The Pretenders and Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood have released the collaboration ‘I Think About You Daily’.
Chrissie Hynde and co are backed by the composer’s stunning string arrangement on the brooding ballad, for which he also conducted the 12 Ensemble.
The song is the closing track on ‘Relentless’, The Pretenders’ new studio album, which is now set for release on September 15.
Chrissie, 71, said of working with Radiohead’s lead guitarist: “I met Jonny a couple of times, and we’re obviously big fans of him because he’s done some incredible music over the years. I saw him at the Phantom Thread premiere where the film was running on screen with a live orchestra playing. And we spoke afterward and he expressed an interest in doing something one day. I was thrilled and very surprised. He also came down to see a Valve Bone Woe show we were doing in the basement of a Pizza Express. So when the idea of getting strings on ‘I Think About You Daily’, he was first choice. Legend!”
Jonny, 51, added: “It was a genuine honour to score strings for Chrissie. The arrangement wrote itself because of THAT voice. She’s one of the greatest singers in popular music, and her continuing passion for creation was an inspiring experience from first the email to the last note of the recording.”
The album will be the follow-up to 2020’s ‘Hate for Sale’.
Speaking about the album title, Chrissie said: “I enjoy seeing the various meanings and origins of a word. And I liked the definition: “showing no abatement of intensity”. It’s the life of the artist. You never retire. You become relentless.”
The rock legend has co-written all of the tracks with guitarist James Walbourne for the second time consecutively.
Commenting on their process, she added: “We had developed this method of working remotely and it seemed like we just kept on doing it for this album. This is something that we’ve honed down to an art in the last few years. He always comes up with something I wouldn’t have thought of myself and I love surprises.”
The album features “The Pretenders Collective”, also including Kris Sonne (drums), Chris Hill (double bass), Dave Page (bass) and Carwyn Ellis (keyboards and guitars).
Chrissie previously teased the album last year, but admitted it was taking a while to get released.
That was before they signed a new record deal with Parlophone.
She told her fans on Instagram: “We have a new album coming out, ‘Relentless’.
“For some reason, which I don’t quite understand, it takes ages to get an album out these days—i.e. waiting for vinyl factories. I’m not even sure if we have a record deal. I’ll have to ask my management if I remember.”
Meanwhile, the band are supporting Guns N’ Roses in the UK and Europe, including at American Express presents BST Hyde Park on June 30.
Head to thepretenders.com to pre-order the album and see the band’s full tour schedule.