Chrissie Hynde

Chrissie Hynde
September 7, 1951
Akron, Ohio

This triple Virgo has always known exactly what she wanted.

'Look, as long as we can make records and sell enough so we can do some shows, that's all I want. You know what? I just want to play guitar and be in a band. Same as I always did.'

Chrissie Hynde's Tarot Reading

Standing at Number 7 on VH1's list of the 100 Greatest Women of Rock 'n' Roll, Chrissie Hynde is lead singer, guitarist and song writer for The Pretenders. In 1970 she was at Kent State University in Ohio when several students were shot and killed by United States National Guard troops during a protest against the war in Vietnam. Chrissie dropped out of college, played in a band called Jack Rabbit for a while and then headed for London and the mushrooming punk rock explosion. She wrote reviews for the New Musical Express and by 1978 had started her own band, The Pretenders. In 1980 they put out their first album and scored a hit with 'Brass in Pocket,' a song better known by its lyrics than by its title:

Gonna use my arms
Gonna use my legs
Gonna use my style
Gonna use my sidestep
Gonna use my fingers
Gonna use my, my my imagination

'Cause I gonna make you see
There's nobody else here
No one like me
I'm special so special
I gotta have some of your attention
Give it to me!

Tragedy struck in 1982 when two of the band members died. The Pretenders kept playing with a variety of different musicians, making Chrissie Hynde one of only a handful of female punk rock artists to achieve widespread success.

Known also for her ardent support of animal rights, on July 27, 2005 she posted the following message online: 'Any commission we receive from purchases made through the Buy Music link from September 1 until October 31 will be donated to Noahswish.org, a non-profit organization whose sole mission is to rescue animals during disasters. This is for any purchase made at CDUniverse through the link on our site.'

With her Sun in Virgo, Chrissie Hynde is modest and humble at heart, rarely striving to be in a position of power. She has a sharp, analytical mind, a keen eye for detail and prefers to observe and study life from a distance. She can be relied upon to be efficient and thorough in her work, as she takes pride in doing a job well. What she may lack in self-confidence she makes up for in skill -- developing expertise, technical knowledge and competency in her specialized areas. Meticulous attention to detail and careful craftsmanship are her forte. Some would say she is a little too meticulous, for she can be extremely critical if everything is not done exactly as she thinks it should be. She worries about matters that others might consider trivial and unimportant. She likes to organize everything into logical systems, and is distinctly uncomfortable when something does not fit into a category. Disorganization aggravates her. She probably wishes that she were not such a perfectionist, for besides being a stickler for detail, she can be mercilessly self-critical as well. Whether in her environment or in herself, she tends to focus on the flaws, driven to improve, refine and perfect. She is scrupulously honest in her self-estimation, and often does not give herself enough praise or credit.

She is highly discriminating and may be especially particular about her diet and health habits. An outspoken, passionate vegetarian, she is an active member of PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) and helped set up PETA headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia. With high aesthetic standards and refined sensitivities, she is likely to be bothered by elements in her surroundings such as cigarette smoke. Her tastes are simple and understated, but refined. Coarseness and vulgarity genuinely offend her. She can be difficult to live with sometimes because of her fastidiousness, sensitivity and idiosyncrasies about food and cleanliness.

Though she seems rather cool and self-contained, she has a very helpful nature and enjoys serving others. For instance, in 2003, The Pretenders played the BBC's yearly Children in Need benefit. She is content to be in a supportive role and is quietly devoted to the ones she cares for. She is cautious and practical in her approach to life. Disinclined to gamble, she analyzes before she acts. She can be too serious at times. Allowing herself to play and to make a few mistakes would be healthy for her. Sun conjunct Venus means that she tends to see things from her perspective only and to be rather subjective. She enjoys talking and expressing her views but she doesn't always listen as well. She has a clear mind, a love of learning and new experiences, and needs constant mental stimulation and activity. Sun quincunx Jupiter suggests that she occasionally gambles, splurges, or overextends herself in ways that may be at odds with her usual way of doing things. Overstressing her accomplishments or spending too much in order to impress others and build up her own self-esteem could be a problem. However, she also has faith and an optimistic side, which enables her to recover from the negative consequences of her excesses, and to learn from them. Sun sextile Uranus makes her a true original. She radiates an electrical excitement about things she is interested in, and conveys this to others. However she gets bored rather quickly and doesn't mind being a bit unusual or breaking a few rules.

With Mercury in Virgo she is a perfectionist with a clear, logical mind and an aptitude for work that requires meticulous attention to detail and efficient organization. Well-grounded and pragmatic, she tends to develop specialized skills and technical expertise. Knowledge, ideas and theories don't really interest her unless they are useful in a tangible way. Her strengths are in her precise thinking, careful craftsmanship, and mastery of technical skills. She tends to be very good at what she does and critical of others' work if it doesn't meet her high standards.

Mercury conjunct Venus ensures that she appreciates aesthetics and has a fine sense of form, design and beauty. She could develop considerable skill as an artist, designer, craftsman or creative writer. She has the ability to please and harmonize well with others and tends to ameliorate relationships between people. Her sense of humor, tact and personal charm are of great benefit in any work with people on a one-to-one level.

Mercury conjunct Sun/Pluto indicates that she knows what she wants to accomplish and strives to have a superior intellect. She is a convincing speaker with the ability to influence others. But she pushes herself tirelessly and tends to overstrain her nerves. In March of 2006, she published a statement regarding her 'retirement:' 'I think I said I am real tired but maybe I was so tired that it sounded like I'm retired. I often think about leaving everything and spending the rest of my days on a beach somewhere, but then who doesn't? When I said this is our last show in Atlantic City I meant this is the last show of this tour.'

Venus in Virgo promises that she is quietly devoted and faithful to her loved ones, and often becomes a kind of servant to her partner. She is more comfortable showing love by doing something for someone, making something for them, or simply being there for them -- as she describes in the song 'I'll Stand By You.'

Oh, why you look so sad? The tears are in your eyes
Come on and come to me now
But don't be ashamed to cry, let me see you through
'Cause I've been in the dark side too
When the night falls on you, and you don't know what to do
Nothing you confess, could make me love you less.

I'll stand by you, I'll stand by you
Won't let nobody hurt you, I'll stand by you.

Hesitant about expressing too much sentiment or emotion, she may also doubt her own worthiness to receive love and appreciation. This is another feeling she put to music in the song, 'Show Me.'

Show me the meaning of the word
Show me the meaning of the word
'Cause I've heard so much about it
They say, 'Hey, you can't live without it'

Welcome to the human race
With its wars, disease and brutality
You with your innocence and grace
Restore some pride and dignity
To a world in decline.

Welcome to a special place
In a heart of stone that's cold and gray
You with your angel face
Keep the despair at bay
Send it away, and

Show me the meaning of the word
Show me the meaning of the word
'Cause I've heard so much about it
I don't want to live without it
I don't want to live without it
Oh, I want love
I want love
I want love.

In 1984, she married Jim Kerr. They have a daughter, Yasmin Kerr, who is an actress. Chrissie and Jim were divorced in 1990. In 1997 she married Lucho Brieva. They were divorced in 2003. She and The Kinks' Ray Davies have a daughter, Natalie Rae Hynde, who studied English Literature at the University of London.

Venus conjunct Sun/Mercury indicates that she is strongly attracted to the opposite sex and her relationships tend to be harmonious. She probably married for love and will remain friends with her partners. The atmosphere in her family life is affectionate and protective. However, Venus conjunct Mars/Saturn suggests that it may be hard for her to express her love. There seems to be a wall built up between her and others and she may seem rather cool to them. Her disposition is very reserved and withdrawn, making it difficult for people to approach her. With Saturn in Libra she takes personal relationships so seriously that they may seem more like work than a free and enjoyable sharing, and she enters into any close relationship cautiously.

With Mars in Leo she is proud and ambitious, and she strives to excel, to stand out and be recognized for who and what she is. She has a very strong ego drive and likes to be Number One. She finds it difficult to take orders from others or to stay in the background -- and she hates being wrong. She is strong, energetic, determined and highly competitive. She plays hard, she plays to win, and she does not give up easily. In fact, she sees life as a competitive sport or performance. She loves admiration and applause, and has a strong sense of personal honor and integrity. She tends to be very self-confident. Because of her belief in herself, she is able to accomplish much, but if her confidence is ever undermined, she can become self-conscious, defensive and even belligerent.

Mars trine Jupiter reiterates that her self-confidence and vitality are strong and she believes she can do just about anything she wants to. She has an enterprising spirit, a good sense of timing and the ability to sense what will succeed and what won't. She usually makes fortunate decisions in work or business activities. She enjoys healthy competition and has a rather playful, good-humored attitude toward it. She mostly competes with herself to see how far she can go and how much she can accomplish. She likes to keep stretching her limits. Mars conjunct Sun/Uranus suggests that patience is not one of her virtues and she does what needs to be done impetuously and hastily, leading to a potential for accidents. She also has a streak of rebellion in her that could cause disputes with those around her.

With Jupiter in Aries she believes strongly in the power of positive thinking and in each individual's ability to achieve anything in life through their own initiative and effort. The more she relies on herself, the better she feels, and she finds it difficult to ask for or accept outside help. The joy of competing and especially winning runs deep in her. Jupiter square Uranus reveals that she is great at stirring up excitement and enthusiasm, and others enjoy her company. N. Node opposition Sun/Venus reiterates that she has a kind, helpful and obliging nature. She is very social, enjoys talking with people and, of course, loves to entertain. In 1985, the Pretenders performed at the Live Aid benefit concert. The show took place simultaneously in the United States and the United Kingdom and was broadcast worldwide. In 1995, at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio, they played Neil Young's 'Needle And The Damage Done,' as well as their own hit, 'My City Was Gone.'

I went back to Ohio
But my city was gone
There was no train station
There was no downtown
South Howard had disappeared
All my favorite places
My city had been pulled down
Reduced to parking spaces
A, O, way to go Ohio.