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Thursday, September 23, 2021

Early Pretenders albums to get deluxe reissue

I've been a big fan of the band since I was 10 years old and bought "Brass in Pocket" on 7" vinyl. Much later, I'd interview drummer Martin Chambers. I can't wait to experience this. Read below for the details...

On November 5, Pretenders’ first two albums will be celebrated in two brand-new 3CD deluxe editions curated by Chrissie Hynde and will be available from all music retailers. Pretenders and Pretenders II (it's 40th Anniversary is this year) will also be available on limited edition red and white vinyl respectively, as well as special, numbered print based on the "Brass In Pocket" single cover limited to 500 copies worldwide, exclusively available at Rhino.com.

Curated by Chrissie Hynde, both Pretenders and Pretenders II are each presented in 12x12 3CD deluxe sets, featuring a book with brand-new liner notes by journalist Will Hodgkinson. They also include rare photos of the band. 

PRETENDERS (DELUXE EDITION) contains the original album remastered by Chris Thomas, alongside demos, rarities, and live performances. These include BBC sessions on The Kid Jensen Show, and performances at The Paris Theatre, London, and Paradise Theater in Boston.

PRETENDERS II (DELUXE EDITION) also features a remastered version of the album by Chris Thomas, demos, and alternates alongside two live performances; one from Central Park, New York City in 1980, and a show from The Santa Monica Civic Auditorium in 1981.

Pretenders’ first release came almost a year earlier to the album’s release, with their Top 40 debut single, a cover of The Kinks’ "Stop Your Sobbing" produced by Nick Lowe. Next came "Kid," another UK Top 40 hit and their first originally written single. Following both singles would come one of Pretenders’ biggest tracks to this day, "Brass In Pocket."

"Brass In Pocket" hit #1 in the UK, Ireland, Sweden, and South Africa, as well as Top 5 in Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, New Zealand and more. It was also a success in the US, reaching #14 and becoming the 7th music video aired on MTV. The album was certified Platinum in USA, and Gold in UK, Netherlands, Belgium, and New Zealand.

During the year between Pretenders and Pretenders II, the band released two singles in the UK, "Talk Of The Town" and "Message Of Love," with the former reaching #8 and the latter #11 in the UK singles charts. In the US, Pretenders released an EP simply named Extended Play, containing five tracks that would later be on the Pretenders II album.

Pretenders II was released on August 15, 1981 and would end up peaking #7 in the UK, and #10 in the US, being certified Silver and Gold respectively.

Track listing:

Pretenders (Deluxe Edition) - 3CD

CD1 – Original Album & B-Sides
Original Album
1. Precious
2. The Phone Call
3. Up The Neck
4. Tattooed Love Boys
5. Space Invader
6. The Wait
7. Stop Your Sobbing
8. Kid
9. Private Life
10. Brass In Pocket
11. Lovers Of Today
12. Mystery Achievement

B-Sides
13. Cuban Slide
14. Porcelain
15. The Wait (Nick Lowe Version)
16. Nervous But Shy
17. Swinging London

CD2 – Demos & BBC In Studio
Demos
1. The Phone Call
2. Suicide*
3. Brass In Pocket
4. Precious
5. The Wait
6. I Can’t Control Myself
7. Stop Your Sobbing
8. Tequila
9. Kid
10. I Go To Sleep*
11. Do I Love You*

BBC In Session: The Kid Jensen Show, February 5th, 1979
12. The Wait (The Kid Jensen Show, February 5th, 1979)*
13. Up The Neck (The Kid Jensen Show, February 5th, 1979)*
14. Stop Your Sobbing (The Kid Jensen Show, February 5th, 1979)*
15. Private Life (The Kid Jensen Show, February 5th, 1979)*
16. Cuban Slide (The Kid Jensen Show, February 5th, 1979)*

BBC In Session: The Kid Jensen Show, July 2nd, 1979
17. Mystery Achievement (The Kid Jensen Show, July 2nd, 1979)
18. I Need Somebody (The Kid Jensen Show, July 2nd, 1979)
19. Tattooed Love Boys (The Kid Jensen Show, July 2nd, 1979)*

CD3 – Live
BBC In Session: Live at The Paris Theatre, London, January 2nd, 1979
1. The Wait (Live at Paris Theatre, London, January 2nd, 1979)*
2. Stop Your Sobbing (Live at Paris Theatre, London, January 2nd, 1979)*
3. Kid (Live at Paris Theatre, London, January 2nd, 1979)*
4. Cuban Slide (Live at Paris Theatre, London, January 2nd, 1979)*
5. Brass In Pocket (Live at Paris Theatre, London, January 2nd, 1979)*
6. Tattooed Love Boys (Live at Paris Theatre, London, January 2nd, 1979)*
7. Mystery Achievement (Live at Paris Theatre, London, January 2nd, 1979)*

Warner Bros. Music Show: Live at the Paradise Theater, Boston, March 23rd, 1980)*
8. Space Invader (Live at the Paradise Theater, Boston, March 23rd, 1980)**
9. The Wait (Live at the Paradise Theater, Boston, March 23rd, 1980)**
10. Precious (Live at the Paradise Theater, Boston, March 23rd, 1980)
11. Kid Precious (Live at the Paradise Theater, Boston, March 23rd, 1980)**
12. Private Life Precious (Live at the Paradise Theater, Boston, March 23rd, 1980)**
13. Cuban Slide Precious (Live at the Paradise Theater, Boston, March 23rd, 1980)**
14. The Phone Call Precious (Live at the Paradise Theater, Boston, March 23rd, 1980)*
15. Talk Of The Town Precious (Live at the Paradise Theater, Boston, March 23rd, 1980)**
16. Tattooed Love Boys Precious (Live at the Paradise Theater, Boston, March 23rd, 1980)
17. Up The Neck Precious (Live at the Paradise Theater, Boston, March 23rd, 1980)**
18. Mystery Achievement Precious (Live at the Paradise Theater, Boston, March 23rd, 1980)**
19. Stop Your Sobbing (Live at the Paradise Theater, Boston, March 23rd, 1980)**

*previously unreleased
**first time on CD

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