Chrissie Hynde remembered The Pretenders' late members Pete Farndon and James Honeyman-Scott and said she feels guilty over their deaths.
The Pretenders extend their legacy even after the deaths of two of their bandmates decades ago. This year, they performed at the Glastonbury Festival 2023 and worked with Guns N' Roses for the BST Hyde Park in London.
Chrissie Hynde Speaks Candidly About The Pretenders Late Bandmates
Chrissie Hynde let out all her feelings in her interview with Record Collector magazine and said that she feels guilty for failing to help the musicians with their drug habits.
"It's not a big word if you are guilty," the musician said. "It's big if you feel guilty and you're not guilty. But if you really are guilty, then you should put your hand up and say, 'Guilty as charged.'"
According to Hynde, she had to replace Farndon and Honeyman-Scott after their tragic deaths, so playing with the band feels like it became a tribute group.
To honor her Honeyman-Scott, she dedicated the band's single "Back On the Chain Gang" in 1982 to him as The Pretenders still rehearsed it with him prior to his death.
The band will release a new album, "Relentless," on Friday, September 15, before it marks gigs in Liverpool and Kingston Upon Thames.
How Did Pete Farndon and James Honeyman-Scott Die?
Borth Farndon and Honeyman-Scott in the 1980s due to drug-related causes.
Farndon, The Pretenders' founding bassist, died on April 14, 1983, after drowning in his bathtub when he lost consciousness following an apparent heroin binge. He became the first member Hynde recruited for the band but was asked to leave in 1982 due to his excessive drug use.
Meanwhile, Honeyman-Scott was only 25 when he died from heart failure caused by cocaine intolerance. His remains were later buried at St. Peter's Church's churchyard in Lyde, Herefordshire.
In an interview in 2017, drummer Martin Chambers reflected on Honeyman-Scott's death and noted that there were theories surrounding his passing.
"When your time's up, your time's up," he continued. "Yes it was drugs of course that pushed it over the edge, but you wouldn't describe Jimmy as a real drug addict."
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