The Libertines, Maxïmo Park, Reverend and The Makers, Mystery Jets, and Ramona Flowers

Every generation has the guitar band that unites them. For those that came of age in the early 2000’s, they had two, the lucky buggers. The Strokes kicked it all off at the turn of the century, and almost directly following in their footsteps were London’s very own The Libertines. A band that basically took the no-nonsense, year zero attitude of the New York City natives and gave it a twist of English romanticism and Dickensian decay. The influence of The Libertines spreads further than practically any of us can comprehend, least of all the band themselves, and it all began with the meeting of the bands frontmen, Pete Doherty and Carl Barât.

Barât was studying for a drama degree at Brunel University, where he was a classmate of one Amy-Jo Doherty. The two became friends and on one fateful occasion that Barât came to Amy-Jo’s flat to visit, Amy-Jo’s little brother, Peter, had come to visit at the same time. The two struck up a friendship based on their shared passion for songwriting, literature and poetry, and soon after they met they both dropped out of their university courses. The duo had become very close very quickly, and they decided to move in together, renting a flat on Camden Road that eventually became known as The Delaney Mansions.

The first line up of The Libertines would be the two of them and their neighbour Steve Bedlow (a man who would later pick up the nickname Scarborough Steve), but later picked up John Hassall to play rhythm guitar and some no-hoper called Johnny Borrell to play bass. The first incarnation of the band were soon playing live anywhere that would have them. In March 2000, they met with Banny Poostchi, a lawyer with Warner Chappell Music Publishing who saw the masses of potential that most people missed in the band, and began to manage them.

Unfortunately, by December of the same year it looked as if the band were going nowhere fast, so Hassall, Pootschi and their drummer John Dufour left the fold, leaving Pete and Carl alone. Fate was on their side though. With the massive hype around The Strokes quickly becoming the music story of the year, Pootschi reconsidered and put a plan in effect to get the band signed to Rough Trade Records in six months flat. She replaced Dufour with Gary Powell, and after it was became clear that Borrell couldn’t be counted on to turn up to rehearsals, John Hassall was convinced back into the fold to play bass instead.

During this time, Pete and Carl were writing feverishly, with the songs that would eventually make up their debut album mainly being written around this time. Pootschi’s plan worked and the band were signed to Rough Trade on December 21st 2001, ringing in the new year playing support slots with the aforementioned Strokes and Australia’s The Vines. The band started to pick up admirers in the music press, especially in the NME, and shortly after the release of their debut single “Up The Bracket”, it was time to record the album. With The Clash’s Mick Jones on production duties, “Up The Bracket” was immediately hailed as a classic by pretty much everyone who heard it, and support slots with the likes of Morrissey and the Sex Pistols soon followed.

By 2003, the band were becoming infamous, known as much for Pete Doherty’s worsening drug addiction and erratic nature than for their actual music. The story of the band becomes a horror show at this point, with Pete and Carl’s relationship being tested to its limits while Doherty refused to stop associating with deeply shady characters and enablers who wanted a slice of the fame and notoriety that followed him around wherever he went. By the time their second album was released, seeing the band live was something of a gamble, as it was just as, if not more likely that the band would play without Doherty than with him. The tabloids had gotten hold of the band at this point, and “Potty Pete” became something of a fixture with them that would continue until way after the decade’s end.

The band were still undeniably special, their UK tours at the end of 2003 and the start of 2004 were heralded as some of the best gigs of the year, and their second, self-titled album was another instant classic. They were finally starting to see some commercial success as well, with their second effort’s lead single “Can’t Stand Me Now” hurtling into the number two spot on the singles charts and its follow up, the prophetically named “What Became Of The Likely Lads” peaking at number nine. By this point however, the band was as good as dead. Doherty was in and out of rehab, missing gigs, promotional duties and recording sessions. Barat couldn’t in good conscience keep going as The Libertines without him, and called time on the band in 2004.

A Libertines reunion was treated as an impossibility for the rest of the decade, until in 2010 when the band were revealed as the sub-headliners of that years Reading And Leeds Festivals. The celebrated show was thought to be a one off until 2014, when the band again announced they were getting back together to headline Hyde Park. This wasn’t to be a one off, and after playing three sold out nights at Alexandra Palace in the following September, the band announced that they’d signed a record deal with Virgin/EMI Records. The band are unquestionably back, and with one of the best British bands of their generation making music again, what comes next is an impossibly exciting prospect. Highly recommended.

Maximo Park was formed in 2001 by guitarist Duncan Lloyd who brought together Archis, Lukas and Tom. The band started out playing small venues, including In The City in Manchester, which showcases unsigned bands; however, in 2003 Duncan and Archis decided they wanted a frontman so that they could focus on song writing instead of vocals. They eventually recruited Paul Smith.

In March 2004 a friend of the band helped fund 300 copies of a single “Graffitti/ Going Missing” on 7’ vinyl. They followed up with another 7’ vinyl single entitled “The Coast Is Always Changing” and “The Night I Lost My Head,” and gigged around, catching the attention of Warp Records. By 2005 they recorded and released their first album, “A Certain Trigger,” which sold over 300,000 copies and was nominated for the Mercury Prize in 2005.

The following year they started to record their sophomore album entitled “Our Earthly Pleasures,” and was announced to be released on 2 April 2007. They also announced an upcoming tour with the same name as the album. Maximo Park released their third album, “Quicken The Heart” which was led off by the single “The Kids Are Sick Again,” in 2009. The band continued to put out albums and successfully tour, and in 2014 released “Too Much Information.”

Hurtling out of the same Sheffield indie rock scene that brought the world Arctic Monkeys, Reverend And The Makers were formed in 2005 by Jon McClure, one of the true movers and shakers of the whole scene and a truly gifted musician and songwriter in his own right. After the aforementioned Monkeys became the biggest band in Britain for all intents and purposes after the release of their debut single, many record labels pounced upon McClure to produce a similar sounding record as McClure and Alex Turner were close friends. However, each of them underestimated McClure and his drive to do things his own way. In his defence, his way was working out incredibly well for him, as shortly after the band self-released their debut single they sold out two nights at Sheffield's 1000 capacity Plug venue without a record deal to speak of.

In fact, it wasn't until 2006 that the band signed to Wall Of Sound Records after the head of the label, Mark Jones saw them perform live and decided that they were the “best band in the world”. In April 2006, the band supported the all-conquering Monkeys, on their first tour of the U.K, and all seemed set for the band to follow in their friends' footsteps and become one of the biggest bands in the country. As it turns out that wasn't to happen, but what would happen would mean that Reverend And The Makers became a far more interesting band than the alternative possibility. It started out promisingly, with their debut single release “Heavyweight Champion Of The World” storming into the UK charts at number eight on its first week of release in May 2007, but the band, and McClure especially, had far too much personality to fit into the mainstream.

Their debut album “The State Of Things” was a top five hit on the album charts on its release in September 2007, and thanks to McClure's wit, wisdom and commitment to his fans, the band have gone on to become one of the most enduring groups of the mid-2000's indie rock revival. With a further three top twenty albums to their name, support slots with the likes of Kasabian and Oasis, and one of the most accomplished live shows in indie rock, Reverend And The Makers come highly recommended.

Originally formed of 12 year old drummer Blaine Harrison, guitarist William Rees, and Blaine’s father Henry Harrison on bass, the group underwent a series of lineup alterations prior to their musical debut. Following the arrival of Kai Fish on bass and Tamara Pearce-Higgins on the organ, Henry Harrison became the second guitarist and the band settled on the moniker The Misery Jets. Prior to the band’s debut EP Blaine misspelled Misery Jets “Mystery Jets” on his drum skin and pleased with the result the band kept it.

Having practiced in Henry’s Eel Pie Island boat shed, the band began practicing steadily with Blaine assuming the role of lead singer. Influenced by the melodies of Hall and Oates and experimentalism of Pink Floyd, Mystery Jets released their eponymous debut EP in 2004. Produced by Bishop Dante, the group’s subsequent EP the “Eel Pie Island” was issued later in 2004, following which the band began to develop new material and tightness on a modest UK tour. Mystery Jet’s first official single “Zoo Time” was released on up-and-coming label Transgressive Records, after which the band hosted a series of illegal parties. Due to this exposure the group were subsequently signed by 697 Recordings, who issued the single “The Boy Who Ran Away”.

Mystery Jets’ debut studio album “Making Dens” was released in March 2006, extolled by many, aided by the singlex “You Can’t Fool Me Dennis”, “Diamonds in the Dark”, and “Alas Agnes”. Following the release the band hosted a tribute show to Syd Barrett, featuring artists Kid Harpoon, Kate Nash, and Dan Treacy among others, and embarked on their first worldwide tour. In May 2007, the band released the U.S. only album “Zootime”, which was almost entirely made up of songs from their debut “Making Dens”.

Ahead of their sophomore album “Twenty One”, Mystery Jets released the single “Young Love” featuring indie-darling Laura Marling. The album’s second single was the seductively groovy “Two Doors Down”, which reached No. 24 on the UK Singles Chart. “Twenty One”, produced by Erol Alkan and Nick Launay, earned widespread critically acclaim, peaking at No. 42 on the UK Albums chart. Following the release the band moved away from 679 Recording and signed with the established independent Rough Trade Records. With new label backing Mystery Jets issued their third studio album “Serotonin” in 2011 lead by the singles “Flash a Hungry Smile” and “Dreaming of Another World”. The band’s fourth LP 2012’s “Radlands”, was recorded in a home studio by the Colorado River of Texas, and was supported by extensive international touring.