The Pretenders - Pretenders (1979): 3 Fierce Tracks from a Landmark New Wave Debut

SELECTOR ‹Track 01 - 00:09› ‹Track 02 - 02:40› ‹Track 03 - 07:11› Released on 27 December 1979 in the UK, with the US release following on 11 January 1980, Pretenders was the explosive debut album from Chrissie Hynde’s British-American quartet. Recorded largely at Wessex Sound Studios in London and produced mainly by Chris Thomas, it fused punk urgency, sharp pop instincts and James Honeyman-Scott’s distinctive chiming guitar work. The album entered the UK chart at No. 1 and spent four weeks at the top. In this video, we spotlight three album cuts— “The Phone Call”, “Up the Neck” and “The Wait” —tracks that reveal the tougher, stranger side of a debut often remembered for its hit singles. 💡 Did You Know? • “The Phone Call” is built around an unusual 5/4 metre . Bassist Pete Farndon described it as the band pushing punk rock into an awkward, deliberately disorientating rhythm. • “The Wait” was co-written by Chrissie Hynde and Pete Farndon. An earlier Nick Lowe-produced version appeared as the B-side of the band’s first single, “Stop Your Sobbing”, in February 1979; it was re-recorded for the album with Chris Thomas. • “Up the Neck” had already been performed for a BBC Kid Jensen session in February 1979, showing how quickly the band’s early repertoire had taken shape. • Pretenders reached No. 1 on the UK Albums Chart establishing the group as one of the major new acts emerging from the post-punk era. 🎧 Why These Tracks Matter: “The Phone Call” – Short, abrasive and rhythmically off-centre, the track pairs Hynde’s clipped, almost spoken delivery with a jagged 5/4 pulse. It captures the band at their most punk-minded while showing that their arrangements were far more sophisticated than a simple three-chord attack. “Up the Neck” – A darker, more melodic song driven by Honeyman-Scott’s ringing guitar figures and Hynde’s cool but increasingly vulnerable vocal. Its depiction of lust, anger and emotional disorientation makes it one of the album’s most revealing deep cuts. “The Wait” – Fast, tense and propelled by Farndon’s bass and Martin Chambers’ drums, “The Wait” connects the Pretenders’ earliest single-era sound with the finished debut album. The re-recorded album version adds Chris Thomas’s harder, cleaner production without losing its live-wire energy. 🧑‍🎤 Personnel & Featured Musicians: Chrissie Hynde – lead vocals, rhythm guitar James Honeyman-Scott – lead guitar, keyboards, backing vocals Pete Farndon – bass, backing vocals Martin Chambers – drums, percussion, backing vocals Production on these three tracks: Chris Thomas – producer Bill Price – engineer and mixing Steve Nye – additional recording engineer Recorded and mixed at: Wessex Sound Studios, London Additional recording: AIR Studios, London The chemistry of the original four-piece is central to the album. Hynde supplied the songs and unmistakable voice, Honeyman-Scott added melodic guitar detail, while Farndon and Chambers created a rhythm section capable of moving between punk aggression and tightly controlled groove. 📢 Why This Album Still Resonates: Pretenders remains one of the great debut albums because it refuses to fit neatly into punk, new wave or pop. Hynde’s writing could be confrontational, sensual, funny and vulnerable, while the musicians gave her songs a combination of toughness and melodic finesse. “The Phone Call” shows their appetite for rhythmic experimentation, “Up the Neck” balances menace with melody, and “The Wait” captures the urgency of the band’s earliest days. Together they reveal why the album was much more than a vehicle for “Brass in Pocket” . The original line-up would prove tragically short-lived—Honeyman-Scott died in 1982 and Farndon in 1983—but their work on this debut established a sound that remains instantly recognisable: sharp, muscular, melodic and unmistakably Pretenders. 💬 Let’s Talk: Which of these three tracks is your favourite? Do you prefer the rawer album cuts or the Pretenders’ classic singles? Is Pretenders one of the strongest debut albums of the post-punk era? 📺 Subscribe for More Punk, New Wave & Alternative Deep Dives: We explore landmark albums, overlooked tracks and artists who changed the musical landscape. Share your favourite Pretenders song below—and subscribe for more music worth rediscovering. #3TracksFrom #ThePretenders #PretendersDebut