The Libertines
From Free net encyclopedia
- For the political and social groups see Libertine
The Libertines were a critically acclaimed British rock and roll band noted for their chaotic live outings, unpredictable touring schedule and English take on punk rock. The line-up consisted of Pete Doherty (vocals/rhythm guitar), Carl Barât (vocals/lead guitar), John Hassall (bass) and Gary Powell (drums).
After a slow start, they eventually achieved success, with a #2 single and #1 album in the U.K. charts. However, the band experienced problems, many caused by Doherty's considerable drug use, and split at the end of 2004. The members of The Libertines have gone on to form new bands and achieve success.
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History
Early history
Barât first came into contact with Pete Doherty when he was at Brunel University and sharing a flat in Richmond with Doherty's sister, Amy-Jo. Through her, they became friends and started writing songs together. They agreed to try to make a successful band together (Carl stated "It's either the top of the world or bottom of the canal"). Carl abandoned his drama course two years in; Pete abandoned his English literature course at University College London after only a year. They moved into a flat together on Camden Road.
They formed a band with their neighbour Steve Bedlow, who is more commonly known as Scarborough Steve, and named themselves The Libertines (The Albion was considered, but rejected) after Marquis de Sade's Lust of the Libertines, part of Sade's work The 120 Days of Sodom. They met John Hassall and Johnny Borrell through Bedlow, and Hassall joined the band as a bassist. At this stage, they had no consistent drummer. They began playing gigs, often in the flat Doherty and Barât were living in. They booked themselves into some studios to record, but were let down by the person who was supposed to be drumming, so enlisted the help of Paul Dufour at short-notice(who, at 54, was considerably older than the others). Dufour was so impressed by the band, he joined it, and they started playing gigs at venues further afield. Roger Morton, a journalist at the NME, went to see them play in Islington and thought they had a future so he and a friend, Andy Fraser, offered to manage The Libertines. Despite a separate offer from a an exerienced member of the music industry, John Waller, The Libertines accepted Morton's services as manager. However, Morton would eventually give up the job after an two unsuccessful years.
In March 2000, they met Banny Poostchi who was a lawyer for Warner Chappell Music Publishing. Recognising their potential, she took on an active role in managing them. They recorded "Legs 11", a set of their best 8 tracks (and now a popular recording among fans). However, by December of that year, they still hadn't been noticed by the record industry and this caused Dufour, Hassall and Pootschi to part ways with The Libertines at the end of 2000.
The success of The Strokes made Pootschi reconsider her position, though. She made a plan (dubbed "Plan A") to get them signed to the record label Rough Trade within 6 months. In this period, they wrote many of the songs which end up on their first album. Johnny Borrell and Gary Powell were recruited to play bass and drums respectively. On 1 October 2001, they played a showcase for James Endeacott from Rough Trade. His support led to them playing for the Rough Trade bosses, Geoff Travis and Jeanette Lee, on the 11 December that year and they were told they would be signed (it happened officially on the 21 December). They were in need of a bassist, so Hassall eventually rejoined the band but was told he would have to stay in the background; the band would be focused on Doherty and Barât. Doherty and Barât rented a flat together in Teesdale Street which they named "The Albion Rooms" (a venue that would become a location for many of their guerilla gigs.
Up the Bracket
They began playing more gigs, and supported The Strokes and The Vines in quick succession. This succeeded in getting their name around the music press more, with the NME taking a keen interest in them (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 to a lukewarm media reaction and received very little airplay due to its liberal use of profanities. They featured on their first cover of the NME in the week it came out. It charted at number 37.
Their first album was recorded and produced by Mick Jones formerly of The Clash. Called Up the Bracket, it was recorded at the RAK studios in St John's Wood. It was mixed at Whitfield studios. During this time, the band were playing as many gigs as possible (over 100 in 2002) including support acts for The Sex Pistols and Morrissey.
Their second single, Up The Bracket, was released was released 30 September and charted at 39. This was soon followed by the release on the 21 October of the album, which charted at a disappointing 35. They won Best New Band at the NME awards for that year. Barât moved out of The Albion Rooms.
Problems
Doherty's drug use had increased greatly (he was using both crack cocaine and heroin) and he was growing more distant from the rest of the band. This became more apparent during a tour of Japan. The band had become fractious, they frequently argued. Doherty expressed himself in "The Books of Albion", his personal collection of notes, thoughts and poems, and also more increasingly on the libertines.org fan forums. His posts were unpredictabe: at times he seemed distressed and angry; at others he appeared calm and happy.
They went to the U.S. to promote themselves and work on new material. While in New York they recorded the Babyshambles Sessions. As a mark of their commitment, Doherty and Barât both got tattoos of the word "Libertine" on their arms. However, Barât got increasingly exasperated with the people Doherty was associating with and with the drugs they were taking. Barât quit the sessions in disgust and Doherty finished recording alone. The sessions were given to a fan called Helen Hsu who, as instructed, put them free onto the internet.
Tensions grew back in the U.K. as Doherty organised and played guerilla gigs, which Barât did not attend. Their new single, Don't Look Back Into The Sun saw the return of Bernard Butler as producer. However, Doherty did not work well with Butler and was rarely present, so it was pieced together from the vocals he provided and Butler himself recorded Doherty's guitar parts. Doherty then chose not to go on the tour of Europe, after Barât failed to turn up to another gig organised by him. Doherty felt betrayed and was unwilling to tour. The Libertines had to play without Doherty; a guitar technician learnt his guitar parts and several songs were dropped. Soon, the positions changed and it was Barât who refused to let Doherty into the band unless he cleaned-up. Doherty entered a rehab retreat, but left early. He started organising gigs for his new band Babyshambles.
Things escalated greatly as Doherty robbed Barât's flat. He was subsequently arrested. On 11 August, he pleaded guilty to the charge of burglary at the preliminary hearing. On 18 August, Don't Look Back Into The Sun was released and charted at 11, their highest charting single at that point. The Libertines played the Carling Weekend with replacement guitarist Anthony Rossomando (who would eventually join Dirty Pretty Things. On 7 September, Judge Roger Davies sentenced Doherty to 6 months in prison, a sentence viewed as harsh. He served his sentence in Wandsworth prison. This sentence was reduced by Judge Derek Inman, after an appeal, to two months. This entitled Doherty to be released conditionally after one.
Second album and the end of The Libertines
Barât was waiting for Doherty outside the prison when he was released. After an emotional reunion they played a gig at the Tap'n'Tin pub, surprisingly with Hassall and Powell who hadn't been expected to come. The show became NME's Gig Of The Year. The Libertines were going to try to put their problems behind them.
Their management was taken over by Alan McGee who had managed, among others, Oasis. They began to play gigs again and started recording their second album with Bernard Butler. However, the relationship between Doherty and Butler was not successful and the attempts were soon abandoned. In early 2004, The Libertines won Best Band in the NME awards, despite their only official release during the preceding year having been Don't Look Back Into The Sun.
Mick Jones was brought in for the second attempt to record the second album. However, Doherty had gone back to his old ways and relationships were again fraught. Security hired for Doherty and Barât had to be used to keep them from fighting. Separate from The Libertines, Doherty had recorded the vocals for For Lovers, a song written by his friend called Peter Wolfman. This was released on 13 April and reached number 7 in the charts, eclipsing The Libertines' best single to that date. The album had been finished and Doherty left the mixing and dubbing to the others. He did not return to the studios. On 14 May he was admitted to The Priory, a high-profile retreat, in an attempt to beat his addictions. He left there early, returned again but left again a week later on June 7.
During this time, Barât had been setting up a weekly club called Dirty Pretty 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 (Hassall and Powell were there, too). 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, and the last time Doherty would speak to Barât for more than 9 months.
Doherty's rehab was, once again, unsuccessful. He abandoned the monastery and went to Bangkok to find drugs. The rest of The Libertines, again with Rossomando as replacement guitarist, played gigs to promote the album and fulfil commitments(having already cancelled some gigs once, to do again would have been too expensive). On 17 June, back in England, Doherty was arrested for possession of an offensive weapon. He pleaded not guilty and was sentenced on 1 September to 4 months in prison, but suspended for 12 months. The Libertines did not let Doherty play with them but promised "When he cleans up his addictions he will be immediately welcomed back into the band" [1]. However, Doherty had managed to achieve growing success and fame with his new venture, Babyshambles (despite failing to play at several scheduled gigs), which reduced the likelihood of reconciliation further.
Meanwhile, The Libertines had still been releasing fresh material. The new single Can't Stand Me Now was released on 9 August, and charted at 2. Their eponymous second album was released in late August and topped the album chart. Their final single, the fitting What Became of the Likely Lads reached 9.
The Libertines played their last show in Paris on the 17 December, still without Doherty [2]. Barât chose to dissolve The Libertines as he no longer wanted the band or the name.
Post-Libertines
Pete Doherty
- For main articles, see Pete Doherty and Babyshambles
Doherty continues with his own band Babyshambles. They have released an album, Down in Albion, and several top 10 singles recorded by Mick Jones. Doherty has been the subject of huge controversy: he has been arrested several times, dated the supermodel Kate Moss, performed at Live 8 with Elton John and been the subject of countless tabloid headlines.
Carl Barât and Gary Powell
- For main articles, see Carl Barât and Dirty Pretty Things
Barât has formed his own band called Dirty Pretty Things (named after his club night) which includes Gary Powell, Anthony Rossomando and former Cooper Temple Clause bassist Didz Hammond. The band will release its debut album, Waterloo to Anywhere on May 8, 2006. The single Bang Bang You're Dead will precede it, and will be released on April 24.
John Hassall
- For main articles, see John Hassall and Yeti
Hassall has gone on to front his own band called Yeti. He met bassist Brendan Kersey, lead guitarist Andy Deian Jung, and guitarist Harmony Williams (who used to share a flat with Barât) through mutual friends. The drummer, Graham Blacow, responded to a classified advertisment. Their debut single Never Lose Your Sense of Wonder was released March 2006 and reached number 36 in the charts.
Meetings
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 Highgate, 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 those in his presence 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 on a leather sofa [3].
Music and Trivia
Doherty and Barât had different influences musically. Doherty was inspired by band like The Smiths, Suede and Chas and Dave. Barât admired The Velvet Underground, The Jam, The Doors and Django Reinhardt. Doherty liked the written works of William Blake, Emily Dickinson and Thomas Chatterton, whereas Barât liked Saki and the Edwardian idea of wit. A common idol they could agree on was Oscar Wilde.
Their recordings were quite lo-fi. Mick Jones' recording method was to allow the band to go through one song several times and pick the best take. He performed minimal mixing and dubbing. Bernard Butler was less strict with this, however the final sound was still quite raw and unpolished.
The band has been compared to many classic British rock n' roll bands, as their angle on rock n' roll is uniquely English. Their sound is often likened to the sound of The Jam, The Kinks' early records as well as The Clash's first album and early singles. They are perhaps most similar to pioneer rockers, The Buzzcocks. Morrissey is another key influence cited by the band members. Many of their lyrics refer to elements of British life, use English/cockney slang and are often 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' 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.
The Libertines were praised for forming a very close relationship with fans. Their guerilla gigs allowed true fans to see them in very close proximity. They would allow fans into their own flat to see them play. Doherty published the "Books of Albion" online, showing his personal thoughts and feelings towards events freely. He also frequently posted on the forums. This allowed fans a very personal 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 rewarded fans with the chance to hear unfinished songs or ideas, some of which would grow into finished versions on the albums.
The Libertines have had two biographies written about them, both by people with close relationships with the band after the band had split. The first was "Kids in the Riot: High and Low with The Libertines" written Peter Welsh, a friend. The second was The Libertines Bound Together: The Story of Peter Doherty and Carl Barat and How They Changed British Music written by Anthony Thornton and Roger Sargent, an NME journalist and photographer respectively.
Discography
Albums
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Singles, Promos, & EPs
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Guest appearance:
- "Born in England" (2004) (Twisted X feat. The Wheatleys, The Libertines, Supergrass, Delays, Bernard Butler & James Nesbitt) - #9 UK
See also
External links
- Official Site
- Libertines page on NME.COM
- libertines.org website
- The Libertine Songbook Guitar, bass chords and tabs of Libertines songs.
- Babyshambles Babyshambles.com Forum and some remaining scans of the Books of Albion.
- AlbionArks Huge resource of Libertines and Libertines-related media, including pictures, the Books of Albion, bootlegs, video, sessions, and demos.
References
The Libertines: Bound Together (ISBN 0316732346) Kids in the Riot: High and Low with The Libertines (ISBN 184449716X)
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