Exclusive - Babyshambles reveal all about debut album

After months rumours of bust-ups, break-ups and break downs, Babyshambles will unleash the 16-track ‘Down In Albion’ November 14, and NME.COM got an exclusive preview.

The album, which was produced by Mick Jones, had a troubled creative process and saw the band initially cancel their summer tour so they could finished it. However, the group say they are now extremely pleased with the results.

“It’s a dream come true. We have utter conviction and belief in this album,” bassist Drew McConnell explained. “There are 6 billion people on this planet and if everyone else doesn’t like it except for us four we wouldn’t care because we think it’s amazing. We think it’s going to stand up as one of the seminal records of British musical history.”

Here McConnell and guitarist Pat Walden talk NME.COM through some of the album’s highlights:

‘La Belle Et Le Bete’ – DM: “It was recorded at about 4am on the second day of arriving at the studio in Wales. It’s originally about a conversation between Wolfman and Pete when they got fucked-up in Soho on gin.”

‘A’Rebours’ - DM: “We recorded this in Henley . ‘A’Rebours’ is the book that it’s in The Picture Of Dorian Gray. It’s French for ‘against nature’ or ‘against the grain’ and is about decadence and being a libertine.”

‘32nd Of December’ – PW: “It’s a beautiful song with a kind of , Happy Mondays vibe to it. Someone will sample that beat!”

‘Pipe Down’ – PW: “I had to tell my mum it was “Put your pint down”. She was like “What’s that about?” It’s a little tongue in cheek. I’ve got it tattooed on my arm.”

‘Sticks And Stones’ – PW: “We tried to get a ‘Guns Of Brixton’ vibe on this. I love the whistling part on this track. I always imagine the seven dwarves going to work when they’ve got their pickaxes.”

‘In Love With A Feeling’ – PW: “It’s got some really Curtis Mayfield, lyrical guitar playing in it. It’s a beautiful ballad.”

‘Albion’ – DM: “The first time I heard this song I made Pete play it over and over again. It was the first song he ever wrote, and I’m amazed he didn’t record it with The Libertines. He’s been holding back his trump card!”

‘Merry Go Round’ - DM: “The sun was almost coming up when we did this. It’s beautiful.”

You can now hear the full Babyshambles album exclusively on NME.COM. A listening post featuring ‘Down In Albion’ goes live from November 11, plus there’s a competition to win album artwork and Pete Doherty’s trilby.

For more information just go to NME.COM/artists/babyshambles

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