Real Name: Carl Ashley Raphael Barât
Born: June 6, 1978
Carl Ashley Raphael Barât is an English musician born on June 6, 1978 in Basingstoke, England.
Carl currently features in “The Culture Show” of BBC Two. He has also said that he wants to work with Doherty again and they have supposedly begun writing a musical together which is expected to be released in early 2009.
Carl Barât divided his youth between his parents, his mother, Chrissie who was part of the commune-dwelling counterculture and peace groups and his father worked in an armaments factory. Carl has one sister Lucie Barât and he spent his childhood with his mother. In 1996, Carl met Peter Doherty through his sister Amy-Jo when he was studying at Brunel University in Uxbridge. Carl Barât and Doherty formed the band “Libertines” in 1997. The band included John Hassall on bass, Gary Powell on drums, Carl Barât on vocals/lead guitar and Peter Doherty on vocals/rhythm guitar.
The first album of “The Libertines” is “Up the Bracket” which was released in 2002. The album reached number 35 in the UK chart albums. Doherty was asked not to perform in the band’s next tour to Japan due to his addiction to heroin and crack cocaine in 2003. Doherty broke into Barât Mayfair flat and stole various items, which included NME award and antique guitar; he was sentenced to six months in prison and later shortened to two months. Carl Barât and Doherty rejoined after his release from the prison and performed an unrehearsed “Freedom Gig” on October 8, 2003 at the Tap ‘n’ Tin club in Chatham, Kent. Doherty was expelled from the band again as he continued his drug addiction. The band released their second album “The Libertines” on August 30, 2004. The Libertines continued touring without Doherty as per contractual obligations. Peter Doherty formed a new band “Babyshambles” in 2003.
In December 2004, the band was disbanded after the release of their second album “The Libertines”. The band “The Libertines” won NME’s Best British Band award in February 2005 and Carl paid tribute to Doherty in his receiving speech.
Carl’s first work as a solo artist was for the band “Client” on their single “Pornography”. In June 2004, Carl Barât set up the London club Dirty Pretty Things and served as a DJ. Carl Barât and Doherty were publicly reunited at the “Boogaloo Bar” in Highgate, North London. After this both expressed of working together in future. Peter Doherty and Carl Barât played 13 songs at the second of Doherty’s gigs “An Evening with Pete Doherty” at the Hackney Empire on April 12, 2007.
Carl Barât announced about his new band “Dirty Pretty Things” on September 15, 2005 which included Gary Powell on drums, Anthony Rossomando on guitar and Didz Hammond on bass. The band released their debut album “Waterloo to Anywhere” on May 8, 2006 and the first single from the album was “Bang Bang, You’re Dead” which was released on April 24, 2006. The bands single “Bang Bang, You’re Dead” reached number five in the UK Single chart and the debut album “Waterloo to Anywhere” reached number three in the UK album chart.
Some of his albums include:
- ‘Up the Bracket’ in 2002
- ‘The Libertines’ in 2004
- ‘Time for Heroes’, ‘I Get Along’ and ‘Don’t Look Back into the Sun/Death on the Stairs’ in 2003
- ‘What Became of the Likely Lads’ in 2005
- ‘Waterloo to Anywhere’
- ‘Time for Heroes – The Best of The Libertines’ in 2007
- ‘Romance At Short Notice’ in 2008
Some of his singles include:
- ‘What a Waster’, ‘Up the Bracket’ and ‘Time for Heroes’ in 2002
- ‘Don’t Look Back into the Sun’ in 2003
- Can’t Stand Me Now’ in 2004
- ‘Bang Bang You’re Dead’, ‘Deadwood’ and ‘Wondering’ in 2006
- ‘Tired Of England’ in 2008