The Pretenders

Short Biography
BLONDIE & THE PRETENDERS JOIN FOR
‘A DAY ON THE GREEN' & THEATRES
DOUBLE BILL CONCERT TOUR LAUNCHES 10TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON

They're two of music's most acclaimed bands boasting two of music's most compelling front women - Deborah Harry leading the wondrous Blondie and Chrissie Hynde fronting the mighty Pretenders. As a double-bill, it's a world first! It's also an absolute cracker and that's exactly what fans can savour when Blondie & The Pretenders co-headline a November/December tour of ‘a day on the green' winery shows in all states and, in conjunction with Frontier Touring, theatre shows in Melbourne, Sydney an...

Short Biography
BLONDIE & THE PRETENDERS JOIN FOR
‘A DAY ON THE GREEN' & THEATRES
DOUBLE BILL CONCERT TOUR LAUNCHES 10TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON

They're two of music's most acclaimed bands boasting two of music's most compelling front women - Deborah Harry leading the wondrous Blondie and Chrissie Hynde fronting the mighty Pretenders. As a double-bill, it's a world first! It's also an absolute cracker and that's exactly what fans can savour when Blondie & The Pretenders co-headline a November/December tour of ‘a day on the green' winery shows in all states and, in conjunction with Frontier Touring, theatre shows in Melbourne, Sydney and Canberra.
This very special double header launches the 2010/2011 ‘a day on the green' season, the event's 10th anniversary. A bumper summer of concerts are planned to celebrate this significant milestone, so let's get the partee started!

Both The Pretenders and Blondie have enjoyed great success in Australia, fuelled by a stream of timeless Top Ten hits and the popularity of Hynde and Harry. Both ladies have always escaped the usual clichés of women in rock and are unquestionably two of the most important and influential women to have graced the stage. As co-headliners, the bands will alternate in closing the shows. Blondie emerged from the late 70's New York punk scene and quickly became music, style and pop culture icons selling more than 40 million albums. They scored hits with reggae, rock/disco, hip hop and pop songs bursting with great hooks and brilliant, ironic lyrics. ‘Heart Of Glass' was Blondie's first US #1 in 1978 opening the floodgates to a run of 14 Top Ten US hits including ‘The Tide Is High', ‘Call Me', ‘Rapture', ‘Picture This', ‘Rip her To Shreds', ‘Hanging On The Telephone', ‘Union City Blues' and ‘Atomic' , racking up a phenomenal five US and five UK number one singles.

Debbie, founding member & song writing partner Chris Stein and long-time drummer Clem Burke have just completed their first new album in six years titled ‘Panic Of Girls', set for release later this year, and on June 8 commence a world tour in the UK.

Australia has always had a special place in the band's heart, being the first country in the world to give them commercial success when Ian ‘Molly' Meldrum mistakenly played ‘In The Flesh' (the B side of a single) on Countdown in 1976. After a 25 year hiatus, Blondie toured Australia five years ago and can't wait to get back.

When co-headliners The Pretenders last toured with ‘a day on the green' three years ago, Chrissie Hynde declared the concerts ‘some of our favourite shows of all time'. "I am so excited to be coming back to Australia - some of the most fun audiences we've ever had - and the beautiful countryside! Yes, we can't wait to rock out down under. See you soon you crazy Aussies!!"
The Pretenders are undoubtedly a special band with a special place in history. Their brand new live CD & DVD ‘Pretenders-Live In London' (Liberator) captures one of their many electrifying performances and is a timely reminder of what a great rock band they are. With hits like ‘Talk Of The Town', ‘Kid', ‘Back On The Chain Gang', ‘Don't Get Me Wrong', ‘Middle Of The Road', ‘Message Of Love', ‘ I'll Stand By You', ‘Stop Your Sobbing' and ‘Brass In Pocket', The Pretenders may have been rockin' for 30 years but their authenticity has never diminished.

As always ‘a day on the green' is pleased to showcase two Australian artists as support acts, Melbourne five-piece Little Red and Magic Dirt's Adalita. Little Red boasts three lead singers and a feel-good mix of back to basic rawness with timeless classicism. They've toured the country and played many of Australia's premiere music festivals to glowing reviews and lots of dancing. With a brand new album slated for release later this year and a UK tour imminent, Little Red look set to follow on from the success of their 2008 debut 'Listen To Little Red' in a major way this year. Little Red will perform at all winery shows.

After being at the forefront of the Australian rock scene for more than a decade with iconic rock band Magic Dirt, lead singer Adalita has taken time out to record her first solo album, due out soon. The singer/guitarist played her first ever solo shows last year where she initiated new and old fans with her brilliant new songs and trademark powerful vocals. Adalita will open all shows, winery and theatres.
As we launch the upcoming summer season, promoter Roundhouse Entertainment is pleased to welcome LG as the event's sponsor for the next three years. "For LG, ‘a day on the green' reinforces our "Life's Good" brand values and gives us a chance to share that with hundreds of thousands of our consumers all around Australia. Our partnership with ‘a day on the green' is an exciting opportunity for us, and we are delighted to be a part of it," said LG's Corporate Marketing Manager, Mark Nesci.

After more than 210 shows and 1.5 million happy patrons, Roundhouse Entertainment is proud to be celebrating its landmark 10th anniversary. The ‘a day on the green' experience of good food, good wine and great music is firmly established as one of Australia's most popular concert events. For transport options, accommodation and full show details, please visit www.adayonthegreen.com.au.

In-depth Biography
Over the years, the Pretenders became a vehicle for guitarist/vocalist Chrissie Hynde's songwriting, yet it was a full-fledged band when it was formed in the late '70s. With their initial records, the group crossed the bridge between punk/new wave and Top 40 pop more than any other band, recording a series of hard, spiky singles that were also melodic and immediately accessible. Hynde was an invigorating, sexy singer who bent the traditional male roles of rock & roll to her own liking, while guitarist James Honeyman-Scott created a sonic palette filled with suspended chords, effects pedals, and syncopated rhythms that proved remarkably influential over the next two decades. After Honeyman-Scott's death, the Pretenders became a more straightforward rock band, yet Hynde's semi-autobiographical songwriting and bracing determination meant that the group never became just another rock band, even when their music became smoother and more pop-oriented.

Originally from Akron, OH, Hynde moved to England in the early '70s, when she was in her twenties. British rock journalist Nick Kent helped her begin writing for New Musical Express; she wrote for the newspaper during the mid-'70s. She also worked in Malcolm McLaren's SEX boutique before she began performing. After playing with Chris Spedding, she joined Jack Rabbit; she quickly left the band and formed the Berk Brothers.

In 1978, Hynde formed the Pretenders, which eventually consisted of Honeyman-Scott, bassist Pete Farndon, and drummer Martin Chambers. Later in the year, they recorded a version of Ray Davies' "Stop Your Sobbing" produced by Nick Lowe. The single made it into the British Top 40 in early 1979. "Kid" and "Brass in Pocket," the group's next two singles, also were successful. Their self-titled debut album was released in early 1980 and eventually climbed to number one in the U.K. The Pretenders were nearly as successful in America, with the album reaching the Top Ten and "Brass in Pocket" reaching number 14.

During an American tour in 1980, Hynde met Ray Davies and the two fell in love. Following a spring 1981 EP, Extended Play, the group released their second album, Pretenders II. Although it fared well on the charts, it repeated the musical ideas of their debut. In June of 1982, Pete Farndon was kicked out of the band, due to his drug abuse. A mere two days later on June 16, James Honeyman-Scott was found dead of an overdose of heroin and cocaine. Pregnant with Davies' child, Hynde went into seclusion following Honeyman-Scott's death. In 1983, two months after Hynde gave birth, Farndon also died of a drug overdose.

Hynde regrouped the Pretenders in February 1983, adding former Manfred Mann's Earth Band guitarist Robbie McIntosh and bassist Malcolm Foster; the reconstituted band released "2000 Miles" in time for Christmas. The new Pretenders released Learning to Crawl early in 1984 to positive reviews and commercial success. Ending her romance with Ray Davies, Hynde married Jim Kerr, the lead vocalist of Simple Minds, in May of 1984.

Apart from a performance at Live Aid, the only musical activity from the Pretenders during 1985 was Hynde's appearance on UB40's version of "I Got You Babe." Hynde assembled another version of the Pretenders for 1986's Get Close. Only she and McIntosh remained from Learning to Crawl; the rest of the album was recorded with session musicians. Get Close showed the Pretenders moving closer to MOR territory, with the bouncy single "Don't Get Me Wrong" making its way into the American Top Ten in 1987. Hynde recorded another duet with UB40 in 1988, a cover of Dusty Springfield's "Breakfast in Bed."

Hynde's marriage to Kerr fell apart in 1990, the same year the Pretenders released Packed!, which failed to ignite the charts in either America or Britain. She was relatively quiet for the next few years, re-emerging in 1994 with Last of the Independents, which was hailed as a comeback by some quarters of the press. The album did return the Pretenders to the Top 40 with the ballad "I'll Stand by You." In the fall of 1995, the Pretenders released the live album Isle of View, then remained silent for a few years. Hynde finally returned in 1999 with an album of new material, Viva el Amor. Three years later, the Pretenders left their longtime label for Artemis. The reggae-tinged Loose Screw appeared in November and a tour followed in January 2003. In March 2006, the Pretenders released their first-ever box set, Pirate Radio, via Rhino. The four-disc package included over five hours of music and a DVD of rare performances. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rovi