, to a successful family with strong community ties, she lived a mostly introverted and reclusive life...
and Thomas Chatterton
Thomas Chatterton
Thomas Chatterton was an English poet and forger of pseudo-medieval poetry. He died of arsenic poisoning, either from a suicide attempt or self-medication for a venereal disease.-Childhood:...
, whereas Barât preferred Saki
Saki
Hector Hugh Munro , better known by the pen name Saki, and also frequently as H. H. Munro, was a British writer whose witty, mischievous and sometimes macabre stories satirised Edwardian society and culture. He is considered a master of the short story and often compared to O. Henry and Dorothy...
and the Edwardian
Edwardian period
The Edwardian era or Edwardian period in the United Kingdom is the period covering the reign of King Edward VII, 1901 to 1910.The death of Queen Victoria in January 1901 and the succession of her son Edward marked the end of the Victorian era...
idea of wit.
On their collective sound, Doherty commented that "if 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...
is the sound of a council estate singing its heart out, then the Libertines sounded like someone just put in the rubbish chute at the back of the estate, trying to work out what day it is".
Doherty and Barât followed one common dream whilst in The Libertines: "It's either to the top of the world, or the bottom of a canal", Barât once said this phrase to Doherty in the early days of their friendship.
The Libertines' lyrics occasionally reference their idea of sailing on "the good ship Albion
Albion
Albion is the oldest known name of the island of Great Britain. Today, it is still sometimes used poetically to refer to the island or England in particular. It is also the basis of the Scottish Gaelic name for Scotland, Alba...
to Arcadia
Arcadia (utopia)
Arcadia refers to a vision of pastoralism and harmony with nature. The term is derived from the Greek province of the same name which dates to antiquity; the province's mountainous topography and sparse population of pastoralists later caused the word Arcadia to develop into a poetic byword for an...
". This idea was especially important to Doherty who has continued the theme when writing for Babyshambles. He thinks of Arcadia as a utopia without any rules or authority.
Their recordings were fairly lo-fi
Lo-fi music
Lo-fi is lower quality of sound recordings than the usual standard for music. The qualities of lo-fi are usually achieved by either degrading the quality of the recorded audio, or using certain equipment. Recent uses of the phrase have led to it becoming a genre, although it still remains as an...
. Mick Jones' recording method was hands-off: he allowed the band to perform one song several times through and would then choose the best take. He performed minimal audio mixing
Audio mixing (recorded music)
In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may...
and dubbing
Dubbing (music)
In sound recording, dubbing is the transfer or copying of previously recorded audio material from one medium to another of the same or a different type. It may be done with a machine designed for this purpose, or by connecting two different machines: one to play back and one to record the signal...
. Bernard Butler was less strict with this, however the final sound still came across as raw and unpolished.
The band has been compared to many classic British rock bands, as their angle on rock is uniquely English. The resemblance to 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...
, both in their mop-top appearance and their wild yet melodic music, is striking. Their sound is often likened to that of The Jam and The Kinks
The Kinks
The Kinks were an English rock band formed in Muswell Hill, North London, by brothers Ray and Dave Davies in 1964. Categorised in the United States as a British Invasion band, The Kinks are recognised as one of the most important and influential rock acts of the era. Their music was influenced by a...
' early records as well as The Clash's
The Clash
The Clash were an English punk rock band that formed in 1976 as part of the original wave of British punk. Along with punk, their music incorporated elements of reggae, ska, dub, funk, rap, dance, and rockabilly...
first album and early singles. They are perhaps most similar to pioneer rockers, Buzzcocks
Buzzcocks
Buzzcocks are an English punk rock band formed in Bolton in 1976, led by singer–songwriter–guitarist Pete Shelley.They are regarded as an important influence on the Manchester music scene, the independent record label movement, punk rock, power pop, pop punk and indie rock. They achieved commercial...
. Morrissey
Morrissey
Steven Patrick Morrissey , known as Morrissey, is an English singer and lyricist. He rose to prominence in the 1980s as the lyricist and vocalist of the alternative rock band The Smiths. The band was highly successful in the United Kingdom but broke up in 1987, and Morrissey began a solo career,...
is another strong influence cited by the band members. Many of their lyrics refer to elements of British life, use English/cockney
Cockney
The term Cockney has both geographical and linguistic associations. Geographically and culturally, it often refers to working class Londoners, particularly those in the East End...
slang and are sung in a near-drunken sounding slur. In their attitude they are sometimes compared to the Sex Pistols
Sex Pistols
The Sex Pistols were an English punk rock band that formed in London in 1975. They were responsible for initiating the punk movement in the United Kingdom and inspiring many later punk and alternative rock musicians...
due to their chaotic and energetic live performances.
The Libertines were praised for forming a very close relationship with fans. The band befriended several of their fans, and their Guerrilla gig
Guerrilla gig
Guerrilla gigging is a type of concert performed in a non-traditional setting or arranged in an unusual fashion. It became associated with punk rock, indie rock and noise rock bands in UK and the United States during the early to mid 2000s. Bands who perform at such events are sometimes referred to...
s allowed devoted supporters to see them in close proximity. The film Fuck the Police shot in 2003 by Anne McCloy captured one such gig at The Albion Rooms when the police raided and closed down an impromptu gig after complaints by irate neighbours. Doherty published the "Books of Albion" online, sharing his personal thoughts and feelings freely. He also frequently posted on the fan forums. This allowed fans a deep insight into his life and helped cement the relationship between the band and the public. They were also very free with their recordings, releasing songs free onto the internet and via word-of-mouth giveaways. This allowed their fan base to hear unfinished songs or ideas, some of which would grow into finished versions on the albums, some of which would be discarded.
The Libertines have had two biographies written about them, both written after the band split. The first was Kids in the Riot: High and Low with The Libertines written by Peter Welsh, a friend. The second was 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...
: The Story of Peter Doherty and Carl Barât and How They Changed British Music written by Anthony Thornton and Roger Sargent, an NME journalist and photographer respectively who had followed the band from an early stage.
The Libertines have had a lasting effect on the British music scene. The image of Doherty and Barât entwined, Barât looking up protectively as his friend leans into his shoulder, on the front of their second album, has been called by Anthony Thornton "one of the most iconic rock images of the last decade".
Relationship between Barât and Doherty
Speaking of Carl Barât and Pete Doherty, Roger Sargent (a close friend and photographer of the band) described their relationship as like "first love, and all the jealousy and obsessiveness that comes with that" - adding "I think there's, y'know, obsession and jealousy on both of their sides. They bitch about each other to each other or to other people. They have a bond, intellectually and spiritually, like nothing I've ever seen ... but sometimes, you know, you just think, God, why don't you just get a room?!" In the same interview, a Radio One documentary, upon being asked just how close their relationship was, Doherty responded "I love him. Wouldn't go, um - certainly not on Radio 1 - go into too much detail, but... we had lots of wonderful times together, yeah." But in contradiction, Barât, when questioned similarly, steadfastly denied that the relationship had involved anything "physical". Carl Barât has insisted that "people are really into conjecture" and has frequently denied having a sexual relationship with Doherty.However, in a 2008 article, Barât described their relationship as "not too different from falling in love" and later said in a 2011 interview that "there have been moments in our relationship where physicality has ensued."
The volatility and ardency of Barât's relationship with Doherty formed a significant, if not essential, aspect of their music and live performances. Doherty frequently posted passionate declarations addressed to Barât on the Libertines forum; in June 2002 he wrote, "I'm obsessed to the point of needing to know everything. All of you...I quite love you." In another post from 2003, referring to an incident in 1997 in which Barât had wanted to form a suicide pact, Doherty wrote, 'let's keep going i love you i love you so much.' Speaking of his separation from Doherty in 2004, Barât revealed, "There was one point where I very very nearly, just to be close to him, started taking full on heroin."
In a March 2009 interview with NME Radio, when discussing a potential Libertines reunion, Doherty revealed, "He [Carl] was saying, 'Well, look, what if it's all gonna happen again?' and I said, 'One thing: maybe it will, maybe it won't, but one thing that's going to help me not fuck up again is you, and doing all that together.' Because he means a lot..." And referring to their relationship in a January 2010 interview, Barat said, '...it’s a deep love. Deep love does funny things to people'. In a joint 31 March 2010 interview following the band's reformation, upon being asked what he had missed about Doherty, Barat replied, "If I'm honest, I miss having a best friend who, for all his foibles, who got me...you know, when you meet someone who gets you and you get them on the deepest level, I mean that...that's something that I always missed about Pete." In response to the same question about Barat, a visibly choked up Doherty then simply replied that he had "just missed Carl."
Discography
Studio albums- Up the BracketUp the BracketUp 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",...
(2002) - The LibertinesThe 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...
(2004)