The Libertines' debut album, Up the Bracket, turns 20 in October, and to celebrate, Rough Trade Records is reissuing the album in a variety of formats, including remastered vinyl editions and a deluxe box set with 65 bonus tracks. It's due out on October 21.
In addition to the remastered version of the original album, the Up the Bracket box set includes demos, studio outtakes, radio sessions, b-sides and live recordings -- including their entire April 10, 2002 performance at London's 100 Club -- a DVD of their videos and television appearances, and cassette of their earliest demos. There's also a 60 page booklet featuring new interviews with the band, a foreward by Matt Wilkinson, rare archival photos, and memorabilia.
The double-LP vinyl edition comes with a bonus 7" single featuring "A Time for Heroes" and a demo of "The 7 Deadly Sins." You can check out the box set packaging and tracklist below.
Led by Pete Doherty and Carl Barat, The Libertines were a genuine sensation in the UK. They projected an image that was as much a gang as as a band, four inseparable mates against the world, with a shambolic style that always seemed (and actually was) on the verge of falling apart, which was part of the appeal. (Doherty's problems with substance abuse were as written about as their music, if not more.) Produced by The Clash's Mick Jones, Up the Bracket managed to catch lightning in a bottle with such classics as "Time for Heroes," "I Get Along," "Boys in the Band," and the title track. You can listen to the original album below.
The Libertines are also celebrating Up the Bracket's 20th anniversary live this summer, including a just announced show at London's Wembley Arena on July 23. Also on the bill are two bands who sprung up in the wake of Up the Bracket, The Cribs and The Paddingtons, as well as Louis Dunford and Amazonica.
The Libertines – Up The Bracket 20th Anniversary Box Set:
• Vinyl 1 ‘Up The Bracket’ Remastered 2022 (Black Vinyl)
1. Vertigo
2. Death On The Stairs
3. Horrorshow
4. Time For Heroes
5. Boys In The Band
6. Radio America
7. Up The Bracket
8. Tell The King
9. The Boy Looked At Johnny
10. Begging
11. The Good Old Days
12. I Get Along
• Vinyl 2 - ‘100 Club Live 4/10/02’ (White Vinyl)
1. Horrorshow
2. Vertigo
3. The Delaney
4. What A Waster
5. Begging
6. Time For Heroes
7. Death On The Stairs
8. Boys In The Band
9. I Get Along
• Vinyl 3 - ‘Unheard Demos 2002’
1. Vertigo (Demo)
2. The Boy Looked At Johnny (Demo)
3. Death On The Stairs
4. All At Sea (Demo)
5. Wolfman (Demo)
6. Horror Show
7. Plan A (Demo)
• 7” Vinyl - Up The Bracket (Blue Vinyl)
A. ‘Up The Bracket’ AA. ‘Boys In The Band’
• 7” Vinyl - Time For Heroes (Red Vinyl)
A. ‘Time For Heroes’ B. ‘The 7 Deadly Sins (demo)’
• CD 1 – Album Studio Outtakes
1. Up The Bracket – Take 4
2. Vertigo – Take 2
3. The Ha Ha Wall – Take 1
4. Horror Show – Take 3
5. Bangkok – Take 1
6. Time For Heroes – Take 3
7. Begging – Take 1
8. What A Waster – Take 1
9. Breck Road Lover – Take 1
10. Never Never – Take 2
11. Tell The King – Take 1
12. The Domestic – Take 1
13. Don’t Talk To Me - Take 1
14. The Wolfman – Take 2
15. Radio America – Take 2
16. The Good Old Days – Take 1
17. The 7 Deadly Sins – Take 3
18. Sweets – Take 4
19. Mocking Bird – Take 6
20. Boys In The Band – Take 1
21. Skag & Bone Man – Take 2
• CD 2 – Demos/Radio Sessions/B-Sides/Live etc -
1. Vertigo – Demo
2. The Boy Looked At Johnny - Demo
3. Death On The Stairs - Demo
4. Horror Show - Demo
5. All At Sea (Misty) - Demo
6. Wolfman - Demo
7. Plan A – Demo
8. Up The Bracket – Evening Session
9. Boys In The Band – Evening Session
10. Time For Heroes – Evening Session
11. I Get Along/Mayday – Evening Session
12. Jo Whiley – Christmas Live Lounge
13. Skag & Bone Man – Up The Bracket B-Side
14. The Delaney - Up The Bracket B-Side
15. Plan A - Up The Bracket B-Side
16. General Smuts (Demo) – Time For Heroes B-Side
17. Bangkok (Demo) – Time For Heroes – B-Side
18. Mr. Finnegan (Demo) – Time For Heroes B-Side
19. Sally Brown (Demo) – Time For Heroes B-Side
20. The 7 Deadly Sins (Demo) – Time For Heroes B-Side
21. Up The Bracket – Live at The ICA – 3/6/02
22. Mayday – Live at Nottingham Rock City – 30/10/02
23. Begging - Live at Divan Du Monde, paris – 7/11/02
24. The Boy Looked At Johnny – Live at Divan Du Monde, Paris – 7/11/02
25. Death On The Stairs – Alt Guitar Version
• DVD
HD Videos of Up The Bracket, Time For Heroes and I Get Along. Later with Jools Holland 2002 - Up The Bracket & Time For Heroes. Top Of The Pops 2003 - Time For Heroes and exclusive bonus footage.
Exclusive Extras.
• Cassette – Early Demos
1. I Get Along – 12/01 – Nomis Demo
2. Time For Heroes – 12/01 – Nomis Demo
3. Never Never – 12/01 – Nomis Demo
4. Horror Show – 12/01 – Nomis Demo
5. Boys In The Band – 12/01 – Nomis Demo
6. Up The Bracket – 01/02 – Nomis Demo
7. Begging - 01/02 – Nomis Demo
8. What A Waster - 01/02 – Nomis Demo
9. Skint & minted - 01/02 – Nomis Demo
10. General Smuts - 01/02 – Nomis Demo
11. Bangkok - 01/02 – Nomis Demo
12. Mayday - 01/02 – Nomis Demo
13. Mr Finnegan - 01/02 – Nomis Demo
14. Tell The King – 25/1/02 - Demo
15. Death On The Stairs – 25/1/02 – Demo
16. Time For Heroes – 1/3/02 - Demo
17. I Get Along – 1/3/02 - Demo
18. Horror Show – 1/3/02 – Demo
19. Boys In The Band – 1/3/02 - Demo
20. General Smuts – 1/3/02 – Demo