The Pretenders 'Pretenders II' album

Despite only releasing two albums, the legacy of the Pretenders' original lineup still looms large. Singer Chrissie Hynde; guitarist James Honeyman Scott; bassist Pete Farndon; and drummer Martin Chambers scored back-to-back Top 10 albums on both sides of the Atlantic in 1980 and 1981. Rhino adds to the iconic band's canon with double-disc editions of the Pretenders' debut and follow-up that feature live cuts, demos, and previously unreleased tracks. PRETENDERS and PRETENDERS II will be available October 3 at regular retail outlets for a suggested price of $24.98 each.

Two years after the band formed in London, Sire issued the Pretenders' full-length debut in 1980, which included the Top 20 hit "Brass In Pocket." The album also featured the group's first single, a cover of "Stop Your Sobbing," which was penned by The Kinks' Ray Davies. Among the best debuts ever released, the self-titled effort introduced the world to the band's sharp songwriting, Hynde's unmistakable voice, Honeyman Scott's inventive guitar work, as well as the driving rhythms created by Farndon and Chambers. Featuring a dozen songs, the album draws inspiration from punk, pop, and new wave to create a raw, unforgettable sound on "Precious,"
"Mystery Achievement," and "Tattooed Love Boys."

The second disc of the expanded version of PRETENDERS contains 16 tracks, more than half of which are previously unreleased. The unheard gems include 1978 demos of album tracks "Brass In Pocket," "The Wait," "Kid," "The Phone Call," and "Stop Your Sobbing." The set also includes unissued live performances of "Precious," "Tattooed Love Boys," and "Sabre Dance."

After releasing an EP in 1981, the band returned the same year with its sophomore album, PRETENDERS II. It would be the final album by the original lineup; the band was devastated when both Honeyman Scott and Farndon died from overdoses in less than a year. Featuring a dozen songs, the album included the singles "The Adultress," "Message Of Love," "Day After Day," "Louie Louie," and a second Davies cover-"I Go To Sleep."

The second disc of the expanded edition contains live versions of several songs from PRETENDERS II that were originally featured on the promo-only release Pretenders Live

At The Santa Monica Civic. Those 15 songs include "Talk Of The Town," "Birds Of Paradise," "Message Of Love," "Bad Boys Get Spanked," and "Day After Day." The second disc also includes a trio of unreleased tracks-a demo version of "Talk Of The Town," the guitar version outtake of "I Go To Sleep" and the radio mix outtake of "Pack It Up."

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The Pretenders - Pretenders II