Chrissie Hynde feels “responsible” over the deaths of her Pretenders bandmates.
The 72-year-old rock star shot to fame within the Seventies band however admitted all these years later that she “didn’t discourage” the drug-taking that led to the demise of bandmates Pete Farndon, who died in 1983 on the age of 30, or James Honeyman-Scott, who handed away a yr earlier on the age of simply 25.
She informed Report Collector Journal: “I’m responsible. It is not a giant phrase if you’re responsible. It is large in the event you really feel responsible and you are not responsible. However in the event you actually are responsible, then it’s best to put your hand up and say, ‘Responsible as charged’. Properly, I did not discourage the drug-taking, and I used to be a part of it. So, you recognize, not that I used to be their mom, and we went on the highway, and it was very hardcore, and I used to be having issues with Pete – so, maybe not responsible, however there’s a component of wishing you’d carried out higher. Since Pete and Jimmy died and since I’ve needed to change folks, it is now type of like a Pretenders tribute band, named The Pretenders.”
The ‘Again on the Chain Gang’ hitmakers are nonetheless collectively at the moment, though the present lineup contains bassist Nick Wilkinson, lead guitarist James Walbourne, pedal metal guitarist Eric Heywood and keyboardist Carwyn Ellis alongside Chrissie.
Whereas Chrissie nonetheless regards drummer Martin Chambers as a member of the band,however she seen he was “struggling” to carry out at a memorial live performance for late Foo Fighters star Taylor Hawkins – who died in 2022 on the age of fifty – and admitted she is “nervous” to place him again on the highway once more.
She mentioned: “When Taylor Hawkins died, we had Martin come to play with us on this tribute [concert at Wembley, organised by Dave Grohl]. I might inform Martin was struggling after three actually bombastic songs. I do not really feel it is essentially proper, speaking about him behind his again right here, however I do have to elucidate it from a musical fan viewpoint. It is not like I’ve retired Martin, however I am a bit nervous about him on the highway, as a result of he is had some well being points, and seeing Taylor go that means at a a lot youthful age.”
