Was It The Liquor Or Was It My Soul?

Some lovely pictures from the 100% Better Club

Guardian Piece By Max Carlish, Pete's Accuser (thanks Graham)

"The first time I met Pete Doherty was in a gungy, grungy nightclub in Leicester. I'm not a pop man, I'm a documentaries man. I helped produce an Emmy and Bafta-award-winning television series about the Royal Opera House. But I had seen a photo of Pete in a newspaper pretending to smoke crack and had read about his genuine addiction, and he fascinated me."

Poetical Pete

PETE DOHERTY is to appear on BBC RADIO 4's 'BESPOKEN WORD' programme, performing music and poetry. The Babyshambles singer will feature on the March 3 show playing a specially adapted version of 'Killamangiro' and reading war poet Siegfried Sassoon’s 'Suicide In The Trenches'. 'Bespoken Word' producer Graham Frost was impressed by Doherty's poetry posted on his website babyshambles.com, and the star was asked by fellow musician Salina Saliva from the band Saltpeter to go on the show.

She said: "Whilst making the second 'Bespoken Word' series I was asked who I would most like to interview and introduce. For me it had to be Doherty, the tastiest poet in town. We all know him from before, when it was more about his poetic voice, lyrics, his spirit and work before and beyond the tabloid headlines and here I believe we have captured some of that," Saliva added.

Doherty famously recited 'Suicide In The Trenches' alongside former bandmate Carl Barat when The Libertines picked up the Best British Band gong at the NME Awards 2004. 'Bespoken Word' featuring Pete Doherty will air on March 3 at 11pm.

What's The Difference Between New Labour and Tory?

Simple, Tory leader Michael Howard no like Pete:

PETE DOHERTY has been attacked by TORY leader MICHAEL HOWARD.

In the latest example of the Babyshambles singer's increasing notoriety, the Conservative MP has said that it is surprising that the star is dominating the newspapers despite his recent drug problems. "Here you have a man who takes drugs and gets locked up - yet ends up on the front pages," said Howard. Howard is urging pop stars and celebrities to be positive role models to children as he outlined his party's policies on drugs, reports BBC News.

"Today, more than ever, we need responsible role models for our children--professional athletes prepared to say drugs are wrong, pop stars willing to say drugs aren't cool, actors who make clear that drugs ruin lives," he said. "Because we all know that youngsters are more influenced than ever before by the celebrities they see on TV, the musicians they listen to and who are featured in magazines."

The politician added that the media should not glorify drug use. "Some in the media give the impression that drug-taking is cool - is it any wonder that children believe this?" asked Howard. "I think many parents will have been rather surprised by the celebrity coverage given to Peter Doherty over the last month."

Down In Albion, A Bandmate Black And Blue

Onstage Punch-up at the Brixton Show:

Rock singer Pete Doherty has been involved in a fight with his band's guitarist at their biggest gig to date. Babyshambles played for 5,000 fans at London's Brixton Academy on Tuesday. The former Libertines singer traded blows with guitarist Patrick Walden. They were separated and bundled off stage before returning to end the set. The show was earlier held up due to audience overcrowding. On Monday Doherty faced blackmail and robbery charges in court, which he denies. He is out on 50,000 GBP bail and the judge agreed to extend his 2200 GMT curfew deadline by two hours so he could play the Brixton gig.

Frenzied reception

Babyshambles, which he formed after his acrimonious departure from the Libertines, played a warm-up show at The Garage, north London, on Monday. On Tuesday, Doherty and his three bandmates were introduced to the crowd by Mick Jones, the former Clash guitarist who produced the Libertines' second album. Babyshambles took the stage to a frenzied reception at 2200 GMT, launching into their last single, Killamangiro, which reached number eight in December. But the group had to stop during the next song to persuade fans not to push forward and allow security guards to pull people out of the crush. Doherty appealed to fans to calm down, saying: "There's a few people getting hurt down the front, you've got to move back."

The music resumed minutes later but after several more songs, the singer appeared to accidentally disconnect Walden's guitar, leading the pair to trade kicks and punches. Bouncers stepped in and the band left the stage, but returned after five minutes and finished their 50-minute performance with no further trouble. Doherty, 25, had to be home by midnight to observe the curfew, which is one of the conditions of his bail.

On Monday, the judge agreed to allow him to perform on condition that requests for changes to his bail terms were "not too regular an occurrence". The singer was arrested with fellow musician Alan Wass on 2 February after an alleged dispute with documentary-maker Max Carlish at a London hotel. They are next due in court on 18 April.

Thanks to Matt For The Link

You May Wake Up One Day In The Last Chance Saloon

New York Times Article on Pete (registration required):

But in addition to his musical talent, Mr. Doherty demonstrated an effortless knack for getting himself in trouble. In June 2003 he entered the first of many stints in rehab, only to walk away days later. In September 2003 he spent more than a month in Wandsworth Prison for burglarizing Mr. Barat's apartment. Last year he received a four-month suspended sentence for carrying an illegal knife. The Libertine's self-titled second album - recorded with security guards in the studio to keep Mr. Doherty and Mr. Barat from coming to blows - went straight to No. 1 in Britain and won critical acclaim in the United States in September. But by then Mr. Doherty had been kicked out of the band.

Babyshambles, the band he started next, looked ready to repeat his former success. But it didn't quite work out that way. During Babyshambles's British tour late last year, Mr. Doherty's drug use led to canceled shows, backstage overdoses, fights with hecklers and fan riots.

Can Slash Save Pete Doherty?

To the horror, I'm sure, of the schmindie purists who hang out there, west London's Rough Trade record shop has just been discovered by packs of teenyboppers in search of Pete Doherty CDs and T-shirts. Therein, an urgent question: now that NME's Coolest Man of 2004's influence extends to schoolgirls, how long before his original fans abandon him? After all, what self-respecting indie type wants to share their hero - even if he is a certifiably bohemian junkie - with little kids? But if he does manage to survive this loss of cred, and stops his life unravelling further, he has a future ahead of him. Just ask Slash.

Carl On Pete And The Future


BBC Gossip From The NME Awards


Pete's current band, Babyshambles, lost out in the Best Live Act category to The Libertines but when Carl went to pick up the award he made an impassioned speech. Backstage he told us that despite the media circus he was really looking forward to seeing Pete again:

"I was hoping to see him tonight - I've spent three days in a sort of cold turkey state myself, expecting to have this reunion. It would have meant so much to me, it would have meant more than the world. Of course, this would have been the wrong time and the wrong place, but it just seemed inevitable that we would be forced together. I will say that the fact that Pete isn't here, is for such very, very fine reasons, because he's getting better and he's not yet well enough to be here."

"My heart goes out to him, and I defy anyone that thinks or says otherwise."

You'll Never Fumigate The Demons...No Matter How Much You Smoke

Pete's been clean for 8 days...but can he stay that way?
See the report on Spirit of Albion

And here's a good article from John Harris on the effects of crack smoking:
Pipe Down

"These days, barely a week goes past without another crack-meets-music story impacting on the headlines - and most of them, of course, involve that wretched, broken talent Pete Doherty.

Crack is "gorgeous", he told the tabloids this week, before adding that he wanted to kick the drug so as to cement his heartwarming relationship with Kate Moss. It's not just him, though: in that corner of the universe reserved for musical small fry, there is the Others' Dominic Masters, who has claimed to use the drug as a means of 'winding down'"

Not only does the article call Pete a "broken talent"...but it compares him to Suede's Brett Anderson...now that's a low blow!

They Have A Way To Make You Pay

Pete is out:

PETE DOHERTY is free from PENTONVILLE PRISON on bail after six nights behind bars, police have said. The star has been in the London jail all weekend, and was widely expected to be released yesterday (February 7) on GBP 150,000 bail. However, following complications with the payment, the former Libertine had to spend another night in the prison.

Speaking earlier today, Doherty's manager James Mullord explained the delay. He said: "We just had problems coming up with a personal security of someone who had GBP 100,000 in their bank account--trying to fudge it did not work...hopefully he will be cleaner now than when he went in because he's been in there six days now."

NME.COM understands that Doherty will be taken straight from prison to a drugs rehabilitation centre. Last week, the singer was granted bail with curfew restrictions at Highbury Corner Magistrates Court after being charged with robbery and blackmail. Doherty, 25, was arrested following an alleged incident in a London hotel on Wednesday night (February 2) and has been in custody since. Musician Alan Wass, 23, also of north London, appeared in court accused of the same offences. Magistrates imposed a range of bail conditions on Doherty including a curfew between 10pm and 7am, except when he attends a drug rehabilitation centre. He was told he would not be able to leave his home without being accompanied by a security firm.

The star must also surrender his passport and report daily to a local police station. Doherty was arrested after police were called to an Islington hotel in response to claims that a man had been assaulted. A man in his thirties was later taken to University College Hospital, London, with facial injuries, before being discharged. A lawyer representing Doherty and Wass said the pair strenuously deny the charges.

In other news, like our kid King Monkey, Pete had a go with this generous tart:

Read all about it here.

Unfortunately, the full length version of the Newsnight interview has been taken off the BBC's schedule. The Observer has information here.

Another Pete Interview

And Babyshambles.net had this to report:

As expected, Baby shambles will definitely not be playing the NME show at Brixton this Thursday (10th) as Peter will be in rehab. The headline gig at Brixton on 22nd February is still going ahead.

Will He Hear The Jailer Rattling The Key?

We'll See:

PETE DOHERTY has been charged with blackmail and robbery following his arrest earlier this week. Doherty has been held in a north London police station throughout the day after an alleged incident in a hotel in the city. A lawyer acting on behalf of Doherty, and a second man, announced this evening that both will face two charges.

He said: "(Pete) has been charged with two offences, one of blackmail, and one of robbery. They will be appearing at Highbury Corner Magistrates Court tomorrow morning (February 4) and they've been remanded in custody by police."

Prison For Pete?

It Appears So

PETE DOHERTY has been arrested on suspicion of assault and robbery.

Doherty remains in custody this morning in London (February 3) after being arrested after an alleged incident at the Rookery Hotel in Clerkenwell. According to press reports, the arrest followed an alleged altercation with documentary maker Max Carlish. Carlish was taken to hospital, where he was treated for a black eye before being released. Carlish has been identified as the person who made a documentary about Doherty, which included scenes of hard drug use. A spokesperson for Scotland Yard said: "Police were called to a hotel in Peters Lane, London EC1, at 6.20pm yesterday following a report of a man being assaulted. "A 25-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and theft. He was taken to a north London police station and remains in custody." It has been reported that a second, unnamed musician was arrested later in the evening on suspician of robbery.

Carlish has told the BBC he doesn't want to press charges. He said: "I'm feeling bloody battered, but I'm bowed and I feel sorry for Pete. My heart goes out to Pete, he has screwed up big time now. Frankly, I wouldn't be surprised if in three weeks time he's hanging on the end of a rope in a jail cell somewhere. I do not want that to happen, so I'm not going to press charges. "Pete may be thinking 'I can't stand Max now', but I still love Pete and I want the best for him. If that involves me giving him money so he can go into rehabilitation, the money I've earned from the Mirror and the people who are waving cheques in my face, then so be it." According to the London Evening Standard a police doctor examined Doherty after his arrest, who said he had been high on drugs.