My encounter with Chrissie Hynde was on February 5, 1982 at West Chester State College in West Chester, Pennsylvania. The show was held in a relatively small hall with excellent seating and sound, making it an unforgettable experience.
I can still remember watching Chrissie wailing on stage while Martin Chambers slammed the drums behind her. Whether it was intentional or meant to keep Martin from overheating, the drum heads repeatedly filled with water—releasing a giant splash every time he struck them.
The band featured the original lineup: Chrissie Hynde (vocals, guitar), James Honeyman-Scott (guitar, vocals, keyboards), Martin Chambers (drums), and Pete Farndon (bass, vocals).
After the show, we learned the band was staying at a motel about a mile away. We drove over and waited outside. Most of the band arrived—except James Honeyman-Scott. He had jumped out of a moving limousine and disappeared. He wasn’t found until the next day, unharmed. Tragically, on June 16, 1982, he was found dead from a cocaine overdose.
When the band arrived, Martin and Pete headed into the motel lounge for drinks. Chrissie went to her room, which had a door facing the parking lot. There, she graciously stood in her doorway and talked with us for quite some time—laughing, sharing stories about life on the road, and joking about her missing guitar player.