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A Likely Lad
Peter Doherty's is the last of the great rock 'n' roll stories - bad boy and public enemy. To his devoted fans, he is a cult hero, a modern-day Rimbaud. Musically, he has defined the past twenty years of indie rock with his sound, lyrics, lifestyle and aesthetic.
Since The Libertines rose to international fame, Doherty has proved endlessly fascinating. A whirlwind of controversy and scandal has tailed him ever since the early 2000s, so much so that all too often his talents as a songwriter and performer have been overlooked; for every award and accolade, there is a scathing review. Hard drugs, tiny gigs on the hoof, huge stadium shows, collaborations, obliterations, gangsters and groupies - Doherty has led a life of huge highs and incredible lows.
With his wildest days behind him, Doherty candidly explores - with sober and sometimes painful insight - some of his greatest and darkest moments, taking us inside the creative process, decadent parties, substance-fuelled nights, his time in prison and tendency for self-destruction. With his trademark wit and humour, Doherty also details his childhood years, key influences, pre-fame London shenanigans, and reflects on his era-defining relationship with Libertines co-founder Carl Barât and other significant people in his life. There is humour, warmth, insight, baleful reflection and a defiant sense of triumph.
A Likely Lad is Doherty's version of the story - the genuine man behind the fame and infamy. This is a rock memoir like no other.
Since The Libertines rose to international fame, Doherty has proved endlessly fascinating. A whirlwind of controversy and scandal has tailed him ever since the early 2000s, so much so that all too often his talents as a songwriter and performer have been overlooked; for every award and accolade, there is a scathing review. Hard drugs, tiny gigs on the hoof, huge stadium shows, collaborations, obliterations, gangsters and groupies - Doherty has led a life of huge highs and incredible lows.
With his wildest days behind him, Doherty candidly explores - with sober and sometimes painful insight - some of his greatest and darkest moments, taking us inside the creative process, decadent parties, substance-fuelled nights, his time in prison and tendency for self-destruction. With his trademark wit and humour, Doherty also details his childhood years, key influences, pre-fame London shenanigans, and reflects on his era-defining relationship with Libertines co-founder Carl Barât and other significant people in his life. There is humour, warmth, insight, baleful reflection and a defiant sense of triumph.
A Likely Lad is Doherty's version of the story - the genuine man behind the fame and infamy. This is a rock memoir like no other.
336 pages, Paperback
First published June 16, 2022
85 people are currently reading
746 people want to read
About the author
Peter Doherty
178 books4 followersPeter Doherty is a British comic book artist and colourist.
Doherty's work over a 15 year career has mainly been concentrated on the classic 2000 AD character Judge Dredd. He has illustrated several significant episodes of the strip. These include the story that has been acclaimed by fans as the best single episode story in the history of the strip,[citation needed] "Bury My Knee At Wounded Heart"; the classic origins story "Judge Death: Boyhood of a Superfiend"; and the swansong story of long-running support cast member Chief Judge McGruder, "Death of a Legend."
Outside 2000 AD, Doherty's work includes Grendel Tales and Shaolin Cowboy.
Doherty's work over a 15 year career has mainly been concentrated on the classic 2000 AD character Judge Dredd. He has illustrated several significant episodes of the strip. These include the story that has been acclaimed by fans as the best single episode story in the history of the strip,[citation needed] "Bury My Knee At Wounded Heart"; the classic origins story "Judge Death: Boyhood of a Superfiend"; and the swansong story of long-running support cast member Chief Judge McGruder, "Death of a Legend."
Outside 2000 AD, Doherty's work includes Grendel Tales and Shaolin Cowboy.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews
June 20, 2022
I couldn't stop reading this; but there was something strange about the narrative tone. It lacked Pete's natural poeticism and was far more matter-of-fact than I expected. For example, he talked about all the women he loved but never dared to describe exactly how he loved them or why. He also didn't describe how he felt about Amy's death (for example), or describe his complex love for Carl. His friendship with Carl was so pure and powerful, but perhaps the complex emotions Pete attaches to it are best borne out in his/their music. I approached the memoirs as a Pete fan, but I think it was written for his detractors, in a way. Perhaps he felt he needed to set the record straight on a few press items e.g. reason behind some of his arrests. However, I rate that he is unapologetically both troubled and a trouble maker (...and an addict) and loved gaining a deeper insight into his genius/sources of inspiration, and learning the real timeline of events of his life...
December 2, 2022
This is a bit of...never meet your heroes situation. I was 15 when Up The Bracket came out and absolutely obsessed with all the Libertines lore. I can still see the pictures of sweaty Pete and Carl in those bedroom concerts posted to livejournal by Finnish math students. I'm sure part of the problem is if so much of one's life revolves around running off to take drugs and passing out, then there's not that much to say. The real disappointment is anyone who's seen an interview with Peter Doherty knows there's a beautiful natural poetry to the way he speaks and that is missing.
February 15, 2023
And then Ratty Rat Jones turned up who was a bit of a character and we went and did some brown and I got nicked
July 28, 2022
This is a perfectly serviceable “autobiography” and I blasted right through it, as it reads like someone just telling you the story of their life (which is basically how it was dictated/written.) For fans, it’s certainly worth a read, particularly for anecdotes about the making of his albums, his memories of concerts (many of which can be found online) and how particular songs were written. He does obviously talk extensively about his addiction and he dips into some of the mayhem his life has been, but the sugar coating he puts on much of his 20+ years of extreme drug use, makes taking his words at face value (forgive me here) a tough pill to swallow.
September 14, 2023
I was sad to finish this. Truly a one-off, and I'll argue one of the greatest musicians and poets ever...
Of course The Sun will have you believe everything otherwise.
Literature was a big thing for Doherty: Orwell, Wilde, Baudelaire, Thompson, Rimbaud, Bukowski, Cocteau, Genet, Doestetevsky, Pushkin, Bolaño. The list goes on and on and on.
Basking in his literary soup perhaps sowed the seeds around a romanticisation (even a fetishisation) of heroin as he embarked as pirate to sail the mythical ship Albion to an illusory utopia called Arcadia.
And much akin to Coleridge's epic narrative paradise Kubla Khan, offering a literary association to opioids of intrigue and luxurious spaces of nirvana and accomplishment. The reality being far from its promised idyll.
The book itself is raw, coarse. No frills. Absolutely hysterical. Doherty's life is a Hunter S. Thompson novel in itself. Genius.
Of course The Sun will have you believe everything otherwise.
Literature was a big thing for Doherty: Orwell, Wilde, Baudelaire, Thompson, Rimbaud, Bukowski, Cocteau, Genet, Doestetevsky, Pushkin, Bolaño. The list goes on and on and on.
Basking in his literary soup perhaps sowed the seeds around a romanticisation (even a fetishisation) of heroin as he embarked as pirate to sail the mythical ship Albion to an illusory utopia called Arcadia.
And much akin to Coleridge's epic narrative paradise Kubla Khan, offering a literary association to opioids of intrigue and luxurious spaces of nirvana and accomplishment. The reality being far from its promised idyll.
The book itself is raw, coarse. No frills. Absolutely hysterical. Doherty's life is a Hunter S. Thompson novel in itself. Genius.
July 19, 2022
Far from a perfect book. It lacks almost any emotion, deeper thoughts and meditation on the meaning of it all. Doherty just writes down his memories chronologically and tries to connect them with the emotion he felt at the time, which is often just primary, fractious and lacking any deeper meditation. BUT it still makes for a fascination read and a page turner - because this is Peter Doherty. Only after reading this, the often-used phrase "How come he is still alive?" makes proper sense. You wouldn't not want to live his life or be even close to it but observing it from distance it makes for a proper adventure. He can (and should!) still write a book in which he goes deeper but so far, this is not bad either. There are people whose life makes for a book – and Doherty's now makes for at least two.
September 15, 2022
Felt like I needed a shower after every chapter.
July 27, 2022
Bloody hell this man took a lot of drugs! Addicted for some 20 years, the same length of time as his recording artist career. What’s incredible is not only his total refusal to stop - despite the extreme pressure from family, friends, and the law - accept on his own terms; plus the fact he is still alive where others (like his friend Amy Winehouse) aren’t; and that he managed to maintain such a strong career throughout it all.
This memoir, dictated but not written by Doherty, follows him from highly intelligent and relatively sheltered boy, to university drop out, to drug addled singer in defining early noughties indie outfit The Libertines. Thrown out of that band for drug consumption he founded Babyshambles, who continued on the success that the Libs should have had without him, and then on into solo work, an unsuccessful acting career, back into the Libertines, and eventual sobriety living the quiet life in Normandy.
I’m hard pushed to think of another musician who managed to be so prolific with such a sustained drug problem. Drugs have mostly either killed the career, the person, both, or were overcome after a few tough years. But then that was always part of Doherty’s appeal, the last of the great romantics, and man out of his time, positioned as the final epithet to a dying tradition of addict as artist.
This memoir, dictated but not written by Doherty, follows him from highly intelligent and relatively sheltered boy, to university drop out, to drug addled singer in defining early noughties indie outfit The Libertines. Thrown out of that band for drug consumption he founded Babyshambles, who continued on the success that the Libs should have had without him, and then on into solo work, an unsuccessful acting career, back into the Libertines, and eventual sobriety living the quiet life in Normandy.
I’m hard pushed to think of another musician who managed to be so prolific with such a sustained drug problem. Drugs have mostly either killed the career, the person, both, or were overcome after a few tough years. But then that was always part of Doherty’s appeal, the last of the great romantics, and man out of his time, positioned as the final epithet to a dying tradition of addict as artist.
January 17, 2023
Where to begin!
This is a story of full on Rock n Roll debauchery.
I love Pete as a poet, musician and artist. I'm sure if we were to meet, we'd be able to shoot the breeze for many a happy hour. He comes across as an intelligent person, but someone who has carried the monkey of addiction on his back for so long. Why is it that so often intelligent people have such addictions? I think that drugs are seen to aid creativity, or at least that's view of the artist. Maybe it opens doors to an elevated level of consciousness, and once those doors are open, they're hard to shut. Who knows. Either way, this book paints a very grim picture of drug addiction. I'm glad that it wasn't a glamourised account of drug use. It's very real account. I felt almost dirty at times.
Of course Pete isn't purely all about drugs. This book provides a good insight into Pete's creative process. He comes across as a generally nice chap, minus the drug use. I'm so happy Pete is now clean and I hope he stays clean. We need people like Pete to enrich this world.
This is a story of full on Rock n Roll debauchery.
I love Pete as a poet, musician and artist. I'm sure if we were to meet, we'd be able to shoot the breeze for many a happy hour. He comes across as an intelligent person, but someone who has carried the monkey of addiction on his back for so long. Why is it that so often intelligent people have such addictions? I think that drugs are seen to aid creativity, or at least that's view of the artist. Maybe it opens doors to an elevated level of consciousness, and once those doors are open, they're hard to shut. Who knows. Either way, this book paints a very grim picture of drug addiction. I'm glad that it wasn't a glamourised account of drug use. It's very real account. I felt almost dirty at times.
Of course Pete isn't purely all about drugs. This book provides a good insight into Pete's creative process. He comes across as a generally nice chap, minus the drug use. I'm so happy Pete is now clean and I hope he stays clean. We need people like Pete to enrich this world.
June 20, 2022
I was so excited to discover that Peter had finally written an autobiography, disappointed that I didn't manage to score a signed copy (although I have plenty of other signed bits), and further disappointed that it's ghost written. But then it's such a Peter thing to do, telling everyone the book was written by someone else, based on his words, but not what he was expecting and cut up by his misses and others who wanted certain stories to stay quiet, just before it was released.
A Likely Lad is a good read, full of good stories. Irritatingly, Peter reminded me of Skimpole in some place, talking about how he is 'a perfect child' when it comes to finance and owing money... but I believe him. A lot of his tales are humourous, a few sad, nostalgic. He comes across as very honest and matter of fact when it comes to drug use, and talks candidly about some of the murkier accusations attached to that side of his life. I love the constant references to British film and TV, books and poetry, especially as someone who also lives an imaginary existence. At the end of the day though, you're not going to get a thorough, non-biased review out of me because I love Peter, and The Libertines, and Babyshambles. I am a little bit disappointed that he's not a fan of Byron though.
A Likely Lad is a good read, full of good stories. Irritatingly, Peter reminded me of Skimpole in some place, talking about how he is 'a perfect child' when it comes to finance and owing money... but I believe him. A lot of his tales are humourous, a few sad, nostalgic. He comes across as very honest and matter of fact when it comes to drug use, and talks candidly about some of the murkier accusations attached to that side of his life. I love the constant references to British film and TV, books and poetry, especially as someone who also lives an imaginary existence. At the end of the day though, you're not going to get a thorough, non-biased review out of me because I love Peter, and The Libertines, and Babyshambles. I am a little bit disappointed that he's not a fan of Byron though.
November 4, 2024
That was quite a blast!
Pete Doherty is one of those people whose reputation doesn't just precede him, it eclipses any of his talents as a musician, artist or writer. And I'm not trying to say that his notoriety isn't warranted - he'd be the first to tell you that the reality is even wilder than most people even realise - but it's just really easy to get swept up in what the media pretend to "report" on, completely forgetting that celebrities are people too; many of them with as many hopes/fears/petty concerns/regrets/embarrassing moments that make them cringe, as the rest of us.
I think that's why I enjoy biographies as much as I do. It's not the huge, salacious reveals that I'm necessarily interested in, it's the day to day mundanities, interspersed with random and unusual events that fascinate me. Obviously rock stars, actors, actresses and artists tend to have access to more money, attend wild parties, have tumultuous affairs and are able to enjoy many interesting experiences; but their day to day lives are always equally interesting to me. The way that the juxtaposition of public personas and private lives almost show two totally different people, is fascinating to me.
I really wasn't expecting to come away from this book liking Doherty, but he just completely challenged my preconceptions about him before I'd even finished the first chapter. His deeply heartfelt recollections of his family, the places he grew up, and his budding fascination with literature from a very early age, had me immediately set right. Sure, the ensuing tales of two decades worth of explosive personalities rubbing up against one another, creating music, fighting, and falling out, with innumerable cameos from wonderfully strange, beautiful, artistic, random characters in every location from slums & squats, to high end hotels and huge country piles based in the Cotswolds (not to mention a few visits to various rehab facilities and a handful of stays at "Her Majesty's Pleasure") all made for a wild ride of a book. But getting to learn about Doherty's very normal love of antique hunting, collecting military memorabilia, enjoying walks on the beach with his dogs, and having a lifelong love of "Hancock's Half Hour" all helped to round out the very two-dimensional caricature of him that was always portrayed in the media.
Doherty comes across as a loveable rogue at heart, who just made the mistake of staring too deeply into the void for too long, only for the void to then hold him in its death-grip for nearly two decades. His voice leaps off the pages and is a testament to the biographer's determination to have the reader feel as though they were sat in a cosy cafe, listening to this affable chap, look back on his life so far, with a mixture of bittersweet happiness interspersed with a touch of regret. I found him immediately likeable and enjoyed getting to learn a lot more about this Pete Doherty, who had for years been much maligned by the unrelenting press who went to ridiculous lengths (including tapping his phone and those of his family, friends & associates) to get the most incriminating photographs, snapped at the most opportunistic moments; all so they could run salacious stories with wild headlines, any time he left the house.
Now, of course Doherty is no angel - and he'll be the first to admit it. He cops to all the illegal, inappropriate and stupid stuff he got up to. But he's also got a laundry list of stupid stuff that he wasn't responsible for, which also got frequently pinned on him, by some local cops who got way too much pleasure from pulling him over, searching him, arresting him, and running a little book on who could arrest him the most. Don't get me wrong, Doherty has definitely been the architect of his own misfortune, but he's also been hounded out of multiple places, just because his "bad-boy" behaviour marked him out as fair game. You can't help but feel sorry for the guy.
Drugs naturally feature quite prominently in this biography, but Doherty never seems to glorify or glamorize them; quite the opposite in fact. He admits to having romanticized the idea of opiates being something beautiful and a part of the creative lifestyle he read about many of his literary heroes using. But that was before he found his drug use move from recreational dabbling, to crippling dependency and an addiction that took many attempts at recovery before finally getting clean. There's nothing glamorous about finding oneself living alone in a run-down bed-sit, spending all day laying on a filthy mattress on the floor with your only thoughts focused on scoring gear and shooting up. Doherty even speaks about how he tried to dissuade other young naive people from romanticizing smack & crack; not wanting them to wind up like him. But you can't put an old head in young shoulders and many inevitably had to learn their lesson the hard way too. Such is life.
I had my wild years in my late teens and early twenties, wanting to try everything twice. A lot of the chaos and stupid decision making Doherty recalls, did strike a chord with how I lived my own life for a while. When you're young you think you're invincible. You can enjoy slumming it for a few years, hanging about with dodgy characters and having a non-stop stream of strangers coming and going from your flat, with parties that last for as long as the drugs do. Having your home raised by the police is even kinda fun at first until it starts to all come on top. But luckily for me, my drugs of choice were ecstasy and hallucinagenics. Coke and speed were nice little additions, and benzodiazepines for the come-down were really just a way of helping to get to sleep after being up partying and munching "disco-biscuits" for 3 or 4 days at a time. The warm feeling that washed over me after dropping a pill was glorious, but whereas the Reddy-Brek glow that heroin provides, becomes addictive and causes many users to draw into themselves, away from other people, ecstasy is a very social drug and not one that you can really become physiologically dependent upon. I was lucky because I just preferred the drug with far less negative side-effects. But I saw heroin ruin the lives of so many people - many of whom you'd never have expected to get mixed up in such things.
I mention all that because despite never getting hooked on smack, and having been able to just walk away from the party scene unscathed, once I got a bit older, more sensible (and probably a lot more boring, lol) I recognise a lot of the chaotic lifestyle Doherty talks about in this book. Fun is always enticing and being a bit naughty has a certain allure when you're younger and wanting to experience everything life has to offer. But I know that when you choose your poison, you have to understand what you're getting yourself in for. Some of us are seeking bliss, but others are truly courting oblivion - whether consciously/subconsciously and whether they're willing to admit it (to themselves and others) or not. Deep down I know I never wanted to end up a hopeless junkie, with an addiction that I became a slave too. Loving/preferring happy uppers was lucky I guess, but I wasn't cut out for the life of a smack-bandit or crack-head. Those who do choose that path at some level know what's probably in store for them, but they do it anyway. And I think with Doherty, it really was - on some level - a conscious choice to choose that path, court oblivion and invite the devil into his life. I think he almost had to do that, go through everything he did, and come out the other side to truly discover who he is as a man; a father; a husband; a son; a whole person.
Obviously I'm not trying to say that anyone should try to emulate that life themselves. But hearing Pete speak now with a calm persona, a rational outlook, and no longer that wandering maelstrom of chaos, it sounds like he's finally figured out who he is and what he wants to be. Not everyone who gets entangled in a life of drug addiction is lucky enough to come out the other side, and I think Doherty is careful not to simply assume that he's now completely out of the woods. It sounds like he has the love of a very good woman on his side, and he's managed to find a way to access his creativity without the need for substances. He's finally happy with the direction his music is now going, and after reading this book I truly couldn't be happier for the guy. I wish him and his family all the love and luck in the world.
I'm giving this book a strong 4 stars...because he was never going to score 5 after I found out how much he loved Jeremy Corbyn. Bloody socialists and their obsession with the "magic grandpa"...grr! 😉
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Pete Doherty is one of those people whose reputation doesn't just precede him, it eclipses any of his talents as a musician, artist or writer. And I'm not trying to say that his notoriety isn't warranted - he'd be the first to tell you that the reality is even wilder than most people even realise - but it's just really easy to get swept up in what the media pretend to "report" on, completely forgetting that celebrities are people too; many of them with as many hopes/fears/petty concerns/regrets/embarrassing moments that make them cringe, as the rest of us.
I think that's why I enjoy biographies as much as I do. It's not the huge, salacious reveals that I'm necessarily interested in, it's the day to day mundanities, interspersed with random and unusual events that fascinate me. Obviously rock stars, actors, actresses and artists tend to have access to more money, attend wild parties, have tumultuous affairs and are able to enjoy many interesting experiences; but their day to day lives are always equally interesting to me. The way that the juxtaposition of public personas and private lives almost show two totally different people, is fascinating to me.
I really wasn't expecting to come away from this book liking Doherty, but he just completely challenged my preconceptions about him before I'd even finished the first chapter. His deeply heartfelt recollections of his family, the places he grew up, and his budding fascination with literature from a very early age, had me immediately set right. Sure, the ensuing tales of two decades worth of explosive personalities rubbing up against one another, creating music, fighting, and falling out, with innumerable cameos from wonderfully strange, beautiful, artistic, random characters in every location from slums & squats, to high end hotels and huge country piles based in the Cotswolds (not to mention a few visits to various rehab facilities and a handful of stays at "Her Majesty's Pleasure") all made for a wild ride of a book. But getting to learn about Doherty's very normal love of antique hunting, collecting military memorabilia, enjoying walks on the beach with his dogs, and having a lifelong love of "Hancock's Half Hour" all helped to round out the very two-dimensional caricature of him that was always portrayed in the media.
Doherty comes across as a loveable rogue at heart, who just made the mistake of staring too deeply into the void for too long, only for the void to then hold him in its death-grip for nearly two decades. His voice leaps off the pages and is a testament to the biographer's determination to have the reader feel as though they were sat in a cosy cafe, listening to this affable chap, look back on his life so far, with a mixture of bittersweet happiness interspersed with a touch of regret. I found him immediately likeable and enjoyed getting to learn a lot more about this Pete Doherty, who had for years been much maligned by the unrelenting press who went to ridiculous lengths (including tapping his phone and those of his family, friends & associates) to get the most incriminating photographs, snapped at the most opportunistic moments; all so they could run salacious stories with wild headlines, any time he left the house.
Now, of course Doherty is no angel - and he'll be the first to admit it. He cops to all the illegal, inappropriate and stupid stuff he got up to. But he's also got a laundry list of stupid stuff that he wasn't responsible for, which also got frequently pinned on him, by some local cops who got way too much pleasure from pulling him over, searching him, arresting him, and running a little book on who could arrest him the most. Don't get me wrong, Doherty has definitely been the architect of his own misfortune, but he's also been hounded out of multiple places, just because his "bad-boy" behaviour marked him out as fair game. You can't help but feel sorry for the guy.
Drugs naturally feature quite prominently in this biography, but Doherty never seems to glorify or glamorize them; quite the opposite in fact. He admits to having romanticized the idea of opiates being something beautiful and a part of the creative lifestyle he read about many of his literary heroes using. But that was before he found his drug use move from recreational dabbling, to crippling dependency and an addiction that took many attempts at recovery before finally getting clean. There's nothing glamorous about finding oneself living alone in a run-down bed-sit, spending all day laying on a filthy mattress on the floor with your only thoughts focused on scoring gear and shooting up. Doherty even speaks about how he tried to dissuade other young naive people from romanticizing smack & crack; not wanting them to wind up like him. But you can't put an old head in young shoulders and many inevitably had to learn their lesson the hard way too. Such is life.
I had my wild years in my late teens and early twenties, wanting to try everything twice. A lot of the chaos and stupid decision making Doherty recalls, did strike a chord with how I lived my own life for a while. When you're young you think you're invincible. You can enjoy slumming it for a few years, hanging about with dodgy characters and having a non-stop stream of strangers coming and going from your flat, with parties that last for as long as the drugs do. Having your home raised by the police is even kinda fun at first until it starts to all come on top. But luckily for me, my drugs of choice were ecstasy and hallucinagenics. Coke and speed were nice little additions, and benzodiazepines for the come-down were really just a way of helping to get to sleep after being up partying and munching "disco-biscuits" for 3 or 4 days at a time. The warm feeling that washed over me after dropping a pill was glorious, but whereas the Reddy-Brek glow that heroin provides, becomes addictive and causes many users to draw into themselves, away from other people, ecstasy is a very social drug and not one that you can really become physiologically dependent upon. I was lucky because I just preferred the drug with far less negative side-effects. But I saw heroin ruin the lives of so many people - many of whom you'd never have expected to get mixed up in such things.
I mention all that because despite never getting hooked on smack, and having been able to just walk away from the party scene unscathed, once I got a bit older, more sensible (and probably a lot more boring, lol) I recognise a lot of the chaotic lifestyle Doherty talks about in this book. Fun is always enticing and being a bit naughty has a certain allure when you're younger and wanting to experience everything life has to offer. But I know that when you choose your poison, you have to understand what you're getting yourself in for. Some of us are seeking bliss, but others are truly courting oblivion - whether consciously/subconsciously and whether they're willing to admit it (to themselves and others) or not. Deep down I know I never wanted to end up a hopeless junkie, with an addiction that I became a slave too. Loving/preferring happy uppers was lucky I guess, but I wasn't cut out for the life of a smack-bandit or crack-head. Those who do choose that path at some level know what's probably in store for them, but they do it anyway. And I think with Doherty, it really was - on some level - a conscious choice to choose that path, court oblivion and invite the devil into his life. I think he almost had to do that, go through everything he did, and come out the other side to truly discover who he is as a man; a father; a husband; a son; a whole person.
Obviously I'm not trying to say that anyone should try to emulate that life themselves. But hearing Pete speak now with a calm persona, a rational outlook, and no longer that wandering maelstrom of chaos, it sounds like he's finally figured out who he is and what he wants to be. Not everyone who gets entangled in a life of drug addiction is lucky enough to come out the other side, and I think Doherty is careful not to simply assume that he's now completely out of the woods. It sounds like he has the love of a very good woman on his side, and he's managed to find a way to access his creativity without the need for substances. He's finally happy with the direction his music is now going, and after reading this book I truly couldn't be happier for the guy. I wish him and his family all the love and luck in the world.
I'm giving this book a strong 4 stars...because he was never going to score 5 after I found out how much he loved Jeremy Corbyn. Bloody socialists and their obsession with the "magic grandpa"...grr! 😉
⭐⭐⭐⭐
December 19, 2022
Hmm I didn't really know what to expect when I picked up this rockstar biography. On about p.20 drugs are mentioned for the first time and then it's all about jailhouse rock and the romanticizing of drugs - the classic sex, drugs and rock 'n roll story. I guess people read rock biographies because they are curious about various anecdotes. The other reason is that fans are simply thirsty for more regarding their idol. I think this is the second biography I've read about Pete Doherty but this one is definitely more outspoken. It's dirty, raw and crazy. Yet the chapters are very short and the stories leave on a rather superficial level. For example, I never got to grips with the relationship between Pete and Kate Moss. But I guess his memories are seen through a lens of drugs and that's why it's so blurry. I also understand that Pete Doherty himself has not read this book and that he was shocked that it is written in 1st person because he only talked to the ghostwriter on the phone. In addition, he has mentioned in an article for The Guardian that the best stories were missed because several people's lawyers did not approve of the stories being leaked. So in the end, there is not much new "gossip" to be found out.
It is a pity that the last years as a sober person are not treated more than in a short chapter. I am actually genuinely interested in what life is like as a sober person after so many years as an addict. How has Pete found balance? How does he find joy (are there any dopamine reserves left?) How does he see the future?
Whatever you think of Pete, I think he's incredibly charismatic, stylish and he definitely has a strong X-factor and is a modern day poet (sure enough a real asshole too only mentioning his daughter's birth with two sentences). But I can't stop being fascinated by him and his music. That's also the main reason why I read this book. Pete was probably the last true rock star after him came Ed Sheeran, Harry Styles and The Weeknd. I'm sorry but these guys are not rock stars by any means, too nice, sweet, polished and well-behaved.
It is a pity that the last years as a sober person are not treated more than in a short chapter. I am actually genuinely interested in what life is like as a sober person after so many years as an addict. How has Pete found balance? How does he find joy (are there any dopamine reserves left?) How does he see the future?
Whatever you think of Pete, I think he's incredibly charismatic, stylish and he definitely has a strong X-factor and is a modern day poet (sure enough a real asshole too only mentioning his daughter's birth with two sentences). But I can't stop being fascinated by him and his music. That's also the main reason why I read this book. Pete was probably the last true rock star after him came Ed Sheeran, Harry Styles and The Weeknd. I'm sorry but these guys are not rock stars by any means, too nice, sweet, polished and well-behaved.
August 22, 2024
It did feel like a “classic Pete Doherty” move to get a ghost writer to write his own autobiography but I enjoyed it nonetheless. Interesting to hear all the madness told from “his” point of view but it did feel like he was desperately trying to defend himself for acting like, well… like Pete Doherty. It’s kept very surface level to do with any of his relationships but it seems his biggest love and heartbreak was with Carl, which I suppose says alot about their music!
December 4, 2022
What an exhausting life
July 8, 2022
The Libertines are one of those indie rock bands I have always adored. Their music reminds me of nights out with my mates at indie club nights and so many other nostalgic memories of my late teens/early twenties. Pete has always been a bit of loose cannon but I have always found him fascinating & charismatic.The lyrics to his songs he wrote alongside Barat are some of the most poetic and genius around. But due to his many troubles his talent definitely gets overlooked.
This book gives the truth to many myths that were in the papers. The drama and craziness he got up to is mental to read about. It was great to be able to hear his take on those situations and how he got out of them by the skin of his teeth! I am so glad he has finally got clean and seems happy at last!
I loved learning about the background to his lyrics. I listened to them again whilst reading this and now understand the meaning behind them.
A very entertaining read that is a humorous yet intimate look into the crazy life of a rock star.
This book gives the truth to many myths that were in the papers. The drama and craziness he got up to is mental to read about. It was great to be able to hear his take on those situations and how he got out of them by the skin of his teeth! I am so glad he has finally got clean and seems happy at last!
I loved learning about the background to his lyrics. I listened to them again whilst reading this and now understand the meaning behind them.
A very entertaining read that is a humorous yet intimate look into the crazy life of a rock star.
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August 25, 2022good lord he took a lot of drugs ! at the height of his fame living in a squalid bedsit - crazy stuff ! interesting reading ! glad he is clean now and is thriving
November 8, 2023
Es imposible (e increíble) que esta persona siga viva.
May 15, 2023
I'm a big fan of Peter Doherty, The Libertines and Babyshambles which is why I got this book. I heard an interview with Pete and he said he was a bit disappointed with the style of writing. It felt like a very literal recount of Pete's life, with a rather flat style, that didn't really convey the wonderful poetry of Pete's lyrics and outstanding songwriting. However, it was entertaining in a grimey way and often hilarious and surreal. I'm so glad Peter is still with us. There were some real tragedies along the way as drugs and excess just took people down a very dark route. One for the fans.
May 19, 2024
Quelle vie ! On en ressort épuisé rien qu'en lisant.
Cette biographie est en fait une retranscription d'entretien de Pete Doherty, dont les bouts de vie ont été remis dans l'ordre par le biographe. Lorsqu'on commence à lire, on ne peut s'arrêter, on est entrainé, et pourtant j'ai trouvé qu'il manquait quelque chose. Peut-être un peu plus de réflexion sur les évènements décrits et de profondeur auraient été intéressantes.
Cette biographie est en fait une retranscription d'entretien de Pete Doherty, dont les bouts de vie ont été remis dans l'ordre par le biographe. Lorsqu'on commence à lire, on ne peut s'arrêter, on est entrainé, et pourtant j'ai trouvé qu'il manquait quelque chose. Peut-être un peu plus de réflexion sur les évènements décrits et de profondeur auraient été intéressantes.
January 9, 2023
Was really looking forward to this one given The Libertines are one of my favourite bands, and Doherty’s story is very poignant. Unfortunately this book lacks the poetic warmth Doherty is known for speaking in, and forgoes a lot of talk of the relationship between him and Carl in exchange for tedious goings on about drug binges and the like.
November 15, 2022
Loved reading this as Pete is a fascinating bloke and it was good to read some of the stories he has and how he started e.t.c. Also made watching some of his videos back quite fun. I do reallly wish he wrote this himself however. It lacked a bit of detail and spark about certain things and felt more like a chronology of his life. More prosaic then I expected it to be. Still👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻
September 11, 2024
An insight into the life of an artist turned beleaguered celebrity. Some degree of reflection on his mistakes and some disturbing and humorous anecdotes. However I feel that it does skim over the detail in some sections.
June 18, 2025
I think I need rehab myself having just finished this book, but I did find it intently readable. I particularly enjoyed the brutal honesty and tales of sleazy/landfill indie from the days of yore - had I known all that was going on whilst innocently pogoing around in the pit mere meters away…
August 7, 2022
Chaos lol
August 2, 2024
Very interesting book as a huge fan of the Libertines. Pete is uncomfortably honest about his troubles with addiction, paparazzi and police. Would recommend.
August 5, 2022
Everything you would hope it would be and more.
December 29, 2022
Yes, well, Peter Doherty. What to say. I can remember a time when I would have thought he was glamorous, fascinating and interesting. Thankfully I've grown up since then. Garbled memoir by a sad junkie and nothing is ever Peter's fault...ever. Completely oblivious to the feelings of others and the trail of destruction he leaves behind him. Peter says he's clean now, I hope that's true, somehow I doubt it.
February 20, 2024
El libro se comporta como las canciones de Pete, las buenas y las malas: es atropellado, da saltos, a veces te pellizca con la emoción. Y la colección de viñetas del desastre no siempre fluye y hubiese sido muchísimo más divertida en manos de alguien que realmente quisiese hacer literatura con ellas.
Pero puede que así se hubiese perdido la sensación de que Doherty es el más empático de todos los yonkis del rock.
Pero puede que así se hubiese perdido la sensación de que Doherty es el más empático de todos los yonkis del rock.
December 23, 2022
It’s a perfectly normal biography all the info is in there but the whole time I’m waiting for the romanticism and fantasy and lyricism with which the same events are described in the Books of Albion etc. I’d expect more of Pete’s writing or at least the feeling it conjures in a book billed as an autobiography.
August 7, 2022
One of the great mysteries of life has to be, 'How is Pete Doherty still alive?'
Doherty said of his ghost-written book, 'the publishers cut all the best bits out.' For a man who has had more drugs than hot dinners, it's a marvel he remembers anything at all.
Proselytised as being a literary man and the unofficial poet laureate of the streets, it is rather disappointing that the author couldn't be bothered to write his own life story but rather chunter and boast of his past misdeeds, and have Steve Spence scrape together his hazed recollections.
At times Doherty's wit and humour shines through, and some anecdotes of his past debauchery are hilarious. The most vivid and descriptive section of the book covers his childhood, where the reader does get a sense of his time spent of various military barracks, and his brutish father. A man who viewed parenting as dropping his children off at a library while he spends the afternoon in a bookmakers.
For a chap who spent the majority of his adult life zombified on Class A drugs, its understandable that Doherty's memories are hazy and discombobulated, but more tellingly it gives an insight into his priorities. A classic example is when he mentions the birth of his daughter in passing, the way someone would mention eating a Mars bar: 'Oh yeah, my daughter was born around then. Anyway, I went to this crack-house...' etc.
A Likely lad is reminiscent of an amalgamation of two other ghost-written memoirs; Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth and and John McEnroe: Seriously. The former, for the depravity and borderline sociopathy; and the latter for the complete lack of accountability for ones own behaviour, including the three deaths in which Doherty is closely attributed to.
One of the more shocking revelations in the memoir is that Doherty has recently found God and appears to be largely of sober mind during recent years, which makes the self-imposed tragedy of his life somewhat more bearable when reading.
A likely Lad is an entertaining and easy read, which borders on the low-brow like an extended Sun article. On a personal level I hope Peter finds peace, forgiveness and ultimately happiness, going forward.
Doherty said of his ghost-written book, 'the publishers cut all the best bits out.' For a man who has had more drugs than hot dinners, it's a marvel he remembers anything at all.
Proselytised as being a literary man and the unofficial poet laureate of the streets, it is rather disappointing that the author couldn't be bothered to write his own life story but rather chunter and boast of his past misdeeds, and have Steve Spence scrape together his hazed recollections.
At times Doherty's wit and humour shines through, and some anecdotes of his past debauchery are hilarious. The most vivid and descriptive section of the book covers his childhood, where the reader does get a sense of his time spent of various military barracks, and his brutish father. A man who viewed parenting as dropping his children off at a library while he spends the afternoon in a bookmakers.
For a chap who spent the majority of his adult life zombified on Class A drugs, its understandable that Doherty's memories are hazy and discombobulated, but more tellingly it gives an insight into his priorities. A classic example is when he mentions the birth of his daughter in passing, the way someone would mention eating a Mars bar: 'Oh yeah, my daughter was born around then. Anyway, I went to this crack-house...' etc.
A Likely lad is reminiscent of an amalgamation of two other ghost-written memoirs; Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth and and John McEnroe: Seriously. The former, for the depravity and borderline sociopathy; and the latter for the complete lack of accountability for ones own behaviour, including the three deaths in which Doherty is closely attributed to.
One of the more shocking revelations in the memoir is that Doherty has recently found God and appears to be largely of sober mind during recent years, which makes the self-imposed tragedy of his life somewhat more bearable when reading.
A likely Lad is an entertaining and easy read, which borders on the low-brow like an extended Sun article. On a personal level I hope Peter finds peace, forgiveness and ultimately happiness, going forward.
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