Joss Crowley’s documentary “Pretenders” examines the paradox at the heart of Chrissie Hynde and her band: fierce punk roots paired with romantic, tuneful songwriting that transcended the new-wave aesthetic.
Formed in London in 1978, the Pretenders featured Hynde on vocals, James Honeyman-Scott on lead guitar, Pete Farndon on bass, and Martin Chambers on drums. Hynde, born in Akron, Ohio in 1951, moved to London in the early 1970s after attending Kent State University. She worked as a music critic for New Musical Express before forming the band, having previously tried without success to join other emerging punk acts, including the Damned and the Slits.
The band’s early singles, including covers and originals like “Brass in Pocket” and “Kid,” showcased Hynde’s distinctive vocal style and gift for melody. “Stop Your Sobbing,” a cover of a 1964 Kinks track, became a defining moment, transformed by Hynde’s arrangement into a symphonic statement.
The documentary, built around archival footage and interviews with Hynde, documents the band’s rise and the tragedy that followed. Pete Farndon was fired from the Pretenders on June 14, 1982, after struggling with heroin addiction. Two days later, James Honeyman-Scott died in his sleep of a heart attack at age 25, having been awake for four nights using cocaine. The deaths effectively ended the original band’s run.
Now 75, Hynde remains a defining figure in rock history, having led one of the first major rock bands fronted by a woman. The documentary captures her as a straight-shooter who resists labels of feminist or groundbreaker, preferring not to be cast in a role-model box.
Source: Variety
