![]() ![]() She attended Kent State University in the early ’70s, where she played in a college band with Devo frontman (and fellow Akronite) Mark Mothersbaugh, and witnessed the infamous Kent State killings. Though The Pretenders formed in London, Hynde herself was an ex-pat from Akron, Ohio. And Paul “Wix” Wicken’s synth flourishes add appropriate touches of pop grandeur. Under her supremely catchy melody, Robbie McIntosh’s shuffling guitar line contrasts with Steve Jordan’s straight-ahead beat to create a groove as propulsive as a train engine. That combination paralleled The Pretenders’ sound, which mixed the back-to-basics, aggressive energy of punk with Hynde’s strong melodic sense and a wide stylistic palette that covered ground from rock ‘n’ roll to pop.īoth the sound and Hynde’s persona are still in evidence on the group’s 1986 hit “Don’t Get Me Wrong.” The song is a confession of infatuation, but as Hynde sings about being swept away by passion, she sounds supremely confident: The confession doubles as a come-on. The image captured Hynde’s persona: She has a swagger that stands up to that of rock’s cockiest frontmen and a vulnerability that gives her songs depth and emotional range. Yet there’s no doubting her femininity, as evidenced by her long hair and lace gloves. With her heavy black eyeliner, tightly zipped red pleather jacket and thousand-yard stare, there’s no question that Hynde is every bit as tough as her all-male band probably more so. The cover of The Pretenders, the band’s first album, reveals the mix of qualities that makes lead singer and songwriter Chrissie Hynde so compelling. ![]()
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