Taxes. Death. Doherty.

Dohery on Newsnight Dec 04.
source

As the old saying goes; “Nothing in life is certain, except death and taxes.” Well, it would appear that there was something Mr Franklin didn't count on: Pete Doherty. More specifically Pete Doherty, a car and drugs.

You won't be surprised to learn that the troubled front man is once again adorning the front pages of the tabloids. 'Whatever for?!' I don't hear you yell, as it's more than likely you'd have already guessed it. If your answer is “he's been fined five counts of drug possession including heroin and cocaine” then you would be spot on. Go you! You could write your own on-line blog!

According to the Beeb he was ordered to pay £770 and disqualified from driving for four months. He wasn't sent to jail as District Judge Jane McIvor said “that the offences were not serious enough to require a custodial sentence.” It's a good job that British judicial system doesn't work on a tab system, because I'm pretty much guessing that if it was, he would be hung, drawn and quartered for the bill of criminal offences that he's picked up.

It's obvious that the Babyshambles front man has issues, but the praising fan girls screaming outside the court only encourage him. As a youth that grew up with the blinding hysteria of The Libertines I am incredibly saddened by what's happened to him, it's a shame, but really, how has this man escaped not only jail, but death?

The consensus that is flying around the message board is that Doherty is some sort of 'hero' or 'genius'. It's arguable that he is the saviour of modern British music and admittedly I'm fond of his music and lyrics, but these blind hero worshipping excuses are exactly that: excuses. He nothing compared to what he once was. His music isn't like what it used to be, nor his lyrics and definitely not his public persona, and you can't deny that the drugs are to blame for that.

Even if did used to write a few good songs, it doesn't escape what he is now. An erratic drug addict. If he doesn't sort his life out maybe not next time, but the time after he will be seeing the inside of a cell, or worse. A coffin.