Who doesn’t know the fable of Pete and Carl? Two young lads who had it all: the talent, the songs, the future. It was all theirs for the taking, but in brutal rock and roll style Pete succumbed to temptation, and he broke his best friend’s heart.
We last saw The Libertines play together back in 2004. It was a Love Music Hate Racism gig down in Brixton. They played together and even got good old Mick Jones in on the act for a bit of “Should I Stay or Should I Go?” It is difficult to imagine a better night.
A few months later – then as now – we were preparing ourselves eagerly to see them perform on the main stage at Reading. It was not to be. The night before their due performance slot, we found ourselves packed into the Fez Club in Reading. Pete took to the stage alone, and that was that. The next day a Peter-less Libertines tried their best to rouse us, but as history now records: it was not to be the same again.
So, six years on. We know the tales of Babyshambles and Dirty Pretty Things. There have been some notable successes. Pete’s solo show, in particular, has got better and better, as if perhaps he is slowly pulling himself out of wherever it is that he had to go.
And here we are. Tomorrow the boys are officially back together. Not just Pete and Carl, but John Hassall and Gary Powell too. They will be performing at the HMV Forumfor a one off pre-Reading/Leeds warm up show.
Maybe things can be the same again, after all?
The Camden Store Team X
Tags: The Libertines
