#alfie 2004

[zanephillips]

JUDE LAW Alfie (2004)

[uwkhj]

no need for god

[clearphilosophercandy]

All stories can be found on AO3. Just click on the link and there you go. Have fun.

I'm also open for requests.

Napola - Before the Fall (2004)

✖ Bliss

Albrecht gets his first boxing lesson - and something else. (Friedrich x Albrecht)

✖ Cloudless

After an incident, Albrecht is shipped off by his parents to another psychiatric clinic in Berlin, where he meets the young trainee Friedrich. He falls in love with Friedrich - and wonders why the latter already seems so familiar to him, even though they do not know each other. (Friedrich x Albrecht)

✖ Only the moon knows

Albrecht finally can't keep his thoughts for himself anymore, and pays Friedrich a late night visit. (Friedrich x Albrecht)

✖ The Mirror

Albrecht observes something very interesting in the mirror at the showers. (Friedrich x Albrecht)

✖ The Bathtub

Friedrich has taken Albrecht to his home in Berlin, and worries whether Albrecht will be able to find his way in this simple life. While bathing, however, Albrecht shows him how much he can cope. (Friedrich x Albrecht)

✖ On his knees

Albrecht can finally give Friedrich back what he himself got a few days ago - and doesn't hesitate to hold back. (Friedrich x Albrecht)

✖ Als wäre es nie anders gewesen - Deutsche OneShot Sammlung 🇩🇪

Hier findet ihr all die Sachen (die meisten zumindest), die ich sonst auf Englisch poste, auch in Deutsch. OneShot Sammlung & andere Dinge. (Friedrich x Albrecht)

Peaky Blinders

✖ Thin Lines

After an attack, Arthur decides it's time for Tommy to get a bodyguard. But Tommy decides differently than Arthur wanted - and besides, not everything turns out the way the Shelby family thought it would. (Tommy x Alfie)

✖ Frail Little Birds

Two stories - two different wars. About finding and losing, about hope and loss. (Tommy x Alfie)

✖ The Devil comes with hornes

Tommy receives a nocturnal visitor at the door whom he had believed to be dead. But it soon becomes clear that nothing has changed - except for Tommy's wish, so that he might forgive him at last. (Tommy x Alfie)

✖ Serendipity

[noun] The effect by which one accidentally stumbles upon something truly wonderful, especially while looking for something entriely unrelated.

or: Tommy and Alfie find love, even though they expected something completely different. (Tommy x Alfie)

Inception

✖ Freckles

It was irritating to be so close to Arthur, so damn close that he could even count the fine freckles on his nose. There were seven, finely distributed. No mirror, just Arthur. (Eames x Arthur)

✖ Out of place

Eames knows he does something very wrong when he takes Robert home - but he can't get over the pain Arthur left him with by leaving again, when things were about to get serious. (Eames x Arthur, Eames x Robert Fischer)

[remnants]

The Batman (2004) S1E9: The Big Dummy

[his-saiko]

I'm watching Feng Shui.

"Matuto ka makuntento." [Learn to be content]

Me: Ah. Putangina mo ka matanggalan ka sana ng tite. [insert cursing]

[bobbie-robron]

Victoria spoke this morning.

Jack thinks he’s hearing things when Victoria responds to him about what she wants for breakfast. Jack shows up at Andy’s about the hopefully good news. When Jack and Andy try to later get Victoria to talk, she does so through Alfie. Robert’s clearly freaking about the news while Victoria continues to give him the evil eye.

18-Apr-2004

[jackbatchelor3]

Little Mo FINALLY Gets Justice EastEnders

TW: Rape

[keemeekaal]

💝 VOIS SUR TON CHEMIN ;)

● VSTC #001 ★ vois sur ton chemin by Bruno Coulais & Les Petits Chanteurs de Saint-Marc + @alfiosama

♥︎ what parts of yourself do you see in me? + @daodag & @pundelmurra2

[little-wicked10]

Smut Ideas🔞

These are some still in my mind ideas and ideas that are sitting in the drafts unfinished that I wanted to see if anyone was interested in. Let me know if you’re interested in any of these ideas! Thank you to @shirley-girly for encouraging me to post this lol

‼️in the works — ❓still an idea

Fantasize - Billy Butcher (The Boys)‼️

Kimiko takes matters into her own hands and gives her friend a little nudge in Butcher’s direction (inspired by Fantasize by Ariana Grande).

Billy Butcher x maybepregnant!ofc (The Boys)❓

Butcher and her have been casually hooking up for some time. It seems like when it’s about to get kinda serious, Butcher pulls away and starts ignoring her. Certain signs lead her to taking a pregnancy test, which leads to confronting Butcher. In front of everyone.

Billy Butcher x ofc x Soldier Boy (The Boys)❓

Solider Boy’s supe powers make it easy to read people and their physical reactions. What’s the supe to do when he catches on to her physical reactions to himself and Butcher?

Short N’ Sweet Smut series❓/‼️

Series of smut stories based on Sabrina Carpenter songs from her ✨Short N’ Sweet🍪 album

Worst!Wolverine x Siren!reader (Deadpool and Wolverine)‼️

Wade and his bestie/new roommate convince Logan to join their smoke session.

Fulfulling - Crown Prince!Loki (Marvel)‼️

Fulfilling one’s duty shouldn’t feel as good (or as sinful) as it does with Loki.

Alfie Solomons (Peaky Blinders)‼️

Darkness has a funny way of consuming your every being. It creeps into your veins and makes one crave the pleasures and pains it has to give. It gripped tight to whatever it had latched on to and spread. It could take over its host in a singular moment and never let go and make one feel alive in a sinful way. What did it say about a person that not only ran into the darkness, but preferred it to the light?

Count Dracula (Van Helsing 2004)‼️

A single virginal beauty in exchange for the lives of an entire village. Instead of being devoured, she finds herself as his “guest” in his frozen fortress. She knows the stories of Count Dracula, but she can’t help but be affected by his dark magnetism.

[itszonez]

NIA LONG | Alfie (2004) dir. Charles Shyer

[rebeccasundstrom]

Sienna Miller in Alfie, 2004

[justrainandcoffee]

Have you ever seen the rain (Alfie Solomons x fem!oc)

Summary: 2020. Alfie is in his Inn and he's redecorating part of it. His friend, Rose, is helping him. The song starts to sound just when their proximity is unbearable. "Have you ever seen the rain, coming down on sunny day?" A song and a travel to the past 16 years ago, in 2004.

Warnings: None. Modern AU. || Look at me finally writing this story. || This is set after this story which I recommend to read first

Words: 3k. || Masterlist

2020

She knows all the truth now. He loved a man who broke his heart and she accepted him for whom he is. She also knows that his business is far from being legal. There's no secrets between them and he is ready to start again. But the morning after telling her everything, what they are doing is painting his kitchen, the one in his apartment that's over the inn, something he wanted to do before the quarantine but didn't have time. Now he has free time but his mind isn't focused in that job. No when the woman living with him, trapped with him in his inn, is next to him wearing an old t-shirt of his and her messy hair is a delight to Alfie's eyes.

Rose isn't paying attention to him now, she's singing -or trying to- while his playlist is full of good and old songs. The brush in her hand is painting the wall while The Doors is sounding and her movements follow the rhythm of the music. Only when she hears him chuckle, she stops.

"What?"

"Nothing. It's just you are doing a mess, Rosie."

"The audacity! Alfie, I'm doing this for free, you should be more grateful."

"Oh, I am, love. I'm very grateful, sweetheart. But you know I'm right."

"You should have asked me to help you to choose new curtains or wallpapers, instead. I'm good at it."

"I'm going to consider your offer. Thank you, luv," he says before returning to his work.

It's raining, the virus is a menace everywhere, there are very few places they can go together, so the best thing to do is to be locked there, safe and alone.

Rose also looks at him when she believes he's not looking. Dirty thoughts cross her mind although she shouldn't be thinking that, but she couldn't help it. She likes him, in ways she never experienced before. She likes him as person because he showed her before that he's a good person, a sweet man, at least with her. But also everything of him, as man and all his testosterone, feels irresistible for her. And Rose knows that unless any of them do something then those thoughts only are going to increase. Despite everything she's also a woman with needs.

"I can't ignore this any longer," Alfie says throwing his brush on the floor and walking towards Rose, no longer after she returned to paint trying very hard to ignore her thoughts.

Alfie is a lot of things, including a very perceptive man. Or maybe because Rose isn't subtle at all. But he realised that she had been looking at him.

"Fuck the paint," he says taking the brush she has in her hands and also throwing it on the floor next to all the things that are there.

He advances toward her until her back touches the wall. He is front of her, giving the woman no space to escape.

Rose is pinned between the wall and him. One of his hand is on her waist and the other, tracing a path on her neck.

"Why are you so beautiful?"

"I'd ask the same."

The night before it wasn't possible, but Alfie isn't going to lose this opportunity, too. The hand that it was on her cheek is now on the back of her neck. Their first kiss is imminent. In that moment a new song starts to sound.

[I wanna know have you ever seen the rain- I wanna know have you ever seen the rain... comin' down on a sunny day?♪]

"That song was playing when I had my first kiss," she says, eyes closed, smiling at the memory that suddenly appeared in her mind.

"That song sounded when I had my first kiss, too" Alfie replies touching her nose with his.

"Are you kidding?"If she moves just an inch her lips would touch Alfie's ones, but she opens her eyes to look at him.

"No," he replies, but a memory hits his brain:

"...My name is Rose."

"Alfie."

"Tell me it wasn't raining… was it under a willow tree?" He asks and stares at her looking for an answer that he already knows.

2004

The rain seemed to be there just to ruin the party. The parents of Francesca, one of Rose's best friends, rented a house outside London to celebrate their daughter's birthday. It was summer and it seemed good to them allowed the girl have fun with her friends while the family spent time together as well.

Francesca and Rose were friends since they were eight years old and through the years, more girls joined the group till that point where they were five inseparable friends. Francesca had a brother a year older, Jules, who invited his friends because according to the boy he never was going to spend time with a group of crazy girls.

"He invited the boys that play football with him," Fran said. "A group of losers as he is. They all go to different schools, they know each other thanks to the club."

"Any of these boys is cute?" one of the girls asked. "Like Pacey Witter?"

A year ago, Dawson's Creek ended and the girls were still mourning the finale and the fact that Josh Jackson won't be the handsome and sweet Pacey ever again. It was hard not to develop feelings for a character like him. And find a Pacey in real life was difficult, not to say impossible.

"There's only one Pacey, Letitia."

"You never know," Rose commented.

"Don't keep your hopes up, girls. They're just a bunch of idiots like my brother is. And like all boys we know, too."

That was true, they agreed. It was hard being a 15 years old girl in the beginning of the 2000s, when all the boys seemed to be nothing but assholes. Yet, despite Francesca's words, the rest of her friends expected to see the boys. Why not? The hormones were knocking on their doors and the perspective of having a good day, sounded fine.

Alfie was reluctant to go, but finally accepted because the host were Jewish people too and the idea of having kosher food for free was okay for him.

"My sister's friends are brainless girls," Jules said "they're laughing all the time. Luckily, my mom doesn't allow pyjama's party that often so I guess it's good."

"One of them, at least one of them has to be hot," one of the boys commented.

"Meh. There are better out there."

Alfie shrugged his interest in the opposite sex was barely beginning so if girls there were nice or not, wasn't going to change his life.

That was he thought.

At first the sun was shining and both the teens and the adults were outside enjoying the day. The pool that the house had was being used by both groups: the boys and the girls. But later it was just the girls because the others found playing football more entertaining. But the first exchange of glances between Alfie and Rose was a reality.

He saw her for the first time when she was sitting on the edge of the pool wearing a purple bikini top and shorts. She had two braids and, in his opinion, the most beautiful smile of all.

Rose saw him when he was talking to Jules and something about him caught her attention immediately. Maybe the colour of his eyes when the sun illuminated his face. Or something she couldn't explain that moment.

"Who is he?"

"Oh," Francesca said sitting down next to her friend "that's Alfie. He's our age, 15. He goes to another Jewish school, but that's all I know. I think he lives with his mother. Jules met him in the club years ago and after Alfie invited my brother to his bar mitzvah, they're good friends. Of all my brother's friends he's the less idiot. Which is not a compliment at all considering how low the bar is."

"He seems cute."

"Alfie? Alfie ain't cute, Rosie," snorted Francesca but when she saw her best friend's eyes couldn't help but smirk. "You like him."

"What? No, no! I just said that he seems cute. That's all. It's not important."

Jules provided information about Rose to Alfie as well. She was one of his sister's friends although Jules admitted that she wasn't the brainless of them.

"But she can kick you in the balls if you look at her badly," the boy added.

"But she's nice."

"If you say, Alfie."

The rest of the morning the girls stayed in the pool or sunbathing, while the boys played on the other side of the property. And more than once, Alfie and Rose found themselves looking at each other.

"Just talk to him," Francesca said visibly tired of her friend daydreaming about the boy since the beginning of the day. "He's not going to bite you and as far as I see, he can't stop looking at you either."

The idea was to return to the pool after lunch, but the rain started when they were eating to everyone there disappointment.

It was Jules the one who searched in the different CDs he had, the perfect song compilation for the occasion and thanks to him the rest forgot that they were now forced to be under roof, away from the rain.

The first time they were close to each other was when both of them were near the window, looking at the storm outside.

"It's a pity that it's raining," he said to her and he felt like the most idiot boy in the world. Stupid thing to say to the girl who he had been looking at, since the very first minute. But Alfie really didn't know what else to say.

"Indeed," she agreed. Her heart was racing like never before but she managed to smile at him "my name is Rose."

"Alfie."

Their friends saw the closeness between them and while the boys were a bit upset for losing a player, the girls were a bit more excited. Until that moment, neither of them had seen Rose interested in a boy enough to be giggling like it was happening with Alfie.

They found their place to be alone and It didn't take them long to start chatting about unimportant thing. About school, subjects or others a bit more important for them like religion but that, in the end, was nothing but an excuse to be together.

The intense rain seemed to stop a bit and tired of being locked most of them decided to go outside, Rose and Alfie included, even if that meant ending up wet.

They didn't go with the group, they walked hand in hand through the place until they sat under the willow tree that provided them some protection from the rain that although weak, was still there.

"I always liked willow trees," the girl said "I used to read about them when I was a kid. My brother used to mock me, but I really like them. It something about their resilience that I find them fascinating. They are associated to life and w…".

"And witchcraft. But the good one."

"Yes! How did you know?"

"I had my phase reading about them, too."

She looked at the boy and smiled. Never before she knew someone interested in those trees.

Never before, Alfie felt he could talk about it without being judged.

The rain started to be a nuisance again and both of them sought refuge under the branches, they were so close that he could feel her breath on his shoulder.

From where they were, they could hear the music that still sounded inside the house. Credence Clearwater Revival was the name of the band and one of their hits was exactly the song they were hearing.

[Have you ever seen the rain on a sunny day? ♪]

They looked at eachother. A shy smile appeared in her face when Alfie felt brave enough to touch her hair.

"I want to kiss you," he finally said.

"Me too…but I- I never kissed anyone before."

"Me neither."

"Alfie, What if I disappointed you?"

"You won't."

He put his hands on her waist and looked at her. The rain on their faces made them close their eyes and soon Rose felt his lips on hers.

If before that moment her heart was racing, now she felt it was going to get out of her chest. She dared to put her hands on his shoulders and play with his hair at the same time both of them discovered at the same time what kissing meant. And why it did feel so good.

As the rain began to stop again, and probably this time definitely, they pulled apart and smiled. The sunlight started to appear again as they kissed again, this time with a bit more of confidence.

At the end of the day, they weren't ready to be apart but they had to. Francesca's parents had to take her back to her house and Alfie returned to his in one of his friend's car.

"Call me," she said to him giving him a paper with her telephone number. "Please, call me."

"I will, Rosie."

"I want to see you again."

"Me too."

They kissed for the last time, with the hopes and promises of seeing each other again.

Only they didn't know that it was going to take them a while to do it.

2020

"It was you…" Rose says still incredulous. "It was always you."

"I lost the telephone number you gave me. Now I remember very well the desperation when I realised what happened. I asked my friend if he could help me but their lives after the party were chaotic and that summer they moved to Bristol and I didn't see him again and in consequence I lost the only link to you that was his sister."

"Their grandmother died and it was horrible for the whole family. My mother forbade me to bother them so, eventually I gave up. But, you know, I was only 15 and this boy blew up my mind…"

"Did he? That's a coincidence because it took him a while forget about her" A smile appears in his face and Alfie put again his hand on the back of her neck and tilts his head "Can I kiss you… again?"

"Yes."

Alfie looks at her one last time before finally resting his lips on hers. That's their first kiss… or the second one that feels like the first.

Unlike the night before, there's no Tommy in Alfie's mind, there, it's just her. He feels her hands on his waist, pressing his lower back and he starts to feel that her kisses won't be enough to calm his body.

Somewhere in the past, a distant point of their lives, they are those teenagers under the willow tree experiencing love for the first time. Rose can't help but smile against his lips. That's the feeling she craved that much. They were once again reunited… and it just took them 16 years.

With his hand caressing her skin under the shirt she's wearing, he pushes Rose against him at the same time that with her arms are around his neck, she deepens the kiss. And both of them have the same thought.

On the floor, around them there are hammers and nails, old newspapers protecting the tiles and brushes everywhere and yet, Alfie manages himself to avoid them without looking as he carries her to the first open bedroom he finds.

"Are you sure about this?" he asks as he puts her on the mattress.

Rose nods, removing her shirt "I'm completely sure."

It's not like Alfie certainly knew that having sex with her it was going to happen but it was a possibility and that morning he put a condom in his pocket. It was a good decision.

They kiss each other again, this time with a lot less clothes on them and for the first time since they met two months ago, they make love.

They can see the raindrops on the window but also the sun through the light clouds that cover the sky now. There's a mix of colours in that window similar to a little rainbow.

They're resting now. Her fingers are tracing patterns on his chest and he's brushing her back with his hand.

"What's in your mind?" she asks.

"I'm just thinking, sweetheart. What were the chances of finding you again? I mean… London has thousands of women, girls, named Rose. When we met; first I barely remembered my first kiss and second, much less the name of that pretty girl. But now, it seems so obvious, of course it was you… Maybe it's true that there's something else."

"Something that escapes our understanding? I felt that since I put my foot here. But I feel in peace, like I'm where I suppose to be. Ridiculous as it sounds."

"I feel the same. Rosie, do you want to try? Us, together… and see where we can end?"

"Are you sure? I want, but you… your ex-"

"Fuck him. And yes, I'm sure."

"Then yes," she says. Her eyes bright with joy and Alfie rolls on the bed to face her.

"There's nothing else to say, then."

"I'm not going to hurt you," she says repeating what she said the night before when they were in the terrace, by the swimming pool.

"Me neither, Rosie."

It's May and spring it's filling the air. Even inside the inn.

[nicothebug]

𝖇𝖆𝖘𝖎𝖈 𝖎𝖓𝖋𝖔𝖗𝖒𝖆𝖙𝖎𝖔𝖓

Name : Nicola Mendez (she/her) Nicknames : Nico Age : 23 Birthday : April 18, 1983 Occupation : Bartender, librarian, hunter (on occasion) Residence(s) : Bobby's house, Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Anita Mendez's manor, New Orleans, Louisiana.

𝖒𝖊 𝖆𝖘 𝖆 𝖕𝖘𝖞𝖈𝖍𝖎𝖈 (𝖆𝖓𝖉 𝖔𝖈𝖈𝖆𝖘𝖎𝖔𝖓𝖆𝖑 𝖍𝖚𝖓𝖙𝖊𝖗)

Skills : psychic powers inherited from my grandma, such as precognition, telepathy, clairsentience and mediumship. Also I'm really good at any card games...just because. Weapon of choice : salt...and maybe a pocket knife and a sawed-off shot-gun.

𝖒𝖞 𝖏𝖔𝖚𝖗𝖓𝖊𝖞 𝖎𝖓 𝖙𝖍𝖎𝖘 𝖉𝖗

S/O : Sam Winchester, 23 Trope : friends to lovers

Family : Rafael Mendez (older brother), Susana Mendez (mom), Alfie Reed (my dad), Anita Mendez (maternal grandmother).

Background : I was born in New Orleans in 1983. My parents are Susana Mendez and Alfie Reed, Karen Singer's younger brother.

We had always been close to the Singer couple and regularly spent time with them at Sioux Falls. Unfortunately, around my third birthday, Karen dies. Bobby tells us that he needed time to grieve and cut all contact with us.

A couple of years later, I have visions and start talking to Karen's spirit. My grandmother, a medium, quickly catches on and we go to Bobby's, where I manage to bring him closure.

As I grow up, the psychic "episodes" become a recurrent thing for me. My grandmother helps me manage them and, in the process, also realizes that I possess more psychic powers than she thought.

During my early teens I become curious about the supernatural and spend a lot of my free time at Bobby’s. He introduces me to Missouri Moseley, who helps me develop (not manage like my grandma liked to do) my precognition, clairsentience, as well as telepathic powers.

During our stays at Sioux Falls, my brother and I occasionally came across Sam and Dean (teen Sam develops a small crush on me awe). Around 2001, Sam decides to cut ties with hunting and we lose all contact with the Winchesters.

At 21, in 2004, I finish bartending training and start working in a local New Orleans bar with my friend Arno. I occasionally give psychic readings at my friend Ginny’s Occult shop (Arno and Ginny both come from my gt dr hehe).

I start sport and horse race betting as well, which I'm good at (it may or may not be because of my powers). I do the betting in secret though, since my family (and Bobby, although he wasn't as stern about it) didn’t exactly approve.

I also adopt an Irish Setter puppy and call her Sunday ! She is the love of my life ! I will kill for her !

First Shift : around 2006, I'm finishing off my shift at the bar when get a premonition about the Winchesters getting into a car crash (beginning of season 2). I call Bobby and he attempts to contact the boys, but it’s too late.

I drive to Sioux Falls and get there a day and a half later, just as Bobby is storing the crashed Impala into his yard. The brothers are only slightly hurt.

Following events : I haven't really scripted any specifics, but I know that my dr will not follow canon events or plot-lines.

I will mostly experience events from episodes I like, maaaaybe some plot points from the show (which plot points, I have yet to figure out). In short, I scripted that nothing too traumatic will happen...I mainly want to experience the supernatural and do a lot of road-tripping in the US. I'm leaving specifics up to the universe.

(me when I lie lmao like fuck all of this, I only want to take Sam out on dates and ask him to be my wife).

Last updated : 12/11/2024

[ijustwantedtobeoneofthestrokesuk]

Time For Heroes

London

The Strokes might have been the leaders of this new generation of “indie” but The Libertines were already causing chaos in the capital…

Jay McAllister (Beans On Toast) “The Libertines were very important. They took it to a wider audience and soundtracked it.” 

If you were looking for the sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll cliche for the 21st Century The Libertines ticked all the boxes. A band who were constantly on the edge of self-destruction but brilliant when they were on form. Charming, poetic, funny, punk, loveable, mythical, The Libertines had it all, they understood the internet, they used it to create a community with their fans but their downfall (mostly drug-related) was played in the press like a soap opera. 

Alfie Jackson (The Holloways) “The Strokes and The Libertines are two of the most influential bands of the last 20 years. Everyone was inspired by these 2 bands, there was a lot of shite music between Oasis and the arrival of The Strokes.” 

Like with The Cribs, who were unconsciously making music in their bedroom in Wakefield that would become the new era, The Libertines were on a similar path in London. It wasn’t until they heard and saw The Strokes that things fell into place for The Libs. Once romanticising poetry, wordsmiths and old-school comedy while being notorious in underground London, Pete Doherty and Carl Barat’s sound took a new direction. 

Carl was at uni studying drama in 1997 when he met Pete who was visiting his sister, who was living with Carl. Pete was a dreamer, he loved football, The Smiths and Oasis, he was in awe of Carl and his skill with a guitar. The teens clicked instantly, their friendship was intense. They ended each other's sentences however, they fell out over petty things too. Carl had no interest in music, being in a band or fame but Pete's enthusiasm pushed him into it.

They lived in grotty flats, shared a single mattress and blagged their way through life. Their first gig was at their flat, then they would host cabaret nights in pubs. Pete craved attention, Carl would need booze to get on a stage and their lineup was ever-changing. In the summer of 2001 The Libertines were fizzling out, singer Scarborough Steve was skint and left London while bassist John Hassall went back to school to do his A-Levels. Johnny Borrell briefly stepped in but there were already 2 stars in the band, there wasn’t room for a third. Mr Razzcocks, a drummer in his 50’s completed the line-up but he was giving up on Pete and Carl’s mystical Albion dream too. 

When Gary Powell, a session musician who’d just finished drumming for Eddie Grant was introduced to Pete and Carl by friend (and Libertines manager) Banny Pootschi the 3 immediately hit it off. They bonded over jazz and The Beatles, Gary was drawn to Pete and Carl’s relationship. They were fun to be around and as Mr Razzcocks left the band they needed a drummer, Gary jumped in, he was immediately impressed with the songs Pete and Carl had written, band practice was fun at first, just another extension to hanging out at the pub. John returned after the 3 of them started playing together, Pete and Carl would share bass duties on stage in the meantime. 

The Libertines are a 4-piece but it’s the frontmen that make them exciting, you never knew what you were going to get. The times when Pete was absent (jail or drugs) it just wasn’t the same (they did regret continuing without Pete when he was kicked out of the band in 2004 but they couldn’t afford to cancel). There was something captivating about seeing the double-act share a mic on stage and wrestle for attention. Pete and Carl had a special relationship. They were obsessed with each other, jealous of each other over the most trivial things, inseparable at times, brothers and lovers, always fighting to be in the limelight. They would argue who was the better songwriter but they would also be a comedy duo, Pete was highly intelligent and charming while Carl was intense. It was this relationship that made The Libertines, they were a gang with 2 leaders, 2 very different leaders.  

Steev Burgess (lyricist and collaborator with John Hassall and The April Rainers) “I met them as “people'' first, rather than as a band. John and Carl worked in the theatre serving drinks, selling programmes and ushering alongside 3 other friends of mine and I frequented late-night bars like Shuttleworths and the Soho arts bar where all the theatre people went. 

In my first conversation with John we got chatting about music over a drink and bonded over a mutual liking of The Beatles and The Kinks. I was impressed with his knowledge of the lesser-known bands of the 1966-68 era like Tomorrow, as most people I'd met didn't know of them. 

I worked a lot at night back then, so I only saw The Libertines sporadically and they were growing more wild, punky and The Strokes like. When the first album came out I could hear the melodies coming through too and I knew it was a bit special. One thing that set them apart was the mythologising about the Good Ship Albion seeking Arcady and such. I liked that a lot and how it came through in songs like "The Good Old Days". At the same time, it was very real, with songs like "Time For Heroes" referencing the wild Mayday events and riots of those days, and Pete's quirky turns of phrase.” 

The Libertines quickly gained a reputation for being a bit wild and drugs crept in which destroyed the band on many occasions. Both Carl and John dabbled in heroin in the early days, it was when the touring got demanding that Pete started using, initially to calm his anxiety, but he got hooked.  

Gary was involved in several projects already, he was experienced and focussed, exactly what Pete and Carl needed so when he dropped his other bits to concentrate on The Libertines he pushed them to work hard, practice and be the best they could be. Pete and Carl were skint, they were sleeping on friends' couches so they put their lives into the band. Gary occasionally offered advice into their songwriting but it was rarely needed. 

Gemma Clarke (Babyshambles) “The Libertines changed everything. They created a scene, a vibe, a gang. Everyone felt part of that gang! They were accessible, beautiful poets. Still are.” 

Pete’s obsession with The Smiths put a record deal from Rough Trade as a priority. They had a gig booked at The Rhythm Factory in Whitechapel which James Endeacott from Rough Trade was coming to but they had no equipment. After begging and borrowing from friends it was a mess, Pete and Carl took turns with the bass, guitar strings broke, the drum kit was a shambles but James saw something in them and signed them. After years of testing and trying, the good ship of Albion finally set sail and Rough Trade had the UK’s answer to The Strokes. London was burning.   

Bill Ryder-Jones (The Coral) “The Strokes changed everything but The Libertines gave something to England. Not the England we as The Coral we arsed with but it was special.” 

After signing the deal in December The Libertines released their first single, a double a-side What A Waster/I Get Along, produced by Bernard Butler from Suede in June 2002. 

Conor McNicholas “The Libertines were organic, so ramshackle and it wasn’t a major label, it was Rough Trade, they were a passion project, mostly driven by James Endeacott who was a massive Sex Pistols fan back in the day and for him, The Libertines were the new Sex Pistols, and, in a way, they were. They were driven by belief, there was no hype machine. They were almost pre-Strokes and Stripes, they weren’t necessarily influenced by them.  

Any press person who has worked with The Libertines has just tried to control them, they generated stories themselves, and publicly, we were all over it. That soap opera that they created was a godsend for a weekly magazine. We were connected to, getting exclusives, it was proper journalism, to make sure we were outside prison when Pete came out, no other press were out there because no other press knew it was going to happen. We were on the inside, our job was to be part of it and tell the story. Pete and Kate’s relationship was a weird one, he became a hotter property and it gave the mainstream press something to talk about at Glastonbury as Kate was with somebody from our world. Suddenly Pete was being covered in Bizarre columns as much as he was in the NME but we still got the exclusives.  

The Libertines defined the London scene and inspired a load of bands who followed. We were checking .org (The Libertines online fan forum) all of the time.” 

Dave McCabe (The Zutons) “I saw The Libertines at the Zanzibar they were great a lot going on, a lot of chaos but they had this energy about them.” 

They rehearsed for the debut album at a studio on Caledonian Road, Mick Jones from The Clash met them before recording and they all got on from the start. They had never properly recorded before going to RAK Studios for the Up The Bracket sessions. The album isn’t slick and luscious but it wasn’t supposed to be. Mick wanted to capture the raw, energetic feel to it, charged with emotion. He would get the band to play the songs over and over again until they were comfortable with it enough that it would sound natural. It was relentless as they recorded 22 songs in 5 days. Gary is a perfectionist whereas the others were happy with mistakes as it captured a moment.  

Ronnie Joice “I saw a live performance on Jools Holland of their title track from their debut album, Up The Bracket. Fuck me, it hit me like a bolt out of the sky. Somewhere, somehow, the stars had aligned at this moment. The opening noise that Pete Doherty makes, somewhere between coughing up phlegm and an actual lung, rang bells of celebration in my ears. 

I was hooked immediately… watching this scuzzy, frenzied performance with my pulse racing, realising I had found something fucking special. Despite listening through my tinny, very shitty laptop speakers, an audiophile I was not. I felt like I’d discovered the greatest fucking band in the world. 

Being well-versed online already, it didn’t take long for me to discover The Libertines forums. There were two, the .org version which wasn’t as user-friendly, and the org.uk one which was a lot more annoying for adults, but as a pretentious teenager, perfect fodder for my incessant posting and allowed me to indulge myself in every band cropping up from that scene. 

I literally lapped up every single band I could listen to. I hadn’t really given parlance yet to how good things were, obviously, certain stuff hit me quicker. I also indulged myself in all the Libertines demos, Legs XI etc, the Babyshambles demos and readied myself for the release of the second album…

The community The Libertines created online translated into a fucked-up, warped ‘safe space’ for a lot of disenfranchised, lost young people in the 2000’s. Their early gigs were easily accessible, but I was still too young to go, and also, I got into them between the first and second record. 

However, their legacy lived on for many years past and while publications like Vice have mocked that legacy, at the time they were truly bastions of a really important subculture for kids like me. Kids who knew there was more to life than getting a job in insurance, your first car at seventeen, and saving for a mortgage before you were thirty. 

Part of me wishes I’d done all that, I’d be a lot less fucking anxious as an adult but I also am so thankful I lived that fast life chasing the Albion dream with so many other kids. 

The first-ever London gig I went to was Pete Doherty playing a huge outdoor gig for free in Trafalgar Square, for Love Music Hate Racism the summer before I started the second college I went to, in Worthing. I went with a mate who wanted to see the grime acts like Roll Deep and Lethal Bizzle on the bill below him. 

That day, I probably made more friends who spoke to me and I felt I had more in common with, than from an entire year at a college in Horsham. London kids grow up quicker than country kids, and their parents all seemed to be more liberal when it came to them staying out late and I suppose they were just happy their kids were coming home safe with their pals.

The London indie scene allowed me that exit from home life, and I could indulge myself in an exciting world, that seemed free from peril. It's interesting to realise that, years on. I don’t think any of the kids who I hung around with had come from easy backgrounds, there were a few who were a bit more comfortable than others financially, and as the scene became more mainstream obviously the posh kids lapped it up but at the beginning, it felt like most of my peers were from working-class, lower-middle-class backgrounds. 

We were kids who were just soaking up being young and free, at the perfect age you could do that with little to no responsibility. It felt beyond liberating to leave Storrington each time, and it would depress me as soon as I returned. London stole my heart and presented to me the reality that you could be who you wanted, and it was down to your own prerogative who that person was. 

That escape to London helped me have the best formative years and molded who I am today… 

Although albeit very dysfunctional, I’ll never forget those innocent memories of those first few trips to London.” 

Expectations were high for the band ahead of the release of Up The Bracket having already been on the cover of NME. They had also supported The Strokes and Supergrass where The Libertines were a bit messy but they were put in front of a potential fan base who went on to adore them. The band got bigger but the shows remained chaotic, stage invasions, bordering on riots were not a one-off. 

Paul Melbourne “I had heard a few tunes in 2002, I Get Along, Mayday and What a Waster and had downloaded them, I remember the first week of October in Burton where I'm from it's the local funfair that everyone goes to every year, I was 17 and I said to my mates shall we go to the fair or shall we go to see this band The Libertines who were playing The Vic Inn in Derby on the same day, it was a toss-up and we decided to go to see Libs and am so grateful I did!  

There were about 30 people there and I remember getting on stage and getting a signed setlist at the end, this was in 2002 just before Up the Bracket came out, and then after that I was hooked and followed them about everywhere. The Libertines were more than just a band. They broke down the barriers between fan and band, partly through .org where Pete used to post all the time and advertise all the flat gigs.” 

In June 2003 Pete decided not to play shows at Rock AM Ring and Rock AM Park festivals, expecting his band members not to either (if he wasn’t) but they went ahead without him, they had to, financially, they needed the money and they didn’t want to get sued. Anthony Rossomando, who lived with fellow American Gary in Hackney stepped in for the German dates and the following American tour and dates in Japan. The 4 of them got on and it was fun like the old days. The pressure was off, Pete’s behaviour had become toxic. Then, as they landed back in London, Carl got a call from his sister with the news that Pete had broken into his flat. Everything fell apart.  

This led to Pete being sentenced to 6 months in prison, which was cut to just 2. However, Carl met Peter as he walked free, they were best buds again and celebrated with an iconic gig at Tap 'n' Tin pub in Chatham, Kent. There was still tension between the pair and not all was forgiven. Pete felt betrayed and he documented this on the band's most successful single, Can’t Stand Me Now, some of it was written in prison.  

Laurie Wright “The Libertines were everything. It was The Strokes on crack, and British. I was too young but I felt a part of it. I started playing guitar immediately.” 

What made The Libertines and the scene around them different to anything before or after was their accessibility. They broke down the barrier between band and fans, it was anti-Knebworth, Carl hated the idea of being a “rock star” and having “fans”, he never felt comfortable with being looked at as different. While the band was on the cover of NME, being played on the radio and headlining huge gigs they were still accessible for fans. However, this was pre-social media, there was still mystery surrounding the band. They didn’t have a marketing team managing online accounts, the band would often post on the forums and Pete used his Babyshambles site to announce last-minute gigs and share demos. These last-minute gigs were often in a flat, fans were asked to meet at a mysterious location, there’d be led to a flat, pay a tenner on the door, Pete (occasionally Carl too) would turn up and play. Sometimes there’d get shut down by police but Pete would have some money for his drug addiction. 

Paul Melbourne “The Libertines changed everything in the indie scene in the UK at that time, they took what The Strokes were doing and made it achievable for all of the other bands coming through and so many good bands came from that scene, and are still going now.” 

Despite the success of the debut album, main stage festival sets, huge tours and Top Of The Pop appearances they were skint due to bad management. Banny had taken them as far as she could. Alan McGee, who had experience dealing with difficult double acts when managing Oasis was brought in to make things a little more professional but the ship was sinking. His first job was to get them out of London, away from distractions and focus on a second album. 

Blaine Harrison (Mystery Jets) “New York had The Strokes and London had The Libs. The big difference was that so many of the other bands of that new wave were so precisely considered, in both how they played and how they styled themselves. With The Libs, it was complete chaos and disorder. And I don’t just mean the drugs; musically, it was all over the place. There was a musical-hall influence in there, and beautiful little acoustic ditties as well as the balls-to-the-wall anthems like Death on the Stairs or Horrorshow. I feel like in time they will be remembered as our generation’s Clash. But to me they were more like The Kinks with out-of-tune guitars and Marshall stacks.” 

The Libertines were set to work on their second album with Bernard Butler from Suede who was hired as a producer in early 2004 but the band didn’t turn up, they ended up working with Mick Jones from The Clash again. To steady things, he encouraged them to get into the studio and start work on a second album.  

Alan McGee hired two bouncers to ensure that Pete and Carl turned up to the studio and avoid potential scraps. The band had been so busy working on relationships they had forgotten to write any songs. Pretty much everything was done in the studio, old material was pieced together. Writing, learning and recording on the spot, a completely different experience to the debut which they’d rehearsed until it naturally flowed. Pete was erratic and struggling with his addiction and he was often told not to turn up to the studio. Gary was surprised the album was finished. 

One of The Libertines' most joyous occasions was their biggest tour to date in March 2004, they were in fine form as they sold out venues up and down the country ending with 3 shows at Brixton Academy, after all the highs, the tour ended in a typical low as Pete left the stage because Carl looked at him funny during Can’t Stand Me Now when singing the line about Pete breaking into Carl’s flat. 

As all of this was going on, Pete was the vocalist on For Lovers, a song written by his friend, Wolfman. The gentle, romantic number charted at no.7 in the UK in April, higher than The Libertines had yet to reach was a contradiction to the character tarnished by the media as the most dangerous rock star of the time. 

Just The Libertines was preparing to release the second album Pete was exiled from the band for his drug use and behaviour while waiting for a court trial for carrying a weapon but the band couldn’t stop now.  

In August Pete had a solo show at The Barfly in Camden, the fans were waiting, he turned up, the bouncer said something that offended him and he just left. He was then booked for a gig at the Scala, another no-show which led to a riot. Pete’s reputation was worsening and his band were having to do their biggest moves without him. Can’t Stand Me Now reached no.2 in the UK singles charts, the band played the main stage at Reading & Leeds Festival (Pete had been replaced by Anthony Rossomando) then the self-titled second album topped the album charts.   

When the band played without Pete in 2003 Carl felt like he was the villain, that fans thought he was the reason Pete wasn’t in the band and he had to carry the weight on his shoulders. Pete's behaviour in 2004 was much more public and Carl felt supported, both the band and fans understood the situation, Pete didn’t. he still felt betrayed, he didn’t understand why he wasn’t in the band when he hadn’t seen Carl in months. He felt robbed, that he was The Libertines, that it was his story. 

Carl was emotionally exhausted, he knew The Libertines was just as Pete’s band as his, but he couldn’t work with Pete when he was chasing the dragon. After completing a European tour, The Libertines were over. Their last gig took place on the 17th December 2004 in Paris.

NEXT CHAPTER

[siennamillerstyle]

Oswald Boateng Pink Shirt

| 'Alfie' (2004) |

[kloofspeaks]

5 Songs I Actually Listen To

🎶✨when you get this you have to put 5 songs you actually listen to, publish. then, send this ask to 10 of your favorite followers (non-negotiable, positivity is cool) 🎶✨

Thank you to @amelia-mariee for tagging me! (I know this is late, Tumblr is against me constantly and never shows me tags <3) I actually got excited seeing this because I’ve never really shared my music taste on here.

5.

I love Vacations as a whole, I literally love this song and it’s even a song I have in a headcanon with Starmora for some reason. I happen to listen to this when I’m driving or traveling somewhere. It’s always a song that either puts me in a mellowed out mood or a sad one, which I’m fine with either. It’s been a favorite of mine for awhile.

4.

I actually have this on vinyl, I’m a vinyl collector and couldn’t pass Tame Impala’s music down as it allows me to like different styles of music that I can’t seem to find anywhere else. It makes my brain work sometimes in ways I can’t understand. (Also this song just hits home for me sometimes)

3.

I always find myself going back to this song, why? Because it’s a summer vibe for me. I’ve never liked anyone in my whole life, so I find it charming that I like music that talks about liking someone or just romance in general. I hope one day I can actually enjoy my music taste with a significant other but we’re not going to talk about it LOL.

2.

Alfie templeman. He’s one of the few artist I listen to that I can listen to every single playlist without having to skip a song (I also snagged this one and a couple others from my Starmora playlist) he’s so pleasing to the ears. It’s amazing how well his music sounds to me.

1.

Finally, Fleetwood Mac. I actually have the vinyl of this album on my list of records I need to get, but the main reason I love this song so much is because of GOTG v2. I feel like every time I watch that movie there’s a reason why they chose to play that song when Quill decides to fight his dad, I mean, James always has a reason for picking these songs and I always believe it’s because of family bondage, abandonment. It’s about overcoming what family trauma has chained up and I love it for that. Everytime this song comes on and I have my Guardians playlist on shuffle, I’m singing along. It’s my all time favorite Fleetwood Mac song (besides Everywhere, of course)

Honorable mentions:

I have a couple of songs that go together, they’re not going to have a reason but I would like to list them and go off script a bit.

- What once was by Hers

- Stargazing by The Neighborhood

- Blue Monday by The Order

- And Eyes Without A Face by Billy Idol

No pressure tags!

@strawhbrrries

@callmemana

@viothewolx

@bayisdying

@burgundymeadows