BBC Arena - Alone with Chrissie Hynde

ChrisMusic

Alone with Chrissie Hynde

"Arena spends the summer with super cool self-confessed rock chick, Chrissie Hynde - shopping for clothes in Paris, hanging out with Sandra Bernhard in New York, life in London and a special trip back to her home town of Akron, Ohio.

A thoughtful and intimate portrait of a 'lone, hungry, irritable wolf', featuring a glorious live performance at one of London's newest venues."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b08d80fd/arena-alone-with-chrissie-hynde


Available again ~ for 26 days from 13 April 2017
I only just discovered this, and it runs out on iPlayer at 1:30am Monday morning, just enough time to catch up over the weekend.

Chrissie Hynde has to be one of my favourite female vocalists of all time, and early Pretenders have some of my favourite songs too.  Like the description says "a thoughtful and intimate portrait".
Enjoy...

monofin

Ooh thanks. Must watch that. She's a fave of mine too

not_the_dj

Saw it a few weeks back. Goes all a bit absolutely fabulous when she's out with Sandra Bernhard having lunch. 

Guesting with the band in the pub was pretty cool. 

ICBM

Thanks! Didn't know that was on. Will watch later.

ronnyb

Yes, watched it, very good. Her book 'Reckless' is a good read too. The Pretenders are doing a UK tour this autumn.  

richardhomer

Don't get me wrong, I'm sure it's a worthwhile hymn to her - but I've not really listened to the Pretenders since I was a kid....

57Deluxe

Chrissie Hynde/Theresa May - separated at birth!

Strat_a_tat_tat

richardhomer said:

Don't get me wrong, I'm sure it's a worthwhile hymn to her - but I've not really listened to the Pretenders since I was a kid....

"Don't get me wrong"!?!?!?!?

I take it that was totally intentional. :-)

Nitefly

richardhomer said:

Don't get me wrong, I'm sure it's a worthwhile hymn to her - but I've not really listened to the Pretenders since I was a kid....

Good work, @richardhomer ;- 3 hits in one!

IvisonGuitars

richardhomer said:

Don't get me wrong, I'm sure it's a worthwhile hymn to her - but I've not really listened to the Pretenders since I was a kid....

Too busy hanging round with tattooed love boys??

ArchtopDave

I enjoyed watching it some weeks ago. I go searching for something worth watching whilst I'm having my supper, and pretty often wind up watching a programme on BBC4 on iPlayer.

vale

her history is really interesting. not a massive pretenders fan, i like a few choice singles. but she's an impressive woman. one of the original full-on rock chicks.

her pre-uk life fascinating enough on its own, but it all stepped up a gear when she hit london. worked in sex as a shop-assistant to viv & malcy, wrote for music papers proto-punk era, rubbed shoulders with nick kent during his last coherent moments, in on punk from conception
she was initially being considered as front for one of malcy & bernie (rhodes) early pistols era provoc projects. i think they were going to call the project 'schoolgirls knickers' or something similarly absurd, so she just walked out on the giggling pair of them.

Danielle, Alan, Chrissie, Viv, Jordan.
http://www.paulgormanis.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Forum-staff.jpg
her interview with jon savage for 'the englands dreaming tapes' well worth the read for insights into this period of her life.

i also respect what she said about her assault by the bikers. a sad story, but she refused to let that define her existence for the rest of her life. & she had the wisdom & front to come out & state the obvious; that had she not been so out of it (drink/drugs) she could have better appreciated the potential dangers of the situation she was putting herself in & been better equipped mentally & physically to deal with it when things went bad.

of course she isn't to blame if a guy chooses to do an evil thing. he remains 100% responsible for his criminal actions at all times. & her not taking measures to reduce her chances of being seen by him as a potential victim should not be used to mitigate charges levelled against him.

but, in pure common sense terms & for the same reason you tell your kids not to hang out with strangers, if a bad person with intent is looking for a target, you can do some things to reduce your chances of being thought one (in their twisted mind) by taking precautions.

a woman should be able to stumble blind drunk down any alley she wants to & not be assualted or harrassed. that would be the ideal world. & that is what we should all be working towards together. that's not even a feminist argument, that's a human compassion argument.

but we don't live in one (& the law can only act after the fact, which will be after the damage has been done). so 'look out for yourself & use your common sense' not bad advice.

Nitefly

@vale very interesting comments. It sounds like you're broadly in agreemengt with retiring Judge Kushner:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-39241470

She's being criticised by some (who IMO should know better) for "victim-blaming".  That's not at all how I read her comments.

*edit* sorry, OP, we seem to be dragging this a bit off topic...

pintspiller

I saw the show a while back. Worth a watch

vale

Nitefly said:

@vale very interesting comments. It sounds like you're broadly in agreemengt with retiring Judge Kushner:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-39241470

She's being criticised by some (who IMO should know better) for "victim-blaming".  That's not at all how I read her comments.

*edit* sorry, OP, we seem to be dragging this a bit off topic...

very much so. in fact the judge frames her point & covers all potential avenues for misinterpretation far more carefully than chrissie, as you would hope & expect given her position. but the same basic point.

you can't have personal agency without personal responsibilty. that's a basic pillar of a civilised society.
we make allowances for children on that account because that principle has to be learned in a safe & supportive environment, & may take a bit of trial & error to get right.
but we generally grasp that fundamental civilising principle by adolescence, which is why the age of criminal responsibility is where it is & not younger. age of reason etc.

but to try to apply those childhood allowances (personal agency without personal responsibility) to a grown woman is insulting & infantalising.
& nothing at all to do with liberation & empowerment, which is supposed to be the point.

yeah, off topic but couldn't resist. no self-control but i take full responsibilty (see you in court).

ChrisMusic

For anyone who missed this last time round, the iPlayer link in the OP is functional.

Available again ~ for 26 days from 13 April 2017

Reverend

Am I alone in finding The Pretenders incredibly beige?

smigeon

Yes.

axisus

I never liked her or the band. Not my cup of tea on any front. Having said that, I have no objection to them being out there, I bear them no ill will.

Sporky

Probably not.

I think they've done some cracking pop tunes though.

richardhomer

axisus said:

I never liked her or the band. Not my cup of tea on any front. Having said that, I have no objection to them being out there

You don't think they should be shot then?