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Hi All!

Everything was going beautifully up until Belgium when I seemed to come down with a cold. Doctor gave me a Covid test and……. Bingo!

As you probably already know if you bought tickets for Liege, Brussels, Amsterdam, Luxembourg, or Lausanne, it’s all been cancelled.

We even got as far as the sound-check yesterday in Luxembourg, but when I stepped up to the mic, there was nothing more than a minor squeak emitted from yours truly. So the general consensus in the organisation was that we down tools for a couple more days until the mighty roar returns. (God willing it does..)

OMAHA…..Congratulations! Bud Crawford done you proud!
I loved playing the theatre there ( see my pics ) and I’m glad to see the city having a shining place on the map at the moment.

It’s that beautiful time of year again when the leaves are turning and heat waves are behind us.

No news from me. …….but in case anyone’s interested, ( although I can’t imagine anyone is ) I’m halfway through reading Robert Galbraith’s The Running Grave and savouring every page. The lady can write!!!

Be happy, and if you can’t be happy, fake it
XCH

Happy birthday, Martin Chambers!

I’m in Hereford celebrating with him.
XCH

Hi everyone!

I’m sure you’ve all been waiting to hear from me… or not.
Anyway, here I am, I always forget to write a blog unless someone nudges me (which they just did).
So here goes…..

If you’re dying to see a rock band, it’s not going to be the Pretenders for a while, but you can be consoled by the fact that James Walbourne, pretenders guitar superhero, and His Lordship, will be on the road and putting out new music.

Here was a surprise out of left Field….
Bill Burr asked us to do a few tunes with him at his show in London last night at the Hammersmith Odeon where I saw Motörhead play 40 years ago.
We performed:
Ace of spades by Motörhead
How do you get your money, honey? By AC/DC
And breaking the law by Judas Priest.
I was thinking… He can tell jokes, but can jokes play drums?
The answer is – yes they can!
Bill nailed it.
After the show, I was thinking …
….maybe Bill missed his calling like a few other luminaries I know:
John McEnroe missed his as a guitar player and opted out for tennis
Bill missed his as a drummer and opted out for stand-up
Kate Moss missed hers as a singer… (and I’m still trying to figure out what she opted out for).
I guess we all have our chosen destinies.
Keep on rocking in the free world!
Xch

Farewell Lalo Schifrin! By far and away my favourite soundtrack composer. Anyone who came to see one of our shows in the last couple years will recognise him by our walk on music.
I’ve seen so many films and television series lately ruined by crappy incidental music. The bar was set high by Schifrin.
Of-course now any idiot can compose on their laptop……(or ‘ interior designers’ who buy a stack of fashion magazines and then go onto destroy a good hotel with their phony credentials…. Or low-vibrational minds who called themselves therapists and then go onto fuck up other people (and sabotage the language with terms like ‘self esteem’’). ..Or people who can stand on their heads and then call themselves yogis…….
No, they don’t make ‘em like they used to.
RIP Lalo Schifrin
XCH

Rio! How I love it here… Truly one of the wonders of the world.

I’m here finishing an album I started last year with Moreno Veloso, Kassin Kassin , and Domenico Lancelloti. And…If I do say so myself, it’s awesome.

And the beauty of it is that I get to spend time in Rio.

This morning, while having a bit of mango and a coffee just outside the window of my hotel ….I watched ‘the girl from Ipanema’, tall and tan and young and lovely, sparring with her boxing trainer. She ducked and dived with power and grace and delivered punches with orchidaceous accuracy. Kind of like watching a Brazilian Savannah Marshall.

And talking about boxing, I forgot to ask if you watched that recent Benn/Eubank fight? One of the best bouts I’ve ever seen… Not that I’m an expert.

Hi All!

South America… What a joy, what an inspiration!
Spent yesterday walking amongst and taking in the glories of Oscar Niemeyer’s monuments while here in Brasilia.
Being able to see the world while on tour is the best thing ever. I thank my lucky stars daily for the privilege.

The audiences here have been incredibly generous and made these shows so much fun. Thank you to everyone who’s come to see us.

Our last show is tomorrow night in São Paulo. That will be it for touring for a while.

XCH

“We don’t need to throw out the old to usher in the new. They can co-exist.
That’s why I’ve signed this petition—to protect our right to live in a society that values both digital and non-digital ways of life.

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/725049

Please help to safeguard non-digital access to essential services as a protected choice, so that no one is left behind or born into a world that assumes digital is the only way.”

Hi Everyone !

We’ve loved our time in South America. Thank you all so much for coming to see us.
We’ve had a chance to explore some beautiful cities. Santiago, Montevideo ….Buenos Aires – all spectacular!

A special thank you the dedicated rock audiences which have made the shows so much fun.
We are now in Brazil, a place I ♥

XCH

PS.
Like many people who have been doing this for 40 years, I no longer sign anything when in a public place, so don’t bother hanging around a hotel for 10 hours only to be disappointed.
It doesn’t mean I don’t love you, I do!
♥
X

What a night!

Mexico City… Fantastic rock audience! It was a total pleasure to play for you.
However …..James Walbourne, guitar player extraordinaire, wants me to apologise to you for his uncharacteristically lacklustre performance.
I’ve never seen him so ill. He couldn’t dance or sing or be his usual whirling Dervish-like self and even spent one song sitting on the drum riser.
Having said that, he still played great… Better than any guitar player I know.

Hi All!

We’ve had a great start to our tour.
Thanks to you of course- it was great to see you all!

The Encore Theater at Wynn in Las Vegas was the perfect venue. Stellar audience. Thank you!

Then the BeachLife Festival in Redondo Beach. Great audience great vibe.
Thank you!

We are in Mexico now and it’s fabulous. So beautiful Mexico.

See you soon!
XCH

Hi all!

We are now in Las Vegas after a very pleasant week in Los Angeles hanging out, visiting friends and battling jetlag. James and I used the jetlag app:
Timeshifter
If you haven’t tried it, we highly recommend it as our jetlag was minimal compared to the bedraggled band and beaten-up looking crew.
But we all got through it..

Anyway, we are now in Las Vegas. Went for a drive into the mountains today. A needed antidote to last night’s wandering around zombie-like on the famous strip …then grabbing a cab and cruising the “old “ town which still has some charm although not exactly like the days of the rat pack. In fact, most of the visitors are sporting a seemingly regulation dumpy look which is a far cry from the elegance reminiscent of Las Vegas of yore.

Hey All!

Well, we’re gearing up for our tour. We’re all using the Timeshifter app to help with the dreaded jet lag. I’m walking around my flat wearing sunglasses indoors. Hope it works. London to LA always destroys my steel-trap like body clock.

I agonized for about 15 minutes over what I would wear for stage and how to have my scrappy hair. Then I went out and got 5 t-shirts identical to the ones I’ve worn on the last 10 tours and figured “ if it’s broke and you can’t fix it – let it go”. Seeing how Lemmy has always been my only style icon I’ll just revert back to type and be done with it. Or as David Johansen used to call it; “ The give-up look”.

Hi all!

The sun is shining where we are and I hope wherever you are. Best time of the year.  Flowers in bloom.

We will be going back on the road soon.  A short tour this time, mainly around South America.  We are soooo looking forward to it.  We love South America!

For those of you who didn’t make it to any shows on the last tour, you will have a chance to experience some of the magic on the soon to be released Pretenders Live album:

Kick ‘Em Where It Hurts!

Meanwhile enjoy the sun and we hope to see you soon!
XCH

First of all I must say how sad I was to hear of the passing of David Johansen. A friend and major contributor to music… huge inspiration. A gentleman, always well turned out (the very definition of ‘cool’), and excellent cook (Beans, rice and corn on the cob……the guy could easily been commandeering a food truck In NYC with great success) who dazzled the world with his beautiful voice.
Plus he gave the Pretenders our first gig in the UK supporting his band.
Fly on Bro!

Hi all

I was talking to Johnny Marr the other day and we were saying how nothing is ‘cool’ anymore.
Has anyone else noticed that? It used to be…

” That guy looks cool” Now it’s “That guy’s hot”

So whatever happened to cool?

In case you don’t know what I mean ( because you’ve grown up with social media) I include below a list of ‘cool’ versus ‘uncool’ to give you an idea.

Cool:
Quite and reserved
Uncool:
Loud and showy

Cool:
Modest but mysterious
Uncool:
Boastful and oversharing

Great to see the @bobdylan ‘A Complete Unknown’ film doing so well… I hope anyone who sees it will go home and trawl through archive footage of him. Nothing better than the real thing!

I had The Freewheelin’ album when it came out. Bob was an immeasurable influence on every single person who got in a band then or thereafter.

Do yourselves a favor and dig into the abundant treasure trove of songs he’s given us ….it’s a never ending pot of gold..

XCH

Hi All and Happy New Year!

A funny thing happened to me in an airport the other day. A guy approached me…. and of-course I thought he’d recognized me and wanted a selfie or something, but instead he said;

“ Excuse me madam….you dropped this” – and handed me a plectrum (pick) that had fallen out of my pocket.
Now that was a first…someone handing one back instead of asking for one. I guess I’m not as famous as I thought!
GOOD!

Hi All!

My end of ’24 good wishes to all. I always look forward to a new beginning and here we go. Thanks again to all of you who came to see us on tour.
In case anybody is interested – here’s my personal highlights of ’24:

Live show:
Taylor Swift at Wembley Stadium, London….. Beautiful and inspiring. Timeless music…..(she’s the girl with the guitar)
And… Okean Elzy at The Forum London…..Ukraine’s number one rock band in it’s full glory

Film:
Conclave….. I’ve seen it in the cinema 3 times already. Gorgeous thriller. Definitely one for the big screen. Breathtaking visuals and much more… (I’ll say no more because I don’t want to spoil it for you )

Hi All!

What a year! We had a great tour thanks to you, our audience, for coming to see us. Thank-you SOOOOO much! We can’t do this without you and we cannot thank you enough for being there for us.

As always, I have a few apologies to make….

First of all, I’m sorry that I’ve never adjusted to the phone / filming / picture taking culture. I’ve sworn and berated the very audience that is there for us. There’s no way to explain how distracting it is and why I have a meltdown when I see a phone. Every night I come off stage scolding myself and saying it’s just not worth it and maybe it’s time to hang up the guitar and find another vocation. But I love the band and I love playing live for you. I just don’t’ like being stalked. I see I’m not alone and some venues are now banning phones and many acts are banning them too. Dylan famously has phones sealed in a bag throughout his shows. We post signs around the venues saying please do not use your phones, but some people just cannot resist. Anyway, I do feel baffled and bad about it. I know pop acts encourage phones because they want to be on social media. But we are not a pop act. We’re a rock band ( in case you didn’t notice )

Thank you everyone who came to the shows!

The band really enjoyed the tour thanks to you. We even got to play places we’ve never been before …..like Randers, Cognac and Warsaw….

It’s always exciting to see new places and new faces.

So thank you, thank you, thank you. If not for you, we couldn’t do the thing we love most which is touring the world.

Hope to see you all next time.

Until then …

Wishing you a peaceful, prosperous and joyful rest of 2024.

XCH

Hi everyone!

We are almost to the end of this tour which has been going since May. It’s starting to feel like “the night of the living dead” on stage, but thanks to our stellar audiences we have had great shows. In great theatres. In great cities.

(As always), I find myself apologising for asking people to put their phones away .

I realise now it’s apparently impossible to explain how distracting the phones are. However, I know I’m not alone. Some performers have all phones sealed in a bag throughout the show. (I think Dylan does that) Maybe that’s the only way.

Well, enough of my yakkin. What I really want to say is thank you so much for being there for us. I think we’ve had the most fun audiences ever on this tour.

XCH

Hi All!

First of all, thank you to everyone who’s come to see our shows. We’re in the homestretch of this year‘s tour and it’s been a real pleasure. Fantastic cities and fantastic audiences. We’ve had a great time playing for you.

One thing we feel obliged to explain:
When we go on tour, the whole point of it for the band is that we are playing to a different audience every night.

That’s why we go on tour!

So if we’re in Edinburgh (like we are tonight), we look forward to seeing local faces.
This is what makes it new for us every night.

We appreciate those of you who follow us and buy tickets for multiple nights, so please don’t be offended if we request you to move out of the front row.

All we are asking is that you give the local fans a chance. This is what keeps it new for us…especially after being on tour for so many months.

See you later !

XCH”)

Thank you, Munich!

You were a great audience. I am so sorry that you witnessed one of the worst performances of my career. I guess I haven’t fully recovered from my recent bout of Covid. My voice was reduced to a raspy croak.

The band was great, shame about the singer!

Better luck next time and thank you again for not walking out Munich!
We love you!
XCH

On behalf of the band and the crew I’m sorry to announce that Judi Fox, our number one fan (who most of you will remember from her smiling enthusiasm in the front row) did not survive the hit-and-run accident she was in.

Judi cheered us on unfailingly during every show of the last few years.

We will miss her.

XCH

Oslo!

Stockholm!

Copenhagen!

Beautiful cities…..some of the most beautiful in the world……and definitely the cleanest.
I just wandered around Copenhagen for over an hour and didn’t see one scrap on the streets…. (well , except for the inevitable burger chef and Kentucky fried chicken litter……..depressing. How do these slaughterhouse outlets get permission to invade and degrade every city in the world)?

Of-course with the breathtaking architecture here, I’m not often looking down, but when I do, the cobbled streets are equally beautiful ….and people on bicycles often outnumber those in cars. So civilised.

Thank- you our Scandinavian audiences for being such fun and enthusiastic…!

Wow! What a fun audience we had last night in Milwaukee!

Over these past years, people often ask why we aren’t playing in bigger venues i e. arenas?
The simple answer is:
Clubs and theatres are better venues for the audience and for the band.

Personally, I have never stayed for a three hour show, and I like to see the band on stage rather than on screens if I’m in the audience.
And if I’m on stage, I like to see every audience member right up to the back of the balcony.

Hi All!

It was great to get back on tour. We love the road!

I saw Taylor Swift (you may have heard of her) in concert the other day. Just shows you what a girl with a guitar can do. Last time I loved a show that much was Aldous Harding. You remember me raving about it.

So, if you haven’t already – go out there and get yourselves a guitar. You’ll never be alone again as long as you have it by your side.

See y’all soon!

XCH

Just heard that TM Stevens, bass player extraordinaire, who played on our Get Close album has left the building permanently.
Thank you TM, for all the laughs, and the great music!

Fly on!
XCH

I just heard the sad news we’ve lost Vince Power.

No one did more for the London music scene than Vince. We owe him so much. A visionary and a dude.
Thank you Vince for giving us the chance to play.

Fly on bro!
XCH

Thank you Idris Elba for being vocal about U.K. knife crime.

All the youth clubs in London, formerly places for kids to go, have been closed. Now kids only have parks and streets to gather in. Just as Idris says, kids carry knives because they’re scared and want to feel safe.

If local youth clubs were to re-open, I know many artists would gladly offer their time to show kids how to play guitar, act, dance, or paint, or learn things they can’t learn at home or school.

We have a government who can’t do this simple thing while allowing foreign billionaires to buy up mansions and leave them empty to rot. No wonder decent people are angry, frustrated and increasingly aggressive.

First step solution – Re-open Youth Clubs

Hi all!
We had a fantastic year thanks to everyone who came to see us. We loved seeing you at the club shows and we loved supporting and hangin out with the mighty Guns N’ Roses.
Can’t wait to get back on the road.
See you in ’24!
XCH

Geordie Walker – gone to join the other great guitar heros. I must have watched the video for “80’s” a hundred times after my guitar player beamed up. Fly on you absolute legend!

(And don’t forget to give my regards to James Honeyman Scott. Get the kettle on boys – I’m a coming…)
XCH

Nils Lofgren wearing the jacket I gave him (which I wore on my first album cover) and playing James Honeyman Scott’s Zermatis guitar at the recent Bruce Springsteen show in Hyde Park.

Now, that’s what I call flying the flag. Nice one Nils! We love you!

XCH

Look who I bumped into at the airport in Bilbao.

Yes, it’s the delightful Lucinda Williams. Still rocking and still on tour (despite her recent stroke). Her voice is better than ever in my opinion. She really is a one-of-a-kind.
Unclassifiable!

XCH

My phone just presented this picture to me. These phones are funny that way, they turn up all sorts of unexpected memories at random.
I was at the Odessa film festival as a guest of my friend Tanya Seghatcian, the film producer.

Then I had a picture taken on the street with this guy’s snake. There’s nothing like the feeling of a snake wrapped around you in the presence of a cute guy.

Anyway, I hope they’re both doing well.

Odessa is so beautiful. God save it.

XCH.

Hi All!

I just had a message from Sandie Bernhard. She wanted to know who the cute guy in the hat is in our video for I Think About You Daily.
(That’s typical of Sandy, always thinking about sex).

I had to tell her that the guys in the video are all the same man. It’s Michael Nunn when he was in the Royal Ballet in days gone by, and him now.

Also featured in the video is a string arrangement written and conducted by Jonny Greenwood.

Yes, I know I already told you that Bob Dylan told me not to namedrop, but I can’t help it if Jonny’s famous. Don’t blame me.

XCH

Hi all!

We play Belfast tonight which will conclude our Irish tour. The clubs have been great. The Olympia theatre in Dublin is the perfect venue. Have really enjoyed our time in Ireland. Playing the small venues is great. We can see everyone.

Thanks to everyone for coming to the shows.

XCH

I’m not sure any man has caused me to laugh harder than Martin Amis. I loved Money and The Information. Laughed till I cried. Experience was moving, but I think The Zone of Interest was his masterpiece. He gave endlessly and his books will keep giving.

Thank you Martin.

No private jets or helicopters required.
XCH

We played THE RESCUE ROOMS last night and it was everything a band can ask for.

Clubs are best for rock bands, always were and still are. Clubs like THE RESCUE ROOMS (and next door’s ROCK CITY) reaffirm everything we love about what we do and why we do it.

This is home for us.
XCH

HI all!

What a week we had. James and I got the train to Hereford to visit Martin in his barn, which he’s been converting into a billiard hall and observation deck to pursue his favourite pastime – observing the local wildlife.

We also met up with Stan Tippins ( legend) original Pretenders tour manager ( and former Mott the Hoople member ) and Lynn Honeyman Scott, Jimmy’s sister. We had a long chat about Jimmy’s guitars. ( see previous recent blogs)

Hi all!
We started our mini-tour yesterday in Manchester. U.K. What a great town! Hung out in the Manchester Art Gallery all morning. Great exhibition (and not a bad pear upside-down cake in the caff) .
We played The Deaf Institute, which is the perfect venue in my opinion. Really fun audience, who I would like to thank once again for coming out to see us. (Especially the crazies who came all the way from the states for some godforsaken reason).
It’s good to see the diehards, especially after them barren lockdown years. Reminds me that people still want to see a basic four- piece rock band, devoid of mental light shows and stadium style smoke and mirrors. The stage was so small we were stepping on each other’s toes, just like I like it.

Hey, has anyone heard John Rotten’s entry for the Eurovision song contest? I can’t stop listening to it – it’s fucking amazing!
I saw P.I.L. at a festival a few years ago and they were great. John in excellent form. But this song is a real surprise.
XCH
https://youtu.be/UXwB0HqZDXg
*Opps……I mean Lydon !

The guitar heroes guitar hero has gone off to join all the best players

A true and loyal friend.

I’ll love you always Jeff,

Chrissie

Vivienne is gone and the world is already a less interesting place. Love you Viv.

Chrissie

We played the Arroyo Seco show in Pasadena a couple years ago.  Neil Young was headlining.  I was with my ‘date’ bill burr – (my favourite comedian) and we were standing at the side of the stage watching Jack white when I realised the Specials were about to start up on another stage.  I dragged Bill away from watching White even though I could see he wanted to stay (I found out that bill burr is quite the gentleman ) and we tore through the crowd to get a good place to watch The Specials. They absolutely were the best thing on the festival.  Better than The Pretenders better than Jack White and even Neil.  (Sorry guys but they were )

So now Terry Hall has joined the ranks of the dearly departed.  I hope he can find James Honeyman Scott and write a few tunes up there.  I’m looking forward to it.

XCH

Thank God!
Here’s the view from my hotel room in Leeds. As I frantically try to remember basic three chord songs, I recall the old adage:
If you don’t use it you lose it.
Bear with me girls! I was lost but now I’m found… almost.
See you soon.
XCH

Remember that old blues song, “if you’re ready for me I’m ready for you”? Well it’s almost showtime folks, and that IS the case.

I’m taking the His Lordship line-up on the road and we will be playing some of my all-time favourite songs: obscure Pretenders, some off the confusingly named ‘solo’ album, Stockholm, some new, unreleased material , and as I promised, not a greatest hit in the lot. (You’ve had 40 years to see those so if you missed it more fool you – the moment has passed).

We’ll be heading up north soon. Sorry we’re only playing 200 capacity venues, but that’s my choice. You must know by now that it’s all because the lady loves milk tray.

C u soon…….

XCH

Here’s the latest single by James Walbourne and Kris Sonne‘s band His Lordship

A breath of fresh air… Reminds me of Motörhead. What the world needs now!

View on YouTube

XCH

Hi Ya’ll!

How’s everyone doing on the ‘Holiday’?
I was so buoyed up by the new Dylan songs that I talked to Pretenders Guitar playing hot-shot James Walbourne and we decided it’s a good time to do those Dylan songs we’ve always talked about doing. Every singer-songwriter in the world covers the master’s songs and there is an endless supply of them. So we’ve started, and will do one a week until lockdown ends.

How ya getting on in these conspiracy riddled times? I’m doing good myself, but then I have not a shred of paranoia in my head ( I burned it all out in the late 60’s / early 70’s.) If ‘they’ microchip me, I’ll still be outside ‘their’ jurisdiction because no man has been able to control me this far. Be my guest if you wanna try. Meanwhile I’m listening to the birds.

Yes the blogs are coming fast and furious now!

I just wanted to add this to the current American conversation in case anyone is interested: how about proposing a new law that voting is Mandatory. If you don’t vote, you get fined. Same as a parking ticket.

I get fed up reading that half the population is so complacent and non-committal they don’t bother to get their asses off to the voting stations. If for no other reason, do it for those who fought to get the right to vote.

And if you don’t like either candidate – pick the one you dislike the least.
Vote, and then shut up or do something about it. Stop talking about it.
Ok – I’ll go back to my cave.

later……
xch

Further info on compulsory voting

A big hello and thank-you to everyone who came to Mass Moca for our only N. American Pretenders show this year.
I saw so many familiar faces in the audience and that’s such a boost. Sometimes I wonder if it’s worth all the fuss – the travel, the nerves ( yes, i do get nervous which is why i don’t talk to anyone on show days) and all the preparation. Especially for just one show. Then i see you and it all make sense. We enjoy it as much as you – as long as you’re there.

Hi people!

I wanted to share this cool-ass song i did with The Picture Books. Their new album, The Hands of Time is out now.

I first heard them doing their sound-check on the beach in St. Tropez at a biker festival in 2017. I ran out to see who was making all the noise. They pretty much sum up all the stuff I love in the genre of biker rock. Does anyone do stuff like this anymore? The answer is yes. Thank God.

They asked if i wanted to sing on You Can’t Let Go, and of-course being the coolest woman in rock ( not my description – yours ) I immediately said Yes Please.

Here it is!

Xch