Chrissie Hynde Has Her Priorities In Place

07/24/2000 7:00 AM, Yahoo! Music
Craig Rosen

(7/24/00, 7 a.m. ET) - The Pretenders are getting ready to hit the road in support of Neil Young, but that isn't an all-consuming prospect for lead singer Chrissie Hynde.

Hynde, who's fronted the band for two decades, knows how important music is, but she also has her priorities straight. She explained her sense of balance to LAUNCH. "This is, like, my hobby," she said. "I mean, I take it seriously and everything, but you know, I just feel like a guy that goes out on the weekends to watch birds, you know? Take my binoculars away, you know, and it would break my heart. You know, I think a hobby is real important to people, if it's the thing you love the most. It can't take over your life. And I don't want to be glib about it, you know? I think this [music] is fantastic, and I make my living out of it, and it's my life's work and everything, you know? But I have to keep it in perspective, 'cause I've got. . .you know, I'm like a responsible mother and stuff."

The first date on the Pretenders/Neil Young tour is August 8 at the Virginia Beach Amphitheatre in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

-- Gary Graff, Detroit and Bruce Simon, New York

Got news tips, comments, or questions? Send them to newstips@launch.com.