PRETENDERS - TRAGEDIES GAVE THE PRETENDERS MUSICAL LONGEVITY

THE PRETENDERS star CHRISSIE HYNDE credits the deaths of former bandmates PETE FARNDON and JAMES HONEYMAN-SCOTT for the rock group's longevity. The singer insists the BRASS IN POCKET group was never destined for a 25-year career in music, but the tragedies gave her and those who came after the deceased the will to fight on through difficult times. Hynde says, "Ironically, the secret of my longevity - if you can call it that - is that I would never have been in a band for this long if it had just been the four of us. It would not have lasted 25 years. We would have burned ourselves out. "But Pete and Jimmy died so early, and then I kept finding guys who had been inspired by them. It's just the way things worked out."