Peter Doherty Has Big Plans

Peter Doherty: Working With The Libertines and Babyshambles Is ‘Ideal’

Peter Doherty has again revealed he is ready to re-form The Libertines after saying he can work with The Libertines, Babyshambles and concentrate on his solo work at the same time.

Speaking to Babelgum ahead of the release of his new single ‘Broken Love Song‘, Doherty said: “Even though people presume that Babyshambles was a substitute band, it existed back in the day alongside The Libertines…It’s not weird having all three going, it’s ideal. It’s what I want, just to make music and then perform it or release it in a way that’s the most natural.”

Rumours of a Libertines revivial have been almost constant since Doherty left the band in 2004, with Doherty making no secret of his desire to rejoin the group over recent months. In an interview in February this year, Doherty revealed the band had been offered ‘millions’ to play the Reading/Leeds Festival, saying: “We had some ridiculous offers to headline Reading, like £2 million to headline this festival, £1 million to headline that festival. I said, ‘Why don’t we just do it? Let’s get the old band back together.’ Later that month, at the NME Awards, Doherty was again asked about a reunion, saying: “I’ve been trying to twist his (Barat’s) arm about that one.”

Despite Carl Barat forming a new band – Dirty Pretty Things, and Doherty’s other projects, the pair have performed together numerous times since 2004. After a few public meetings in 2006 and 2007, they performed together at The Hackney Empire in April 2007 and then recorded a version of ‘A Day In The Life‘ as part of the BBC’s celebrations marking the 40th anniversary of The Beatles‘ classic album ‘Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’. They played together again in 2008, when Barat joined Doherty on stage during a gig at The Prince Of Wales pub. In October 2008, Barat announced Dirty Pretty Things were splitting, but insisted ‘new things’ he wanted to try would not involve The Libertines.

The Libertines became one of the most critically-acclaimed bands to emerge from the so-called ‘New Rock Revolution’ of the early 2000s, garnering a large and passionate following. They released hits such as ‘Time For Heroes’, ‘Can’t Stand Me Now‘ and ‘Don’t Look Back Into The Sun’ and two albums ‘Up The Bracket’ and ‘The Libertines’. Despite being at the height of their popularity after the release of ‘The Libertines’, Doherty’s escalating drug problems were causing increasing problems in the band, and after being given a suspended prison sentence in September 2004, Doherty was told “when he cleans up his addictions he will be immediately welcomed back into the band.” However, Doherty was already pressing ahead with his new venture, Babyshambles, and The Libertines played their last show in December 2004 after continuing for a short while without Doherty.

Here’s Peter peforming solo at Glastonbury 2009: