London, UK · indie-rock

The Libertines

2 festivals played ↓

Albion's prodigal poets — Doherty and Barât still shambolic, still romantic, still the best bad idea British rock ever had.

The Libertines formed in London in the late 1990s around Pete Doherty and Carl Barât, who share songwriting and lead vocals, with John Hassall on bass and Gary Powell on drums. Their debut, Up the Bracket, was produced by Mick Jones of The Clash and set the template: scratchy guitars, two voices tumbling over each other, and lyrics steeped in an idealised, half-mythical England the band called Albion.

A self-titled second album followed before the group fell apart amid Doherty's drug problems. They reunited some years later and have since released Anthems for Doomed Youth and All Quiet on the Eastern Esplanade, and their live shows retain much of the ragged, unpredictable quality of the early years.

indie-rock