Well, it's been a long time coming. I've even taken crap from my friends for backing the guy for as long as I have... but, quite simply, there comes a time when you've got to step away and look a situation realistically.

Pete Doherty, it's time for you to fuck off. Click READ MORE for my whole rant.

It's been a somewhat interesting weekend in Paris, as Carl Barat may have finally put THE LIBERTINES to bed.

It's been no secret that this has been a trying year for The Libertines, given that co-founder Pete Doherty has been MIA from the Libs for pretty much the entire year. Barat soldiered on with the rest of the band, doing promotional tour stops in support of the band's self-titled sophomore album.

This weekend's gig in Paris was long-rumoured to be Barat's final gig under the Libertines' moniker (barring the unlikely return of a rehabilitated Doherty.) Barat seemed to hold true to his word, telling music journos and the crowd that the Libs were through.

However, the news that no one was expecting came not from the Libertines, but from P.J. HARVEY, who was also on board for the Parisian gig. Polly Jean shocked the crowd by announcing simply, "This is the last show I will ever play." Whether she's retiring from recording or from simply the live arena has yet to be explained.

Meanwhile, addled former Libs co-frontman Pete Doherty ended his BABYSHAMBLES tour on the same night in the usual fashion -- that fashion being not showing up, not taking the stage, and causing fans at the London Astoria to riot. This comes after last week's shambolic performances where, at one point, security had to drag a near-incoherent Doherty off-stage in a headlock.

Fans of Mr. Show will understand when I say that PETE DOHERTY is rapidly becoming the Ronnie Dobbs of the music scene. When we last left the estranged Libertines frontman, we were told he was headed off to France for another round of drug rehab. Well, turns out that was a lie. "France" was, in fact, another round at London's Priory clinic (they made up the France bit to throw the press off-track.) Didn't matter in the long run, as Doherty skipped out of the voluntary clinic after only a few days. Then last week it was announced that Doherty was being sent to... yep... a Thai monastery. But not just ANY Thai monastery... but rather the Thamkrabok Monastery, known world-wide for its drug rehabilitation success. But is that enough to hold our Pete? Nope. After a mere two days at his new home, Doherty checked out of his own accord, found his way to Bangkok, caught a flight back to London... and promptly got arrested for possessing a knife while being pulled over for a driving infraction. It's hard NOT to start viewing Doherty in a comical light, but at the same time, we're watching the rather public unraveling of a guy with some pretty serious musical potential... which is actually a bit sad, really. We wish Pete the best, and hope he finds SOME kind of help before he completely loses it.

It hasn't been a good month for Pete Doherty of the LIBERTINES. As you probably know by now, Pete was kicked out of the band months ago for excessive and self-destructive drug use. After first being thrown in jail for trying to rob bandmate Carl Barat's house, Doherty was eventually released from prison and welcomed back into the Libertines fold. This month, however, Doherty checked himself into The Priory, the UK's famed drug rehabilitation clinic. During his stay, Doherty was posted on message boards and forums about his struggle to stay clean and his experiences in rehab, which included a rather chilling post about being placed on suicide watch. A few days later, Doherty checked himself out of the clinic. Last Friday, according to NME, Doherty gave an interview to a UK tabloid wherein he basically sacked himself from the band, claimed that Barat had "given up" on him, and spoke of checking into a French rehab facility. A band spokesman now confirms today that Doherty was indeed taken to a French clinic by his mother. No word how this will affect the Libertines' second album and upcoming tour, both slated for early summer.

So more light has been shed on the ongoing saga of THE LIBERTINES. As you've read by now, co-frontman Pete Doherty took an unannounced sabbatical from the band a few months ago, only to re-surface a few months later when he was charged with burgling a London flat. Now, news arrives that the flat in question was that of fellow Libertine Carl Barat, where the estranged Doherty made off with armfuls of music equipment. More to the point, the rumours can officially be confirmed by a story today in the Evening Standard newspaper, where Doherty has gone on record and "come clean" that's he's addicted to both heroin AND crack cocaine. The troubled Doherty claims that he recently left a rehab facility unsuccessful after just a few days and that, "you don't go to rehab, you just kick it. It's got to come from within." Doherty has pled guilty to the robbery and will be sentenced in September (if he makes it that long.) Let's hope this guy gets the help he needs.

The Libertines - Chicago - Empty Bottle - 08/10/03
Review by Misa Challingsworth.

I've been waiting to see the Libertines play since last October. I sighed with relief that I didn't waste my time and money on Coachella this year after the fiasco that happened there. When the US tour was announced...and the show was booked at the Empty Bottle (3 blocks from my house), I figured it was fate. I just had to fork out the money (15 dollars + fees) to see them.

The never-ending soap opera of THE LIBERTINES carries on and on...

If you need to play catch-up, back in June, Libertines co-frontman Pete Doherty basically disappeared from the line-up. Didn't show up for a European tour, and the band has since been soldiering on without him, while the usual rumours of drug abuse and depression swirl about. And now this week comes word that on Friday, Doherty was arrested for breaking & entering a basement flat in London. According to NME, Doherty was bailed out with a hearing scheduled for August 11. All this as the band is preparing for the US release of their debut album in just a few weeks.

The Libertines
Club Luxx
Brooklyn, NY
5/2/2003

Review by Mike Patterson

I have seen rock's present and it is the Libertines!!!

When I first heard this band in the late fall of last year I was instantly impressed. Struck me as a London Strokes, (which is the way everyone describes them now) but at the time it sounded to me that where The Strokes punked out NYC locals Television and VU, The Libertines did the same with British glam a-la Slade and the Sweet. The cultural parallels were undeniable, at least on record, but those parallels disappear almost completely with the live show these boys put on.