Book

Peter Doherty, A Likely Lad

May 25, 2023 — Leave a comment

A big fan of the rock n roll yarn, I picked up Peter Doherty’s book A Likely Lad in a Ranelagh gift shop (Rosalins) just off Edenvale Road where I used to live in the mid 90’s. I was strolling down memory lane as you do, a few weeks back and came across the shop (42 Dunville Ave, Dublin 6, D06 VX34).

Playa de Palma, Mallorca, Spain

Off to Playa de Palma on the 12th of May, I packed the book away for the holiday read and was delighted I did. Whats probably most surprising is the level of detail Doherty recalls of his many adventures while at the time being under the influence of various substances. I was aware of him from The Libertines and Babyshambles bands but didn’t really know his music prior to buying his debut solo Grace/ Wastelands produced by Stephen Street which I loved. A great collection of songs.

A good read
Grace / Wastelands

Since reading his memoir, Ive started to listen to his other solo albums. The early stuff has past me by at this stage but Im really into the solo stuff. Hamburg Demonstrations, the follow up to Grace/Wastelands is spectacular. Very mature songwriting, great production by Johann Scheerer and the sound of the band including violin is so loose it’s just perfect.

Hamburg Demonstrations

His latest album ‘The Fantasy Life of Poetry And Crime’ with Frèderic Lo is a piano based collection and easily his best work yet.

There has been a hell of a lot written about the man, a tabloid regular, his battles with addiction, his brushes with the law maybe far more than has been written about his creative output but when I think Peter Doherty, the words that spring to mind are musician, songwriter, singer, poet, painter, maybe even Jack The Lad but mostly I think Artist. His work speaks for itself. I really enjoyed reading A Likely Lad and learned a few new things I didn’t know including he has started his own record label (strap originals) and has a hotel / recording studio in Margate (The Albion Rooms).

More recently, he has toured UK and Ireland to huge audiences with the Battered Songbook. Like his pal Amy Winehouse, he may have had his fair share of troubles but his resilience, determination, family and friends have kept him where he belongs, on stage singing original songs.

#peterdoherty #alikelylad #book #goodread

Bead’s ‘Black Irish Dogs’ song featuring Boz Boorer now on YouTube

Jun 15, 2020 — Leave a comment

‘Black Irish Dogs’ is a song by Irish singer-songwriter Bead.
Partly inspired by Philomena Lynott’s book, who’s one year anniversary was this month, the song is now available on YouTube in addition to usual platforms (Spotify, iTunes, Bandcamp, CD Baby and Amazon).

The song was produced by Boz Boorer who is best known for his songwriting and guitar work with Morrissey (see Vauxhall & I, You Are The Quarry, World Peace Is None Of Your Business) and features a full band sound of vocals, drums, bass, guitars and fiddle.

Black Irish Dogs

“The initial concept for this song came one morning waking up in London to the sound of sirens and helicopters overhead. It was August 2011 and it was the start of the London Riots where businesses were burned to the ground.”

“I had wanted to write a song with an Irish theme for a while. Ireland seems to be a revolving door to England, America and Australia since the recession of the 1980’s.”

“After the so called Celtic Tiger collapsed in 2008, Ireland lost thousands upon thousands of young people who had no choice but to emigrate to find work. The cycle continues. This song came together quite quickly.
I recorded it on acoustic guitar with Boz adding instruments and guest musicians later.”

“After recording the song and listening to it, I thought it was missing something. As luck would have it, I started reading a book which would inspire a title for the song. This was the missing piece which I also sing at the end. The book in question was ‘My Boy’ the life story of Philomena Lynott, Mother of Thin Lizzy singer, Phil Lynott.”

My Boy by Philomena Lynott and Jackie Hayden

“Reading the first chapter, I was struck by how Philomena struggled to bring up her child in England. Her life was made all the more difficult by the racism she and Philip endured. In chapter 2, she retells how while walking the streets of Birmingham to find a better home for herself and Philip, she was greeted by window signs depicting the message ‘No Blacks, No Irish, No Dogs’.”

Plans are afoot to release a full video soon following the announcement of forthcoming airplay on Irish radio.