Exclusive – Carl Barat reveals secret behind Pete reunion

Carl Barat has revealed how his reunion with former Libertines bandmate Pete Doherty happened last week (April 12).

The pair played on the same stage together for the first time since 2004 at Doherty’s London Hackney Empire show.

Speaking to NME.COM, Barat explained that he and Doherty began plotting the link-up when they met at this year’s Shockwaves NME Awards on March 1, over a month before the show.

“We started talking at the NME Awards and we talked and chatted about doing something at some point,” explained Barat, added that they deliberately kept the reunion low-ky.

“We didn't want to mouth off and for there to be a circus around it,” he said. “I missed the songs, and Peter's important to me.”

You can read the complete, behind-the-scenes story of how The Libertines' reunion came about in just two days when NME hits UK newsstands on April 18.

With exclusive pictures, and interviews with everyone involved, including Barat and Doherty, the next issue goes behind-the-scenes at the gig everyone is talking about.

In the meantime though, you can experience the reunion again here on NME.COM - check out our blog which was filed live from Hackney Empire.

Read the news report from the show.

Relive the opening night of Doherty’s solo residency.

Did you go to the shows? If so send your pictures, videos and stories to news@nme.com with Pete in the subject line now and we’ll publish the best.