Album Essentials: ‘Pretenders’ : Their 1980 Solid Gold Debut
By Dave Swanson - Summit FM Contributor
No lying, no pretense, no hype sheet, just the facts! The Pretenders self-titled debut album stands as one of the greatest, most fully formed debut's in rock and roll! Way back upon its release in 1980, every note, every guitar chord, and every word rang true, and all these years later, that all remains intact. It was the sum of the parts, great songs, with great players, attitude, style, and bravado, all adding up to a pretty much perfect album.
Chrissie Hynde has always been, quite simply, one of the coolest rockers on the docket. From childhood, she knew she wanted to get the hell out of Akron, Ohio, and pursue her rock and roll dream. Upon moving to England in the early 1970s, she found herself hanging out with the 'in-crowd,' including members of the soon to form Sex Pistols, and their whole entourage. Hynde stood out, as it was obvious she was genuine, she began gaining a reputation among other aspiring rockers.
Inspired by the energy of the punk movement, but with her deepest love in mid-60 rock and roll, like The Rolling Stones and The Kinks, Hynde began writing songs, very good songs, which opened more doors, and soon signed a record deal. She assembled what seemed to be the perfect band for her songs and style; drummer Martin Chambers, bassist Pete Farndon, and guitarist extraordinaire James Honeyman-Scott. Their attack was simple, yet sophisticated, and Hynde's sharp and sultry vocals made their signature sound what it was.
It's interesting to note, that Hynde never seemed to make the fact that she was a woman the issue. Not unlike Patti Smith, she just got up and did her thing, being a rock and roller, and in the process, shut down any naysayers. Her talent as a songwriter and performer instantly made people shut up and take notice.
From the opening raw salvo of 'Precious,' it was clear this band meant business. As song after song came blasting out of the speakers, the listener was more and more captivated. 'The Phone Call,' 'Up The Neck,' 'Tattooed Love Boys,' (which contains one of the coolest guitar breaks ever!), 'The Wait,' and that's only side one! The first single released from the album was a beautiful cover of the lost Kinks classic 'Stop Your Sobbing,' Initially one of the songs the band sent producer Nick Lowe as a demo, after recording the track with them, he left the project with the remaining tracks to be produced by the legendary Chris Thomas. The next single, 'Kid' made the UK Top 40, but it would be the LP's third single, 'Brass In Pocket,' that hit pay dirt in America, clocking in at No. 14, and the video for the song got heavy rotation on the new MTV channel.
The album proved to be a big hit, making it into the Top 10 in the U.S., and number one in the UK. The band more than held their own on tour, proving they could rock it out with the big boys of the era. One more album featuring the original line-up would follow before personal issues and substance abuse would take its toll, with both Farndon and Honeyman-Scott losing their lives to drug issues. Hynde and Chambers would pick up the pieces and soldier on. The Pretenders carry on to this day, with Hynde as the sole original member. It’s encouraging to note that her most recent couple of LPs have been among her best, but that first album was truly something special. Essential? To say the least!