"Brass in Pocket" got knocked out. 3 left, 1 more must go. Vote your next weakest link. Discussion questions...................... (Answer all or however many you want) Discussion question 1: How did you discover The Pretenders? (Doesn't have to be this album) Discussion question 2: Where you you rank the Pretenders debut for favorite/greatest debut albums? (Within the late 70s/early 80s punk/new wave era, or in general) Discussion question 3: The kid (no pun intended) next door hears you blaring the Pretenders debut album out your window, likes it, and asks you about similar albums and artists. What would you recommend to the kid? Brass in Pocket (Round 5) Tattooed Love Boys (Round 4) Stop Your Sobbing (Round 3) The Wait (Round 2) Private Life (Round 2) Up the Neck (Round 2) The Phone Call (Round 1) Lovers of Today (Round 1) Space Invader (Round 1)
"Kid" once again. DQ1: First time I recall being aware of them was hearing "Brass in Pocket" on the radio. If I heard "Stop Your Sobbing" before that, it didn't register. DQ2: Within the punk/new wave era, right below The Clash and Television. In general, still pretty high up there. DQ3: Blondie, The Go-Go's, Elvis Costello--artists like that. Maybe some Liz Phair too if the kid likes the dirty stuff.
DQ2. After my avatar s debut and Dire Straits 1st. Pretty high altitude DQ3. Sticking with female vocals, X first 2 records. And of course Patti
To the best of my aging recollection, their 3 songs on the "Concerts for the People of Kampuchea" album acted as my intro. Got that in May 1981. Had I heard their songs prior to then? Maybe but not sure. Thought they might've played "SNL" or "Fridays" before 5/81, but nope. Anyway, I loved those 3 tracks - they blew me away. Though not enough to prompt me to buy the debut until 1985, for whatever reason.
I’m really surprised by the songs left. I would have thought Tattoo Love Boys and Brass in Pocket would be the final two.
Kid DQ1: My college roommate's record collection! DQ 2: 1st among late 70s/early 80s punk new wave-era albums; maybe 4th or 5th all time, behind the Velvet Underground & Nico, Jimi Hendrix Experience, Doors, perhaps one other---not sure.
"Mystery Achievement" to go. DQ2 - I think this is the best debut by anyone ever, full stop. DQ3 - There's nothing that really sounds quite like this album, particularly side 1. Even their second album doesn't come close. I don't know, from a musical sonic assault perspective, maybe something like Cheap Trick At Budokan. But you'd still have no replacement for Chrissie's magnificent vocals.
Mystery this time -- if only because the guitar solo in Kid is so great. DQ1: MTV showing "Talk of the Town" in the early days did it for me. DQ2: It's right up there among my favorite debut albums DQ3: "Eat To the Beat" by Blondie and "Desparate" by The Diviynls for sure.
"Mystery Achievement" 1: Bought it right around the time it was released. Maybe heard a song on FM radio. 2. One of the greatest debuts ever....a top 10. 3. Blondie, X, Patti Smith
Well, since you ask... I saw the Pretenders first ever gig - supporting David Johansen at Barbarella’s in Birmingham. I thought they were rather good... Where do I rate the record? There’s a lot of competition because for me so many artists debut records are their best. I think the Pretenders - as the original four members - obviously didn’t have the time to establish their own legacy. That Hynde’s subsequent releases - though all good to great - never had the same sense of being a band , that band, that they’re now terribly undervalued. That original setting better framed one of the great Rock n Roll voices. Q3 - her vocal delivery and offhand timing always reminded me of Hendrix. The Ronettes. If they seem smitten with Jimmy Scott’s playing then maybe point them at John Perry and The Only Ones.
Mystery Achievement I listened to this for the 3rd time just to see what I am missing. It's good, but I don't see it as a top 3 song from this album. I'm even more shocked it has less votes to be cut than Kid or Precious at this point! DQ #1: Hearing Brass In Pocket on the radio. DQ #2-The Cars is the best debuts from this era. Nick Lowe and Elvis Costello are a little better too. The Pretenders stands up with a lot of the others (Blondie, Clash, Ramones) DQ #3-All of the artists mentioned above, but also Robin Lane & the Chartbusters, the Motels, and Joan Jett
DQ1 (mentioned earlier this week): 1980 - There was a late night 1:00 AM music show on NBC after Saturday Night Live (I don’t remember the name of the show). It showed the video of “Tattooed Love Boys” and I loved the song enough to find out more about the Pretenders afterwards. I didn’t buy the 2015 CD/DVD reissue, because they left the “Tattooed Love Boys” video off of it.
MYSTERY ACHEIVEMENT The Concert For Kampuchea soundtrack is where I first got into them. One of the great debuts but there are a lot of them. Live Stiffs, Times Square soundtrack
I voted Precious to go. I discovered the Pretenders when the bass player in my college band went to London and came back with a record of this new band we’d never heard of. My sister co fronted the band with me, and we promptly learned three songs, Mystery Achievement, Up The Neck and Kid. She sang them great and the band really go into playing the songs. Our audiences went bonkers for them too. I’d say the first Pretenders record is a favorite of that era, and with that, I think it’s the best debut. if the kid likes the Pretenders, Blondie needs to be heard. Both bands rocked out ferociously, but also had incredible melodic hooks and pop sensibilities.
Mystery Achievement I first discovered The Pretenders via the Brass In Pocket video, back when it was released. Pretenders II Learning To Crawl Pretenders Get Close The Pretenders debut is excellent, but I would place a lot of other debut albums higher. I'd tell the Kid next door to listen to Pretenders II and Learning To Crawl.
DQ2: Horses is the greatest album…..debut or not…..ever made. Marquee Moon and The Velvet Underground & Nico are also 2 all time favorites. After those 3, the Pretenders debut is right up there. For the punk/new wave side…..other big favorites are the Clash debut (UK) and Joe Jackson Look Sharp.
Mystery out. I first heard the band on KROQ in Socal when the first album came out. I don't really think about ranking albums. I have a tough time remembering when specific records were released so I don't have a legit response. It amazes me how people on this forum recall exactly when so many albums came out.
Same. The final three are, to me, all mid-pack songs for this record. "Lovers of Today" and "Up the Neck" stand head and shoulders above these three, in my book. But hey....I wasn't around to vote on the other rounds so can't really complain.
