Peter Doherty’s is the last of the great rock ‘n’ roll stories. As an icon, he is on par with the early Rolling Stones and Sid Vicious – bad boy and public enemy. To his devoted fans, he is a cult hero, a modern-day Rimbaud. Musically, there is no doubt he has defined the past twenty years of British rock ‘n’ roll with his sound, lyrics, lifestyle and aesthetic.
Since The Libertines rose to international fame, Doherty has proved endlessly fascinating. A whirlwind of controversy and scandal has tailed him since his first spell in prison in 2003. He divides critics; for every award and accolade, there is a scathing review. All too often his talents as a songwriter and performer have been over-looked. Hard drugs, tiny gigs on the hoof, huge stadium shows, collaborations, obliterations, gangsters and groupies, Doherty has led a life of huge highs and incredible lows.
In A Likely Lad, Doherty explores his darkest moments. With astonishing frankness – and his trademark wit and humour – he takes us inside decadent parties, substance-fuelled nights, prison and his self-destruction. Doherty also reflects on the turbulent relationships with various significant people in his life across the years. He discusses poetry, Paris, philosophy, politics, the music business and his key influences (from Hancock to Baudelaire). There is humour, warmth, insight, baleful reflection and a defiant sense of triumph.
This is Doherty’s version of the story – the genuine man behind the fame and infamy. This is a rock memoir like no other.
