Message of Lust

Your private life drama, baby, count me in

I took one look at this photo and immediately let my envy of Chrissie Hynde be known. (How do I get into bed with James Walbourne, the 44-year-old current lead guitarist of the Pretenders?) 

Why am I not surprised that this rock 'n' roll mama would approve of my lewd ways?!!!

Vivienne Westwood Dies at 81

It's a pity it took the fashion designer's death for me to post this photo of Vivienne Westwood along with model Jordan (who died earlier this year at just 66 of the same type of cancer that claimed my brother's life) and Chrissie Hynde at the infamous Sex boutique on King's Road back in 1976. 

“I don’t think punk would have happened without Vivienne and Malcolm {McLaren],” the Great Pretender wrote in her memoir. “Something would have happened,” she continued, “and it might have been called punk, but it wouldn’t have looked the way it did, even in America. And the look was important.”

Indeed. Rest in punk. 

Happy Independence Day

 

Hope you're having a wonderful holiday weekend, definitely not thinking about how 48% of this great idea of a nation went so horribly off the rails. I will see you on Tuesday. xo

Or if you prefer ...

Song of the Day: 'Maybe Love in NYC' by the Pretenders

Have gotten texts from three different friends raving about the new Pretenders album, "Hate for Sale," which I suppose answers my question: Is it just me or is this thing really good? 

Song of the Day: 'Didn't Want to Be This Lonely' by the Pretenders

Another new song from the Pretenders' upcoming album, "Hate for Sale." This one is a little reminiscent of "Cuban Slide," which is to say pretty damn good. And how about this Lichtensteinesque video? 

Song of the Day: 'The Buzz' by the Pretenders

I'm on the fence about this: Is it better or worse to have a new product come out during a pandemic? One the one hand the world is ridiculously distracted. But on the other, what better time to feed the public's need for entertainment -- new movies, books, records -- than when we're all forced to stay home? With that in mind, I just stumbled upon two fantastic new songs from "Hate for Sale," Chrissie Hynde and Co.'s 11th studio album. The LP was supposed to come out on May 1 with a tour with Journey scheduled to begin on May 15. But with the live shows postponed, the album has been pushed back until July 17, which tells me they're not on board with my coronavirus theory! 

Info HERE.

Happy to see Martin Chambers is back in the band -- those two have the most tempestuous relationship since Sam and Diane -- and the other two blokes are apparently with whom she's been touring for many years since her most stable group of pretend Pretenders called it quits in the mid and late aughts. Although we're now going to have to wait until the summer to hear the whole thing, tell me "The Buzz" and the title track don't sound like they were recorded not far from East 55th and Euclid Avenue ... they're borderline precious.

P.S. 

Back when my friend Greg and I were making compilation albums of rarities by our favorite artists, I used to be on top of everything they put out. But I missed this little gem Chrissie recorded for a Paul McCartney tribute album, so figured I'd share it in case you had, too.

Song of the Day: 'Caroline, No' by Chrissie Hynde

One of 14 covers from the Pretenders frontwoman's new album, "Valve Bone Woe."

'The Pretenders With Friends' Comes to Blu-Ray and DVD

I may actually have to break down and buy this just to see the full version of Chrissie F**king Hynde singing "Talk of the Town" AND "I"m Only Happy When It Rains" with Shirley F**king Manson, AND the Great Pretender singing "Candy" with Iggy F**king Pop live in concert!

Blu-ray / DVD / CD package available July 12th featuring bonus interviews with band members, slide show, trailers and more HERE.

Song of the Day: 'Brass in Pocket' by Pretenders

If you haven't heard the demo version of this classic single, do yourself a favor and listen. It's an object lesson in turning a good song into a great one.

Who's special?

Song of the Day: 'I Go to Sleep' by Soulwax

I'm a huge fan of the Pretenders version -- this one's fun, too.

Song of the Day: 'Let's Get Lost' by the Pretenders (Featuring Neil Tennant)

Chrissie Hynde got fellow ex-music journalist Neil Tennant into the studio last month to add new vocals to one  "Let's Get Lost," which originally appeared on the Pretenders' new "Alone" album.

Song of the Day: 'Holy Commotion' by the Pretenders

Get "Alone" HERE.

Thrilling that Chrissie Hynde still delivers new music I can get into, even if she's really just a solo artist flip-flopping between monikers.

Happy Birthday to Chrissie Hynde!

The Pretenders legend turns 65 today, although she shows no signs of retiring.

Song of the Day: 'Christmas Soon' by JT, Chrissie and the Fairground Boys

Pure delight from Chrissie Hynde's pre-solo side project.

'Reckless' Disregard

I'm the biggest Pretenders fan I know, yet Chrissie Hynde's just-released memoir, "Reckless," isn't all that high on my list. The myth of being a rock star is almost always more interesting than the reality, and the more I read about her life, the more convinced I am this is true. (You did a lot of drugs, you knew the Sex Pistols, blah blah blah.) Besides, I kind of prefer the enigma persona she's built up, so not sure I want that to go away. The music, however, remains in a class of its own -- and these photos being used to promote the book are to die for.

Chrissie Hynde's 'Reckless' Comments

Oh, Chrissie. There's only one explanation for THIS nonsense: Someone has A MEMOIR to hawk.

First Look: Chrissie Hynde's 'Reckless' Memoir

Wow, loving the cover of Chrissie Hynde's upcoming memoir, "Reckless: My Life as a Pretender." Billboard has some tidbits HERE.

Pre-order now HERE.

Talk of the Town

Via Page Six:

Chrissie Hynde will tell the story of her life, with all its ups and downs. Penguin Random House announced Tuesday that the Pretenders singer was working on “an incredibly frank” memoir that will come out September.

Love her, but I would not want to edit this one!

Hynde Legs

From the Facebook page of Chrissie Hynde, who does have a point.

Hi everyone! Well, the U.S. tour is over, sadly. We all agreed we could have gone another 5 weeks and were sorry to say good-bye. We were especially appreciative of you - the audience. Really fun - always the best thing for me - to see you going nuts to a truly guitar based band (in the style as God intended). James Walbourne outshone himself in some blazing and unforgettable bursts of guitar heroism, the likes of which are becoming as rare as a sighting of a Siberian snow leopard. Long live rock guitar. I know I kept going on about how much we were digging the theatres. I’ll say it again - they are the best. So much better than those soulless arenas. (For me stadiums don’t even count.) I don’t think rock and roll is for everyone. This isn’t just mindless entertainment you know. I never want to be a household name. I don’t need to know everyone and vice versa. Stay in the shadows and keep it private. That includes everything. 

By the end of the tour everybody got the picture and turned their phones off. Thank you for that. Cameras ruined some of the best moments of the show for me right from the early days, but now camera/phones totally destroy the magic of even a simple train journey. I spend more time trying to get away from some f**khead on his/her phone in public places than I do enjoying the mundane everyday little things. Even picking up the dry cleaning now includes listening in on the details of some bore’s weekend plans. Or fleeing from some fool texting during a movie. Go away! 

But this is not a rant. I really only wanted to say ‘thank-you’ to all of you who came to see us. And to the venues for not selling slaughterhouse by-products. And to Kami Thompson and James W - The Rails. Great music from the UK’s foremost Folk-a-Billy act. So, have yourself a Merry Little Christmas. Oh yeah, that reminds me - you may have noticed that I do not feature in fashion magazines. Is is because I’m not asked or because I turn them down? I’ll let you guess the answer to that. But I am quite chuffed to be the Christmas cover girl of Vive Le Rock magazine! If you can get your hands on a copy I promise to sign it for for you on our next outing. See you then!

Song of the Day: '2000 Miles' by the Pretenders

Riding high on her solo success, Chrissie decided to cover this one from the Pretenders' "Learning to Crawl." While it may have one of the worst videos in the history of music, it's definitely one of the best rock-pop holiday originals of all time.