Libertines - reforming

shotgun mike

LIBERTINES 'TO RE-FORM FOR FESTIVAL SLOTS'
By Press Association Reporter
Indie band The Libertines - the act with which Peter Doherty first found fame - are set to announce a reunion to play summer festivals, it was reported today.
The act, which Doherty formed with Carl Barat, have continued to exert a fascination on music fans after falling apart in 2004.
They are said to be lined up for slots at the Reading and Leeds Festivals in August, according to The Sun.
The band's debut album, Up The Bracket, was named the best British album of the past decade in a survey of musicians and music industry bigwigs by music magazine NME.
The quartet collapsed in 2004 when Barat fell out with his joint frontman because of Doherty's wayward behaviour as he battled with drug problems.
They went on to play some shows without Doherty, to promote their second and final album, but soon called it a day.
Last year Doherty - who has often been in trouble with police over his drug use - claimed the band had been offered millions of pounds to re-form for festivals.
He said they had been offered the chance to play last year's Reading/Leeds Festivals but the plan was eventually shelved because Barat was not happy with Doherty's "energy levels".
Doherty had even talked about going ahead with a reunion with bassist John Hassall and drummer Gary Powell even if Barat was unwilling to join.
"I wouldn't really want to, but you've got to pay the bills. I'll put an advert in the NME: 'Carlos lookalike required'," he said at the time.
The line-up of the festivals will be official announced later today.
A spokeswoman for the event said the line-up for this year would not be confirmed until this evening.

Pighead

Three years too late. Reckon most of their origininal fan base are past caring at this stage. The reunion will be moderately successful in a sort of "Aaah, thats nice" kinda way, but they've let it a tad late to really get peoples juices flowing I reckon.

tfak85

Pighead wrote: »

Three years too late. Reckon most of their origininal fan base are past caring at this stage. The reunion will be moderately successful in a sort of "Aaah, thats nice" kinda way, but they've let it a tad late to really get peoples juices flowing I reckon.

i will never be past caring about a reunion! my absolute favourite band ever, moved to london for them in 2003 and lived my dream! can't go to reading/leeds this year so hopefully they'll play elsewhere too, i'd go anywhere to see them!!

speedboatchase

Never liked them, crazily overrated, particularly by NME. I think when this "garage-rock" scene started and everyone was writing about The Strokes, Hives, Vines and White Strpies the UK press needed to elevate somebody to represent themselves and allow them go completely hysterical as they did so

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Why festivals?? I'd love to see them in a small, sweaty, indoor venue, like they are supposed to be heard/seen/experienced.

Main stage at a big outdoor festival? ****e.. please please dont do it.

Pighead

tfak85 wrote: »

can't go to reading/leeds this year so hopefully they'll play elsewhere too, i'd go anywhere to see them!!

Apart from Reading or Leeds obviously! Thats like me saying to my girlfriend:

Pighead: "Oooooh baby I love you so much, I'd do absolutely anything to make you happy"
Miss Piggy: Will you make me a cup of tea?
Pighead: fcuk off and make it yourself you lazy cow.

Listen, the lads will make a few quid and fair play to them. They released two good albums and probably didn't make nearly as much as they could have done had they not split up so abrubtly. Don't begrudge them going on a victory lap, just not expecting much in the way of any decent new output.

lordgoat

well it looks like this is true!

http://www.readingfestival.co.uk/#lineup

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Reading weekend tickets already sold out, I'm torn as to whether to get a Leeds ticket or not. They really are testing me here.

speedboatchase wrote: »

The Strokes, Hives, Vines and White Strpies

The Strokes maybe on a good day, but The Hives The Vines and The White Stripes all combined dont anywhere come close to touching Up The Bracket.

mada999

like up the bracket.... but i think the strokes first album has to be one of the best debut albums of all time imo....

Battleflag

Wonder if they will make an irish festival appearance? Picnic please

Jordan Berbatov

I will see the libertines this summer!

Valmont

I'm not going to Electric Picnic just to see Roxy Music but if the Libertines join them then maybe it will be worth 240 euro to camp around the usual flower sniffers EP attracts.

kev9100

I'm really not sure about this. The Libertines were a really important band to a lot of people (myself included) and a crap reunion could destroy that.

MickShamrock

speedboatchase wrote: »

Never liked them, crazily overrated, particularly by NME. I think when this "garage-rock" scene started and everyone was writing about The Strokes, Hives, Vines and White Strpies the UK press needed to elevate somebody to represent themselves and allow them go completely hysterical as they did so

My thoughts exactly.

loyatemu

Up The Bracket is as good if not better than the Strokes debut and far better than anything the likes of the Vines and the Hives put out. Its a genuine classic. The 2nd Libs album is not as good, and I'm not too pushed about the reunion, but I still love that debut.

orourkeda

Lame

Pighead

They played an impromptu gig last night in some pub in London.

http://www.nme.com/news/the-libertines/50477

AnonoBoy

New Libertines track available for download from Phantom FM:

Surprise guest vocalist on it too!

http://www.phantom.ie/djs-show/pure-morningrichie-mccormack.html

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AnonoBoy wrote: »

New Libertines track available for download from Phantom FM:

Surprise guest vocalist on it too!

http://www.phantom.ie/djs-show/pure-morningrichie-mccormack.html

Haha.. GOD, for a second there...

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Valmont wrote: »

I'm not going to Electric Picnic just to see Roxy Music but if the Libertines join them then maybe it will be worth 240 euro to camp around the usual flower sniffers EP attracts.

Pretty much no chance EP would fork out the kind of money Reading and Leeds are apparently paying for them, so I wouldnt bet on that one.

deisedude

They are not a bad band but they must be one of the most overrated bands of all time. NME made them out to be a once in generation band like the Smiths but such plaudits aren't justified in my opinion.

Its all going to end in tears anyway when Doherty goes off the rails again

loveissucide

deisedude wrote: »

They are not a bad band but they must be one of the most overrated bands of all time. NME made them out to be a once in generation band like the Smiths but such plaudits aren't justified in my opinion.

Its all going to end in tears anyway when Doherty goes off the rails again

They could be to the 00's what the Pogues were to the 80's. An important and influential band in their original incarnation that imploded spectacularly,who now get together for the big dates, be they festivals or Christmas, drunkenly stumble through a few songs and stagger off in a heap with their dignity nowhere to be seen and another generation of kids wondering what the fuss was about.

anonymous_joe

I always felt the Libertines were just the Strokes repackaged with an English twist.

Similar sound, style, and so on so forth.

They weren't a bad band, but unbelievably overhyped.

whatawaster

LOL at anyone who thinks the Strokes sound anything like the Libertines.

Both great, but nothing alike

loveissucide

whatawaster wrote: »

LOL at anyone who thinks the Strokes sound anything like the Libertines.

Both great, but nothing alike

It probably dosn't help that they were signed in the immediate aftermath of Is This It?-hype by Rought Trade due to the fact that they wanted an English response to the exploding garage rock revival, and that they were similiarly managed by moguls around them. The Libertines themselves did nothing to dispell the comparisons.

LETS BE AVN IT

The libertines were a good band , they were defo over hyped but every single band that releases a single these days seem's to be on the front of NME . What would you say the chances are they will come back to Ireland?

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loveissucide wrote: »

They could be to the 00's what the Pogues were to the 80's. An important and influential band in their original incarnation that imploded spectacularly,who now get together for the big dates, be they festivals or Christmas, drunkenly stumble through a few songs and stagger off in a heap with their dignity nowhere to be seen and another generation of kids wondering what the fuss was about.

One of the most ridiculous and ill informed posts I've ever seen. Not because of the Libertines reference, but because of The Pogues one. The Pogues (note: 8 members, not 1) are absolutely at the top of their game as musicians, and if you'd seen them live anytime in the last 3 years you would know that (but of course you havent).

:rolleyes:

deisedude

nm wrote: »

One of the most ridiculous and ill informed posts I've ever seen. Not because of the Libertines reference, but because of The Pogues one. The Pogues (note: 8 members, not 1) are absolutely at the top of their game as musicians, and if you'd seen them live anytime in the last 3 years you would know that (but of course you havent).

:rolleyes:

Music is subjective and a lot of what whatawaster said is true for many people. The Libertines are more than 1 member too. Personally i prefer Carl Barat to Doherty. I wouldnt pay to see Shane Mcgowan mumble his way through a set while pissed either

Tarka

nm wrote: »

Why festivals?? I'd love to see them in a small, sweaty, indoor venue, like they are supposed to be heard/seen/experienced.

Main stage at a big outdoor festival? ****e.. please please dont do it.

Yepyep. A festival show would be really very not good at all at all. Been waiting years for the reunion, and now that they're back I wanna see them in a cool indoor venue surrounded by fellow Libs fans, not potentially out in the rain in a crowd where half of them aren't that bothered. There's an absolutely electric gig waiting to happen if they choose the right venue.

Also, I hate it when the word 'overrated' comes into a discussion about any band, it's got nothing to do with how said band sounds Being good and underrated and being good and overrated shouldn't imply different things in terms of quality.

me-skywalker

More over-rated jangly crap to feed the kids ****e!

arsenallegend

deisedude wrote: »

They are not a bad band but they must be one of the most overrated bands of all time. NME made them out to be a once in generation band like the Smiths but such plaudits aren't justified in my opinion.

Its all going to end in tears anyway when Doherty goes off the rails again

you took the words right out of my mouth Deisedude:)

Nme biggest crime was to make The libertines and Pete doherty out to be more important then they really were which was a decent band who had a great debut single and a good Debut album but nothing else. And shame on Nme to mention that the Libertines in the same breath as the smiths, Stone roses even suede as a Following in their footsteps.

palethinboy

A truly great band, dunno if a reunion is justified, unless they plan a new album or something

nobby grande

Truly great my eye. Nothing great about them. Average band / average record / no memorable tunes.

I think doherty has something as in he can write some nice songs but he is a mess and cant get it together at all. Drummer was good too actually.

However it is a complete disservice to the great bands to class the libertines alongside them. Christ they were a minor fad for some gawky teenagers and then they self destructed in a puff of smack smoke.

Great bands = beatles / stones / zepplin / smiths / rem / who / kinks / Pixies / cure / CSNY / Byrds / The Fall etc

Bands that had a limited career but had potential greatness = La's / Massive attack / nirvana

Amateurs = The Libertines

Miguel_Sanchez

nobby grande wrote: »

Bands that had a limited career but had potential greatness = La's / Massive attack / nirvana

I wouldn't call Massive Attack's career limited. You do realise they're still releasing albums?

nobby grande

Hi, yes i am aware they are still on the go, but between vital members leaving the band, huge amount of time between albums and chronic weed conspution their output has been limited.

Fot the record i was at their show in the Olympia for heligoland and it was top notch. I still think they have a whiff of unfulfilled potential though.

lordgoat

nobby grande wrote: »

Great bands = beatles / stones / zepplin / smiths / rem / who / kinks / Pixies / cure / CSNY / Byrds / The Fall etc

Bands that had a limited career but had potential greatness = La's / Massive attack / nirvana

Amateurs = The Libertines

you forgot to say that all the truly great bands are from before 2000 apparently.

Don't look back into the sun and all that...

Libs are one of thebest bands to come out of england in a long time.

nobby grande

lordgoat wrote: »

you forgot to say that all the truly great bands are from before 2000 apparently.

Don't look back into the sun and all that...

Libs are one of thebest bands to come out of england in a long time.

That may be so Lordgoat, alot of good bands have come out since 2000. But none are great, as in worthy of the term a great band. I appreciate you like the libertines and thats cool. They are a good band. Will they go down with the greats. Absolutely not.

lordgoat

nobby grande wrote: »

That may be so Lordgoat, alot of good bands have come out since 2000. But none are great, as in worthy of the term a great band. I appreciate you like the libertines and thats cool. They are a good band. Will they go down with the greats. Absolutely not.

in your opinion. not fact.

nobby grande

"Libs are one of thebest bands to come out of england in a long time"

in your opinion. not fact.

Look, you're right it is completely subjective, and i was probably a bit quick to dismiss them out of hand. Still we're here to debate are we not?

Miguel_Sanchez

The only thing I have to add to this debate is that Carl Barat does not know the words to Auld Lang Syne.

That is a fact.

Dr.Winston O'Boogie

In the words of a wise sage:

"There are great bands...and there are ****ing great bands, that along with great music change the way people wear clothes and talk and speak and they affect everything. And The Libertines were one of those".

They were absolutely brilliant, witty lyrics, severe punk attitude, couldn't give a toss about "playing the game", and amazing songs to boot.

Love them or loathe them, they inspired a whole generation to pick up guitars and just go play, which is what they did right until the end with their gigs anywhere and everywhere. And for that they should be respected.

Don't believe the hype, just listen to the albums (Up The Bracket especially).

seachto7

niallo24 wrote: »

Love them or loathe them, they inspired a whole generation to pick up guitars and just go play.....

If playing the sloppy guitar really badly is your thing....:o

Dr.Winston O'Boogie

seachto7 wrote: »

If playing the sloppy guitar really badly is your thing....:o

Technical virtuosity does not a good song make. The Clash weren't good musicians either, Joe Strummer renamed his surname "Strummer" because he used to play all 6 strings no matter what note he was playing. Believing in what your doing, caring about the songs, meaning every word you sing, and conveying that to an audience, are far more important.

If you want complex and intricate guitar riffs go listen to Radiohead, but don't doubt someone just because there playing isn't of an amazing standard.

Note I also am a massive fan of Radiohead.

arsenallegend

a decent debut album and a great debut single

But thanks to the NME they are been overhyped to the nine's

i don't think they caused as big as a impact as either the Strokes or Arctic Monkeys as NME have you belive and although Doherty knows to write a decent lyric.

seachto7

niallo24 wrote: »

Technical virtuosity does not a good song make. The Clash weren't good musicians either, Joe Strummer renamed his surname "Strummer" because he used to play all 6 strings no matter what note he was playing. Believing in what your doing, caring about the songs, meaning every word you sing, and conveying that to an audience, are far more important.

If you want complex and intricate guitar riffs go listen to Radiohead, but don't doubt someone just because there playing isn't of an amazing standard.

Note I also am a massive fan of Radiohead.

Fair point. Libs never floated my boat. Almost felt like they were making a point of singing out of tune or real sloppy sounding, half arsed guitar playing etc etc. The again J Mascis was no great shapes in the vocal dept....

Valmont

It seems a bit too late for me. I was seriously into the Libertines during my late teens but this whole reunion right now, after the buzz has left them, seems all too desperate to me. I should reserve judgement until I hear what they put out but I'm not too hopeful.

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Smaller warm-up show confirmed for The Forum, London

pappyodaniel

I wouldn't get too excited about this development, it's for the money plain and simple and nothing to do with creativity. TBH they are right to do so, both Carl and Pete haven't been up to much lately, bills need to be paid.