Listening to early Pretenders songs always reminds me of the festive period. It is a tenuous link but a persistent one - The simple reason is that in 1987 I got 'The Singles' album for Christmas, this being a best of album by The Pretenders. S'Funny how things like that can just stick.
Our paths first crossed in 1979 when I was an avid listener of the Top 40. I would sit with my mono tape recorder in front of the radio and record the songs coming out of the speakers. Not very high tech and vulnerable to picking up shouts of my Mam telling me tea was ready! Tsscchh tell that to the kids of today and they'd have trouble believing that we were so primitive. During this period 'Brass In Pocket' was a huge No.1 hit and featured regularly on my recordings.
I didn't acquire the debut album until relatively recently and I wish it hadn't taken me so long. It is fab. All of my favourite ingredients are present; jangly guitars, bouncing bass, top drums and a unique voice. Probably one of the most distinctive voices in rock. Apart from the singles, if you are only going to listen to one track then pick 'Tattooed Love Boys' and tell me you don't hear the influence on numerous modern bands. A classic rock album.
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