Pretendaversary

Pretenders - The Adultress

Here comes a quick 40th anniversary concert, because I couldn't resist.

I covered their leader once before, on a birthday a while back. Really I prefer her brother Terry's music, but good luck finding ROIOs of 15:60:75 (The Numbers Band, maybe the greatest of the unsung Ohio bands) out there.

These guys, well they've been around forever, but maybe some younger people don't know what happened a couple of years into their career.

When they came out in 1979, they were instantly huge, and with good reason.

Essentially the golden zone where Punk and Classic Rock met, they made two hit-laden, monster records and then half the group died from heroin.

I guess the bass player had technically been kicked out before he kicked the bucket, but the upshot of it all was that, midway through 1982, one of the biggest bands on Earth appeared torn to shreds.

But they say a band is only as good as its drummer, right? He remained alive and thrashing as only he could, so their fearless leader dedicated herself to continuing despite the accumulating tragedies.

Their big comeback -- new bassist and lead guitar player in tow -- was at the US Festival in May of 1983, and they brought down the house. There were even new tunes, and several proceeded to race up the charts.

A gigando world comeback tour was slated, and the rest is the history of how Chrissie Hynde -- and Martin Chambers, along with new recruits Robbie McIntosh and Malcolm Foster  -- saved The Pretenders. This show is a prime example, taped (mostly) four decades ago this very day.

Pretenders

Universal Amphitheatre

Los Angeles, CA

3.7+8.1984

01 The Wait  

02 Message of Love 

03 The Adultress  

04 Time the Avenger  

05 My City Was Gone  

06 Show Me 

07 Kid 

08 I Go to Sleep  

09 Thin Line Between Love and Hate

10 Waste Not Want Not 

11 Thumbelina

12 Back On the Chain Gang 

13 Bad Boys Get Spanked    

14 Mystery Achievement  

15 Middle of the Road  

16 Stop Your Sobbing  

17 Talk of the Town   

18 Brass In Pocket  

19 Up the Neck  

20 Precious 

  

Total time  1:17:39

Chrissie Hynde - guitar & vocals

Robbie McIntosh - guitar & vocals

Malcolm Foster - bass & vocals

Martin Chambers - drums & vocals

Tracks 01-12 & 14-20: 3.7.1984, from Westwood One preFM LPs, sourced from the boot CD "Unauthorised Live," label/date unknown

Track 13: 3.8.1984, b-side from the "This Line Between Love and Hate" 12" released in 1984
570 MB FLAC/direct link

Hey, I even stripped in the live B-side (taped the next night), right where it went in the set 24 hours hence.

I have quite a month planned here, but I couldn't stop myself from being a bad boy, and popping up this utterly vibrational Pretenders show on its big birthday. Now where's my spanking?!?--J.