Ex-Babyshambles guitarist breaks silence on Pete Doherty and co
Patrick Walden on quitting the band, drug addicts and starting new group
Ex-Babyshambles guitarist Patrick Walden has broken his silence about life in the band during their darkest times, and announced his new musical project, Big Dave.
Walden formed Babyshambles with Doherty in summer 2004 then officially left the band in December the following year – a month after the band’s debut album, ‘Down In Albion’, was released. He has played guitar as their guest sporadically at live shows since.
“The band had become a circus. There were so many snakes – we’d be in the studio and there’d be people taking pictures of Kate Moss doing coke,” Walden said, indicating the reasons why, along with his previously-spiralling heroin addiction, which he has since beaten, he left.
Walden was scheduled to reunite with Doherty and co at the Manchester MEN Arena last November, where he was set to play guitar during Babyshambles’ encore. “I had gone to Windsor to rehearse the night before,” he said. “There were drugs about, and it was supposed to be a drug-free tour. I wasn’t happy.”
Walden spoke about his new band, Big Dave, which he formed with Acoustic Ladyland’s Seb Rochford and Ruth Goller.
“The Big Dave sound is melodic and hard – there’s elements of Sonic Youth and or Nirvana,” he said. “We’ve got songs better than ‘Fuck Forever’ and ‘Pipedown’. We’re going to record an EP by mid-February."
For the full interview with Walden, see the new issue of NME, on UK newsstands from Wednesday (January 21).
The Shockwaves NME Awards 2008 are coming soon – and it’s time to have your say. Vote now by heading to NME.COM/awardsvote and you could win VIP tickets to the ceremony, which takes place in London on February 28.
Walden formed Babyshambles with Doherty in summer 2004 then officially left the band in December the following year – a month after the band’s debut album, ‘Down In Albion’, was released. He has played guitar as their guest sporadically at live shows since.
“The band had become a circus. There were so many snakes – we’d be in the studio and there’d be people taking pictures of Kate Moss doing coke,” Walden said, indicating the reasons why, along with his previously-spiralling heroin addiction, which he has since beaten, he left.
Walden was scheduled to reunite with Doherty and co at the Manchester MEN Arena last November, where he was set to play guitar during Babyshambles’ encore. “I had gone to Windsor to rehearse the night before,” he said. “There were drugs about, and it was supposed to be a drug-free tour. I wasn’t happy.”
Walden spoke about his new band, Big Dave, which he formed with Acoustic Ladyland’s Seb Rochford and Ruth Goller.
“The Big Dave sound is melodic and hard – there’s elements of Sonic Youth and or Nirvana,” he said. “We’ve got songs better than ‘Fuck Forever’ and ‘Pipedown’. We’re going to record an EP by mid-February."
For the full interview with Walden, see the new issue of NME, on UK newsstands from Wednesday (January 21).
The Shockwaves NME Awards 2008 are coming soon – and it’s time to have your say. Vote now by heading to NME.COM/awardsvote and you could win VIP tickets to the ceremony, which takes place in London on February 28.
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Jan 22, 2008
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