The Pretenders Biography

Summary

"The Pretenders" are a British rock band. The original band consisted of initiator and main songwriter Chrissie Hynde (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), James Honeyman-Scott (lead guitar, backing vocals, keyboards), Pete Farndon (bass guitar, backing vocals), and Martin Chambers (drums, backing vocals, percussion). The band was impaired by drug-related deaths and numerous subsequent personnel changes have taken place over the years, with Hynde as the sole continual member.

History

Early years

Hynde, originally from Akron, Ohio, attended the Kent State University at the time of the Kent State shootings during 1970.

She moved to London during 1973 and from there began writing for the weekly music paper, "New Musical Express". After several years of false starts, including the bands Masters of the Backside and The Moors Murderers, she initiated a new band.

The Pretenders formed during 1978, at the end of the original, two-year British punk fad. Hynde's band comprised a set of acquaintances from Hereford, near the Welsh border - young players with a popular music aesthetic.

Farndon (who was associated romantically with Hynde) was the first to join Hynde's band, following a moderately successful employment with the Bushwackers, an Australian folk-rock ensemble. Farndon then recruited guitarist Honeyman-Scott, at the time working in the guitar room at Buzz Music in Hereford. However, the Pretenders did not have a regular drummer even as late as the recording session for their first single ('Stop Your Sobbing'), which featured drumming by session player Gerry Mackleduff. Finally, Honeyman-Scott recruited Chambers, who was at the time working as a driving instructor only a few blocks from where Hynde was living.

Original band (1978-1982)

After their 1978 signing to Real Records on the basis of a demonstration of the song 'The Phone Call', the band quickly gained critical attention with the January 1979 single, 'Stop Your Sobbing', written during 1964 by Ray Davies for The Kinks and produced by Nick Lowe. It was followed in quick succession that year by the popular singles 'Kid' in June and 'Brass in Pocket' in November, which scored in the American market (scoring #14 on the Billboard Hot 100), and no.1 in the UK.

The debut album "Pretenders" was released during January 1980, and was a great success in both the United Kingdom and the United States, both critically and with chart-topping sales. ("Pretenders" was subsequently named one of the best albums of all time by VH1 (#52) and "Rolling Stone" (#155).) The band played the entire album at the noted Heatwave festival during August 1980 near Toronto.

Hynde became known for dark bangs, dark eyeliner, and dark jeans. And due to, as the 1983 "Rolling Stone Record Guide" would say, 'her sheer authenticity as a three-dimensional woman whose sexuality is completely in sync with a superb rock sensibility,' she was able to escape many of the clichéd roles of women in rock music.

Hynde's girl group-influenced vocals were also crucial to the band's success, although the early group was very much an ensemble, adept at playing interlocking musical parts, shifting mood and tempo on cue, and responding to subtle signals from one another. Their recordings were mostly performed live in the studio, with only lead guitar and vocal overdubs. Among the interesting features of the first two albums are casual shifts into odd time signatures, as in the alternating 7/8-4/4 time signature of 'Tattooed Love Boys.' Another major element of the band's early success was producer Chris Thomas (famed, with engineer Bill Price, for the sound achieved on the Sex Pistols' album, "Never Mind the Bollocks"). Fans familiar with the band's U.S. chart singles are often unaware of how loud and aggressive the early Pretenders could be, and how experimental some of their early recordings were.

During March 1981 the EP "Extended Play" was released, a holding action containing the UK and U.S. success 'Message of Love' and 'Talk of the Town' and a live version of 'Precious,' recorded in Central Park.

The second full-length album, "Pretenders II", was released during August, 1981. Most critics at the time termed it disappointing, although it is now generally considered a great album. "Pretenders II" included the "Extended Play" singles, the MTV video success, 'Day After Day,' and popular album-radio tracks 'The Adultress,' 'Birds of Paradise,' and 'The English Roses.' According to Hynde from the Songwriters Circle, 'Talk of the Town' is a song about a fan who just stayed around during sound checks and never said a word. Chrissie never initiated any conversation, but thought about him later during the tour.

Hynde then dismissed ex-paramour Pete Farndon from the group for chronic drug problems. Two days later, 16 June 1982, Honeyman-Scott was dead of a cocaine overdose. While the band tried to regroup during the following year, Farndon overdosed on heroin and died on 14 April 1983.

Pretenders carry on (1983-1987)

Hynde subsequently decided to continue with the band. During July 1982, just weeks after Honeyman-Scott's death, a caretaker team of Hynde, Chambers, Rockpile guitarist Billy Bremner and Big Country bassist Tony Butler, was assembled to record a comeback single, 'Back on the Chain Gang.' The song was released in October and marked a new level of musical sophistication for the band while becoming their biggest success in the U.S., scoring #5 for three consecutive weeks. The single's flip-side, 'My City Was Gone,' in which Hynde expressed dismay at industrial pollution and rampant commercial development in her home state, was equally strong though; it's now well known as the theme music of "The Rush Limbaugh Show".

Hynde then reformed The Pretenders, keeping Chambers and adding professional musicians Robbie McIntosh on guitar and Malcolm Foster on bass. The band's first album with this lineup, "Learning to Crawl", was released to respectful critical acclaim during January 1984.

'Middle of the Road' was this lineup's first single, released during December, 1983 and scored the US Top 20 and received constant MTV play. Recapturing some of the group's earlier style, the song dealt with, among other things, Hynde's new motherhood (Hynde had a daughter with Jim Kerr during January 1983), the pressures of fame, and the indifference of wealthy nations to the plight of the world's poor. The flip-side, '2000 Miles', was a melancholy Christmas song that was especially popular in the UK. The rest of the album alternated between angry-type songs ('Time the Avenger') and hopeful ballads ('Show Me' which scored the US Top 30) and included an effective cover version of The Persuaders' 'Thin Line Between Love and Hate', which featured Paul Carrack on guest keyboards. The subsequent tour (with an added keyboard player) successfully demonstrated Martin Chambers's forceful drumming. The 1985 Live Aid charity concert was the last gig for this lineup.

Soon after recording sessions for the next album began and one track had been completed, Hynde declared that Chambers was no longer playing well and dismissed him - allegedly by booking new recording time without telling Chambers about it. Foster was also dismissed, and after an appropriate interval, the newly-revised Pretenders team was officially announced as Hynde, McIntosh, bassist T.M. Stevens, and ex-Haircut 100 drummer Blair Cunningham. In reality, though, the "Get Close" album was largely the work of Hynde, McIntosh, and several session musicians.

"Get Close" was released in 1986; the disc included the Top 10 singles 'Don't Get Me Wrong' (helped by a popular video homage to the television series "The Avengers") and 'Hymn to Her' (popularly interpreted as a hymn to the Goddess), a #8 success in the UK.

Two new songs, 'If There Was a Man' & 'Where Has Everybody Gone?' were released on the soundtrack of the Bond film "The Living Daylights", and were used instrumentally by John Barry in several scenes.

The lineup for the "Get Close" tour was then expanded to include former P-Funk and Talking Heads keyboardist Bernie Worrell, but this version of the band had many difficulties. Two players were dismissed, McIntosh eventually quit, and ex-Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr joined for a final brief period during 1987. By this time, it was evident that the Pretenders were a band in name only, the name merely serving as a vehicle for Chrissie Hynde.

1990s

There was a hiatus in musical activity for Hynde until 1990, when Hynde hired session players (including one-time Pretenders Billy Bremner and Blair Cunningham) and released "Packed!" to a generally dismal reception. Hynde was the only person pictured anywhere on the album, and was the only official member of the band. In Canada, the lead single 'Never Do That' was a top 40 success, peaking at #26. However 'Never Do That' didn't do as well in other markets, maximizing at #81 UK, and failing to score the US Hot 100 (although the track did make the US Modern Rock and Mainstream Rock charts, at #4 and #5 respectively.)

By 1993, Hynde had teamed with ex-Katydids guitarist Adam Seymour to form a new version of the Pretenders. The team of Hynde and Seymour then hired a number of session musicians to record "Last of the Independents" that year, including ex-Smiths bassist Andy Rourke. But by the end of the album sessions (and for the subsequent tour) the official band line-up was Hynde, Seymour, bassist Andy Hobson, and returning drummer Martin Chambers.

This line-up would endure for well over a decade with no changes, although Hobson would often be replaced with session bassists on many of the band's studio recordings. Several recordings with sessionmen as The Pretenders occurred during 1993, keeping the band publicized, including a cover version of the Jimi Hendrix classic 'Bold As Love' for the popular Hendrix tribute album 'Stone Free' and a cover version of the 10cc classic 'I'm Not In Love' for the $100 million successful film 'Indecent Proposal'.

When "Last of the Independents" was released in 1994, it had reasonable overall commercial success, being rated 'gold' in the US. Lead single 'Night In My Veins' was a minor success in the US, a mid-chart success in the UK, and a top 10 success in Canada. The second single was the album's centrepiece ballad 'I'll Stand by You'; this track received substantial airplay, and was a top 10 success in the US and UK, and top 20 in Canada. Hynde (perhaps seeking success material) wrote a good portion of the album with the team of Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly. Hynde typically had not collaborated with 'hit-makers' during the past.

Subsequently, the band toured in small venues around the U.S., sometimes including a string quartet, with Hynde wistfully noting that a certain violin part 'was a fine transcription of James Honeyman-Scott's guitar solo.' Some of these arrangements are preserved on the 1995 "The Isle of View" live album and DVD, made at London's Jacob Street Studios, which sometimes revealed an approach perhaps more sophisticated and subtle than was shown by the original albums. Damon Albarn of Blur played piano on the recording which also featured the Duke String Quartet.

During 1997 the Pretenders supplied two tracks for the soundtrack of the Ridley Scott film 'G. I. Jane': 'Goodbye' and 'The Homecoming'.

Hynde had become increasingly concerned with political activism, vocally supporting the environmental movement and vegetarianism, and her social and political views were written into more than one of the band's successful releases. Later performances at the 1999 edition of Lilith Fair featured disputes between Hynde and the festival organizers. While sometimes strident, Hynde has also delighted in confounding others' expectations, once saying she is no feminist and in fact 'is just like any chick who likes to talk about makeup in the girls' room.' "Viva el Amor" was released during 1999, as was their collaboration with Tom Jones on the album "Reload".

2000s

The Pretenders joined with Emmylou Harris on "Return of the Grievous Angel: A Tribute to Gram Parsons", performing the song 'She.' A "Greatest Hits" compilation followed in 2000. During 2002 "Loose Screw" was vended by Artemis Records with only modest commercial success. It was the first Pretenders record to be released by a company other than WEA. "Rolling Stone" noted its 'refinement, stylish melodies and vocal fireworks,' while "Blender" called it 'slick, snarky pop with flashes of brilliance.'

During March 2005, the Pretenders were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Only Hynde and Chambers attended the ceremony. During her acceptance speech, Hynde named and thanked all the replacement members of the group, then said:

'I know that the Pretenders have looked like a tribute band for the last 20 years. ... And we're paying tribute to James Honeyman Scott and Pete Farndon, without whom we wouldn't be here. And on the other hand, without us, they might have been here, but that's the way it works in rock 'n' roll.'

After their Hall of Fame induction, The Pretenders continued touring as a four-part team (Hynde, Seymour, Hobson and Chambers). During 2005, bassist Hobson was replaced by Nick Wilkinson, marking the band's first line-up change in 13 years. Not long after, guitarist Seymour left and was replaced by James Walbourne. That same year, Rhino records released the four disc/ one DVD box set "Pirate Radio 1979-2005" which spanned the group's entire career. Two-disc remastered versions of the first two albums also came out that year loaded with bonus tracks. During 2007, Rhino remastered both "Learning To Crawl" and "Get Close" once again with bonus tracks, but only as single discs. The current Pretenders team during 2008 now consists of Hynde, Chambers, Wilkinson and Walbourne.

The Pretenders' album "Break up the Concrete" was released through Shangri-La Music on 7 October 2008. It was the band's first Top 40 album in the U.S. in 22 years. It is described as having a rockabilly influence. Tracks include 'Boots of Chinese Plastic', 'Don't Cut Your Hair', 'Love's a Mystery', 'The Last Ride' and 'Almost Perfect'. With Hynde is guitarist James Walbourne, pedal steel player Eric Heywood, bassist Nick Wilkinson and legendary drummer Jim Keltner (on the album only). Martin Chambers and Chrissie Hynde both explain the change as 'being loyal to the music' and then said that Keltner and Chambers are good friends and have mutual respect. Chambers, however, was quoted in an interview as not having been told that Hynde has decided to go with Keltner, or that she was recording a new Pretenders album. Chambers returned to the drums on tour with the band. Several one-off shows were performed during the closing months of 2008, including a couple of Christmas charity shows. The 'Break Up The Concrete Tour' began in mid-January and covered most of the United States, with shows until the end of March. It then continued in Europe, with gigs in Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Germany, Holland, France, Spain, Belgium, Scotland and England during the months of June and July, before returning for a new tour in Canada and the U.S. during August and September 2009.

Discography

Studio albums

1980 - "Pretenders"

1981 - "Pretenders II"

1984 - "Learning to Crawl"

1986 - "Get Close"

1990 - "Packed!"

1994 - "Last of the Independents"

1999 - "Viva el Amor"

2002 - "Loose Screw"

2008 - "Break Up the Concrete"

Notes

The 1987 'If There Was a Man' UK Release is accredited to "The Pretenders for 007"

The Pretenders also appear on the Official UK Singles Charts for their appearance on the 1997 "Fever Pitch EP" for which their song 'Going Back' is listed. The EP charted at number 65 for one week on 10 May 1997.