After a long sabbatical, David Speirs has returned to the Local News for Southsiders as an occasional contributor. Here in the BIG INTERVIEW David relates conversations in an exclusive one-to-one he had with PETE DOHERTY in Glasgow before, during and after a gig at Barrowland on Tuesday 23 May. Boyfriend of supermodel Kate Moss, ex Libertine and most recently front man of indie highflyers Babyshambles, Pete speaks freely about his relationship with Kate, his drugs addictions and his record contract.

KATE MOSS
He believes their relationship still isn’t over and is trying to win her back by tackling his own well-documented addictions to crack cocaine and heroin. ‘We speak all the time and there is definitely still something between us. I spoke to her just a couple of days ago and she says if I can get my act together, get off the gear – which I fully intend to do by getting into rehab for real this time after this series of gigs – then there is still hope for us long term. I believe her. And you can quote me on that.’

DRUGS
Doherty was more than frank and his clear message, especially to his younger more easily influenced fans, was ‘Don’t make the massive mistakes I’ve made. My addictions have caused me problems in my relationship with one of the most beautiful women in the world and might well have cost me my career too. With the loyal support of friends, family and my record label Rough Trade and Geoff Travis in particular, I’m trying to tackle my problems.’

RECORD CONTRACTS
The national press have recently carried a story that Rough Trade Records had finally lost patience with Doherty and dropped him. ‘It’s all c*** in fact about 95% of what’s written about me is just total b*******! The contract we had was for the last album with an option for renewal which they fully intend offering and we fully intend taking. Geoff Travis, owner of Rough Trade Records is pestering me for new material. On this tour we’ve been playing quite a few of the new songs every night and they are being well received. As soon as this series of gigs is finished, we will set up a meeting with Rough Trade; let them hear the new songs; and a new contract will be there for us. If they don’t like them, then I will just have to apply for the next edition of celebrity Big Brother!’ On his old playing mates, Pete boasted with considerable vitriol, ‘The next album I’m doing will surprise everyone and prove once and for all who the talented one was in the Libertines.’

The day after the Barrowland gig and this interview with Pete, David Speirs contacted Rough Trade. Spokesman Colin confirmed an extension to Babyshambles’ last contract is on the table. He said ‘As soon as we’ve heard the new songs Pete’s been working on and as long as they are up to his usual high standard, then the contract will have the Ts crossed and the Is dotted. We very much look forward to extending our already good working relationship.’

Comments David Speirs, ‘There is something extremely intriguing about this guy with the great big saucer eyes who rates The Zuttons and The Strokes as ‘pretty good guys’ and ‘cool’ respectively. But somewhere in the back of my mind I have this terrible fear that he could still turn out to be the next Sid Vicious, Kurt Cobain or Janis Joplin. Despite all his well documented high jinks, there is something about Pete you just can’t help but like. I hope he can get his life together and I look forward to the next Babyshambles’ album – if it ever materialises.’