The Pretenders

[sonic]

What albums do you recommend? I just picked up Get Close for a couple of bucks — a really nice album. Good tunes.

[trurl]

The first two.

[progholio]

The first two.

i would second that and i also like their last one from 2008 Breaking Up The Concrete.

it's all worth a listen.

[Sharp]

I agree about the first two and for a good overview get the Pirate Radio box set

[3LockBox]

The first three are essential (I, II, Learning To Crawl)
Yeah, I know Learning To Crawl was a big hit, but it doesn't make it less an album than the first two.

Pretenders have a lot of great singles sprinkled throughout their canon, but Brass In Pocket is in my Top-10 pop songs of all time.

[rapidfirerob]

Played a gig with a Pretenders tribute band opening for us called Pretending. Big fun.

[PeterG]

For those of us who were listening to them from day one the first 3 are essential. Why people are recommending just the first 2 is a mystery to me. The 3rd album was as good as the first two.

[80s were ok]

all the early shit is essential. "Message of Love" just might be one of the greatest songs ever.

[Jerjo]

The first three are indeed essential. From what I have heard, the recent stuff is pretty badass as well but you have to start with the first three.

[rushfan]

Definitely the first two - I consider myself fortunate for seeing the original band on the Pretenders II tour prior to
the deaths of Pete Farndon and James Honeyman-Scott. The first album is an absolute must.

[JIF]

I got the deluxe version of the debut for a nice price. Btw, does anyone understand what Tattooed Love Boys is about? I wonder what that hole was for?

[Sharp]

Definitely the first two - I consider myself fortunate for seeing the original band on the Pretenders II tour prior to
the deaths of Pete Farndon and James Honeyman-Scott. The first album is an absolute must.

Same here.. Those two were such a loss... but the band did carry on. I saw them about 4 years ago and they were still going strong.

[Sharp]

I got the deluxe version of the debut for a nice price. Btw, does anyone understand what Tattooed Love Boys is about? I wonder what that hole was for?

I think the full lyrics give a clue.... a disenchanted prostitute.


The mid twenty joys around a heart that's black and blue
Tattooed love boys
I tore my knees up getting to you
'Cause I needed
To find out what the thing was for
Been reading
But man the time came to explore

I went apewire 'cause I thought
Like I'd like it little tease
But I didn't mean it
But you mess with the goods doll, honey you gotta pay, yeah

A good time was guaranteed for one and all
The tattoos did target practice in the hall
While waiting for their number to get called out
I, I, I, I found out what the wait was about

I was a good time, yeah, I got pretty good
At changing tires upstairs bro
I shot my mouth off and you showed me what that hole was for

Now I see you
All impressed and half undressed
You got paint stick all over the scars and lumps and bumps
Tattooed love boys
Have got you where I used to lay
Well ha ha too bad, but you know what they say
"Stop snivellin', you're gonna make some plastic surgeon a rich man"

Oh, but the prestige and the glory
Another human interest story
You are that

[sonic]

Well, I picked up 'The Singles' and ll, so that should keep me busy for a while.

[Brian Griffin]

The first 3, and the BBC79 and Santa Monica 81 boots are all fairly essential

BG

[kmich]

Never met a Pretenders album that i didn't like. To varying degrees. The first three are essential. I, II and Learning To Crawl.

[enpdllp]

The Pretenders rendition of Bold As Love is one of the high points of the excellent Jimi Hendrix tribute album Stone Free.

[Progbear]

What albums do you recommend? I just picked up Get Close for a couple of bucks — a really nice album. Good tunes.

Their debut was one of those perfect, five-star pop-rock albums but sadly, it’s never been equalled. For the rest, The Singles is enough for me.

-------------
MIKE (a.k.a. "Progbear")

"Siento que debemos saber para el sueño de quién brillará esta luz
o consagrar una propia estrella" --Alberto Felici

N.P.:“Wake the World”-The Beach Boys/Friends

[solarpup]

I got the deluxe version of the debut for a nice price. Btw, does anyone understand what Tattooed Love Boys is about? I wonder what that hole was for?
if you don't know by now, don't mess with it ;)

[100423]

Don't forget Extended Play in addition to the first three full albums. Porcelain and Cuban Slide are worthy tunes.

[Rufus]

They were always just a singles band for me...much like Texas!

[cupwonder]

Best Christmas song of all time--2000 miles.

[Orcopian]

Living in Hereford, UK where the original band, bar Chrisie Hynde were from, the first 3 albums with James Honeyman Scott and Pete Farndon are deemed pretty legendary among the local music fraternity, and of course they are excellent as well. there are a lot of people you can talk to in the local pubs who knew them and played with them, and of course Martin Chambers is still playing drums (including the Mott reunion gigs) and is a regular at local gigs. One very interesting story I have heard is that James Honeyman Scott played on Robert John Godfrey's album the fall of Hyperion.

[JIF]

Living in Hereford, UK where the original band, bar Chrisie Hynde were from, the first 3 albums with James Honeyman Scott and Pete Farndon are deemed pretty legendary among the local music fraternity, and of course they are excellent as well. there are a lot of people you can talk to in the local pubs who knew them and played with them, and of course Martin Chambers is still playing drums (including the Mott reunion gigs) and is a regular at local gigs. One very interesting story I have heard is that James Honeyman Scott played on Robert John Godfrey's album the fall of Hyperion.The original Pretenders lineup didn't play on three full albums; it was two albums and an E.P.

[yogibear]

Don't forget Extended Play in addition to the first three full albums. Porcelain and Cuban Slide are worthy tunes.these tunes are now on the deluxe version of the debut album if i read the stories right.

[JIF]

these tunes are now on the deluxe version of the debut album if i read the stories right.Yep. I know cause I got the deluxe version used. This thread is making me want to listen to that cd.

[100423]

Oh, well, I still have my copy from back in the '80s when I first got a CD player. :p

[JIF]

The Pretenders rendition of Bold As Love is one of the high points of the excellent Jimi Hendrix tribute album Stone Free.A kickass version of Room Full Of Mirrors closes out Get Close.

[JIF]

I heard Hymn To Her on my Squeezebox today. That's an underrated gem.

[ItalProgRules]

Best Christmas song of all time--2000 miles.

ITA with that.

[Septober Energy]

Never liked the Pretenders much, but I once read somewhere that Chrissie Hynde was briefly a singer for Magma. She certainly looked the part.

[bill g]

I'd recommend whichever album has 'Show Me'. Great tune, as is 'Don't Get Me Wrong'.

[Yaman Aksu]

I've listened to the 2010 album "JP, Chrissie and The Fairground Boys" (featuring Chrissie Hynde) and saw a gig at its tour --- it was good. Right now at Amazon I see it's less than a buck, new. I'd definitely recommend it -- got some nice songs on it. Here's the song Portobello -- not on the album -- which was probably the most upbeat song on that setlist with a major guitar solo -- I think at the show I saw it was better than at this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3s1ZFD3a3i8

[JIF]

I'd recommend whichever album has 'Show Me'. Great tune, as is 'Don't Get Me Wrong'.Learning To Crawl?

[Mister Triscuits]

Yeah, I know Learning To Crawl was a big hit, but it doesn't make it less an album than the first two.

Damn right. In fact it's their best, in my opinion. "Time the Avenger" is my absolute favorite Pretenders track, then you get "My City Was Gone," "Middle of the Road," "Thumbelina," "Back on the Chain Gang"...good stuff.

[GuitarGeek]

They've got some good songs, I always liked Talk Of The Town, Message Of Love and Middle Of The Road.

[bill g]

Learning To Crawl?

Yeah, Show Me is on 'Learning to Crawl', 'Dont Get Me Wrong is on the next, 'Get Close'.

[sonic]

I picked up the first album today for a couple of bucks. I'm finding it a bit tuneless though.

[Facelift]

The first and third, definitely. The second if you really liked those. The acoustic live one is pretty good, too.

[willyswing]

I've got the first 5 (Packed being #5) and the EP and they're all quite good (the debut is killer!). The later albums suffered somewhat from a revolving band membership, but still have good tunes. "Message of Love" is my fave tune (a fist-raiser if there ever was one).
Chrissie Hynde is bad-ass!!

[Jefferson James]

Talk Of The Town

I love that one -- that big-ass crashing guitar chord/riff. Pure love.

[Blah_Blah_Woof_Woof]

I was playing some mix tapes from the late 70's and early 80's and noticed how present the Pretenders were. Don't really listen to them much anymore but the guitar sound was great. Honeyman-Scott died too young.

I saw the original band supporting the Boomtown Rats and the buzz was all about them. I saw Bob Geldof a week later at a Ramones concert and asked him how he felt about the Pretenders' stealing of the Rat's thunder. He stuck up for them and said they were a great bunch of blokes. Martin Chambers had joined the Rats onstage during their encore and danced with Geldof, so it looked like everyone got along.

[JIF]

I was playing some mix tapes from the late 70's and early 80's and noticed how present the Pretenders were. Don't really listen to them much anymore but the guitar sound was great. Honeyman-Scott died too young.

I saw the original band supporting the Boomtown Rats and the buzz was all about them. I saw Bob Geldof a week later at a Ramones concert and asked him how he felt about the Pretenders' stealing of the Rat's thunder. He stuck up for them and said they were a great bunch of blokes. Martin Chambers had joined the Rats onstage during their encore and danced with Geldof, so it looked like everyone got along.Peter Fardon, Pretenders bassist, also died too young.

[Digital_Man]

Difficult band to categorize imo. When they first came out they weren't really new wave. They weren't punk either and they were before so called alternative. I suppose they were sort of post punk but that doesn't really fit either. I had "learning to crawl" on cassette when I was younger and recently picked it up at a thrift store. I'lll have to check out the others too. Good band.

[Dan Roth]

Brand new music from the band:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ki9EY3j1g0

[Staun]

How is that new jazz album Chrissie just released?

[progholio]

How is that new jazz album Chrissie just released?

Pretty effing good i'd say -


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZbXqz-23AE

[Jones the Jug]

Their first album has a few rockers with abrupt rhythms and odd time signatures.