PETER DOHERTY
SOLO DEBUT ALBUM
GRACE/WASTELAND SET FOR MARCH RELEASE

"Last of the English Roses" Is Planned First Single

NEW YORK - The first solo album by singer-songwriter PETER DOHERTY (Babyshambles, The Libertines) is complete, and scheduled for North American release on Astralwerks on March 24, 2009, the label announced today.

The album, Grace/Wasteland, was recorded over a month of sessions in autumn 2008 at London's legendary Olympic Studios with producer Stephen Street (The Smiths, Blur, Cranberries, Kaiser Chiefs). Street also produced the 2007 top 5 U.K. album Shotter's Nation by Babyshambles, Doherty's current band.

Album collaborators include guitarist Graham Coxon (Blur), who plays throughout the album; Scottish singer Dot Allison, who co-wrote the duet "Sheepskin Tearaway," which was also featured on Babyshambles' live DVD Up the Shambles; and poet Peter "Wolfman" Wolfe, co-writer and guitarist on "Broken Love Song". Doherty had previously made a guest appearance on Wolfe's U.K. No. 7 single and Ivor Novello Award-nominated song "For Lovers".

Also contributing are Babyshambles members Mick Whitnall on guitar, Drew McConnell on bass, and Adam Ficek on drums.

Further album tracks include "Arcadie," "Through the Looking Glass," "Salome," and "1839 Returning."

With the Libertines, Peter Doherty recorded the U.K. No 1. album The Libertines, and the U.K. No. 2 single "Can't Stand Me Now." Babyshambles have released two U.K. Top 10 albums, Down in Albion (2004) and Shotter's Nation (2007). He is also the author of The Books of Albion: The Collected Works of Peter Doherty (Orion Books, 2007). Doherty was named Hero of the Year in February 2008 at the Shockwaves NME Awards.

Also, Graham Coxon is playing with Blur again, and Dirty Pretty Things announced their breakup in October.

Blur will play a live show in Hyde Park in Summer 2009. Graham Coxon will join Alex James, Dave Rowntree and Damon Albarn onstage for this first time since their Royal Festival Hall performance in 2000. The concert will take place at London's Hyde Park on Friday 3rd July 2009, and tickets will be on general sale from 9am Friday 12th December 2008 at www.livenation.co.uk. [BLUR] (thx cmandel)