Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Pretenders Debut New Lineup, Material at Nissan Live Sets
()
The Pretenders treated a group of lucky fans and invited guests to a sneak preview of their new lineup and material, performing an 11-song set for Yahoo Music’s Nissan Live Sets on Monday, August 11.
Chrissie Hynde has kept this band going for nearly thirty years, with a regularly shifting alliance of musicians. The band found its most stable lineup between 1993 and 2006, with original drummer Martin Chambers, bassist Andy Hobson and guitarist Adam Seymour, which toured regularly and recorded four decent-to-forgettable albums together. For this outing, only original drummer Chambers remains. The newcomers are James Walbourne on lead guitar, Nick Wilkinson on bass, and surprise, pedal steel player Eric Heywood. The sight of a pedal steel on the stage was the first indication of a sea change in the band’s sound; yes, the city was gone so the Pretenders decided to head back to the country.
And surprise, it works like a charm. The new blood seems to have had a good effect on Hynde, who's responded to the change with her strongest collection of songs since Learning to Crawl. (Two songs are available for listening on their myspace page here.)
Support for LAist comes from
Hynde's undimmed vocal power is a big part of the reason it works. She's one of the greatest rock singers of all time, after all, and it's very satisfying to hear some new material that's worthy of the instrument. Introducing the brand-new Rosalee over a chorus of shouted requests, she says, "Just think, in twenty-five more years, this will be a classic, and you'll be yelling for this instead of Brass In Fuckin' Pocket!" It's not hard to imagine the possibility of a Pretenders gig in 2033 where people are yelling for these tunes. They'll be on their twentieth lead guitarist by then but Chrissie will still be looking good.
It's not going to be a purist's approach to the source material anyway. "I always HATED country music when I was growing up," said Hynde to a fan who had asked her if the new album should be "considered part of the country genre." "I prefer Country and Eastern," quipped Chambers. As they break out the rarely heard stomper Thumbelina, you're reminded that it really isn't that much of a stretch, they've had those tendencies ever since their early days.
Walbourne, meanwhile, restores much of the swagger that's been missing from stage right since the passing of James Honeyman-Scott. The long line of Honeyman-Scott's replacements have all been fine players, but a tad too polite, sometimes to the point of being anonymous. (Hynde admitted as much in her 2005 Hall Of Fame induction speech, in which she noted "I know that the Pretenders have looked like a tribute band for the last 20 years. ... And we're paying tribute to James Honeyman Scott and Pete Farndon, without whom we wouldn't be here.")
But with all due respect, these guys don't have that problem. For the first time since 1982, we have a band of recognizable faces again. What Walbourne, Heywood and Wilkinson bring with them besides professionalism is a sense of pending explosion, a recklessness that Hynde hasn't allowed on her stage ever since those early days.
When they do play their early material, sidestepping most of their major hits but breaking out fan favorites like Kid, Talk Of The Town and a frantic reading of The Wait to close things out, the energy in the room is almost unbearable. Day After Day is just about perfect, sounding every bit as gorgeous as it did on arrival in 1981. With Heywood adding subtle slide touches under the familiar arrangements, they bring a new life to the repertoire that was distinctly absent the last time I saw them, opening for Neil Young in 2001. They were good then, perfectly competent, but they weren't about to blow anything up.
This felt completely different. And as a fan, that's reason to celebrate. It was a little sad last year, watching the Pretenders take the middle spot in between the Stray Cats and ZZ Top on the "High School Reunion Tour." (Here in So Cal the whole package got to open for Stevie Nicks, if you can imagine that.) The one-time radical up there with the other oldies acts, giving people their money's worth by not doing any new songs, just didn't feel right. One senses this group won't be content to just go out and play the old hits for a while.
The new album Break Up The Concrete will be released by Shangri-La Records on September 23. The Pretenders' appearance on Nissan Live Sets On Yahoo will premiere on October 1. Check the site for additional information and shows. http://new.music.yahoo.com/nissanlivesets/
As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.
Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.
We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.
No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.
Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.
Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
Censorship has long been controversial. But lately, the issue of who does and doesn’t have the right to restrict kids’ access to books has been heating up across the country in the so-called culture wars. -
With less to prove than LA, the city is becoming a center of impressive culinary creativity.
-
Nearly 470 sections of guardrailing were stolen in the last fiscal year in L.A. and Ventura counties.
-
Monarch butterflies are on a path to extinction, but there is a way to support them — and maybe see them in your own yard — by planting milkweed.
-
With California voters facing a decision on redistricting this November, Surf City is poised to join the brewing battle over Congressional voting districts.
-
The drug dealer, the last of five defendants to plead guilty to federal charges linked to the 'Friends' actor’s death, will face a maximum sentence of 65 years in prison.
Best of LAist