Peter Doherty interview: "grassroots venues… they are the lifeblood of music"

True legends in rock and indie are dying out. The buzz around huge figures that dominated their eras like Liam Gallagher and Robert Plant seems almost impossible for our current generation of upcoming artists to achieve. Perhaps the rising costs of being in a band, touring, and streaming are partially to blame, but that’s a conversation for another day. Thankfully, some icons are still roaming around who are still creating emotive and invigorating music while mentoring the next generation, helping them to get their music heard. And one person who fits that description is Pete Doherty.  

Peter Doherty, of The Libertines, Babyshambles, The Puta Madres, and with a handful of solo albums too, performed at Wythenshawe’s Cringlewood Club recently, the launch event for the Northenden Fringe Festival hosted by John Robb. Bringing along with him some support acts from his record label Strap Originals, Peter performed genre rock and indie classics including ‘Time For Heroes’, ‘Don’t Look Back Into The Sun’, and ‘F*ck Forever’. Read our review of the gig.

Squeezing our way into the club’s cramped and smokey backroom, where drinks and cigarettes were lying around while Peter’s dog Gladys sprawled out on the floor, we managed to have a brief chat with Peter about his record label Strap Originals, grassroots venues, a bit about the Babyshambles reunion, and more over the booming bass coming from the stage only a few metres away.

Photo: Peter with his dog, Gladys - Peter Doherty / Facebook.com 

Starting a record label at a time like this, when musicians are struggling to get their careers off the ground and get out there and heard, Peter says the idea, the vision, behind Strap Originals is “Really simple, really. It’s just artists who we believe in, believe in as songwriters, as poets, as musicians who are lacking the funds and the connections to realise their dream - wanna help them along, really, put them in a studio and then eventually release their music and then get them on the road, get them playing shows. 

“When you’re starting out, you need… just someone to help you organise things, y’know what I mean? Like, get you in the studio, get you on the road, maybe lending equipment. So if you believe in them, just back ‘em, basically.” 

Photo: Pippa Rankin / Peter with Andrew Hirst (Modern English), Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, and Jack Jones 

Picking up a guitar at around 15 or 16, as he mentioned earlier in the evening, young Peter discovered The Smiths and Oasis, two bands he fell head over heels for while developing his knack for effortlessly crafting poetry which saw him winning competitions while at school. In a 2009 interview, he even said The Smiths’ ‘I Started Something I Couldn’t Finish’ changed his life. Penning music with expertly crafted lyrics and melodies seemed a natural progression for him.

So with those competitions and bands to guide him, it makes sense Peter was drawn to the idea of helping young artists and poets carve out their paths. It also explains his relationship with Jack Jones of Trampoline, who Peter dons a “Really talented songwriter.” Jack also played with Peter during his time with his band The Puta Madres, who he has also signed to his record label - “We’ve been friends for quite a long time… really like when he first came to London, he was living in his van. I went to one of his poetry shows and I was really taken by that (performance). It’s been a joy watching him develop as a musician and yeah, now to support him with the label…”

Photo: Elspeth Mary Moore / Peter on stage with Jack Jones at Cringlewood Club 

Jack Jones joined him on stage later that evening following performances from other Strap Originals artists including Vona Vella, a “lovely couple called Izzy and Dan from Lincolnshire who are just starting out on their journey in music”, Peter says. “They’re great songwriters, really prolific… really melodic, beautiful songwriters.” The night also saw a set from Evan Williams, a young lad Peter met who was working behind the bar at his studio in Margate, the Albion Rooms. “We heard him mess around with an acoustic guitar one night, at an open mic night, so we put him in the studio and now he’s doing his first album. Really good lyricist.” 

Peter and those artists performed that evening as the launch event for the Northenden Fringe Festival, a festival that brings big names in music to the suburbs, having them perform in small, grassroots venues. Highlighting the importance of grassroots venues on the music scene, Peter affirms it’s vital to support them: “Small venues and grassroots venues, festivals, community events, they are the lifeblood of music, it’s where we started, playing pubs, playing working men’s clubs.”

Photo: Peter Doherty / Instagram 

Mentioning the sad reality that many small artists are currently dealing with, he says, “A lot of artists are struggling now, even today, like energy bills, things like that. So with the disappearance of them (venues), it’s missed opportunities for grassroots networks, music, but also community stuff as well."

“Music, above all, is a way for people to get together, you know what I mean? Without music or without people coming together, there is no community so these places need to stay alive, stay open.”

Before we left, we had to ask for an update regarding the Babyshambles reunion: “I think it’s slowly progressing, yeah. Slowly progressing, I’ll just say that, yeah.” 

Northenden Fringe Festival continues over the bank holiday weekend, bringing the likes of Tom Meighan (ex-Kasabain), Jon Dasilva, JJ ROX, Jimi Goodwin (Doves), and more. Secure your tickets for just £10 or £20 now. 

Holly Quinn

Check out our What's On Guide to discover even more rowdy raves and sweaty gigs taking place over the coming weeks and months. For festivals, lifestyle events and more, head on over to our Things To Do page or be inspired by the event selections on our Inspire Me page.

Header image credit: Peter Doherty / Instagram.com