Dirty Pretty Things (band)
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | September 2005 |
| Founder | Carl Barât |
| Defunct | October 1, 2008 |
| Headquarters | London , United Kingdom |
Area served | United Kingdom, Europe, United States |
Key people | Carl Barât, Didz Hammond, Gary Powell, Anthony Rossomando |
| Products | Music albums, live performances |
| Parent | Vertigo Records |
Dirty Pretty Things was a British rock ensemble fronted by Carl Barât, previously a member of The Libertines. Established in September 2005 following Barât's separation from Pete Doherty, which led to The Libertines' dissolution in 2004, the group secured a contract with Vertigo Records. Alongside Barât were Didz Hammond, who departed from Cooper Temple Clause to join, drummer Gary Powell from The Libertines, and guitarist Anthony Rossomando, who had taken over Doherty's role in The Libertines. Their initial live appearances occurred in October 2005, held in Rome, Italy, and Paris, France. The band declared their disbandment on 1 October 2008 and conducted farewell performances the following November.
Shortly after adopting the name Dirty Pretty Things, a four-member band based in Salisbury asserted prior UK trademark claims, resulting in a dispute over the name. An agreement was reached whereby the other group changed their name to Mitchell Devastation. Similarly, an Australian band that had been using the same name since 2003 also opted for a new identity. Barât's London club events initially operated under "Dirty Pretty Things" but were later renamed "Bright Young Things" to avoid confusion.
Formation and Waterloo to Anywhere: 2005–2006
The band recorded their first album partly in Los Angeles, California with producer Dave Sardy and also in Glasgow, Scotland with Tony Doogan. Their song "You Fucking Love It" was included on a complimentary CD distributed with the 1 April 2006 edition of NME.
Released on 8 May 2006, their debut album Waterloo to Anywhere achieved a peak position of number three on the charts and garnered favorable reviews. The lead single, "Bang Bang, You're Dead", launched on 24 April 2006, debuted at number five. The follow-up single "Deadwood", released 10 July 2006, reached number 20, while the third single "Wondering", issued on 25 September 2006, attained number 34.
In early 2006, the group embarked on an extensive tour throughout the UK and made their American festival debut at SXSW in Texas. During the summer months, they appeared at prominent UK festivals such as the Isle of Wight Festival, Wireless Festival, T in the Park, Kendal Calling, and Ireland’s Oxegen festival. In July, they supported the Red Hot Chili Peppers during shows in Ipswich and Coventry and were accompanied by Dublin’s Humanzi as support on their UK tour.
On 13 May 2006, Barât and Hammond featured on Soccer AM, where their conduct drew comparisons to Liam Gallagher by guest Noel Gallagher. Following a festival performance in Taipei, Barât sustained a broken collarbone in a motorbike accident during a night involving alcohol consumption, raising doubts about forthcoming North American tour dates.
On 16 October 2006, they released a DVD entitled Puffing on a Coffin Nail, which included over two and a half hours of live performances and behind-the-scenes documentaries. Later that month, on 25 October, Barât performed alongside Paul Weller at the Electric Proms event, delivering duets of "Peacock Suit" and "In the City".
Romance at Short Notice: 2007–2008
During the summer of 2007, the band supported Muse at their Wembley Stadium concert on 16 June, followed by an appearance with the Red Hot Chili Peppers on 24 June at Goffertpark in Nijmegen, Netherlands. They also performed at Glastonbury Festival 2007, where they introduced several new tracks. On 22 July, they opened for the Pet Shop Boys at Cornwall's Eden Project, featuring songs such as "Come Closer." The track "Radio Song," co-written by Barât and Chris McCormack, was included on the Run, Fat Boy, Run soundtrack, available for download from 7 September 2007 and on CD from 10 September. In October, Dirty Pretty Things recorded "9 Lives" for the complimentary Love Music Hate Racism compilation, which was produced in guitarist Anthony Rossomando's London apartment.
Although the band intended to record their sophomore album during summer 2007 for a September release, production setbacks delayed the process. By 2 May 2008, they had completed twelve songs and revealed the album's title as Romance at Short Notice, inspired by Saki’s short story "The Open Window." The project had previously been known under the working title This Is Where The Truth Begins.
On 12 May 2008, "Hippy's Son" was offered as a complimentary download via their official website. The entire album was streamed through NME.com on 22 June. Romance at Short Notice officially launched on 30 June 2008, preceded by the single "Tired of England" released on 23 June. Both the album and single saw limited commercial success; the album reached number 35 on the UK albums chart but remained on the chart for only two weeks. On 7 July, four tracks—including "Buzzards and Crows," "Plastic Hearts," "Hippy's Son," and a rendition of Bob Dylan’s "Subterranean Homesick Blues"—were made accessible on Napster. Subsequently, on 11 July, the band performed live on XFM’s Live From Leicester Square, showcasing "Plastic Hearts," "Bang Bang You're Dead," and a cover of Glasvegas' "It's My Own Cheating Heart That Makes Me Cry."
In May 2008, their performance at Coventry Kasbah was recorded and later aired on Channelbee.
Separation
On 1 October 2008, Dirty Pretty Things declared their disbandment following a UK tour that commenced on 3 October in Preston. The group expressed a desire to explore new directions, emphasizing that these ventures would not involve The Libertines.
Their concluding show, titled 'The Last Hurrah,' occurred on 20 December 2008 at London’s Astoria 2 venue, with support from The Paddingtons. As a gesture of appreciation to their dedicated fans, the band signed memorabilia following this final performance.
Studio albums
- Waterloo to Anywhere (2006)
- Romance at Short Notice (2008)