The Libertines reunion: Pete Doherty accepts offer to reform at Hyde Park

'I got the call just yesterday... I said yes'

10:48 20th April 2014

Pete Doherty has reportedly accepted a deal to reform The Libertines for a one-off shows in London's Hyde Park this summer - but it's currently unclear as to whether he's consulted with the rest of the band.

The Libertines haven't played a show together since their brief reunion back in 2010, and have consistently rejected offers to reform. Until now?

In an interview with Israeli newspaper Ynet, which was translated by The Music Charger, Pete Doherty reportedly said: "I don't know if I'm supposed to even tell you this, but we were offered to reform The Libertines for a show this July in Hyde park. I got the call just yesterday. Well, I said yes."

Watch The Libertines perform at Reading Festival 2010 below

It's not clear though whether the rest of the band are as keen to reform as Doherty, or indeed if they are even willing. Doherty admitted: "Recently I tried to call Carl [Barat] and couldn't reach him."

Continuing the theme of potentially ill-advised honesty, Doherty reportedly added: "Not long ago I listened to The Libertines' songs on YouTube and had a burst of nostalgia, so I said what the heck, and then they told me how much they will pay us, and I cannot lie to you, I couldn't say no, at least not in my state right now.... I'm in debt. It's very complicated for me to say no right now, I have financial problems."

Carl Barat recently formed a new band called The Jackals, and plans to release a new solo album later this year. Neither he, nor any of the other band members, have commented on Doherty's reunion announcement.

Below: 11 facts about The Libertines' debut album Up The Bracket

1. 11 years after its release the album is now regarded in some circles as a modern classic. However, on its release , Up The Bracket only reached a lowly No.35 in the UK album chart.
2. The photograph used as the album's cover is of Argentian riot police squaring up to protesters during the country's economic crisis around the year 2000. This is also referenced in the song 'Time for Heroes' with the line "Did you see the stylish kids in the riot?"
3. The phrase 'up the bracket' was first used on Tony Hancock's 'Hancock's Half Hour'. It has since come into popular use as meaning 'in trouble', similar to 'Up the Junction' by Squeeze. It is an early example of Doherty and Barat's fondness for using archaic English language in their lyrics.
4. The album was produced by Clash guitarist Mick Jones. It was the first album Jones produced since Theatre of Hate's Aria of the Devil way back in 1982. Bernard Butler of Suede worked on early Libertines songs but had a poor working relationship with Doherty. He still receives a production credit for work early on in the process and as he also produced debut single 'What a Waster' which appears as a bonus track on some versions of the album.
5. The album was recorded almost entirely as live. Drummer Gary Powell recalls "It was day in day out just playing live instead of laying it down separately, which was perfect for us. There's the odd overdubbed guitar, but apart from that it's a completely live album."
6. Recording got off to an inauspicious start. On the first day of recording, before a note had even been played, Powell succumbed to exhaustion watching an old film with studio owner Mickie Most. In his own words "I fell asleep on his shoulder. I woke up having dribbled down his shoulder. I was so embarrassed."
7. Johnny Borrell of Razorlight was in an early incarnation of the Libertines and was the bass player when the majority of the album was being written. There are differing stories surrounding his departure. One is that he couldn't keep up in a rehearsal whilst playing album track 'Horrorshow'. Another version is that he was sacked for failing to turn up for an industry showcase as he was already touring with another band, "living the highlife".
8. The title track contains the line 'I saw two shadow men on the Vallance Road'. This is a reference to infamous mobsters the Kray twins, whose family moved into the road in 1939 and spent a large part of their life there. It was also an old haunt of famous Victorian villain Jack the Ripper.
9. The album was recorded in RAK studios. The studios are steeped in history, with past occupants including David Bowie, Pink Floyd and Michael Jackson. Studio owner Mickie Most, with whom the band became close during recording, sadly passed away on 30th May 2003.
10. NME named the album the 2nd best of the 2000s, behind Is This It by The Strokes.
11. Barat and Doherty write romantically about various areas of London on the album. However, neither grew up in the city. Barat was born in Whitchurch in Hampshire and even spent some of his time with his mother on a commune in Somerset. Doherty led a nomadic existence growing up due to his father's career in the army. He had spells living in Belfast, Bedworth in the West Midlands and as far afield as Germany.

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