January 10

Source: The Australian

January 10, 2004

Hynde sight
By Iain Shedden

Excerpt:
An ability to deal with low budgets is something Hynde shares with another touring singer, albeit one who could fly to his gigs in a private jet if he felt like it. She met Russell Crowe last year through the offices of their record company in the US, Artimus Records. There followed a brief period of mutual admiration. ("I think he is one of the best actors out. Fortunately I didn't have to think of him as an actor, so I didn't get intimidated by it." Hynde then agreed to record a song with Crowe's side project (one he takes extremely seriously), the band 30 Odd Foot of Grunts.

Her vocals appear on Never Be Alone Again, one of the tracks on the Grunts' CD Other Ways of Speaking. It's one of the best songs on what is a technically proficient but otherwise unremarkable recording. Crowe, of course, is on a hiding to nothing given his superstar status and Hynde says she has sympathy for him - and the rest of his band - given their circumstances.

"It's not an easy gig to have Russell Crowe as your lead singer," she says. "But when I met him I related to him as a music person. I found him extremely personable. Real friendly. And he has a beautiful voice."

Given Hynde's status in that department, Crowe would no doubt be pleased with her assessment. Perhaps the two will get the chance to duet again down Coffs Harbour way when the Pretenders arrive next month. The rest of us can look forward to seeing one of rock's best and most alluring vocalists, one still at the top of her game.