London has long been renowned for its eccentrics, from Oscar Wilde to Patrick Wolf, Charlie Chaplin to Billy Childish. Today, Pete Doherty follows in that line. There’s seemingly nothing new to say about the man himself, except perhaps the equally eccentric company he keeps. Most are assumed to have had a negative effect, but in cases like that of London College of Communication graduate Hannah Bays, the opposite is true. It was in this young London-based illustrator (whose passion for Victoriana and love for London are unparalleled) that both Doherty and former bandmate Carlos Barat uncovered a like-minded gem of an artist. She's made artwork for Babyshambles, Dirty Pretty Things and most recently, Libertines' The Best Of: A Time For Heroes. And, her collaborations haven’t stopped there. PPQ, a fledgling clothing label closely associated with the former Libertines, just featured a series of original Bays images on their ‘indie cool’ T-shirts. PsychoPEDIA probed Bays after the launch and got her personal insight into the past, present and future:

How did the work for PPQ come about?
I first became acquainted with the duo when their associated record label, 1234 Records, released Babyshambles’ first single. I suppose it was back then they became aware of what I did, and more recently I believe someone recommended me to them. I like the fact that there’s a musical link to the association… it fits nicely with the work I normally do.

What are your aims for the future?
Recently turning 25 has had a profound effect on my ambition. It feels like the dawning of some sort of maturity and I can’t fuck about any more. I feel like I’ve been too lax for too long and now some hard graft is on the cards.

Do you think its harder now than ever for young illustrators to achieve success?
Probably. But it’s never been easy. Ten years ago on choosing GCSE [General Certificate of Secondary Education] options I remember various teacher’s attempts to deter me from art on the grounds it was unstable and a ridiculous pursuit for one with academic ability. As a teenager my mother was banned from doing art other than as a hobby as it wasn’t a serious vocational choice. I think that’s what made her support me in my own decision. I knew it wouldn’t be easy but that’s not the point is it? You’ve got to be true to yourself and hope for the best.

You’ve been described as a ‘cult artist’ how do you feel about this?
I’m not sure where you’ve picked that up from but I’d say it was immensely flattering. Kind of what I’d aim for.

Your work is clearly inspired by the past. Do you ever feel pressured to keep up with the present to adhere to the future?
Uh-uh. There’ll always be a backlash against ‘progress’. With increased computerization it only makes the handcrafted image more poignant in my book.

Can the past ever go out of fashion? And, if it did, what would you do?
History repeats itself. The past is vast to put it mildly. It encompasses everything that has ever gone before and is pretty much all we know as we attempt the present. In that sense it can never stop being the source of inspiration to those who ‘create’. It’s how the past is regurgitated and reinterpreted that matters in keeping things fresh. In terms of my personal work I often retain a certain aesthetic of nostalgia and decay as I’m drawn to things with a sense of history, and how things are created from destruction. I’m more interested delving into an old tin and finding the detritus of past owners than I am perusing the aisles of Ikea. My personal inspiration comes largely from the Victorians. They built my city after all, and now it’s being destroyed in the name of progress (‘luxury’ anyone?) it sickens me. I think there’ll always be revolt against the erasing of history.

Having done artwork for Babyshambles, Dirty Pretty Things and the Libertines who did you prefer musically?
Well I’ll side with the most diplomatic and most people’s opinion and say the Libertines.

Did they give you creative freedom or were there guidelines you had to abide by?
Actually the lack of any guidelines can be a hindrance. Some things I put forward for Babyshambles, Pete didn’t like. But it’s always a last minute thing with him. When you’re not sure what someone wants that can be mighty difficult. When I spent more time with him it came quite naturally – I guess I tapped into the essence of what he was about. But on the other hand Carl and his band pretty much accepted what I gave them. I hope that was because they liked it rather than a respect thing.

Did you personally witness Pete’s fall from grace or was it something you tried to stay out of?
Pete’s fall from grace? I thought he was getting higher.

Do you perceive it as something mystified by the media to make his story more interesting, or was it pretty close to the truth?
Do the red-tops have a commitment to truth, sincerity and real insight? Me think not. Truth is subjective and the media constructs realities - they get what they want. Angle a lens unflatteringly and ‘hey presto’.

Were you at all part of the Libertines gang that got libertine tattooed on them?
I’m not sure any of the girls (and I hasten to add – boys) who got that tattoo were actually in the band’s close group of friends. Though I guess it’s fair to say that the ‘branding’ made them a gang of followers. I wouldn’t put myself in that bracket.

What was your impression of them?
I have no reason to think anything of them. Young people since the dawn of the teenager have always sought a sense of belonging. Any subculture will tell you that. Music can provide this and the tattoo has long been an emblem of unity and tribal affiliation. It makes sense.

~Kevin Soar