And now a word from Pete Doherty's mum

The Peter Doherty saga continues to take the weirdest, most publicly laid-bare twists and turns. I have never seen anything like it.

There is something so profoundly disturbing about the idea of this being published.

These types of books are generally written by bereaved, grieving family members once their loved one is dead. What can Mrs. Doherty possibly hope to gain from releasing this book while her son is still alive? It's almost inconceivably cynical to think a mother would attempt to cash in on her child's fucked-up life, but, well...

The publisher's blurb paints a picture of a woman who's telling a story that could help other mothers in the same situation:

For over three years, Jacqueline Doherty has been watching her rock star son's messy descent into drug addiction. Every step of the way has been charted by a hungry media. And every step of the way has been agony for a loving mum. Pete Doherty's celebrity means that his addiction has become public property. But, Jacqueline is a private person and her painful story is the story of any mum - or any parent - trying to help a child who has gone off the rails.

Granted, she absolutely has a story to tell. A harrowing, gut-wrenching, riveting story. But I must question the wisdom of her timing. Will it help Peter to have even more of the details of his private life splashed into the newspapers of a callous general public? Is that what he needs at this critical -literally- 'do or die' point?

I suppose, on some deep, scary level, Pete might already be dead to her, and perhaps this might be a desperate last-ditch attempt to try and reach a part of him that's still able to focus. If so, I wish her success.

But if nothing else, perhaps it will help disperse the air of 'cartoonish junkie' that lingers about him, and encourage the public to at least remember that there is an actual human being underneath all the mangled wreckage in this car crash.

Of course, it could have the opposite effect and he will become an even bigger punchline.

I just don't know.

The whole thing is so bizarre and perverse. And the most twisted thing of all? I literally ache with the anticipation of reading it.


...

Babyshambles were due to play a festival in Paris over the weekend and, true to form, it was a logistical mess, with two members waiting for Pete at the station 5 (five!) hours, Pete never showing, and the band missing the gig entirely.

Details are still spotty, but evidently the group is still together, and they did manage to play an unscheduled later show somewhere in Paris.

Reports have also filtered in that Pete was noticeably under the influence.