Lemmy's Lounge

  The time in Los Angeles after the tour was time well spent. It was good to see Lemmy's Lounge at the Rainbow on Sunset. It reminded me of a man very much missed. 

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 A visit to Joshua Tree was in order, so I stayed at Pioneertown as usual. It was a good change from the chaos of the cities I had inhabited since October.

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The House of Blues looks sad and empty although I have fond memories of past gigs there including when I played with Jackson Brown. We performed the song 'For a Rocker', which was a tribute song Jackson had written for James Honeyman Scott.

So, a Happy New Year to all. I hope to see you on the next leg of our tour starting in February. It's going to be an epic year.

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M.D.C.

Los Angeles

Photo: Valerie Simadis

I was under the impression that 'The Forum' here in Inglewood was the last show . It seems that we now have a second leg to this North American tour with Stevie. Thank you.

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Photo: Valerie Simadis

 So far we start in Reno in mid February and carry on until an April finish on the East Coast. 

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 Now, it's a few weeks in L.A. and then back to the U.K. to complete my book by the end of January.

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The year has ended on such a high note.
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Next year is going to be a key year for me.

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Happy Holidays to you all.
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M.D.C.

Happy Days

 Last Friday we spent a few days in Vancouver. I was fascinated by the steam clock in Gastown. Check it out. The gig was great and Chrissie was having such a good time with Stevie on stage she couldn't sing for laughing...

 

 Well, here we are now into our last week of the 2016 tour and tonight we play in Seattle.

For those of you who were around to catch our gigs here in the USA in 1980, you may recognise the picture here of the black and white kit I brought over to tour with made by Eddie Ryan. Two days ago I signed a new deal with DW Drums. They are going to make a tribute kit for me, and they have been good enough to put a priority on it so that it will be ready for the start of touring here again in February. It's gonna be mighty. The black and white design was part the Brass in Pocket artwork and part the Hereford United Football team colours. Hereford being the town where Jimmy, Pete, and I were from (The originals)!
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 There will also be a little Hereford Flag on the 26" bass drum for good measure. I can't wait to see the finished kit. As a matter of interest, the picture of the kit features one of our team back then, Bill Leabody who will be honoured in January with a Lifetime Achievement Award. 

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Still at it Bill. Well done.

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I took the picture in either Kansas City or St.Louis when we supported The Who. To the right of my kit is Kenney Jones's drum kit. There is quite a story behind this picture and it will be featured in my upcoming book that will be out later next year. To give you lucky people a taster, Pete Townshend said to me directly after the show that he hadn't seen anything like that since Keith Moon! 

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Happy days.

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Three hours to showtime girls and boys.... 

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M.D.C.

Fun on the Road

   

 

 Chicago.

 

 $22 for spinach ravioli that was not very nice and a glass of Pinot Noir $11.

 

 Total $57.84. 

 

Oh how I laughed at the optional gratuity over and above the existing 18% + room charges. 

 

Oh well, Arsenal have just put one past the Hammers so all is not lost..... 

 

M.D.C.

Late Night Truck Stops

  I was lucky to have my personal photographer around to capture this late night modeling assignment. My photographer Chrissie H. was laughing so hard she almost lost the shot!

  

Thanks for the memories, luv!

M.D.C.

Notes From My Office Chair

 

 My view of proceedings from my office chair (drum stool)!

 This picture was taken at our own gig at the Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank, NJ. It shows what I can see, which is not a lot depending on the reflection of light. I'm working on getting the Perspex screen(s) laid at an angle to me so it stops the sound slap back and of course stops me seeing reflections of myself (very annoying during the show). It is a problem. 

 The screens are there because it helps shield the drum kits clattering sound from being picked up by Chrissie's microphone which would put that sound in her ears. Not good. (Even I don't have it in my own ears)! 
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 So I'm working with our scientists/techs on an easier way of not getting any audio/visual reflection and an angle would cure that. 
Now aren't you glad I shared?
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 Tomorrow we are doing our own show in Akron Ohio. Now I'm sure I know someone who is from that neck of the woods!!!   
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See Ya !

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M.D.C.

Leaving Grand Rapids

  Hello everyone. Sorry for the delay in the blog. This is the time in the tour where I start to feel physically as if I have been in a car wreck. Everything aches and muscles are complaining. The two flights yesterday back from Grand Rapids made my head spin but the dinner last night with Stevie and everyone leveled me out somewhat.

  On a positive note, the tour is magnificent. It's a very happy touring company and there is now a very good chance of more touring in the New Year with Stevie and maybe even some dates in the Antipodes!  
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  The Late Show last week was great. It was also a pleasure to have Dan Auerbach playing in the band again. The Ed Sullivan Theatre has had a lot stripped out of it since the Letterman days and the old room is more apparent with the lovely domed ceiling featuring well. We thought of the old days of the Beatles and James found the new chord to end Holy Commotion, so we worked an old tribute ending to the song with a little bow! Why not?

 M.D.C.

Sadness In Nashville

 The last few days have been strange and stressful, experiencing the U.S.A. go through such painful changes. On Tuesday, as I walked around Ernest Tubb Record Shop on Broadway in Downtown Nashville, I was remembering what it was like here many decades ago when I first encountered this music town.
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Even 9 years ago the Ryman Theatre was standing proud and could be seen from a distance. Now I find it so sad that this National Historic Landmark that was once the heart and soul of Nashville,(The Union Gospel Tabernacle built in 1892, later to become The Grand Ole Opry, that operated from 1943 to 1974)is hidden from view by all the new buildings that sadly conceal it's very existence. 

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 After resorting to a jumbo margarita and some rice and beans at a local Mexican restaurant, I watched the votes come in. What on earth will happen next?
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I am now in Charlotte, N. Carolina and tonight I am looking forward to playing the Spectrum Arena. 

The trucks and buses roll on. 
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 M.D.C.

Jimmy Scott. The starlet would have been 60 years old.

    

         Picture by Robert Matheu for 'Stars Cars' in Creem magazine.   

   

   It was James Honeyman Scott's birthday on November the 4th. Thought I would show you all he was truly multi talented.
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M.D.C. 

 

Now and Then

 
My life on the road has spanned 50 years. An awful lot has changed! Including the road transportation, moving people, and equipment. But the reason for doing so is exactly the same for me now as it was back then-simply to turn people on to a good time! 

So if you have been to any of the shows so far, I hope you have been 'turned on'! It also looks very much like we will be performing all over this blue planet for the next 10 months or so, on and off, so I hope to see you all over that period. 

 

M.D.C.

Houston

Houston-third gig. 
Denver was holding a lot of bottom end, but tonight the sound should be a little clearer for us, fingers crossed. Dallas tomorrow and the first of our own shows in Austin on Monday. Then I'm staying on the bus for the 1,149 mile drive to Tampa. I got a book to finish and I'm talking about writing, not reading!

M.D.C.

First gig!

It's about the waiting! The long afternoon before our first gig in the U.S.A. for 7 years !

Interview with Mark Bowen

 

Martin discusses Chrissie, Live Aid and playing with a Beatle, in his latest interview with Mark Bowen. 

http://herefordshirelive.co.uk/music/martin-chambers 

Hamilton & Hare

'Later...with Jools Holland' went well, but a bumpy ride back to London only gave me a few hours in bed. I woke up early in the morning, as I had to go to the U.S. Embassy in Grosvenor Square for a Visa. However, everything is done and I managed to pick up my wonderfully embroidered Hamilton & Hare stage robe on the way back to the hotel.

We have a few more rehearsals, and then the production rehearsal. There will be a showcase gig on the 20th, 'The One Show' on the 21st, and then we leave for our first date on the tour in Phoenix.

I can't wait to get stuck in. Let me at 'em!!

See you soon.

M.D.C.  x

       

Later...with Jools Holland

On the Underground traveling back from rehearsals, a poster appeared on the wall before me. Looks familiar, I thought! Ah, It’s a Pretenders album poster! Believe me, It's a strange feeling in so many ways.

So, our next performance is on the television show 'Later...with Jools Holland’ and It's been a blast having Dan Auerbach playing along with us in rehearsal. He's doing the 'Later…' show with us on the 12th of October.

Wow, that's Today!

M.D.C.

You can live stream the Pretenders’ performance here:

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8nzv76Y02Q

 

For full schedule and time listings,visit:    

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07zhh3c

Interview with 'Music Aficionado'

 
Remembering The Pretenders' James Honeyman-Scott. 
Head over to Music Aficionado for Martin's latest interview with Joe Bosso. 

Maida Vale Live Radio set!

                                      

    Rehearsals have now reached a good place. The Maida Vale Live Radio set for the 3rd of October is upon us and the 30 minute set feels good. What we don't know at the moment are the links in between the songs. Who's counting in what, will we hear the count clearly, and the guitar changes are yet to be arranged as the physical set up is so different on a sound stage. All will be well because what could possibly go wrong? We also have a few Live TV shows to do before we fly out to Phoenix for the first show. I can't wait, but I hope my PRETENDERMC.COM drum sticks will be ready! 

MDC.

*Catch the Pretenders set on BBC Radio 6 Music Live- Monday, October 3.

The performance will be streamed on the 6 Music website and Red Button TV from 3pm:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/6music

A highlights set will be broadcast on Red Button TV for 24 hours from 9.30pm on Friday October 7, also available on iPlayer:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07z3vg

 

First week of Rehearsals...

Well, well. Who would have thought the band and crew would have spent so much time in rehearsal yesterday, laughing out of control at the antics of the singer working out yet another running order. I won't go into detail, but let’s say it resulted in a surprise or two for the audiences that we will soon be visiting around the U.S.A., Toronto and Vancouver. 

On our third day together everyone in the band was in good shape, and let’s face it, the playing can only get better over the coming weeks!

It’s hard to believe, but this is the Pretenders’ longest break from touring since they began in 1978. I have the usual start up aches and pains from putting in long hours, but generally the old bones are holding up. I am after all into my 50th year of playing in front of audiences!

I am so looking forward to this tour. Keep a look out for a few of our own shows being dropped into the many days off on the tour with Stevie.

More news soon. 

M.D.C.

Alton Court, 1964

  Ladies and Gentleman's,

   I have always taken photographs. This picture shows me looking for subject matter in the stable yard of Alton Court in 1964. The dappled animal I am leaning on nonchalantly is called Poke, an even tempered little pony. The grey horse behind was Pegasus. I rode them both with joy. Not all the animals in the stables were so easy and enjoyable to ride. The bay, Merrylegs tried his best to kill me.

  The camera around my neck was the second one I had owned.It was a Brownie Vectra.Very modern and I still have it today. I was crazy about the stable girl but I was twelve years old with a career in photography looming and nothing would come of the union. The sacrifices I've made!

Dasmarca Hats

Hello Ladies and Gentleman's.

I was in London recently to do a photo session for Dasmarca, the hat company I love so much. The photographer James Champion was well up for my antics and I think the two hour session was quite successful. There were several costume changes, and in the tradition of the English musician all was achieved with a lot of tongue in cheek, winks and nods a la Roderick Stewart.

An awful lot of changes are taking place and I will have some large announcements to make maybe next week.Please stay tuned for more fascinating insights into the Rolling and Tumbling that is my life! 
 

See you all soon. 

MDC

 
*You can see the hats I'm wearing at: http://dasmarca.co.uk/  
The 3/4 coat seen in the shot with the drumstick between my teeth was made by Gibson. It was explained to me that it was a different company that made the 335 or SG guitar! Being expensive, It suited me very nicely thank you very much, and it was given to me as a friendly gesture.Yes I know! 

In this picture I'm wearing two jackets that I first wore back in 1980. That's two jackets at the same time? I guess it works. The off white one is made by MacMurray of California and the brown one with the diamonds on the arm bands is by Sportime Sportswear. They are both size S and I can not only still wear them, but wear both at the same time. 

These jackets I would find in secondhand stores down on Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles. On the label of the brown one it says: sold exclusively by Ro and a small label is sewn across the rest saying KIP OLSSON. So if you are reading this Kip it means you are still alive. Congratulations.The hat I love very much. It looks like a hat a baseball player or boxer would wear back in the earlier part of the 20th Century. Slip on shoes from Ed Hardy were purchased from the Ed Hardy shop in the Beverly Centre on La Cienega in Los Angeles.

The Dasmarca hat works well with my new Ted Baker shirt and waistcoat(vest).'Sea Shepherd' tattoo designed by yours truly and executed by Colly Bop Ink of Hereford.Facial hair ever changing once again by yours truly.

PRETENDERMC

Hello Ladies and Gentleman's.
          I am currently trying to resurrect my website PRETENDERMC. This will hold the archive of my first 50 years in Rock and Roll. I'm sure the second 50 years will be even more interesting.
the first thing I plan to do on my new PRETENDERMC site is to show examples of the photographs I took in the 70's and 80's with the Pretenders on the road and otherwise.
  There are some very 'special' pictures from the Brass in Pocket Video Shoot in 1979.
At the moment management is contacting me with regard to a Pretenders tour that will be announced very soon. I have no more detailed information to share with you at present but will pass on anything I'm allowed to share as I hear it.
 I know its been 7 years or so since we last toured so I am sure we will continue into 2017 and beyond.
 I am currently finishing my book THE LAST PRETENDER so the process can begin to arrange the pictures and put it into print ready for release early in the New Year.

   I look forward to seeing you all . . .

Regards from Martin on a very Sunny Day in Herefordshire.