Alongside his work with the Libertines and Babyshambles, Peter Doherty also pursued a solo career. Born to a father in the British Army, Doherty passed much of his youth moving from place to place, both in England and abroad. An intelligent child and a good student, he immersed himself in books, especially Romantic and war poetry, and studied English literature at university. However, he dropped out after a year and moved into a London apartment with guitarist and singer Carl Barât. They began writing songs together, employing a variety of different characters (including a prostitute and a 70-year-old) to complete their band, which they called the Libertines. They finally settled on a lineup -- Doherty and Barât on vocals and guitars, John Hassall on bass, and Gary Powell on drums -- and were signed to Rough Trade in December 2001. Their first single, "What a Waste," was released the next year and was followed shortly thereafter by the critically acclaimed full-length debut Up the Bracket
