The Libertines discuss their new album, tour and if guitar music really ‘needs saving’

'The bands who change popular opinion are the ones who have a truth'

Carl Barat has discussed what to expect from The Libertines’ in 2017, as well giving his opinion on the current state of guitar music. Watch our video interview with Barat above.

Yesterday saw the band announce details of a 2017 UK seaside tour, not only to look for premises for their long-rumoured ‘hotel’ and home studio, but Barat says the shows were also booked to ‘finance the fucker’.

“We want somewhere where we can have a home,” Barat told NME. “We can record there, drink there, have a bar there, be creative and have other people there as well. A bit like Warhol’s factory, but not so much. [We want it to be] by the sea. We can write in there, record in there, rehearse in there, we’ll be together – that will be nice.”

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The band are currently at work on the follow-up to their acclaimed comeback album ‘Anthems For Doomed Youth‘. Asked if they might be playing new songs this summer, Barat replied: “Not to my knowledge, possibly. We don’t really have a game-plan like that. If something comes up and it begs to be played then we’ll play it. But the thing about playing new songs at festivals is that no one ever knows them.”

The Libertines' Pete Doherty and Carl Barat
The Libertines’ Pete Doherty and Carl Barat

Earlier this year, Kasabian listed The Libertines alongside themselves and Arctic Monkeys among the only bands to have ‘survived’ the era of early ’00s indie.

Asked about the secret to their longevity, Barat replied: “I don’t know, I don’t really have a good answer for that. I could say loads of shit things about the peoples’ choice, or I could talk about the internet and how that changed things, or I could talk about how bands influenced how people dressed. That was a big deal. Those who did and those who didn’t – that always in my head seems to be a big marker of a band’s success over a period of time and people getting into it.

“It’s really hard to be in a band right now, given that the things that get support from the industry makes it a bit of a chicken and egg situation. The industry makes its own stars, and in doing so doesn’t give any support to the up and coming. It’s not organic. There’s not the chance that there once was. The meritocracy thing isn’t really there.”

So does guitar music really need saving?

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“Music by its very definition doesn’t need saving. Music is there. The messenger might need saving to get music from A to B. The blinkered view of the media and music might need fucking destroying, but the platform for guitar music has been increasingly disappearing unless its endorsed by x number of sponsors. Their interest is in getting the big numbers so they’ll only go for hard-hitters and proven successes. I’d hate to be starting out in a band right now.”

Barat added: “I’ve still got faith that the bands starting out right now will get through and there will be great bands. In 10 years time when you’re talking about this decade, you will be talking about these bands that by hook or by crook made it through. I don’t think you’ll be talking about the endorsed, sponsored bands because the bands who usually change popular opinion are the ones with some veritas and have a truth and come from that.”

The Libertines’ new ‘Tiddeley Om Pom Pom Tour’ dates are below. Tickets are on sale from 9am on Friday and will be available here.

SEPTEMBER
22 – Blackpool Empress Ballroom
23 – Hull Arena
25 – Plymouth Pavilions
26 – Scarborough Spa
30 – Lowestoft Claremont Pier
OCTOBER
1 – Margate By The Sea Festival (Margate Dreamland)
2- Brighton Brighton Centre

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