UPDATE: Adam Ficek himself has sent along a lovely note of gratitude for this plug, which means that i had better start seeing more outgoing clicks here than for the Anne Hathaway likes it “up there” link from earlier this morning. You freaking pervs.

When I refer to Peter Doherty as an “antihero,” you people seem to think that I’m joking. Well, every damn time that the above photo makes an appearance, it usually draws a few pornographic comments, but, I assure you, spraying yourself in the eye with a beverage isn’t nearly as sexy as it sounds. Hell, it just happened to me and didn’t feel so great, which is why the photo is going up again. Antihero, indeed.

Also, I totally wanted to pimp the Babyshambles drummer, Adam Ficek, who has recently released his own solo album under the Roses Kings Castles moniker. Ficek’s solo music is self-described “quixotic indie pop,” and I insist that you give it a listen, right now. Not only is Ficek quite versatile and talented, he’s also a really outstanding fellow and perhaps the most squeaky-clean member of Babyshambles:

Recorded in his bedroom over a two-week period that presented itself when Doherty took time out from Babyshambles to work on his own material, Roses Kings Castles is a short, sharp and savvy burst of sorrow-pop perfection, shot through with jingling melodies, toe-tapping acoustics and a wry lyrical nous.

Not one for caning it after gigs, you’re more likely to see Ficek rushing back to his hotel room to update his Myspace page after tomorrow’s DJ set than to find him trying to score drugs on streets of the Capital, ala Doherty.

“I’m quite clean living and I don’t really find it very difficult to abstain from things. In fact, the only thing that I have a problem with is sleep deprivation,” he says with a laugh.

In the above interview, Ficek also dishes on the upcoming third album for Babyshambles and what it’s like to put up with Peter Doherty on a regular basis. Speaking of which, check out lil’ Doherty, aged 11, who was, at the time, a bloody fookin’ chess champion. Apparently, Peter was reunited with an old school chum, who had a bit of useless info to tell the press:

Amazingly Emily [Baker], 29, said the law-breaking star “hasn’t changed all that much” — apart from a growth spurt.

She added: “I remember him being an incredible dancer and really good at chess and football. My mate’s still got one of his QPR football scarves. At school he was a bit cheeky and always took things too far.”

Yeah, Peter hasn’t changed all that much, except for that tourniquet hanging from his arm. Oh, and the whippersnapper of a bloke went and got a haircut yesterday. Check out Aunt Jemima below: