Babyshambles is reuniting for a U.K. tour after 11 years and countless teases of getting the band back together. They’ve recently announced details of the tour, with Pete Doherty calling it “unfinished business” with his bandmates.
For Doherty, who is also known as co-vocalist of The Libertines, this reunion is “a no brainer for me, a real desire to play some of them old tunes and have a little shindig.” However, while speaking with NME recently, he revealed that the catalyst of getting back together was the fact that he and guitarist Mick Whitnall had been sober for several years.
“There was always talk about it; there was always a desire to play those songs again,” he said, “but the centrifugal point of it was addiction really, and the danger that me and Mick would be an unhealthy influence on each other. So it was people around us not wanting to meet up and probably us both knowing that it wasn’t a good idea.”
Babyshambles sets sights on storied venues of performances past
The Babyshambles reunion shows also mark the 20th anniversary of their debut album Down In Albion. Another, more disheartening reason for getting the band officially together was the passing of original guitarist Patrick Walden in June.
Walden was supposed to be involved with the reunion, said Doherty. But, after he passed, there was “a real trigger to get it done.” He added, “My first thought was of just seeing his face up there while we’re playing and that’ll be an important part of it.”
Babyshambles, consisting of Pete Doherty, Mick Whitnall, Drew McConnell, and Adam Ficek, will embark on their U.K. tour on November 14. Their first stop is The Nick Rayns LCR in Norwich. They will also head to London on November 16 to perform at the O2 Academy Brixton. They’ve performed there several times in the past, when their live shows were more rambunctious. The tour wraps up on December 10 in Plymouth.
The band was somewhat notorious for their gigs and general drug-fueled antics in the 2000s. They sparked constant tabloid rumors and made somewhat of a reputation for themselves. Even though they’re past all that, the memories still remain.
“I was in Riminy not long ago and as I passed this church, this woman went ‘Sante Maria!’ and slammed all the big wooden doors and windows shut,” Doherty recalled. “And I was like, ‘Oh yeah! Shambles played here!’ £20,000 hotel bill.”
Photo by Andy Willsher/Redferns/Getty Images
The post Babyshambles Reuniting After 11 Years, Cite Pete Doherty and Mick Whitnall’s Sobriety as Catalyst appeared first on VICE.
