Pete Doherty graces Spin

By Alex Young on January 28th, 2008

Ex-Libertine, current Babyshambles frontman Pete Doherty will be featured in the February issue of Spin Magazine. The article, written by Nick Duerden, primarily details Doherty’s doherty continued attempt at sobriety and his current perception of his music career.

I’m only just now starting to enjoy making music,” he says. “I’m only just starting to be allowed to.” Previously, Doherty might have felt it necessary to trash any hotel room he entered if only as part of his pursuit of canonization, tempting mortality to achieve a perhaps outmoded idea of rock’n'roll immortality and testing the patience of friends and strangers alike in the process. (He takes a certain pride in having outlived lifestyle role models Hendrix and Cobain: “I’m 28.Ha!”)

[Spin]

We’re pretty big fans of Doherty so it’s nice to know he’s at least trying…

Doherty’s U.S. plans still are on hold though…

Certainly, in America, where Shotters Nation had at press time sold just 5,000 copies since its October release, he is still little more than the junkie fuckup who almost destroyed Kate Moss’s career — hence the urgency to turn things around. Videos for the singles “You Talk” and “French Dog Blues” impressed even the most cynical of bloginistas, but without the ability to tour the U.S., thanks to no fewer than 18 arrests in the past five years, Doherty is not likely to gain entry anytime soon. As a result, he still seems an imaginary figure, like some nihilist Easter Bunny. His American label, though, is poised with a contingency plan.

“This is an area where the Internet can lessen how severe a situation like this is,” says Glenn Mendlinger, general manager at Astralwerks. “People can see live footage of a band in real time after a gig now. It might not be ideal, but we want to build Doherty’s profile here in any way we can. I was always a big fan of the Libertines, and this new record is a bold step forward. With Pete, you really have to separate the tabloid sensationalism from his music.”

Check Out:
“French Dog Blues”

:: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: ::