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Peter Doherty (The Libertines)

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Think you know Peter Doherty? Think again. Vilified by the worlds press and written off at every turn, Peter Doherty finds himself constantly at the centre of a media maelstrom, a frenzy that bombards his private life with allegations, accusations, invasions and intrusions. They say that its calmest in the eye of the hurricane, and thats where youll find Peter; coolly strumming his guitar while the storm around him carries him ever closer to Arcadia.

That quest for utopia still propels Peter in everything he does. It started with The Libertines - Peter n Carl on the good ship Albion, sailing devotedly through a life with no restrictions, where if youve lost your faith in love and music then the end wont be long. Millions joined the adventure - spellbound, enraptured and completely won over by the idealism of an enterprise so impulsive and exciting that it changed the course of British music at the turn of the new millennium. London was radiant in the splendour of The Libertines reign, and Peter Doherty was the peoples poet.

After Peter and Carl went their different ways, Peter found himself canonized by other artists who saw in him the heart of a bohemian with the face of a cherub. He became the muse for fashion designers inspired by the romantic notions of a new and elegantly wasted England - Hedi Slimane, Diors then head of menswear, shot and documented Peter for a year, calling him a genuine and different talent; Gio-Goi, meanwhile, invited Peter to create his own collection for their spring/summer 07 range. Peter became a fashion icon in his own right, effortlessly mixing vintage chic with high-end couture.

With Babyshambles, Peter Doherty is free to test the limits of his creativity. His band - sometimes capricious, always electrifying - swagger through styles and sounds to create the perfect blend of organised chaos as a backdrop to Petes studied lyrics; the distillation of his thirst for poetry and literature. Two albums in (with a third on the way, a belter according to Peter), Babyshambles have defied their critics to become everything that rock and roll in the 21st Century should be: dangerous, provocative, edgy and unpredictable. With Doherty at the helm, what else could they be?

Born in Northumberland, Peters childhood was dislocated , an Army father meant numerous hometowns and schools , therefore finding and keeping friends proved difficult. His passions gave him comfort - QPR, Hancocks Half Hour, Billy Liar - while his inspirations kept him company - Dickinson, Baudelaire, Orwell, Rimbaud, Verlaine. The Smiths opened his ears to music, and The Strokes sealed his fate. A guitar would always be the only friend hed ever need.

On 12th March 2009, Peter Doherty will turn thirty years old. He capped the last year of his twenties by exhibiting his artwork in Paris, and selling out his solo show at Londons renowned Royal Albert Hall. Four days after this auspicious occasion, another milestone will be reached, one which Peter is clearly more apprehensive about - the release of his first solo album, Grace/Wastelands out on March 16th.

Those who follow or attempt to keep up with the prolific flood of music that overflows from Peters imagination might recognise some of the songs on the album from demos hes previously released or from bootlegs of live shows where hes performed them. The rest, however, were given life over the past year as Pete split his time between his homes in Wiltshire and Paris, and finally recorded for posterity in Olympic Studios in London with producer Stephen Street (The Smiths, Blur)

Putting out an album with only his name on the cover, says Peter, is one of the most frightening things he has ever done, and his self-absorption in the project has brought to the surface some deep-rooted fears. They kept telling me in rehab that I had self-esteem problems, so I went along with it, but it didnt really register, he admits. But now, I can really see that, because I dont really believe people when they tell me that they love the record or they enjoy listening to the songs. Maybe Im just warped, you know?

Peter veers through a dichotomy of apprehension and pride when talking about his solo album. Tellingly, his main source of confidence reveals itself when he discusses the collaborators he worked with while making it. Dot Allison co-wrote and sings on Sheepskin Tearaway, and his Babyshambles bandmates play throughout, but the biggest impact on the album was the inimitable presence of another unique English artist. Graham Coxon ended up playing on most tracks, Peter beams. He was probably in the studio more than I was, to be honest, he notes with a wink.

Brought in at the suggestion of Stephen Street, Coxon lent proceedings an air of authority, and instilled in the music his pedigree and refined studio nous. For his part, Doherty was reeling in awe at his one-time hero. I remember when I was about fifteen and still listened to Pet Shop Boys and Chas And Dave, Peter remembers, and some lad at school who was a bit of a mod lent me a Blur tape and it had on it a song called Bank Holiday. I was like, Whats this? I said to him, I liked that tape but that one song, its a bit fast. And he said, Yeah, its punk. It depends what mood youre in. [Clicks fingers] "And then something sort of clicked in me. Ive always liked Coxon, it seems, and I dont know why. The feeling was mutual. I was absolutely horrified when he said he was actually a fan of some of the things Ive done, Peter grins.

Fittingly, this new chapter begins with an ode to Peters paradise. In Arcadie a life trips along / Pure and simple as the shepherds song, were told in Arcadie, where fragile acoustic guitars are backed only by brushed drums. But in typical Doherty fashion, perfection can be fleeting: See how quickly twisted it becomes, he warns. Last Of The English Roses is the first single to be released. It pays tribute to a girl who, since their days in the playground, cruises on the same wavelength as Pete - She knows her Rodneys from her Stanleys / Her Kappas from her Reeboks.

Elsewhere, theres another glimpse of the past, as a previous Doherty/Barat union is unearthed. A Little Death Around The Eyes is, Peter considers, 80/20 his, though the line Your boyfriends name was Dave / I was bold and brave came courtesy of Carl. Speaking of which, could he be the protagonist in Sweet By And By that Pete sings to? Does this deceptively sprightly 1920s piano frolic reminisce over their once tight friendship? Was it so long ago / When we first hit the road / I remember those earliest shows, he recalls, but is now left estranged; You left me wondering if loves just a lie... all I do is hang my head and cry.

The aforementioned Sheepskin Tearaway has survived various live incarnations, which is testament to the allure of Dot Allisons smouldering voice draping itself around Peters. The tragic love song is transparent in its detail, and sincere in its sentiments; She opened her heart to a tearaway / He was covered in scars and full of heroin. Its a tenderness that continues through the final track and title track Lady, Dont Fall Backwards, as Peter offers softly and adoringly for his girl to fall into his arms. Its an idealistic vision of passion and trust where redemption is found in the sanctuary of love.

So, having laid himself bare, Peter has left himself open for critical analysis, but, for once, he is ready for it. Im really curious to find out what people honestly think of [the songs], particularly critics, because in a way you can kind of bank on certain peoples opinions, you know? You know that if someones into you then theyre into you, whereas critics are gonna look at it less subjectively and pick holes if you like. Thats what Im waiting for really.

Take this album for what it is - a brave exploration of one mans soul, and an excavation of a heart left desolate - and judge it on its merits, rather than the distortions of truth we and Peter are forced to endure. Ive learnt that theres nothing in my day to day life or anything that I do that is in any way aimed at changing how Im perceived or how Im presented, he sighs. Its completely impossible.

Think you know Peter Doherty? Listen carefully: this album is Peter Doherty.

Peter Doherty (The Libertines)

Peter Doherty (The Libertines)

 
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