The Libertines

The Libertines joined the pop fray of 2002, competing with the likes of the Strokes, Hives, Vines, and Doves with their debut single, "What a Waster." The Bernard Butler-produced track entered the U.K.'s Top 40 in June, leaving NME to crown the Libertines as the best new band in Britain.

The double-A-side song "I Get Along" earned Single of the Week on BBC Radio 1.

The London-based band, who inked a deal with Rough Trade in December 2001, features Carl Barat (guitar/vocals), Pete Doherty (guitar/vocals), John Hassall (bass), and Gary Powell (drums).

Up the Bracket was released stateside in March 2003 while the single Time for Heroes gained momentum on the U.K.

charts.

The group's Coachella Festival appearance later that spring, meanwhile, introduced their kinetic live act to the States.

In June 2003, the band's playfully volatile chemistry began to go awry when Doherty didn't show up for a tour of Europe.

The rest of the Libertines went ahead with the dates while Doherty formed another group that he initially also called the Libertines before changing the name to Babyshambles.

The following month, while the remaining Libertines were on tour in Japan, Doherty was arrested for breaking into Barat's apartment and stealing items including a harmonica, laptop computer, and antique guitar.

In August -- around the same time that the band's single Don't Look Back Into the Sun became one of their biggest hits -- Doherty pled guilty, and also confessed to addictions to heroin and crack cocaine; in September he was sentenced to six months in jail.

However, his sentence was reduced to two months on appeal, and with time off for good behavior, he was released from jail in early October and the complete Libertines lineup performed at the Rough Trade 25th anniversary show later that month.

In November, Doherty played two shows in his own apartment that featured a mix of Libertines and Babyshambles songs.

The band closed out 2004 with a string of local dates, and began 2004 by writing and recording new songs in France.

Their first U.K.

dates of that year, a three-night residency at London's Brixton Academy, unfolded in a typically chaotic fashion when Doherty smashed his guitar and left the stage in the middle of the band's final performance.

As the band continued to record, Doherty and Barat also appeared on "For Lovers," a single by their friend Wolfman; it became a surprise hit and the biggest Libertines-related release yet.

Meanwhile, in April 2004, Babyshambles released their self-titled, limited-edition debut single.

Later that month, the band were joined on-stage by Peter Perrett of the legendary new wave band the Only Ones, and performed "Don't Look Back Into the Sun" and the Only Ones' classic "Another Girl, Another Planet" with them.

But by May the Libertines' future looked grim again: Doherty was in and out of rehab clinics, such as London's Priory, in rapid succession.

His ongoing troubles led the Libertines to cancel their performance at the Love Music Hate Racism concert that June; the event was subsequently canceled altogether.

The band's appearances that month at Glastonbury, the Isle of Wight, and Morrissey's Meltdown festivals were also canceled and Doherty went to the rehab program at the Thamkrabok Monastery in Thailand; after a few days there, he left for Bangkok.

Just after returning to London in mid-June, Doherty was arrested by London police, who detained him for a traffic offense and found a switchblade in his possession.

The rest of the band carried on with their obligations for July and onward, saying that Doherty was welcome to rejoin the band once he had his addictions under control.

The Libertines recruited guitarist/vocalist Anthony Rossomando for their upcoming gigs, which included a performance at the T in the Park Festival.

Doherty, meanwhile, set up a string of solo shows and dates with Wolfman, but failed to appear at several of the performances in early August.

"Can't Stand Me Now," the debut single from the Libertines' self-titled second album, entered the U.K.

charts at number two; in mid-August, Doherty appeared in court and pleaded guilty to the charge of possession of an offensive weapon.

The Libertines arrived late that month, and the band -- minus Doherty -- toured the U.K.

and the U.S.

that fall in support of it.

Doherty, meanwhile, put his efforts into Babyshambles.

Carl Barat formed Dirty Pretty Things, named after a club night he founded, with former Libertines drummer Gary Powell, Anthony Rossomando as second guitarist, and Cooper Temple Clause's bassist Didz Hammond.

After releasing two albums, 2006's Waterloo to Anywhere and 2008's Romance at Short Notice, Dirty Pretty Things disbanded.

In 2009 Barat and Powell reunited with Pete Doherty for a Libertines reunion at a tribute show for promoter Johnny Sedassy at the London Rhythm Factory, and a year later, the full band reunited for gigs at the Leeds and Reading Festivals.

In 2010, Barat released his self-titled solo debut.

~ Heather Phares and MacKenzie Wilson, Rovi

British band The Libertines have been named as the defining band of the summer in a new poll by readers of NME magazine.

(BANG) -

The Libertines have been named the defining band of the summer in a new poll.

The British indie rockers' reunion at Reading and Leeds festivals at the end of August was voted as 2010's Defining Festival Moment by NME readers in the magazine's annual Festival Survey.

After parting ways in 2004, the band - which features co-frontmen Pete Doherty and Carl Barat, drummer Gary Powell and bassist John Hassall - reunited for their first full performance in an intimate comeback gig at London's HMV Forum venue before going on to wow crowds at the two British festivals.

The 'Can't Stand Me Now' hitmakers received 34 per cent of the vote to clinch the award, while their 2003 single 'Don't Look Back Into The Sun' was also named Anthem of the Summer.

Additionally, the four-piece group beat the likes of Blink 182, Eminem and The Strokes to win the Best Festival Comeback accolade.

Since their reunion, Carl Barat has revealed a permanent reformation could be on the cards for the band.

He recently explained: "We will never be a band touring the world. But we might do more music. That's a possibility."

Winners from the NME 2010 Festival Poll:

2010's Defining Festival Moment

1. The Libertines' comeback (34%)

2. The sun shining at Glasto (18%)

3. Reunions (10%)

4. Reading mud and floods (10%)

5. The Edge with Muse at Glasto (8%)

Other (20%)

Anthem of the Summer

1. The Libertines - 'Don't Look Back Into The Sun' (21%)

2. Arcade Fire - 'Wake Up' (11%)

3. Kasabian - 'Fire' (11%)

4. Blink-182 - 'What's My Age Again?' (8%)

5. Muse - 'Plug In Baby' (6%)

Other (43%)

Best Festival Comeback

1. The Libertines (44%)

2. Blink-182 (23%)

3. The Strokes (13%)

4. Eminem (8%)

5. Pavement (3%)

Other (9%)

British indie rockers The Libertines have announced their reunion warm-up gig will take place on August 25 at London's HMV Forum, just a few days before they perform at Reading and Leeds festival.

(BANG) -

The Libertines will play their first full gig since 2004 on August 25.

The 'Up The Bracket' rockers - who are reforming later in the month at the high-profile Reading and Leeds festivals - will perform an intimate comeback show at London's HMV Forum just a few days before they take to the stage for their eagerly anticipated festival appearances.

Tickets for the event won't be going on general sale, but fans of the 'Can't Stand Me Now' hitmakers have can enter a ballot on the band's website from today (10.08.10) until Friday, which will distribute the tickets at random.

A Libertines spokesperson said: "The band felt this was the fairest way to distribute tickets and to avoid fans being charged extortionate amounts for them."

Co-frontman Carl Barat recently admitted the band - - also comprising Pete Doherty, John Hassall and Gary Powell - haven't rehearsed together since they announced their reformation in March.

He explained: "It's always a bit last minute with The Libertines. If we did it any other way it wouldn't be The Libertines.

"We've got a bit of time blocked out. As I say it's a bit last minute - it always is. Of course we'll be able to do it and we'll be able to do it with aplomb."

British band The Libertines will unveil a new image at this summer's Reading and Leeds Festivals.

(BANG) -

The Libertines will unveil a new image at their Reading and Leeds Festival gigs later this month.

The British rockers - who split in 2004 shortly after firing troubled co-frontman Pete Doherty over his drug use - have promised a "new dynamic" for the band's high-profile reunion performances at the end of August.

Drummer Gary Powell - who is joined in the band by co-frontman Carl Barat and bassist John Hassall - admits the motivation for the change is to attract a new fan base.

He explained: "It will be weird to go back but if we try to replicate how things used to be it won't work. We've got to bring a new dynamic for the kids who haven't seen us before."

He continued: "I never got why we were fashionable in the first place. It never made sense to me why The Libertines were so big but it's all about the character - Pete and Carl are unique."

Despite having two high profile frontmen, drummer Gary thinks he could easily step into their shoes but he can't be bothered.

He told the Daily Star newspaper: "I suppose I could be the frontman now, but I still like sitting at the back of the stage with a whiskey, pulling faces."

Along with The Libertines reunion, the members are all working on various individual projects.

Carl is working on a solo album, Pete is recording a new LP with his other band Babyshambles and Gary has his own label and a new band - The Invasion Of. - that he will also play the Reading and Leeds Festivals with.

He said: "I'm setting up my own label, managing an artist called JT from Glasgow and doing The Invasion Of. ."