The Pretenders - Live In Amsterdam 1980

I remember Chrissie Hynde from her days writing for the NME (New Musical Express - UK weekly publication) back in the mid 1970's.

It was only a matter of time before her musical ambitions came to fruition, and after a couple of false starts, she eventually surfaced in late 1978 with a very up and ready band called The Pretenders.

Their debut album remains a firm favorite of mine, it has that timeless feel that great songs and albums have, no logical reason and maybe just a state of mind.

To come across a live concert boot (31st May 1980 to be precise) from that era obviously made my day.

Source: Stereo radio broadcast (off air recording).

Sound Quality: Extremely good MP3 @320kbps.

Genre: Post Punk, New Wave, Indie Pop/Rock.

Set: Radio edit, most likely majority of the gig, (total playing time 51:39).

Set List:

1. The Wait.
2. Precious.
3. Talk of the town.
4. Cuban slide.
5. Private life.
6. Space invader.
7. I go to sleep.
8. Brass in pocket.
9. Kid.
10. Up the neck.
11. Mystery achievement.
12. Stop your sobbing.

Concert Band Line Up:

Chrissie Hynde
Martin Chambers
James Honeyman-Scott (deceased).
Pete Farndon (deceased).

Links: Official Pretenders site with details of their 2008 release HERE. Very good Wikipedia entry HERE.

Comments: It is a sad rock'n'roll fact that drugs really can hurt any individual and/or band, even in their prime, as was the case with The Pretenders.

A concise and realistic appraisal from Wikipedia reads as follows:

At this early peak of the band's success and potential, Hynde kicked ex-lover Pete Farndon out of the group for ongoing drug problems. Two days later, 16 June 1982, Honeyman-Scott was dead of a cocaine overdose. While the band tried to regroup in the following year, Farndon overdosed on heroin and died on 14 April 1983.

It tends to put the whole rock - drugs thing in perspective, and it is a delight that The Pretenders did regroup back then, and are still touring throughout 2009 (worth seeing if you get a chance).

Reloaded 23/02/2016 Link in comments.