Faces of the week

Our new look at some of the faces which have made the news this week, including Chrissie Hynde (main picture) and, clockwise from top left, George Best, Compay Segundo, Michelangelo's David, and Beyonce.

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CHRISSIE HYNDE

"I've got a big mouth," says rock singer Chrissie Hynde, and a Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant has just been subjected to its full volume as she took part in an animal rights protest in Paris. Newspapers around the world pictured her arrest - she was later fined - but for once, the woman who loathes publicity wasn't shunning it, writes Chris Jones.

Her voice is loud and clear in the cause of Greenpeace and vegetarianism, or ranting about today's female chart stars: "They just stick their tits out like builders' cleavage."

But the 52-year-old rock chick insists: "I'm not interested in Chrissie Hynde the personality. I find it embarrassing," she says. "I just want to play guitar and be in a great band."

As far as I'm concerned, rock's not about sex and drugs or gender, but about freedom, truth and self-expression

Always has done, ever since she was 16 in Akron, Ohio, and developed an abiding devotion to rock music as she listened to AM music stations from around America.

"I never went to a dance, I never went out on a date. It became pretty awful for me," she recalled. "Except, of course, I could go see bands, and that was the kick."

She took up the baritone ukulele and began writing songs.

At Kent State University, she took part in the demonstration against the Vietnam War which ended with National Guardsmen shooting four students dead.

But she didn't complete her fine arts degree and took off for London when she was 21. There was no instant success.

Breaking heart

She worked as a freelance writer for the New Musical Express, although "practically illiterate," and with Malcolm McLaren and Vivienne Westwood in their King's Road boutique.

"But my heart was breaking, I wanted to be in a band so bad."

Several ventures with punk outfits failed until, in 1978, she met the bass player Pete Farndon, and the guitarist James Honeyman-Scott, who, Hynde said, was "oozing with melody".

When they were joined by drummer Martin Chambers, the Pretenders were born and their first album, Brass in Pocket, went to Number One.

Farndon and Honeyman-Scott both died of drugs overdoses in the early 1980s, and Hynde herself has had first-hand experience of the problem, which she says poses its biggest threat on the road.

"It's very difficult to unwind after the excitement of being on stage."

Along the way there have been men in her life. She has a daughter from her stormy relationship with Ray Davies of the Kinks, and another girl by her first husband, Jim Kerr of Simple Minds. Her second husband is a Colombian artist, Lucho Brieva.

Frankly, I don't give a f*** if you buy my records... I'm just trying to do enough to get by

She took several years out to bring up her daughters, now adults themselves, but Chrissie Hynde would find it difficult to give up her career for good, "at least while Tina Turner's still out there".

Always the ringleader of the Pretenders, whose line-up has changed several times, she is dedicated to their original sound and has never considered going solo: "I couldn't do it on my own."

She finds singing "a great joy," even though she insists she still "hates" the sound of her voice. Hynde always wanted to be a hard-rocker, and the lyrics of some of her songs have a raw edge, but if she sounds melodious it's because she can't help it.

Chrissie Hynde has never been one to compromise for the sake of commercial appeal. Future ambitions? "I've never had any. I enjoy being a bum and goofing off."

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GEORGE BEST Former soccer legend George Best was arrested this week following a scuffle at his local pub where he'd been on a drinking binge. This didn't go down well with many potential organ donors since Best had been given a life-saving liver transplant last year on the strength of his going on the wagon for good. To placate his long-suffering wife, Alex, he has bought her a new Mercedes car at a cool £53,000, a much more enjoyable wagon to get aboard. Full story

COMPAY SEGUNDO The legendary Cuban musician, Compay Segundo, died this week at the age of 95. The singer and guitarist came to worldwide prominence in Ry Cooder's 1997 album Buena Vista Social Club. Segundo had given up music for a job in the cigar industry. His rediscovery in his 90s earned him worldwide acclaim. "The flowers of life come to everyone," he said, "One has to be ready not to miss them." Full story

BEYONCE Beyonce "celebrated" the lives of two famous men. Hosting Nelson Mandela's 85th birthday tribute on MTV caused no problems for the singer, who's been topping the charts with her single, Crazy in Love. But dancing on the tomb of Ulysses S Grant, America's 18th president, during a 4 July concert, was considered a breach of decorum by the president of the Monument's Association. Or a grave error? Full story

MICHELANGELO'S DAVID A full frontal male nude hit the front pages this week. Michelangelo's David has a 500th birthday coming up and needs a clean. But a row has broken out in Italy over whether or not to use water. 39 international art experts have demanded David remain dirty until an independent commission decides on the preferred cleaning method. He hasn't had a wash since 1843. Full story