Chrissie Hynde didn’t invite Morrissey to perform on her new album because she thought he’d “have a problem” with one of her other collaborators.
The Pretenders frontwoman has brought in a string of high-profile artists to collaborate with her on her Duets Special LP and she’s joined by Chan Marshall aka Cat Power on a cover of The Smiths’ legend’s First Of the Gang To Die.
Despite the controversy surrounding outspoken Morrissey these days, Chrissy didn’t “think twice” about including the track, though she deliberately didn’t invite him to be on the record in case he caused issues.
She explained to MOJO magazine: “I didn’t think twice [about covering First Of The Gang To Die] because I was looking for great songs.
“I have to be completely honest about this… I love his voice, but I strongly suspected that if I asked him to sing on it, he might have a problem with one of the other singers.
“He finally heard it, and he said that it brought a tear to his ‘granite cheek’.”
Chrissie insisted the individual views of an artist should never get in the way of appreciating their work.
She said: “I don’t judge anyone for their opinions, because if I was going to do that, what would I think of Vincent Van Gough if I’d met him? What would I think of Miles Davis if I’d met him? What would I think of John Coltrane? Any of the great artists. I don’t know.
“Y’know, people have their life and their problems to get through, and their opinions.
“Everyone has a universe of stuff going on.
“I’ve known a few famous singers, songwriters and artists, and I can always separate the work from the individual.
“I never let the individual taint the work.”
Elsewhere on the record, Chrissie performed The Beatles’ It’s Only Love with the late John Lennon’s son, Julian Lennon, and she revealed her duet partner chose the track over a song by the Rolling Stones.
She said: “I sent him two songs. I sent him Sway, the Rolling Stones song, and I sent him It’s Only Love.
“I said, ‘Do you fancy doing one of these?’ And he goes, ‘Well, I think It’s Only Love has better lyrics and a better melody.’
“And I went, ‘Uh… I would agree with you.’ That made me laugh.”