Chrissie Hynde - Reckless, My Life as a Pretender

 

Like everyone else, I first discovered Hynde and the Pretenders when their debut album exploded onto the scene as a smash hit, complete with Top 20 singles. I thought that record was pretty great, but I didn't really stick with them over the years and while Hynde would be on the musical radar now'n'again, I didn't follow her career in detail. But, I respected what she did and loved the fact that she was from Akron and then moved to London for the beginning of the punk scene there, so I knew that she had stories to tell!

Here, her memories'n'impressions are jumbled, random and not necessarily chronological but then so were the times. She does elicit a strong feeling of the 60”s even if it might not be exactly true - or maybe it’s just the acid’s version of truth. She was engrossed, enthralled and immersed with music, to the exclusion of pretty much everything else - including boys, for a time - except getting high. She was never much for schoolwork but went to Kent State - and was present during the massacre there - while listening to records, getting high, watching local bands like the James Gang (!) and doing her best to have a good time and not worry too terribly much about the future.

She sees lots of amazing groups, travels as much as possible (even briefly staying in both Canada and Mexico), and relies on the kindness of strangers, which often, but certainly not always, ends in frightening ways. To get away from it all she took a chance and without any real plan, moved to London - a fortuitous move, as it turned out. She fell into the right crowds fairly quickly - stumbling into Nick Kent at a party, began writing for NME, then worked for Let It Rock and then headed to Paris!

More traveling ensued, including a depressing trip back to America, before returning to London and, after a few abortive attempts with various musicians (including playing guitar in a pre-Brian James Damned), the Pretenders were formed - named after the doo wop number, "The Great Pretender". Fame'n'fortune came fast'n'furious, with its highs'n'lows, including hooking up with Ray Davies (and, incidentally, Iggy Pop!), among many other adventures. Drugs'n'alcohol were used'n'abused in the extreme, and, after two successful albums and world tours, both her guitarist and bassist died of overdoses. Too much, too soon, indeed - even Johnny Thunders, of all people, warned her about her lifestyle!

She leaves us there, with a postscript saying that she continues to make music, she has a family, although she remains single, and she finds her happiness where she can, as is the best any of us can say.

As I said, this starts off a little jumbled, mostly just impressions, but she ends up with a fairly coherent storyline, although some of the worst situations are left fairly vague. But still, despite her abuse of drink'n'drugs, which causes the problems that she has, she lives a fairly extraordinary life, and I always love hearing from those who truly experiences the best of the 60's and the 70's. Not particularly light hearted, but enjoyable, none-the-less. Certainly recommended.