TalkAwhile - The Folk Corporation Forum

I wasn't there, but I would have enjoyed it if I had. I will now hand you over to an eye-witness from the Peel family.

Take it away, son.  [;-)

'Thanks Dad.

The last gig where I found myself beside a person taking notes, I was watching Cara Dillon with Seth Lakeman and I was with the old feller. This time I’m with my friend J, who is doing some work experience with a magazine and intends to be a music journalist. Unlike the old man, he’s also recording snatches of the music on his phone and taking photographs. J can get into places that others only dream of. There are 30 of us in the room and Pete Doherty has invited a few select people give him some feedback about Doherty’s new songs.

Who me?  :P

Doherty's huge, probably about six foot three and he’s wearing a red World Cup 1966 shirt, jeans and pork pie hat. Beside him is a full bottle of gin. He takes great gulps of it between songs and finishes the bottle off. He's playing an acoustic guitar and he's backed by three of the Babyshambles on guitars and bongos.

He warms up with two Libertine songs: ‘Can’t Stand Me Now’ and ‘Music when the Lights Go Out.’ The songs have been stripped down and reworked, losing none of their magic or catchiness, but allowing the audience to focus on the melodies and lyrics. Less is more. They are stunning and Doherty's guitar playing is impressive.  Despite the gin, he doesn’t seem drunk and he quizzes the audience as he plays the four new songs. ‘What’s the vibe about that one?’ he asks after each song.

What can you say to that? I am in a smallish room full of experts, critics and musicians and I want to say: ‘That was great, Pete. Really good. You’re the man!’ Instead, I nod and mimic John Thompson’s jazz presenter, ‘Yeah. Nice.’

The private audience finishes after six songs and we go outside for a cigarette. The Big Man joins us, shakes my hand and says ‘Hi, I’m Pete. Thanks for coming.’ He’s pale with enormous cheeks. He's bright-eyed, he's lucid, funny, knowledgeable, well-spoken and totally absorbed in the song-writing craft. He’s catching a Morrissey gig this week, working on more songs and tells us that he's investigating ‘Ska’.

He finishes his cigarette, disposes of it carefully and then walks in a straight line back into the hall. 'Remember', he winks, 'the future is Ska.'

What's Ska?  ???

And that was it.

How did I do, Dad?'

Not bad, son, not half bad.  [;-) 

Sir Robert Peel

Very interesting young Peel.

In another life Pete Docherty would have been a jobbing musician in search of a band, but the frenzy of runaway celebrity, the media with their "grabbing hands [that] grab all they can", have put him in a position that can only lead to burnout. The sense is of a fawning band of followers (not young Peel, I'm sure) chasing the celebrity fairy dust, hoping to feel the glow themselves that only adoration can bring.

Whether Mr Docherty has any control over this situation is another matter - the fairy dust will only have an effect whilst the media believe in Pete Docherty. Ironically, by cleaning himself up, he will lose the attention, and fame which he (probably) most craves.

Not particularly relevant in terms of his artistic endeavours but he's just been mentioned on BBC Radio 2 news as having been released from Police custody following his arrest last night on suspicion of being involved in a car theft and possesion of drugs (one of 3 people arrested)

another poor sod with a bit of talent who seems to have pushed the self destruct button

Indeed! Once he was good very good. I really enjoy the two Libertine  albums. But who can forget his Live8 performance.. Oh dear :o a young man on his way to another place I fear. sad but true.

Probably not going to be popular with this but along the vein of One Man's Meat..... One man's tortured soul, another man's idiotic ar*eh*le

I wrote a few words to similar effect then thought the good people of talkawhile would bring be to censure for being uncharitable.

better you said rather than me  ;)

That's OK Curt.... it will probably be short lived but it's something that I have often thought not just in this incidence.

Live fast, die young... it's a personal choice by and large - but don't take anyone with you (ie, stay out of cars) and don't look for sympathy when the inevitable happens.

Official Grumpy Git

Can't argue with being called judgemental by the Honourable Member on this one....

However, if an individual can write a song it seems that outrageous behaviour is deemed artisitic temperament, whereas if the same behaviour is exhibited by (let's say) an 18yr old lad in a Burberry cap it is deemed as anti-social, irresponsible... you add the descriptor.

Now here's an interestin point. Could it be you have to be unhinged to be creative, that your lack of communication in one area is compensated for by ability in another?

Feel the need to strike yer ear off? Paint a pic to explain yer real feelins. Write wonderful book re-moles, rats, toads and badgers livin it up on the Thames .....  do yerself in later.

I do believe there are others..

Puggs

if you can the last week's NME (CD on the front)
it has Babyshambles - Albion, on it
not bad I say

No, absolutely not. Too many perfectly sane reasonable people about in the creative spheres. However *if* you are the slightest bit tipped one way or the other then a whole host of people will arrive to grab you and hurl you off the edge...

Ref Pete Doherty - have just read the article in today's Independent magazine - that is one seriously sad and messed up young man. He sems to be totally aware of what he is doing, but too out ot control to care. He will be the next rock casualty - but I have to say he hasn't really done anything in musical terms to become an icon in detah - a la Hendrix or Morrison, and the huge publicity he gets makes him a very dangerous hero for kids to emulate. As a total anti- drug musician - ok, so I like my beer - the section in the article where Dohertyhas young fans smoking crack on the tour bus is sick..............'nuff sadi