As The Pretenders unleash their new album, Break Up The Concrete, on the UK today, I caught up with the legendary Chrissie Hynde to talk about music, men and all things girly.
Hey there Chrissy how are you?
Good, just finishing you my bag of walkers crisps! [FF: Yummy, they’re treating you well over there then?] Yes! Only the best, [FF: What flavour?] Ready Slated, they had some really minging flavours like Chicken and Bacon and stuff, I usually go for black Pepper or Salt and Vinegar or something. But I think walkers are old school, I think Black Pepper might be a little exotic for the old reprobate company! Haha!
So, aside from Walkers, tell us about your latest album, Break Up The Concrete which is released next Monday?
It’s rough and ready. Like my men! [FF; I like it!] it was recorded very quickly in about 11 days live in the studio and it’s kind of punkabily! There is some real musical excellence in the record, but with me involved I obviously brought it down to my level! Don’t let that get in the way?
Is it your greatest hits?
No! That was the cold-blooded merchandising device to get people to buy it! We had a new record that came out in that States about a year ago but as we were dropped from our record label Warners a few years ago because we don’t sell records… but you know, hey! I’ve been dropped by better than them!
No seriously, that’s the way things are going at the moment and the music industry is destroying itself with it’s own greed and we’re paying certain artists millions of dollars for nothing and making CD’s too expensive etc and now people can get these CD’s for free and of course if they can then they will. I mean who wouldn’t, everyone got too self important in this game anyway and thought they were curing cancer or something but as far as I’m aware noo-ne has yet so…
That’s a great attitude to take!
Yeah, I mean come on, it’s just rock and roll, it’s supposed to make you dance! I wish everyone would just get over themselves, it’s not about being the biggest band or anything. But after being around for 30 years we have a massive back catalogue we thought if we gave that away for free too it might be an added incentive to get down to your local erm, [FF: HMV?] Yeah!
I love it… good idea! So if you could sum the who shebang up in five words for us, what five words would they be?
Erm! Rough, Ready, Raw (and) NOT MINGING!
I love it! Haha, you’re proper loving the word minging at the moment aren’t you?
Yeah! Haha, that’s my Mot Du Jour! [FF: I don’t understand French!] haha, it means my word of the day! [FF: Brilliant!] That’s not very advanced French, well, obviously for you it is though!
I know, you’ve taught me something today, I’m speaking to a legend and learning new facts! Now, back to music, this is your ninth album to date, would you say it’s your best yet?
I would say it’s as good as the first two albums which is good, it’s as close as it can be to the original band. It’s spirited and definitely has a ‘vibe’ which you rarely get if you’ve spent a few months in a studio because that really is a vibe-killer!
So it’s already been release in the US, how was the reaction over there?
I think people liked it and stuff from radio play. I’m not trying to sell records or increase my audience or anything, I’m just trying to get by!
Aww, that’s a great attitude to take, it’s so refreshing in this industry.
I know! I have everything I want really! Haha. The real reason I would want people to hear the album is so that when we go out live and we play some new tunes we’re not playing to an audience that looks like a photograph of an audience! If you go out to see… name an artist for me…
I went to Nickelback last week, they were epic
… okay, well I don’t know their catalogue so well, but you want to hear songs that you know because you’ve been listening in your front room and in your car and the song comes on in the venue and you stand up and you dance! We know the name of the game because we’ve all spent years in the audience and if someone has enough heart to listen to the album a couple of times, it means that when we play it live it will go down a treat.
Yes! I agree, but what’s your favourite song to play live?
Hum, well that changes, it depends if we’ve played it for a while or not! Certainly the rockers of course, but it all depends on the audience, if you have a polite audience then we can do the mid-tempo one’s your dad loves! That’s what I get now!
You also have a couple of live UK dates coming up, where are you most looking forward to?
Well… Glasgow! [FF: ooh!] And I think we’re doing some festivals and stuff too I think. I’m not quite sure where we’re going!
You just get on the bus and off you go!
Yeah, get on the bus… well hope you manage to get on the bus and they don’t leave you!
Oh god, the life of a rock star…. But you have been around since 1980, what inspires you to keep going within this business?
Erm, well I don’t really have any new ideas really, I’m just writing about the same old mundane stuff, but it’s pretty good stuff, you know? Like guys… [FF: Urgh!] there are endless things you can write about men and will forever remain tappable… [FF: I wouldn’t write pleasantly about guys] Ruth! You gotta use that stuff in your own savour!
My mum told me that whatever doesn’t kill me will make me stronger…
Yeah! Something like that…
I don’t believe it when I ring her up crying my head off though!
Haha! Well, moving on…. I just write about other stuff like those people who insist on supporting factory farms and slaughter houses, I just have to have a dig at them.
Yeah! You’re quite an avid PETA supporter aren’t you, it’s refresing to see someone using ‘fame’ in such a positive way.
I don’t know, it’s always been my thing, like the ‘back off the animals’ thing… that’s never changed, I’ve been like that since I was a kid. Those meat-eaters know their time is up and they can see the calamity that they have unleashed on the global pictures so they’re not laughing at us so loud anymore. Fuck ‘em anyway!
I don’t specifically write about that but it kind of creeps in there with my attitude… so yeah, back to the original question, nothing too much has changed, I just do the same thing and I’m just grateful that I’m not waiting on tables! Not that there’s anything wrong with that obviously… unless you’ve been doing it a couple of years.. Playing in a rock band is possibly a little more satisfying, and definitely more fun!
And what advice would you give to someone wanting to get out of working in the diner and follow in your footsteps?
Advice? Hum, well you just be yourself really.
Aww, I like it… that’s a nice answer, I like you!
Well what would your answer be?
I’d have to say to go to university, but that’s because I’m a journalist and I don’t want to get sued [Chrissie: Do you think that helped?] Possibly, I don’t know, we studied law and ethics which kinda helps you know what you should and shouldn’t write… [Chrissie: Wow, they actually teach journalists ethics and law? That’s the best kept secret in showbiz!]
Haha, we’re not all nasty! But back to you, what would you say has been the highlight of your career?
Gosh, I have had a whole lot of highlights! Well I did a tour in Brazil and that was amazing.
Wow, I need to get a ticket on the rock star bus! But finally, what else is there that you still want to achieve?
No, I don’t have any unfulfilled ambitions at all, sad isn’t it?
No! you can just think of something new to want every day and then go and get it!
Okay, I’ll think of one thing for you…erm, I’d like to stay on this planet until I see the last McDonalds burned to the ground!
Ooh, passionate, I like it, lets start now, there’s one near my house so I’ll take care of that one for you…
Alright, I’ll handle the ones in my local vicinity, wherever it is around the world!
Good luck with that! Haha, well Chrissie, it’s been a honour speaking to you, best of luck with everything in the future.
FemaleFirst - Ruth Harrison
As The Pretenders unleash their new album, Break Up The Concrete, on the UK today, I caught up with the legendary Chrissie Hynde to talk about music, men and all things girly.
Hey there Chrissy how are you?
Good, just finishing you my bag of walkers crisps! [FF: Yummy, they’re treating you well over there then?] Yes! Only the best, [FF: What flavour?] Ready Slated, they had some really minging flavours like Chicken and Bacon and stuff, I usually go for black Pepper or Salt and Vinegar or something. But I think walkers are old school, I think Black Pepper might be a little exotic for the old reprobate company! Haha!
So, aside from Walkers, tell us about your latest album, Break Up The Concrete which is released next Monday?
It’s rough and ready. Like my men! [FF; I like it!] it was recorded very quickly in about 11 days live in the studio and it’s kind of punkabily! There is some real musical excellence in the record, but with me involved I obviously brought it down to my level! Don’t let that get in the way?
Is it your greatest hits?
No! That was the cold-blooded merchandising device to get people to buy it! We had a new record that came out in that States about a year ago but as we were dropped from our record label Warners a few years ago because we don’t sell records… but you know, hey! I’ve been dropped by better than them!
No seriously, that’s the way things are going at the moment and the music industry is destroying itself with it’s own greed and we’re paying certain artists millions of dollars for nothing and making CD’s too expensive etc and now people can get these CD’s for free and of course if they can then they will. I mean who wouldn’t, everyone got too self important in this game anyway and thought they were curing cancer or something but as far as I’m aware noo-ne has yet so…
That’s a great attitude to take!
Yeah, I mean come on, it’s just rock and roll, it’s supposed to make you dance! I wish everyone would just get over themselves, it’s not about being the biggest band or anything. But after being around for 30 years we have a massive back catalogue we thought if we gave that away for free too it might be an added incentive to get down to your local erm, [FF: HMV?] Yeah!
I love it… good idea! So if you could sum the who shebang up in five words for us, what five words would they be?
Erm! Rough, Ready, Raw (and) NOT MINGING!
I love it! Haha, you’re proper loving the word minging at the moment aren’t you?
Yeah! Haha, that’s my Mot Du Jour! [FF: I don’t understand French!] haha, it means my word of the day! [FF: Brilliant!] That’s not very advanced French, well, obviously for you it is though!
I know, you’ve taught me something today, I’m speaking to a legend and learning new facts! Now, back to music, this is your ninth album to date, would you say it’s your best yet?
I would say it’s as good as the first two albums which is good, it’s as close as it can be to the original band. It’s spirited and definitely has a ‘vibe’ which you rarely get if you’ve spent a few months in a studio because that really is a vibe-killer!
So it’s already been release in the US, how was the reaction over there?
I think people liked it and stuff from radio play. I’m not trying to sell records or increase my audience or anything, I’m just trying to get by!
Aww, that’s a great attitude to take, it’s so refreshing in this industry.
I know! I have everything I want really! Haha. The real reason I would want people to hear the album is so that when we go out live and we play some new tunes we’re not playing to an audience that looks like a photograph of an audience! If you go out to see… name an artist for me…
I went to Nickelback last week, they were epic
… okay, well I don’t know their catalogue so well, but you want to hear songs that you know because you’ve been listening in your front room and in your car and the song comes on in the venue and you stand up and you dance! We know the name of the game because we’ve all spent years in the audience and if someone has enough heart to listen to the album a couple of times, it means that when we play it live it will go down a treat.
Yes! I agree, but what’s your favourite song to play live?
Hum, well that changes, it depends if we’ve played it for a while or not! Certainly the rockers of course, but it all depends on the audience, if you have a polite audience then we can do the mid-tempo one’s your dad loves! That’s what I get now!
Tagged in Chrissie Hynde The Pretenders