Carl Barat
From Libertines Wiki
Carl Ashley Raphael Barât (born June 6, 1978 in Basingstoke) was the frontman and lead guitarist of Dirty Pretty Things and is currently co-frontman of indie rock band The Libertines with Peter Doherty[1]. He has also worked as a model and, more recently, as an actor and solo musician. He currently resides in Muswell Hill, North London.
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[edit] Early life
Carl Barât was born in Basingstoke, England on 6 June 1978 and spent most of his childhood in the Hampshire town of Whitchurch. In a September 2004 interview with Blender Magazine, he mentioned having a French, Polish, and Russian ethnic background [2], although other sources have suggested that Barât is also part Spanish.
As a youth, Barât divided his time between his divorced parents, who he describes as hippies. His father, Raf, worked in an armaments factory, and his mother, Chrissie, was part of the commune-dwelling counterculture and peace groups such as the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament. Barât spent part of his childhood living with his mother on a commune in Somerset. He has one sister, actress-turned-singer Lucie Barât, a member of London band The Fay Wrays[3], and has five half-siblings, including half brother Oliver Barât who is guitarist with Basingstoke band The Guns of Pig Alley and half sister Kirsty, an accomplished classical harpist.
In 1996, Barât was studying for a drama degree at Brunel University in Uxbridge. He was somewhat disillusioned by his fellow drama students, but became well-acquainted with Peter Doherty's sister, Amy-Jo. Through her, Barât met Peter Doherty. Barât initially disliked Doherty, who had a habit of being rude and irreverent on meeting people. However, they soon developed an intense friendship. The Libertines were subsequently formed with a fluctuating line-up including bassist John Hassall and drummer Paul Dufour (also known as Mr. Razzcocks); however, Hassall and Dufour left in December 2000. Johnny Borrell of Razorlight briefly replaced Hassall but was touring with Alabama 3 and so missed all of the gigs. [4] When John Hassall heard that The Libertines had been signed to Rough Trade, he offered to reassume bass duties with Gary Powell being brought in on drums. Barât and Doherty shared songwriting and singing as well as guitar duties.
[edit] The Libertines
See also: The Libertines (band)
The Libertines' first album, Up the Bracket, was released in 2002 to critical acclaim. The band's rapid rise to fame was due, in part, to their volatile stage performances, which were characterised by intense bouts of mic-sharing and fighting between Barât and Doherty. This paralleled their off-stage relationship, which had progressed to verging on dysfunctional and abusive, with Barât and Doherty equally competitive and possessive of one another.
In 2003, Doherty's addiction to heroin and crack cocaine led to Barât asking him not to participate in the band's next tour. [5] When Doherty discovered that The Libertines had left without him to perform in Japan, he broke into Barât's Mayfair flat and stole various items, including an antique guitar and an NME Award. He was convicted and sentenced to six months in prison. [6] The sentence was later reduced to two months, during which Barât and Doherty reconciled through correspondence. Barât warmly welcomed Doherty back to The Libertines on the day of his release, and they later performed an impromptu "Freedom Gig" at the Tap 'n' Tin pub in Chatham, Kent on October 8, 2003. [7] A photograph taken by Roger Sargent prior to the gig adorns The Libertines' self-titled second album, The Libertines, and the cover of Sargent's and Anthony Thornton's book, The Libertines: Bound Together.
Doherty's drug addiction continued while the band worked on their second album in 2004, which strained his relationship with Barât. Bodyguards were needed in the recording sessions, allegedly to prevent Barât and Doherty from physically assaulting each other [8] (though this is claimed to be an exaggeration by the press in Bound Together) and to keep Doherty's fans away from him. Before the release of the album in 2004, relations between Barât and Doherty reached a breaking point and Doherty was once again prevented from performing with the band before addressing his addictions. Doherty did not take the ultimatum well, especially as The Libertines continued touring without him to fulfill contractual obligations.
[edit] Post-Libertines
Barât disbanded The Libertines after a final gig in Paris on December 17th 2004, citing his lack of desire to continue the band without ex-partner Doherty and an "ongoing problem with his health." [9] In 2005, Barât underwent surgery to remove a benign tumour from behind his right ear and spent several weeks recovering from the operation. The tumour and resulting surgery left him partially deaf. [10]
In February 2005, The Libertines won NME's Best British Band award and Barât paid tribute to Doherty in his acceptance speech. Days later, it was officially announced that Barât had signed to Vertigo Records as a solo artist.
Barât's first work as a solo artist was providing vocals for the European electro duo Client on their single, Pornography. Barât had set up the London club, Dirty Pretty Things, in June 2004, where he regularly served as a DJ. In July 2005, he contributed an album to the "Under the Influence" series, where musicians select tracks that have influenced them in their career. [11] In the same year, Barât was chosen by clothing brand J. Lindeberg to front their "21st Century Lifestyle" campaign alongside U.S. actress Juliette Lewis.
[edit] Dirty Pretty Things
See also: Dirty Pretty Things
On September 15, 2005, it was announced that Barât was forming a new band. His bandmates included former Libertines drummer Gary Powell; Anthony Rossomando, who filled in as guitarist following Peter Doherty's departure from the group and Didz Hammond, formerly of The Cooper Temple Clause, on bass. It was later announced (via a post by Barât on the Libertines.org.uk site) that the band's name was "Dirty Pretty Things". [12]
The group played their first show on October 10th 2005 at Qube in Rome, followed by two more shows under their own banner and two further gigs as support for The Others. In November 2005 the band decamped to Los Angeles, California to begin the recording of their first album; Waterloo to Anywhere. It was released on May 8, 2006 in the UK [13] and August 8, 2006 in the US. This coincided with the latter part of a sold-out tour of the United Kingdom and a short series of dates in North America.
Dirty Pretty Things' second album, Romance at Short Notice, was also recorded in Los Angeles in the September of 2007 and released in the UK on June 30th, 2008[14]. Mainly produced by American producer Nick Leman, it features substantial songwriting contributions from both Hammond and Rossomando. Their album failed to chart highly despite heavy touring schedules. Powell wrote in the band's message board that it had been a difficult year.
The band were forced to postpone their Real Fits fundraiser gig, which had been set to take place at the London Hackney Round Chapel on Friday, June 20th 2008, as Barât was rushed to hospital on June 17th with acute pancreatitis[15]. A further European festival date taking place on June 22nd was also cancelled.
Dirty Pretty Things announced their separation on October 1st 2008 and played their final show on December 20th 2008 at London's Astoria 2 venue. [16]
[edit] Solo Career and Other Notable Work
In a statement to the NME regarding Dirty Pretty Things' separation, Barât claimed no specific future plans but confirmed his intention to continue writing music.
In mid-November 2008, it was announced that he would be playing as a special guest opener for Glasgow band Glasvegas on their North American tour. Barât had previously performed a well-received solo set at the Glastonbury Festival's Left Field Stage on June 29, 2008. Between January 8 and January 14, 2009, Barat played four solo acoustic slots in America, with a setlist of Libertines and Dirty Pretty Things songs, including "What a Waster," "The Man Who Would Be King," "B.U.R.M.A," "Bloodthirsty Bastards," "Ballad of Grimaldi," "Music When the Lights Go Out," "France," "Deadwood," and "Time For Heroes."
Barât played his first headline solo shows on 6 and 7 March 2009 at the Wakefield Escobar and at the KU Bar in Stockton-on-Tees.
In October 2008 Barât wrote a blog entry for The Pepsi Maxcast, a MySpace site where musicians from various genres discuss the music they are currently listening to.
Barât is a founding member of supergroup The Chavs, alongside Tim Burgess of The Charlatans, Primal Scream keyboardist Martin Duffy and drummer Andy Burrows from Razorlight. Tim Burgess stated that The Chavs planned to record their debut album in August 2008[17], but nothing has been heard of the project since.
Barât is featured as actor in the film Telstar (The Joe Meek Story), in the role of rock'n'roll singer, Gene Vincent. It premiered in London as part of the London Film Festival on October 25, 2008.
On 28 February 2008, Barât and bandmate Anthony Rossomando presented Glasvegas with the Philip Hall Radar Award at the NME Awards.
In 2008, Carl acted as a mentor for the Road to V competition; a UK search for the best unsigned music talent in the UK, with the winner opening V Festival in either Chelmsford or Staffordshire.
Barât featured in BBC Two's "The Culture Show", answering questions about British culture.
In September 2008, Barât stated that he was set to play a scientist in a new British film, rumoured to be called Function at the Junction. [18]
Barât has toured as a solo artist with Glasvegas; performing with them at Edinburgh's Hogmanay celebrations on 31 December 2008[19], and at the Popscene in San Francisco on 8 January[20]. On 14 January 2009, Barât supported Glasvegas with a solo show during their gig at the Los Angeles Troubadour.
Carl Barât played his first headline solo shows on 6 and 7 March 2009 at the Wakefield Escobar [21]. He also played at the KU Bar in Stockton-on-Tees on 8 March.
In May 2009, Barât featured as himself in a pilot episode for 'Svengali', alongside former manager Alan McGee and Welsh actor Jonathan Owen. [22]
On 9 June 2009, Barât debuted two new songs, So Long and Monday Morning at a solo show at Dunfermline's Carnegie Hall.
On 25 August 2009, a short video entitled 'Two British Dudes' featuring Barât and fellow musician Har Mar Superstar was released on crappyholidays.net. [23]
On 2 September 2009, Barât confirmed his intentions to release a solo album. [24]
Barâr produced the debut EP, Scapegoat of London-based singer-songwriter Kieran Leonard which was released in October 2009. [25]
[edit] Reunions with Peter Doherty
Barât was seen with Doherty on April 18, 2005, where the two publicly reunited at the Boogaloo Bar in Highgate, North London[26]. On April 17, 2006, Barât said about Doherty's drug addiction, "It's just sad and I wish he would sort it out. I would really like to work with him again some day. I don't deny that but I've not seen him really.[27]"
On the July 7, 2006 episode of Friday Night with Jonathan Ross, Doherty said that he did not have a relationship with Barât anymore, shooting down rumours that the pair spoke regularly. However, Doherty stated that he would like to work with Barât again.
On July 18, 2006 Barât and Doherty met in the Dublin Castle pub in Camden, London. [28]
On April 12, 2007, Doherty and Barât played 13 songs together at the second of Doherty's "An Evening with Pete Doherty" gigs at the Hackney Empire, London. [29] At the end of the concert, Barât and Doherty swapped trilby hats, a symbolic reference to the Libertines song "The Good Old Days". Soon after, the pair recorded a cover of The Beatles' "A Day In The Life" as part of a BBC Radio project marking the 40th anniversary of the release of "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band". [30]
In May 2008, it was said that Barat and Doherty would co-write a musical for the Donmar Warehouse, possibly to be staged in early 2009. [31] This was later refuted by Barât in a short interview with The Daily Star published on June 26th 2008, where he stated, “I haven’t seen Pete for donkeys. The musical is off – the window closes. I’m too busy concentrating on my other projects right now.” [32]
On September 17, 2008, Barât surprised Doherty by joining him on stage near the end of his solo set at the Prince of Wales pub in Camden, as part of London Fashion Week. The pair showed signs of their trademark chemistry while performing several Libertines songs and a cover of Oasis' "Don't Look Back in Anger." [33]
On November 25, 2008, Doherty attended Dirty Pretty Things' last gig in Paris. Though it had apparently been planned that Doherty would join the band on stage for an encore performance of "I Get Along", this failed to occur.
In February 2009, Doherty claimed that he and Barât had been offered 2 million pounds to reform and headline the Reading and Leeds Festival. Although Doherty had been keen, Barât, wary that events would repeat themselves, turned down the offer. When asked separately about the possibility of a reunion, Barât stated, "I’ve just freed myself up so the last thing I wanna do is completely burden my mind [with a reunion]. No, not right now... I'd rather do a film really, or I might do a play one day, learn the craft." He also mentioned the possibility of releasing a solo album.
At the Shockwave NME Awards on 25th February 2009, Barât stated that he and Doherty were still The Libertines, while Doherty admitted that he was trying to "twist [Barât's] arm" about a reformation, before mentioning "2010" as a possible date. Barât also reiterated his plans to release a solo album.
On 15th May 2009, Doherty, Barat and Gary Powell reunited at the Rhythm Factory to play a tribute gig for Jonny Sedassy (aka Jonny Rhythm), a friend of The Libertines who passed away earlier in the year. Their setlist included What a Waster, Up The Bracket, What Katie Did, Can't Stand Me Now and Time For Heroes, and marked the first time the three Libertines had played live together in five years. [34]
On March 29th 2010 it was announced that all four Libertines would be reuniting to play Reading & Leeds festivals[35][36][37], confirming rumors that began circulating on Libertines fan forums weeks earlier. The date will mark the first time all four Libertines have played together since 2004.
[edit] Musical Equipment
Carl Barât owns several Gibson Melody Maker guitars. A sunburst,a single cut one and a red one. At the reunion set at the Rhythm Factory he played a Fender Jaguar. He was seen at the 2010 reunion press conference playing a red Gibson SG. More recently he has started playing a red Fender Mustang.
His pedalboard is said to consist in a MXR dyna comp and a Boss tuner pedal.
