“His death was such a shock. I met him before he joined the Pretenders – he had actually talked to me about playing with the band”: How the Pretenders emerged from tragedy with new guitarist Robbie McIntosh

The Pretenders live in 1984: (left to right) Malcolm Foster, Chrissie Hynde, Robbie McIntosh and Martin Chambers.

The start of the the 1980s saw the dazzling rise of the Pretenders. Led by American expat Chrissie Hynde, the dynamic British rock ’n’ roll quartet issued a one-two punch of albums, Pretenders (1980) and Pretenders II (1981), that featured memorable hits such as Stop Your Sobbing, Brass in Pocket, Kid, and Talk of the Town.

A former rock critic, Hynde quickly established herself as a crafty songwriter and a captivating singer, and she was aided by an ace band that included drummer Martin Chambers, bassist Pete Farndon, and the immensely gifted guitarist, James Honeyman-Scott.