Pitchfork

Props to Iggy and Lou Reed, but isn't it about time people started ripping off the Pretenders? The 80s' most dignified post-punk crossover had grittier hooks, sharper lyrics, and sweeter choruses than most of their contemporaries (yes, even Blondie). And shit, Chrissie Hynde even managed to score the ultimate rock n roll status symbol-- a kid with Ray Davies!

That being said, the March 14 release of a career-spanning Pretenders box set might be just the inspiration the Strokes need. Titled Pirate Radio, the Rhino anthology will feature 81 tracks across four CDs, as well as a DVD. Most notable for fans are the 15 previously unreleased songs scattered throughout the discs, including demos, alternate takes, and live cuts from the Pretenders' quarter-century career. Covers of songs by Radiohead, Morrissey, Neil Young, and Jimi Hendrix, among others, also appear.

The DVD features 19 video clips shot between 1979 and 1995, with a number of never-before-released performances thrown in for good measure. A "specially commissioned" poster by S. Clay Wilson will round out the package, perfect for proudly displaying front and center in your James Honeyman-Scott shrine.

Tracklist:

>>Disc 1:

01 Precious (Regent Park Demo) *
02 Stop Your Sobbing
03 The Wait (Single Version)
04 Kid
05 Tattooed Love Boys
06 Mystery Achievement
07 Brass in Pocket
08 Porcelain
09 Talk of the Town (UK single version)
10 Message of Love
11 Cuban Slide
12 What You Gonna Do About It
13 The Adultress
14 Bad Boys Get Spanked
15 I Go to Sleep
16 Day After Day
17 Birds of Paradise
18 The English Roses
19 Time the Avenger
20 Watching the Clothes (Denmark Street Demo) *
21 Show Me

>>Disc 2:

01 Back on the Chain Gang
02 Thumbelina
03 Thin Line Between Love and Hate
04 My City Was Gone
05 Middle of the Road
06 Tequila *
07 2000 Miles
08 When I Change My Life (Alternate Version) *
09 My Baby
10 Worlds Within Worlds *
11 Don't Get Me Wrong
12 Hymn to Her
13 Tradition of Love
14 Room Full of Mirrors
15 Reconsider Me (Monitor mix)*
16 Hold a Candle to This (Alternate Version) *
17 Windows of the World (Original mix)
18 Never Do That
19 No Guarantee
20 Not a Second Time

>>Disc 3:

01 Sense of Purpose
02 Downtown (Akron)
03 How Do I Miss You
04 Bold As Love
05 When Will I See You
06 Hollywood Perfume
07 Night in My Veins
08 977
09 All My Dreams
10 Angel of the Morning (Original Version) *
11 Money Talk
12 Rebel Rock Me
13 I'll Stand by You
14 Every Mothers' Son (Demo) *
15 Love Colours
16 Private Life (Live)
17 Lovers of Today (Live)
18 Creep (Live)
19 Criminal (Live)
20 Revolution (Live)

>>Disc 4:

01 Everyday Is Like Sunday
02 Human (Class Mix)
06 The Needle and the Damage Done
07 From the Heart Down (Alternate Version) *
08 Who's Who
09 Biker
10 Nails in the Road
11 Legalize Me
12 The Homecoming (Live) *
13 Up the Neck (Live) *
14 Fools Must Die (Live) *
15 Nothing Breaks Like a Heart
16 Lie to Me
17 Complex Person
18 You Know Who Your Friends Are
19 I Should Of
20 The Losing

>>DVD:

01 Talk of the Town ("Top of the Pops")
02 The Adultress ("Fridays")
03 The Wait ("All Right Now")
04 Hollywood Perfume ("Later With Jools Holland")
05 Brass in Pocket ("Top of the Pops")
06 977 ("Later With Jools Holland")
07 Never Do That ("Terry Wogan Show")
08 Thumbelina ("The New Show", 1984)
09 2000 Miles ("Pebble Mill")
10 Night in My Veins ("Top of the Pops")
11 My City Was Gone (live in Phoenix, AZ, 1994)
12 Tattooed Love Boys ("All Right Now")
13 Middle of the Road (MTV)
14 Don't Get Me Wrong ("Top of the Pops")
15 Criminal ("Pebble Mill")
16 Room Full of Mirrors (live at the Montreaux Jazz Festival, 2003)
17 Louie Louie ("Fridays")
18 Stop Your Sobbing ("Top of the Pops")
19 Tattooed Love Boys/Up the Neck ("The Old Grey Whistle Test")

* Previously Unreleased

The band will set out on a small tour in support of Pirate Radio, kicking off with a pair of appearances at SXSW, including an interview. A string of U.S. dates, mostly at Houses of Blues, will follow, before the band ships off to England for a lone gig in London.

Dates:

03-17 Austin, TX - Convention Center (SXSW interview)
03-18 Austin, TX - Stubb's BBQ (SXSW)
03-21 West Hollywood, CA - House of Blues
03-22 West Hollywood, CA - House of Blues
03-23 Anaheim, CA - House of Blues
03-24 Anaheim, CA - House of Blues
03-25 Las Vegas, NV - House of Blues
03-27 San Diego, CA - House of Blues
03-28 San Diego, CA - House of Blues
03-30 San Francisco, CA - The Warfield
04-01 New York, NY - Irving Plaza *
04-02 Atlantic City, NJ - House of Blues *
04-07 London, England - Koko

* with the Blue Van