Preparing to interview Chrissie Hynde is an exercise of mental and verbal conditioning, like getting ready for a heavyweight title fight when your best credentials come from the middleweight division.

Her reputation rests on such sterling adjectives as moody, contrary, angry and uncooperative. Those she's chatted with say she has the disposition of Godzilla. Something as simple as "How's the weather?" could be enough to put a premature end to the conversation.