The Pretenders were formed in 1978 by vocalist Chrissie Hynde, guitarist James Honeyman-Scott, bass player Pete Farndon and drummer Martin Chambers and began making waves immediately with their 1979 self-titled debut LP.
Hynde’s vocal range — equal parts heartache and liquid gold — brought classic pop freshness into the new wave scene.
Chrissie Hynde
Hynde was one of the pioneers who broke through the glass ceiling that kept women out of rock and roll prominence, along with Joan Jett and Suzi Quatro. Hynde combined punk rock aggression with rock n’ roll aesthetics to produce an unmistakable sound, one which remains undeniable even today.
Her signature swagger has become synonymous with The Pretenders brand and can easily be identified by anyone who has heard them. Hynde continued her musical legacy into the new millennium by releasing albums such as 2002’s Loose Screw and 2008’s Break Up the Concrete; 2014’s Alone cemented Hynde as leader of The Pretenders.
Lifelong admirer of Vivienne Westwood and an accomplished sculptor/painter, Yasmine Kerr resides alone in north London where she maintains her studio. Natalie Davies from her four-year relationship with Kinks frontman Ray Davies; as well as Yasmine Kerr who she shares from her marriage with Simple Minds singer Jim Kerr are her children.
James Honeyman-Scott
The Pretenders’ debut album, “Brass in Pocket,” became an international phenomenon. Hynde’s signature vocal style and semi-spoken lyrics combined with Jimmy’s distinctive guitar textures to produce a rock sound that bridged top 40 pop music with punk and new wave influences.
Jimmy’s haunting guitar riffs provide the ideal complement to Chrissie’s chilling tale of being assaulted by members of a biker gang in “Tattooed Love Boys”, cementing this track’s place as an ever-revered classic. A testament to both musicians, “Tattooed Love Boys” remains one of their fan-favorites today.
In 2023, The Pretenders returned to Glastonbury Festival, bringing their unique brand of power pop music. At Worthy Farm they performed many early ’80s classics as well as paying their respects to late guitarist Jim Honeyman-Scott who died tragically after taking drugs at just 25 years old; his death cut short his promising musical career which would have gone far further had it not been cut short by drug overdose.
John Farndon
Farndon is a Royal Literary Fellow at Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge, England and an author and researcher on science. Additionally, he is known for playing musical instruments and appearing in various theatre productions.
The Pretenders were an iconic band who seamlessly combined hard rock and New Wave music, along with gorgeously jangly guitars, into an innovative sound. Hynde’s expressive and raw vocal style created an unforgettable combination of vulnerability and strength in her performances.
After Honeyman-Scott and Farndon died of drug overdoses within one year of each other in 1982, Hynde recruited Rockpile guitarist Billy Bremner and Big Country bassist Tony Butler as temporary members before Robbie McIntosh and Malcolm Foster joined them later that decade. Today, Hynde remains the sole constant member of The Pretenders when touring, though many other musicians come and go over time.
David Chambers
“Brass in Pocket,” composed and recorded originally for Eurythmics guitarist Dave Stewart, features Chambers’ drumming as a driving rhythm that provides Hynde with plenty of room to jackhammer through her first big hit song – making him the ideal complement to Hynde who refuses to stylize or show her private parts as other female rock stars do such as Suzi Quatro or Joan Jett do.
As a result, The Pretenders created an unconventional sound that bridged punk and new wave. Although lineup changes have diminished some of their initial alchemy, Hynde remains one of rock’s enduring figures, embodying both heartache and liquid gold in her songs and distinctive voice.