Few have divided opinion like Peter Doherty. David Pollock polls . the great and the good on the eternal genius or hopeless loser debate
Monarch in 2002,’ says Anthony ; Thornton, NME writer and author of the group’s autobiography Bound Together. ‘1 was i there to see The Vines, who were supposed to be r
‘I first saw The Libertines at Camden
the next big thing, but The Libertines were
supporting and they blew me away. They were ' so good I took the next Friday off work to go j
and see them in Bristol.’
After Kate Moss, a litany of drug offences and f
a continuing musical career that lacks the input of songwriting soulmate Carl Barat, Thomton’s words aren’t ones you hear used about Peter (nee Pete) Doherty very often these days. But Doherty’s life in the public eye was founded on much more than supermodels and mischief. The Libertines were a band, like The Smiths and Oasis,
as the music.
‘A lot of bands who are now seen as influential I
were ahead of the pack,’ says Glasgow promoter
Paul Cardow, who put on The Libertines’ earliest ‘ Scottish shows. ‘They influenced what people were doing around them and caused a whole 5 wave of similar bands to follow on behind. ,
People were still discovering them when they split up, so when — if — they get back together,
they’ll have more fans than they ever did the first ;
time round.’ The reformation question, of course, largely
depends on Docherty’s ability to control his 2
24 TH. LIST 25 Jun-9 Jul 2009
‘THEY WERE SO GOOD I TOOK THE NEXT DAY OFF TO SEE THEM IN BRISTOL'
whose worldview their fans bought into as much
problems. ‘The Libertines were one of the last true rock‘n’roll bands,’ says Janine Bullman, who worked as a press officer with the group and in the early days of Babyshambles. ‘They weren’t always on time, they weren’t always sober, but they were the real deal — enthusiastic, great fun to be around and committed to this bohemian ideal. Then it got a bit darker as Pete’s drug problems got worse. he became more withdrawn and you’d see less of him. It was sad to see his charm and beauty fade, and particularly to see his relationship with Carl go, but it seems things are getting better for him these days.’ Friend and singer with The View Kyle Falconer thinks that ‘Pete’s a bit hard to speak to sometimes because he’s always got a lot going on, but he’s a great guy when you get to know him. The press talk up his bad points and they follow him about all the time, but I don’t think he cares who knows what about him. He just does his own thing.’ On
, just why this obviously complicated and
sensitive man has become such a national béte noire, though, Thornton has his own theory.
‘Pete’s not so much self-destructive as he is indulgent,’ he says. ‘His big problem isn’t that he’s lived the life he has wanted, more that he’s flaunted it — and there’s nothing like flaunting it and not caring what people think to get up the noses of the tabloid press and public.’
Klng Tht’s Wah Wah Tent, Sun 12 Jul.
“‘11.. ,
[W—
. . . . . CONTINUED FROM P19
‘Farewell to the " .
Fairground’
provides the ,. .;. f“. . requisite ‘ 33 3 .3
afternoon angst . . g and a stumble towards the NME ,. Stage will ensure (S? A Katy Perry 3 ~ furnishes us with
some early
evening sub—Avril
cheese with ‘Waking up in Vegas’. ‘Concrete Jungle’ by The Specials keeps the pot boiling as does the mighty ‘Been Caught Stealing’ by Jane‘s Addiction. while Futures Stage toppers Florence and the Machine get frisky with ‘Kiss with a Fist’. Something of a Slam Tent staple. ‘Man with the Red Face’ by Laurent Garnier sets things up at high, but leave it to the Yanks to bring us to the brink again with ‘Glamorous Indie Rock’n’Roll’ by The Killers.
511W!"
Today starts in earnest fashion with New Jersey’s The Gaslight Anthem‘s ‘The ‘59 Sound’ before W Brown injects some soul into the Sabbath with ‘Crying Blood’. a sentiment Squeeze appreciate and stick their tongue in cheek with ‘Cool for Cats’. A swift sprint back to the
E
93g. 3 King Tut’s Tent for 3 some supreme
sweetness from Regina Spektor with ‘Fidelity’ and stay put for Passion Pit’s ‘Make Light’. The Streets and Doves vie for space mid- Sunday. Catch ‘There Goes the Fear’ by Doves at the NME/Radio 1 Stage before donning your running shoes in time for ‘Fit But You Know It’ at the Slam Tent. And so the festival builds to a peak once more. TV on the Radio reduce grown men to tears with ‘Wolf Like Me’ and Bloc Party throw down ‘Like Eating Glass’. More drama? Sure, try ‘lt’s a Sin’ by Pet Shop Boys and SChocolate by
now Patrol. Sunday reaches its peak with two glorious. diametrically opposed songs: ‘Hunted by a Freak’ by Mogwai and ‘This is a Low’ by Blur. Hear them both and T 2009 will be complete in every way.
T in the Park is at Balado, Kinross-shire, Fri 10-Sun 12 Jul. Some day tickets are still available, see www.tinthepark.corn