Babyshambles

As the spiralling chaos of The Libertines lurched from one beautiful rock'n'roll mess to another, front man Pete Doherty started his new side project in 2003. On the night of the band's first scheduled gig Doherty was arrested for burgling fellow Libertine Carl Barat's flat and the birth of Babyshambles was put on hold for two months while he served time in Pentonville. Plagued by drug problems, oppressive tabloid pressure and the general anarchy of Doherty's lifestyle, the band's line-up changed frequently, but the success of Top 10 singles Killamangiro and F*** Forever paved the way for debut album Down In Albion (2005). Driven by clattering bursts of raucous garage rock and Doherty's naturally poetic vision of the world, the band's reputation for controversy and unreliability continues to grow but their second album Shotter's Nation (2007) reached Number 5 in the UK and was received well by the critics. Doherty went on to start a solo career and reform The Libertines, but the Babies continue to shamble along.

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