Ive always thought this Pretenders song, released in 1983, was cool. To me, its very Stonesy sounding circa 1978-81. Definetley some weaving going on. It reminds me of the gituar sound the Stones had in songs like "Shes So Cold" and "Aint No Use In Crying". theres some cool lead gituar on it too. I dont know enough about the Pretenders to know who's playing what on it.

Chrissie, of course, on guitar and vocals. Robbie McIntosh on guitar. Martin on drums. Don't know who else, as James Honeyman Scott (?) was dead by then.

Oh, yeah, she was from Akron, Ohio.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2007-03-03 16:15 by Elmo Lewis.

Pretty sure Bill Bremner from the recently defunct (at the time) Rockpile played on Back On The Chain Gang which was the A-side of the single that My City Was Gone backed up on first release. Perhaps he played on the B-Side too.

I am from Akron as well

she was/is right

the city is gone


Elmo Lewis Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Chrissie, of course, on guitar and vocals. Robbie
> McIntosh on guitar. Martin on drums. Don't know
> who else, as James Honeyman Scott (?) was dead by
> then.
>
> Oh, yeah, she was from Akron, Ohio.

does chrissy play rhythm or lead gituar?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2007-03-03 21:06 by ryanpow.

Rhythm

Elmo Lewis Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Chrissie, of course, on guitar and vocals. Robbie
> McIntosh on guitar. Martin on drums. Don't know
> who else, as James Honeyman Scott (?) was dead by
> then.
>
> Oh, yeah, she was from Akron, Ohio.


she was also on campus on May 4, 1970 at Kent State University.


BTW I saw them that tour at Blossom Music Center in the Cleveland area...one of the best concerts I'd ever been at.

the shoot 'em dead, brainbell jangler!

Robbie McIntosh on the lead, as noted above. He played on a tour or two with Macca as well. Good gitar man.

I saw the Pretenders at Blossom also. I believe in 1981. It was still the original line-up, and Chrissie toned down the lyric 'I shot my mouth off and you showed me what that hole was for...' from 'Tatooed Love Boys', because her Mom was there.

Great show. I had the honor of promoting them at my college a few months later.

James Honeyman-Scott, the original guitarist, wanted to add Robbie McIntosh to the band, to augment their live sound. Before thatcould be done, James died of an overdose (very sad, he was a very nice guy). Anyway, adding Robbie to the band afterward was easy, as James had taght him most of the songs. I think Robbie only stayed with the band a couple of years, however.

I saw Robbie last Summer, as part of John Mayer's band. Very grey, but he still can play.

Robbie McIntosh doesn't play on this song. In June 1982, Chrissie kicked bass player Pete Farndon out of the band and 2 days later their lead guitarist James Honey-Scott died, reducing the band to only Chrissie and Martin Chambers. The following month they recorded their single Back On The Chain Gang and its B-side My City Was Gone and used guest musicians Billy Bremner for lead guitar and Tony Butler for bass. They released the single in October 1982 and both sides were later contained on their January 1984 album Learning To Crawl, by which time Robbie McIntosh had become their new guitarist and Malcolm Foster their new bassist. The album contains the extended version of My City Was Gone with longer guitar solo, which had been on the Back On the Chain Gang 12 inch in 1982.

I forgot about Billy Bremner. Didn't he play with Nick Lowe/Dave Edmunds/Rockpile also?

The first and only time I saw the Pretenders was just a few
years ago when they opened for the Stones in Philly
They were very good.

The only time I've seen the Pretenders was in Dec. when they opened for The Who. I've always liked them but have never been a huge fan, but I must say they kicked serious ass in concert. All their songs were much more rocked out than the studio versions. I expected them to be good but they were much better than I anticipated.

In America this has to be the most-played Pretenders song of all.

15 years ago I worked with a guy who listened to Rush Limbaugh on the radio all morning, and Rush used "My City Was Gone" as his theme/bumper music coming out of all the ads and breaks.

For all I know, he still does.

Did Chrissy ever weigh in on what her feelings were about her song being used in that context?

.....I hate to split hairs with you loogie, but I'd be willing to bet that "....Chain Gang" or "Brass In Pocket" gets lots more radio air play than "My City Was Gone."

I'll say Don't Get Me Wrong, and don't forget 2000 Miles, which always gets a lot of airplay during Christmas, at least here in Denmark

2000 Miles, which is a great tune, gets a lot of play during Christmas in the US as well.

1983 Pretenders DVD available here:

[www.thetradersden.org]


1983 US Festival
The Pretenders
Glen Helen Park
Devore, CA
5-30-1983
3:10pm-4:20pm

1hr 10min Pro-Shot w/ menus

My City Was Gone
Message Of Love
The Adultress
Talk Of The Town
Stop Your Sobbing
Private Life (dedicated to James Honeyman-Scott)
Time The Avenger
The Wait (dedicated to Pete Farndon)
Middle Of The Road
Up The Neck
Precious
Back On The Chain Gang
Brass In Pocket
Money





Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2007-03-10 23:53 by Bingo.