Chrissie Hynde singer with the Pretenders talks about drugs, the environment and the meat industry.
The Pretenders were in Dublin to support U2 at Croke Park on the Joshua Tree tour on 28 June 1987. Ahead of the concert, Chrissie Hynde spoke to Dave Fanning at the Gresham Hotel.
They've been touring as the main guests of U2 in Europe this summer.
The Pretenders' self-titled debut album was released in 1979 and reached number one in the UK album charts. A few years after the release of their debut, two of the original members of the Pretenders, bass player Pete Farndon and guitarist James Honeyman-Scott were dead as a result of drugs. Chrissie Hynde now describes the association of drugs with rock 'n' roll as "old hat" and not very interesting.
I think the myth of sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll is just like boring now.
She views drugs as self-indulgent at a time when there are bigger issues going on in the world. She is more interested in problems facing our environment, damage to the ozone layer and the meat industry.
We're not going to have anything to breathe in a couple of more years if we don't put some things right.
Chrissie Hynde stopped eating meat at the age of 17 and describes meat eating as unnecessary, cruel and unhealthy. She plans to do everything she can to educate people about eating meat.
I think the practice of meat eating should be illegal.
She is also critical of the vocabulary used by the meat industry which refers to a slaughterhouse as a meat plant or a meat factory.
This episode of 'Visual Eyes' was broadcast on 17 July 1987. The presenter is Dave Fanning.
'Visual Eyes' was a series on topics such as visual arts and media and included studio performances from bands.
