March 31, 2017
Chrissie Hynde, founding member of The Pretenders, never cared if she offended anyone.
“Was I mean to you?” Hynde asked. She was the first rock star I met a generation ago.
At 65, Hynde didn’t let her manners slip at a hotel during the Reagan era. But there was something about the encounter, which mirrored the Pretenders’ output. She was nearly infallible during the band’s first three albums. That’s been so with her group, which has never followed trends or offered any apologies.
The Akron, Ohio native, who left for London in 1973, led a group, which hit a nerve with its amalgam of punk, new wave, and pop. The band’s initial release featured a hungry act, which recorded urgent, spiky singles, which were muscular but accessible. Hynde isn’t crazy about breaking down the early era of The Pretenders since she’s done so ad nauseam.
However, Hynde is more than happy to chat about her formative days as a fan growing up in Ohio during the ‘60s and ‘70s
“I’ve always loved going to shows, particularly when I was in my teens,” Hynde said.
“The impact Iggy Pop had on me was huge. The same goes for when I saw Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels. I was just a kid and it was mesmerizing. I constantly went to Cleveland to see bands.”
Hynde grew up transfixed by Pop, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and the Kinks. However, she didn’t appropriate their sound when she found her footing as a singer-songwriter with The Pretenders during the late ‘70s.
“That might be so because I’m not a trained musician,” Hynde said.
“I play rock and roll and there is a difference.”
Hynde, with her edgy manner, sexy vocals, and sheer defiance, is the epitome of rock and roll. The first Pretenders album is a classic since it’s full of sleek, original and hook-laden songs. Guitarist James Honeyman-Scott was as unconventional and exciting as Hynde was tough and unintelligible.
It’s still difficult to understand what Hynde is singing during the band’s first hit “Brass in Pocket” or the visceral gem “The Wait.”
“I just sing my way,” Hynde said. “There’s no mystery.”
I just sing my way,” Hynde said. “There’s no mystery.”
Hynde’s toughness is genuine. Hynde was devastated when Honeyman-Scott died of a drug overdose a generation ago. Even though bassist Pete Farndon left the band
due to his issues with narcotics, it hurt Hynde when he passed away not long after Honeyman-Scott.
However, The Pretenders have survived for 40 years.
“It isn’t easy to keep it going but it’s what I love to do,” Hynde said.
Hynde has influenced a number of successful recording artists.
“Chrissie has had a big impact on us,” Kings of Leon guitarist Matthew Followill said.
“She championed us and welcomed us into her world (a decade ago) and we treasure that. She’s one of the true rock icons.”
Hynde and The Pretenders were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005. Hynde delivered a moving speech mentioning every musician, who was part of The Pretenders and she also tipped her cap to Honeyman-Scott and Farndon.
“I know The Pretenders have looked like a tribute band for the last 20 years,” Hynde said.
“We’re paying tribute to James Honeyman-Scott and Pete Farndon, without whom we wouldn’t be here.”
However, Hynde isn’t about the Rock Hall or the Grammys. “I don’t understand all of that,” Hynde said. “I’m just about the music.”
“Alone,” the Pretenders first album in eight years, is its finest since the band’s salad days. The album title is apt since Hynde is the lone Pretender. The Black Keys' Dan Auerbach and members of his side project, the Arcs, recorded with Hynde. The result is an inspired collection of soulful garage rock, which The Pretenders will showcase Saturday at the Golden Nugget.
Unlike some recording artists, who have issues playing Atlantic City due to the many casual fans who attend courtesy of casino comps, the unflappable Hynde doesn’t mind.
“Who cares,” Hynde said.
“I’ve been playing Atlantic City for many years. I’m just going to go up there and do what I do. It’s up to you whether you have a good time or not.”
The Pretenders appear Saturday, April 1 at the Golden Nugget in Atlantic City. Click here for ticket information. On Sunday, they'll open for Stevie Nicks at the Prudential Center. Ticket information for that show can be found here.
