Chrissie Hynde wants fans to know that when she doesn’t stop to say hi to them, it’s nothing personal.
The Pretenders frontwoman shared a post on Facebook following the end of their current run of shows, which included opening for Guns N’ Roses and Pretenders club dates. In it, she explained why she's stopped chatting with fans.
“I want to apologize for not stopping to say hello outside the venues. I used to, but certain individuals have made it too much brain damage to deal with,” she writes. “It’s not you lovely fans - it’s the guys with stacks of albums and guitars they want signed. (Personally , I appreciate a good scam, but c’mon! How cheap),” adding, “You would not believe how entitled some people think they are. Aggressive? Don’t get me started.”
Hynde also says she doesn’t like “being recognized or approached in public.”
“Why? Because I like doing ordinary things like walking around on my own on the street, or shopping, or going to museums and whatnot. Exploring cities,” she explains. “That’s why I do this, the music is a byproduct of wanting to see the world.”
She adds, “So I would like to say to those that make it a problem, ''Go f*** yourselves - and do it today'! (Thank you Robert Crumb for coining that excellent phrase ).”
Next up for Pretenders, they're set to release their new album Relentless on Friday, September 15. They also have more concert dates on their schedule, with the next U.S. show happening October 1 at the Ohana Festival in Dana Point, California. A complete list of dates can be found at thepretenders.com