Sunday 18 October 2009

Pete Doherty is to collaborate with Towers Of London

Pete Doherty is to collaborate with Towers Of London guitarist Kristian Marr at a London art show on October 23. Doherty has been working on an acoustic set with Marr to perform at the show, which is in aid of Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy charity. The night, which is called Rock Renaissance, also features artists, including New Yorker Phil Stein, and London-based Grant Kennedy

Tuesday 6 October 2009

Pete Doherty Prepares New Album With Graham Coxon

The rumors are confirmed: Pete Doherty prepares your new album alone with the collaboration of Graham Coxon, guitarist and principal figure of Blur. There might not be better news for that we are fans of both.

The Babyshambles baterista has confirmed – accidentally to reveal too much – that both are together doing music. First he affirmed that Doherty was working with someone whose name was rhyming with “Layham Hoxon“ later to admit it to the egg whites.

Really if something was talking each other more that a collaboration many we would be pleased, especially those that we believe that in the best of Blur great Coxon had to say, for much that Damon Albarn should take almost the whole credit.

Sunday 4 October 2009

Pete Doherty Head-Hunted By Tories

Babyshambles star Pete Doherty has been invited to make a keynote speech at Manchester's Conservative Party Conference which begins on Monday.

"We've long wanted to get Mr Peter Doherty aboard", confessed a party activist. "We see him as a fine example for the talented youth of today, particularly since he's made such efforts to get himself off the Aspirin".

"Mr Doherty has been offered a free platform to debate either health issues, street crime or education", he explained. "The entire Shadow Cabinet is agreed that Peter Doherty has the potential to become a Conservative MP because he's in touch with the public and is extremely popular with the vital youth sector of the electorate.

Asked today what subject he'd decided to talk about, Pete Doherty was non-committal. "What's it matter to anyone", he said. "Thing about me joining the Tories is they're OK about creative people like me having more than one job", he explained.

"I've been wanting to duet with Ken Clarke for years and he's already signed for the next Babyshambles tour", he revealed. "Anyone who likes cigars, jazz and beer is a natural friend of mine. Also, William Hague's a bit nippy on the piano so he'll be joining us whenever he's not titting about as Foreign Secretary. Pity he doesn't do coke though".

It's just been announced that Pete Doherty's Conference speech will be on Prison Reform and will be delivered on either Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday.

spoof.com

Friday 2 October 2009

Pete Doherty trial date Set ( once again )

In December, Pete Doherty is headed to his home away from home. No, not prison. His other home away from home: the courtroom.

Pete Doherty: Putting British lawyers' kids through college. The Babyshambles rocker, solo artist and pillar of the British legal system appeared yesterday (Oct. 1) to enter an innocent plea on charges of reckless driving in a Gloucester courtroom, according to The Gloucester Shire. The rocker's set to appear Dec. 21 to stand trial on charges of wild driving.

Tuesday 29 September 2009

Kate Moss Plans Music Career

It's no secret that Kate Moss likes to embark on the odd karaoke session with her showbiz pals, but we've never really taken her too seriously when it comes to a musical career... until now.

According to reports, the model has joined The Performing Rights Society, an official association protecting rights for songwriters, composers and publishers.

A spokesman for the community confirmed Kate had joined, adding: 'Kate has co-written some songs with Pete Doherty and will now be able to collect her share of the royalties.'

Perhaps most interestingly, the 35-year-old's move has led to speculation she is planning to launch her career with boyfriend Jamie Hince.

The Kills guitarist is also a member of the society, and is said to be finally mellowing to the idea of working with Kate, who requested to sing with him and the band's frontwoman Alison Mosshart on tour last year.

While then, the answer was a resounding no, we wonder if her ability to charm even the likes of business Simon Cowell and Philip Green has finally brought him round...


marieclaire.co.uk

Sunday 27 September 2009

Libertines reunion venue Hackney Empire to close

London's Hackney Empire is to close for several months to reassess its financial situation, bosses have announced.

The east London venue, which was the scene of Pete Doherty and Carl Barat's reunion gig in 2007, will close its doors in January for at least six months, while owners try to take stock of its financial situation.

The decision to close the theatre comes after artistic director and chief executive Simon Thomsett left the Hackney Empire by "mutual consent" last month, reports The Stage. Thomsett's replacement, interim chief executive Clarie Middleton, said that she does not want the closure to be permanent.

"The idea is that we stop, take a breath and take stock of the way the organisation operates. We just need a little time to do that," she explained.

Hackney Empire opened in 1901 as a music hall, and saw performances from Charlie Chaplin, WC Fields and Stan Laurel.

Doherty has played the venue several times, though his most famous date there came on April 12, 2007 when he reunited onstage with Carl Barat for the first time since The Libertines' split in 2004.

Madness and Billy Bragg have also performed at the venue.

n.m.e.com

Thursday 24 September 2009

Barat says the time is not right for a Libertines reunion

Singer and guitarist Carl Barat plans to release a debut solo album next year and take his first theatrical steps on stage in January.

That leaves very little time to think about reforming his old band the Libertines.

"It's not too late, it's just not the right time. I am not ruling it out completely but next year I am doing my album and maybe acting in two plays in London in January," Barat told Reuters.


Speculation has been rife that the cult British rock act would reform, reuniting Barat, 31, with fellow frontman Peter Doherty, years after they fell out in a blaze of drugs and bruised egos.

Recently Doherty, 30, who currently fronts Babyshambles, seemed to be on a mission to reform the Libertines, telling the New Musical Express magazine that he wanted to reunite the band to play British festival slots next summer.

Barat spoke to Reuters while relaxing backstage after playing at the Paris Pompidou Centre museum with ex-Moldy Peaches frontman and U.S. anti-folk singer Adam Green Friday.

One of the evening's highlights was the pair's cover of old Libertines favourite "What a Waster." The raucous performance ended with Green tying up some members of the audience with heavy tape and smashing a guitar.

Barat, looking dapper in a white shirt, black tuxedo and matching hat, and accompanied by a fiddle and cello, played a couple of new songs he has been working on.

Of the future album, he said: "It's the first time I'm being on my own and doing without guitars fighting each other. It's a bit more about the voice. A bit more naked."

He has no record deal yet, but there are discussions with labels, he said.

Barat, whose influences range from the Kinks, the Velvet Underground to jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt, said he had been writing solo songs since Dirty Pretty Things, the band he formed in 2005 after the Libertines demise, split up last year.

"I'd like to release the album as soon as possible. I'm working every day. I want the songs to be completely new. I want to do something fresh," he said.

Asked how he felt about being on his own for the first time in years, he said: "It's absolutely terrifying but it has to be done. It's very hard but at the same time it's very rewarding."

"Everyone has to do what they think is right. Even if it's shit, people respect you for being brave enough."

Barat released two albums with Dirty Pretty Things: "Waterloo to Anywhere" and "Romance at Short Notice."

LIBERTINES NO SIDE PROJECT

In recent months speculation grew of a Libertines reformation particularly as Doherty and Barat were often seen at each other gigs or even performed together.

This summer Doherty told the NME that he had already convinced former Libertines bandmates John Hassall, bass, and Gary Powell, drums, to reunite for gigs, and that as soon as Barat agreed, dates would be finalised.

Doherty went on to joke he would even consider hiring a Barat lookalike to stand in if the real one would not sign up.

"Good luck to him !" said Barat.

In March 2009, Doherty released a debut solo album "Peter Doherty: Grace/Wastelands" to critical acclaim.

In interviews Doherty insists he can juggle a solo career, his role as Babyshambles frontman and a Libertines reformation.

But for Barat The Libertines are no side-project.

"If I do the Libertines, it will be just the Libertines. If we do the Libertines, let's give them everything and be the Libertines again. Let's live that life again. It's a life and it's for a reason, for a good purpose," he said.

In July, former Clash guitarist and punk legend Mick Jones, who produced the Libertines' two albums "Up the Bracket" and "The Libertines" was quoted by music website The Quietus as saying he would be keen to see the pair get back in studio.

"I'm sure we'd have a lot more fun...We love Mick of course," Barat said, adding he had not seen Jones for a while.

Monday 21 September 2009

PETE DOHERTY'S ROUNDHOUSE SHOW

Pete Doherty kicked-off his UK tour on Saturday night (19.09.09) with a two-hour show at The Roundhouse in Camden, North London.

Pete Doherty kicked-off his UK tour on Saturday night (19.09.09).

The former Babyshambles and Libertines frontman wowed his army of loyal fans as he performed a two-hour set at The Roundhouse in Camden, North London.

His playlist mainly consisted of tracks from his solo album 'Grace/Wastelands' but also included some huge crowd pleasers including 'For Lovers', 'Delivery' and Libertines numbers 'Don’t Look Back Into The Sun' and 'Time For Heroes'.

Dressed in his trademark hat and jacket Pete – who has previously not turned up for shows – looked to have put his personal problems behind him and looked every inch the star.

Following his well-received set, Pete came back for an encore, which included a cover of The Specials' hit 'Message To You'.

He continued his small tour with a concert in Lemington Spa last night (20.09.09) and he will play Manchester Apollo tonight (21.09.09) and finish in Glasgow Barrowlands on Wednesday (23.09.09).

Wry beautiful and bizzare

Musician and DJ Adam Ficek is best known for his day job as drummer in the notorious British rock act Babyshambles.

As a member of the Peter Doherty-fronted band, Adam has seen the best and worst of life at the casualty-laden core of the music industry.

What many people don't know is that he is an artistic talent in his own right. Adam was born in Bletchley, Milton Keynes and over the years has amassed an impressive repertoire of musical skills.

He plays the guitar, piano, vibraphone, accordion, flute, trumpet, harmonica, tin whistle, recorder, and – of course – drums.

He knew Babyshambles' former manager James Mullord and ex-guitarist Patrick Walden from the time the three spent together in and around London's Old Street area.

Much of what followed (the albums, the gigs, the arrests, the tabloid scandals, the burnouts and triumphs and tragedies) is already modern pop history.

Roses Kings Castles is the moniker under which Adam performs and records his own unique catalogue of quixotic, chiming, and astute acoustic pop songs.

Lost somewhere between Belle & Sebastian's pastoral warmth and the hallucinatory six-string invocations of Syd Barrett, a typical Roses Kings Castles track is buoyed by the finest elements of classic British song writing; by turns wry, beautiful, and bizarre.

Originally conceived as an outlet for Adam's 'need to create my own ideas when Babyshambles were on holiday,' Roses Kings Castles quickly became something more than a means of occupying himself whilst on hiatus.

He says: 'I continually write, whether it's big band arrangements, electro riffs or folk-pop songs. I just needed an avenue to walk down.'

PETE DOHERTY'S FLIGHT OF FANTASY

PETE DOHERTY'S FLIGHT OF FANTASY

Babyshambles rocker Pete Doherty says he once took so many drugs he thought he was an air hostess.

Pete Doherty once took so many drugs he thought he was an air hostess.

The Babyshambles rocker began hallucinating after injecting horse tranquiliser ketamine while he was working on the band's 2007 album 'Shotter's Nation'.

Pete said: "Snorting it is bad enough but injecting it is the equivalent of... well, there is no explanation. One minute you're a perfectly sane human being working on what should be an album you're proud of and committed to - the next you're an air hostess on an airplane bound for Portugal."

Pete, 30, was dating British supermodel Kate Moss at the time, and claims the incident was one of the reasons for their split.

He explained to Britain's Elle magazine: "Imagine, there's millions of you inside a little tube which is going up a dog's ear. And your producer Stephen Street is carrying you from the toilets. And then your girlfriend turns up and starts shouting at Stephen Street, 'What's all this? What are you doing?' Stephen's like, 'Oh f***ing hell, we've got a vocal to do.' And I'm like, 'Do you want another drink?' Because I thought I was an air hostess."