11804 - TOM PETTY AND THE HEARTBREAKERS - ''PLAYBACK'' 1973-93, DISC SIX: ''NOBODY'S CHILDREN'' (1995) (REPOST)
TOM PETTY AND THE HEARTBREAKERS
''''PLAYBACK'' 1973-93, DISC SIX - ''NOBODY'S CHILDREN''''
NOVEMBER 20 1995
313:52
**********
DISC ONE
1 Breakdown 2:42 (Luther Campbell, Tom Petty)
2 American Girl 3:33 (Tom Petty)
3 Hometown Blues 2:12 (Tom Petty)
4 Anything That's Rock & Roll 2:24 (Tom Petty)
5 I Need to Know 2:24 (Tom Petty)
6 Listen to Her Heart 3:03 (Tom Petty)
7 When the Time Comes 2:45 (Tom Petty)
8 Too Much Ain't Enough 2:57 (Tom Petty)
9 No Second Thoughts 2:39 (Tom Petty)
10 Baby's a Rock & Roller 2:52 (Mike Campbell, Tom Petty)
11 Refugee 3:22 (Mike Campbell, Tom Petty)
12 Here Comes My Girl 4:25 (Mike Campbell, Tom Petty)
13 Even the Losers 3:59 (Tom Petty)
14 Shadow of a Doubt (A Complex Kid) 4:25 (Tom Petty)
15 Don't Do Me Like That 2:42 (Tom Petty)
16 The Waiting 3:59 (Tom Petty)
17 A Woman in Love (It's Not Me) 4:24 (Mike Campbell, Tom Petty)
18 Something Big 4:44 (Tom Petty)
19 A Thing About You 3:32 (Tom Petty)
20 Insider 4:23 (Tom Petty)
21 You Can Still Change Your Mind 4:16 (Mike Campbell, Tom Petty)
*****
DISC TWO
1 You Got Lucky 3:36 (Mike Campbell, Tom Petty)
2 Change of Heart 3:19 (Tom Petty)
3 Straight into Darkness 3:47 (Tom Petty)
4 The Same Old You 3:30 (Mike Campbell, Tom Petty)
5 Rebels 5:19 (Tom Petty)
6 Don't Come Around Here No More 5:05 (Tom Petty, Dave Stewart)
7 Southern Accents 4:44 (Tom Petty)
8 Make It Better (Forget About Me) 4:23 (Tom Petty, Dave Stewart)
9 The Best of Everything 4:03 (Tom Petty)
10 So You Want to Be a Rock & Roll Star 3:30 (Chris Hillman, Roger McGuinn)
11 Don't Bring Me Down 3:52 (Gerry Goffin, Carole King, Jeff Lynne)
12 Jammin' Me 4:08 (Mike Campbell, Bob Dylan, Tom Petty)
13 It'll All Work Out 3:11 (Tom Petty)
14 Mike's Life/Mike's World 0:40 (Mike Campbell)
15 Think About Me 3:45 (Tom Petty)
16 A Self-Made Man 3:00 (Tom Petty)
*****
DISC THREE
1 Free Fallin' 4:16 (Jeff Lynne, Tom Petty)
2 I Won't Back Down 2:57 (Jeff Lynne, Tom Petty)
3 Love Is a Long Road 4:08 (Mike Campbell, Tom Petty)
4 Runnin Down a Dream 4:23 (Mike Campbell, Jeff Lynne, Tom Petty)
5 Yer So Bad 3:06 (Jeff Lynne, Tom Petty)
6 Alright for Now 2:02 (Tom Petty)
7 Learning to Fly 4:03 (Jeff Lynne, Tom Petty)
8 Into the Great Wide Open 3:43 (Jeff Lynne, Tom Petty)
9 All or Nothin' 4:07 (Mike Campbell, Jeff Lynne, Tom Petty)
10 Out in the Cold 3:41 (Jeff Lynne, Tom Petty)
11 Built to Last 3:58 (Jeff Lynne, Tom Petty)
12 Mary Jane's Last Dance 4:33 (Tom Petty)
13 Christmas All over Again 4:15 (Tom Petty)
*****
DISC FOUR
1 Casa Dega 3:37 (Mike Campbell, Tom Petty)
2 Heartbreakers Beach Party 1:57 (Tom Petty)
3 Trailer 3:15 (Tom Petty)
4 Cracking Up 3:34 (Nick Lowe)
5 Psychotic Reaction 4:49 (Craig "Butch" Atkinson, John Byrne, Roy Chaney, Kenn Ellner, John Michalski)
6 I'm Tired Joey Boy 3:42 (Van Morrison)
7 Lonely Weekends 2:47 (Charlie Rich)
8 Gator on the Lawn 1:35 (Tom Petty)
9 Make That Connection 5:04 (Tom Petty)
10 Down the Line 2:53 (Mike Campbell, Jeff Lynne, Tom Petty)
11 Peace in L.A. 4:43 (Tom Petty)
12 It's Rainin' Again 1:32 (Tom Petty)
13 Somethin' Else 2:05 (Eddie Cochran, Sharon Sheeley)
14 I Don't Know What to Say to You 2:28 (Tom Petty)
15 King's Highway 3:30 (Tom Petty)
*****
DISC FIVE
1 On the Street 2:10 (Benmont Tench)
2 Depot Street 3:26 (Tom Petty)
3 Cry to Me 3:06 (Bert Russell)
4 Don't Do Me Like That 2:47 (Tom Petty)
5 I Can't Fight It 3:00 (Tom Petty)
6 Since You Said You Loved Me 4:40 (Tom Petty)
7 Louisiana Rain 4:22 (Tom Petty)
8 Keeping Me Alive 2:59 (Tom Petty)
9 Turning Point 2:52 (Tom Petty)
10 Stop Draggin' My Heart Around 4:11 (Mike Campbell, Tom Petty)
11 The Apartment Song 2:37 (The Clarks, Tom Petty)
12 Big Boss Man 2:41 (Luther Dixon, Al Smith)
13 The Image of Me 2:33 (Harlan Howard, Wayne Kemp, Buck Ram)
14 Moon Pie 1:05 (Tom Petty)
15 The Damage You've Done 3:16 (Tom Petty)
*****
DISC SIX
1 Got My Mind Made Up 2:51 (Tom Petty)
2 Ways to Be Wicked 3:27 (Mike Campbell, Tom Petty)
3 Can't Get Her Out 3:11 (Tom Petty)
4 Waiting for Tonight 3:30 (Tom Petty)
5 Travelin' 3:15 (Tom Petty)
6 Baby Let's Play House 2:33 (Arthur Neal Gunter)
7 Wooden Heart 2:09 (Bert Kaempfert, Kay Twomey, Ben Weisman, Fred Wise)
8 God's Gift to Man 4:18 (Tom Petty)
9 You Get Me High 2:48 (Tom Petty)
10 Come on Down to My House 3:05 (Tom Petty)
11 You Come Through 5:15 (Mike Campbell, Tom Petty)
12 Up in Mississippi Tonight 3:28 (Tom Petty)
**********
REVIEW/AMG
William Ruhlmann
Coming along in 1976, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers were part of a movement back to basic, pop-oriented rock & roll that has proven to be the most lasting legacy of a decade otherwise given over to such stylistic flameouts as disco and punk. Never getting too mellow to be mistaken for a sensitive singer/songwriter or rocking too hard to be thought of as a heavy metallurgist, Petty spun out a series of mid-tempo hits patterned on Bob Dylan's classic Blonde on Blonde sound, in which the guitars play off the keyboards while the singer sings lyrics steeped in attitude in a high nasal whine. No wonder the Heartbreakers spent part of the '80s backing Dylan. Petty's only musical development occurred upon his encountering former Electric Light Orchestra leader Jeff Lynne, who helped write and produce his later records, updating them to the Sgt. Pepper's pop sound of 1967. Of course, the consequence of Petty & the Heartbreakers' affection for the music of the mid-'60s was that, in essence, they were a singles band, a fact driven home on the first three CDs or cassettes of this six-CD or cassette box set. Even when abbreviating each of their first nine studio albums to four-to-six cuts (and throwing in a few stray tunes from the live album, the hits album, and a Christmas compilation), the songs break down into the hits and the also-rans. To be fair, there are quite a few of the former, 23 singles-chart entries (22 of them here), in fact, and some of the latter are could-have-beens. And since Petty is more a song maker (or, more precisely, a track cutter) than an album artist, his work is more amenable to compilation. Still, three discs are more than enough, and then come three more discs of rarities and outtakes. The first of these contains non-LP B-sides, most of which are pleasant throwaways (the drummer singing "Psychotic Reaction," etc.), though one, "Trailer," suggests that Petty's failed concept album, Southern Accents, could have been a more of a success if it had been included. The last two discs present early and alternate histories of Petty, as his pre-Heartbreakers group, Mudcrutch, searches for a sound and, later, as he tries out different approaches that never made it onto his regular albums. Some of this material will be of interest to hardcore Petty fans. To justify the length and price of the box, however, there would have to be real lost treasures here, and Tom Petty simply is no Bob Dylan. Not surprisingly, then, Playback is a box set that would have been twice as good at half the size, though it can be thought of as economical in the sense that it can be purchased in lieu of buying Petty's entire 1976-1993 MCA catalog.
**********
BIOGRAPHY/AMG
Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Upon the release of their first album in the late '70s, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers were shoehorned into the punk/new wave movement by some observers who picked up on the tough, vibrant energy of the group's blend of Byrds riffs and Stonesy swagger. In a way, the categorization made sense. Compared to the heavy metal and art rock that dominated mid-'70s guitar rock, the Heartbreakers' bracing return to roots was nearly as unexpected as the crashing chords of the Clash. As time progressed, it became clear that the band didn't break from tradition like their punk contemporaries. Instead, they celebrated it, culling the best parts of the British Invasion, American garage rock, and Dylanesque singer/songwriters to create a distinctively American hybrid that recalled the past without being indebted to it.
the Heartbreakers were a tight, muscular, and versatile backing band that provided the proper support for Petty's songs, which cataloged a series of middle-class losers and dreamers. While his slurred, nasal voice may have recalled Dylan and Roger McGuinn, Petty's songwriting was lean and direct, recalling the simple, unadorned style of Neil Young. Throughout his career, Petty & the Heartbreakers never departed from their signature rootsy sound, but they were able to expand it, bringing in psychedelic, Southern rock, and new wave influences; they were also one of the few of the traditionalist rock & rollers who embraced music videos, filming some of the most inventive and popular videos in MTV history. His willingness to experiment with the boundaries of classic rock & roll helped Petty sustain his popularity well into the '90s.
Born and raised in northern Florida, Tom Petty began playing music while he was still in high school. At the age of 17, he dropped out of school to join Mudcrutch, which also featured guitarist Mike Campbell and keyboardist Benmont Tench. By 1970, Mudcrutch had moved to Los Angeles with hopes of finding a record contract. The fledgling Shelter Records, founded by Leon Russell and Denny Cordell, offered the group a contract. However, Mudcrutch splintered apart shortly after relocating to L.A. Cordell was willing to record Petty as a solo act, but the singer's reception to the idea was tentative. Over the next few years, Petty drifted through bands, eventually hooking back up with Campbell and Tench in 1975. At the time, the duo were working with bassist Ron Blair and drummer Stan Lynch; soon, Petty became involved with the band, which was then named the Heartbreakers. Petty was still under contract to Shelter, and the group assumed his deal, releasing Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers in 1976.
Initially, the band's debut was ignored in the United States, but when the group supported it in England with a tour opening for Nils Lofgren, the record began to take off. Within a few months, the band was headlining its own British tours and the album was in the U.K. Top 30. Prompted by the record's British success, Shelter pushed the album and the single "Breakdown" in the U.S., this time to success; "Breakdown" became a Top 40 hit and "American Girl" became an album-oriented radio staple. You're Gonna Get It, the Heartbreakers' second album, was released in 1978 and it became the group's first American Top 40 record. Petty & the Heartbreakers were poised to break into the big time when they ran into severe record company problems. Shelter's parent company, ABC Records, was bought by MCA Records, and Petty attempted to renegotiate his contract with the label. MCA was unwilling to meet most of his demands, and halfway through 1979, he filed for bankruptcy. Soon afterward, he settled into an agreement with MCA, signing with their subsidiary Backstreet Records. Released late in 1979, Damn the Torpedoes was his first release on Backstreet.
Damn the Torpedoes was Petty's breakthrough release, earning uniformly excellent reviews, generating the Top Ten hit "Don't Do Me Like That" and the number 15 "Refugee," and spending seven weeks at number two on the U.S. charts; it would eventually sell over two million copies. Though he was at a peak of popularity, Petty ran into record company trouble again when he and the Heartbreakers prepared to release Hard Promises, the 1981 follow-up to Damn the Torpedoes. MCA wanted to release the record at the list price of $9.98, which was a high price at the time. Petty refused to comply to their wishes, threatening to withhold the album from the label and organizing a fan protest that forced the company to release the record at $8.98. Hard Promises became a Top Ten hit, going platinum and spawning the hit single "The Waiting." Later that year, Petty produced Del Shannon's comeback album Drop Down and Get Me and wrote "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around" as a duet for himself and Stevie Nicks. Featured on her album Bella Donna, which was recorded with the Heartbreakers' support, "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around" became a number three hit. Petty & the Heartbreakers returned late in 1982 with Long After Dark, which became their third Top Ten album in a row. Following its release, bassist Ron Blair left the band and was replaced by Howie Epstein, who previously played with John Hiatt.
Petty & the Heartbreakers spent nearly three years making Southern Accents, the follow-up to Long After Dark. Hiring Eurythmics' Dave Stewart as a producer, the band attempted to branch out musically, reaching into new territories like soul, psychedelia, and new wave. However, the recording wasn't easy -- at its worst, Petty punched a studio wall and broke his left hand, reportedly in frustration over the mixing. Southern Accents was finally released in the spring of 1985, preceded by the neo-psychedelic single "Don't Come Around Here No More," which featured a popular, pseudo-Alice in Wonderland video. Southern Accents was another hit record, peaking at number seven and going platinum. Following its release, Petty & the Heartbreakers spent 1986 on tour as Bob Dylan's backing band. Dylan contributed to the lead single "Jammin' Me," from the Heartbreakers' next album, Let Me Up (I've Had Enough), which was released to mixed reviews in the spring of 1987. Just after the record's release, Petty's house and most of his belongings were destroyed by fire; he, his wife, and two daughters survived unscathed.
During 1988, Petty became a member of the supergroup the Traveling Wilburys, which also featured Dylan, George Harrison, Roy Orbison, and Jeff Lynne. The Wilburys released their first album at the end of 1988 and its sound became the blueprint for Petty's first solo effort, 1989's Full Moon Fever. Produced by Lynne and featuring the support of most of the Heartbreakers, Full Moon Fever became Petty's commercial pinnacle, reaching number three on the U.S. charts, going triple platinum, and generating the hit singles "I Won't Back Down," "Runnin' Down a Dream," and "Free Fallin'," which reached number seven. In 1990, he contributed to the Traveling Wilburys' second album, Vol. 3. Petty officially reunited with the Heartbreakers on Into the Great Wide Open, which was also produced by Jeff Lynne. Released in the spring of 1991, Into the Great Wide Open sustained the momentum of Full Moon Fever, earning strong reviews and going platinum.
Following the release of 1993's Greatest Hits, which featured two new tracks produced by Rick Rubin, including the Top 20 hit "Mary Jane's Last Dance," Petty left MCA for Warner Bros.; upon signing, it was revealed that he negotiated a $20 million deal in 1989. Drummer Stan Lynch left the Heartbreakers in 1994 as Petty was recording his second solo album with producer Rubin and many members of the Heartbreakers. Like Full Moon Fever before it, 1994's Wildflowers was greeted by enthusiastic reviews and sales, tying his previous solo album for his biggest-selling studio album. In addition to going triple platinum and peaking at number eight, the album spawned the hit singles "You Don't Know How It Feels," "You Wreck Me," and "It's Good to Be King." Petty & the Heartbreakers reunited in 1996 to record the soundtrack for the Edward Burns film She's the One. The resulting soundtrack album was a moderate hit, peaking at number 15 on the U.S. charts and going gold. Echo followed three years later. 2002 saw the release of The Last DJ, a scathing attack on the corporate greed inherent in the music business. It was followed in 2006 by Highway Companion. Mojo, credited to Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, appeared from Reprise Records in 2010.
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WEBSITE
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''''PLAYBACK'' 1973-93, DISC SIX - ''NOBODY'S CHILDREN''''
NOVEMBER 20 1995
313:52
**********
DISC ONE
1 Breakdown 2:42 (Luther Campbell, Tom Petty)
2 American Girl 3:33 (Tom Petty)
3 Hometown Blues 2:12 (Tom Petty)
4 Anything That's Rock & Roll 2:24 (Tom Petty)
5 I Need to Know 2:24 (Tom Petty)
6 Listen to Her Heart 3:03 (Tom Petty)
7 When the Time Comes 2:45 (Tom Petty)
8 Too Much Ain't Enough 2:57 (Tom Petty)
9 No Second Thoughts 2:39 (Tom Petty)
10 Baby's a Rock & Roller 2:52 (Mike Campbell, Tom Petty)
11 Refugee 3:22 (Mike Campbell, Tom Petty)
12 Here Comes My Girl 4:25 (Mike Campbell, Tom Petty)
13 Even the Losers 3:59 (Tom Petty)
14 Shadow of a Doubt (A Complex Kid) 4:25 (Tom Petty)
15 Don't Do Me Like That 2:42 (Tom Petty)
16 The Waiting 3:59 (Tom Petty)
17 A Woman in Love (It's Not Me) 4:24 (Mike Campbell, Tom Petty)
18 Something Big 4:44 (Tom Petty)
19 A Thing About You 3:32 (Tom Petty)
20 Insider 4:23 (Tom Petty)
21 You Can Still Change Your Mind 4:16 (Mike Campbell, Tom Petty)
*****
DISC TWO
1 You Got Lucky 3:36 (Mike Campbell, Tom Petty)
2 Change of Heart 3:19 (Tom Petty)
3 Straight into Darkness 3:47 (Tom Petty)
4 The Same Old You 3:30 (Mike Campbell, Tom Petty)
5 Rebels 5:19 (Tom Petty)
6 Don't Come Around Here No More 5:05 (Tom Petty, Dave Stewart)
7 Southern Accents 4:44 (Tom Petty)
8 Make It Better (Forget About Me) 4:23 (Tom Petty, Dave Stewart)
9 The Best of Everything 4:03 (Tom Petty)
10 So You Want to Be a Rock & Roll Star 3:30 (Chris Hillman, Roger McGuinn)
11 Don't Bring Me Down 3:52 (Gerry Goffin, Carole King, Jeff Lynne)
12 Jammin' Me 4:08 (Mike Campbell, Bob Dylan, Tom Petty)
13 It'll All Work Out 3:11 (Tom Petty)
14 Mike's Life/Mike's World 0:40 (Mike Campbell)
15 Think About Me 3:45 (Tom Petty)
16 A Self-Made Man 3:00 (Tom Petty)
*****
DISC THREE
1 Free Fallin' 4:16 (Jeff Lynne, Tom Petty)
2 I Won't Back Down 2:57 (Jeff Lynne, Tom Petty)
3 Love Is a Long Road 4:08 (Mike Campbell, Tom Petty)
4 Runnin Down a Dream 4:23 (Mike Campbell, Jeff Lynne, Tom Petty)
5 Yer So Bad 3:06 (Jeff Lynne, Tom Petty)
6 Alright for Now 2:02 (Tom Petty)
7 Learning to Fly 4:03 (Jeff Lynne, Tom Petty)
8 Into the Great Wide Open 3:43 (Jeff Lynne, Tom Petty)
9 All or Nothin' 4:07 (Mike Campbell, Jeff Lynne, Tom Petty)
10 Out in the Cold 3:41 (Jeff Lynne, Tom Petty)
11 Built to Last 3:58 (Jeff Lynne, Tom Petty)
12 Mary Jane's Last Dance 4:33 (Tom Petty)
13 Christmas All over Again 4:15 (Tom Petty)
*****
DISC FOUR
1 Casa Dega 3:37 (Mike Campbell, Tom Petty)
2 Heartbreakers Beach Party 1:57 (Tom Petty)
3 Trailer 3:15 (Tom Petty)
4 Cracking Up 3:34 (Nick Lowe)
5 Psychotic Reaction 4:49 (Craig "Butch" Atkinson, John Byrne, Roy Chaney, Kenn Ellner, John Michalski)
6 I'm Tired Joey Boy 3:42 (Van Morrison)
7 Lonely Weekends 2:47 (Charlie Rich)
8 Gator on the Lawn 1:35 (Tom Petty)
9 Make That Connection 5:04 (Tom Petty)
10 Down the Line 2:53 (Mike Campbell, Jeff Lynne, Tom Petty)
11 Peace in L.A. 4:43 (Tom Petty)
12 It's Rainin' Again 1:32 (Tom Petty)
13 Somethin' Else 2:05 (Eddie Cochran, Sharon Sheeley)
14 I Don't Know What to Say to You 2:28 (Tom Petty)
15 King's Highway 3:30 (Tom Petty)
*****
DISC FIVE
1 On the Street 2:10 (Benmont Tench)
2 Depot Street 3:26 (Tom Petty)
3 Cry to Me 3:06 (Bert Russell)
4 Don't Do Me Like That 2:47 (Tom Petty)
5 I Can't Fight It 3:00 (Tom Petty)
6 Since You Said You Loved Me 4:40 (Tom Petty)
7 Louisiana Rain 4:22 (Tom Petty)
8 Keeping Me Alive 2:59 (Tom Petty)
9 Turning Point 2:52 (Tom Petty)
10 Stop Draggin' My Heart Around 4:11 (Mike Campbell, Tom Petty)
11 The Apartment Song 2:37 (The Clarks, Tom Petty)
12 Big Boss Man 2:41 (Luther Dixon, Al Smith)
13 The Image of Me 2:33 (Harlan Howard, Wayne Kemp, Buck Ram)
14 Moon Pie 1:05 (Tom Petty)
15 The Damage You've Done 3:16 (Tom Petty)
*****
DISC SIX
1 Got My Mind Made Up 2:51 (Tom Petty)
2 Ways to Be Wicked 3:27 (Mike Campbell, Tom Petty)
3 Can't Get Her Out 3:11 (Tom Petty)
4 Waiting for Tonight 3:30 (Tom Petty)
5 Travelin' 3:15 (Tom Petty)
6 Baby Let's Play House 2:33 (Arthur Neal Gunter)
7 Wooden Heart 2:09 (Bert Kaempfert, Kay Twomey, Ben Weisman, Fred Wise)
8 God's Gift to Man 4:18 (Tom Petty)
9 You Get Me High 2:48 (Tom Petty)
10 Come on Down to My House 3:05 (Tom Petty)
11 You Come Through 5:15 (Mike Campbell, Tom Petty)
12 Up in Mississippi Tonight 3:28 (Tom Petty)
**********
REVIEW/AMG
William Ruhlmann
Coming along in 1976, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers were part of a movement back to basic, pop-oriented rock & roll that has proven to be the most lasting legacy of a decade otherwise given over to such stylistic flameouts as disco and punk. Never getting too mellow to be mistaken for a sensitive singer/songwriter or rocking too hard to be thought of as a heavy metallurgist, Petty spun out a series of mid-tempo hits patterned on Bob Dylan's classic Blonde on Blonde sound, in which the guitars play off the keyboards while the singer sings lyrics steeped in attitude in a high nasal whine. No wonder the Heartbreakers spent part of the '80s backing Dylan. Petty's only musical development occurred upon his encountering former Electric Light Orchestra leader Jeff Lynne, who helped write and produce his later records, updating them to the Sgt. Pepper's pop sound of 1967. Of course, the consequence of Petty & the Heartbreakers' affection for the music of the mid-'60s was that, in essence, they were a singles band, a fact driven home on the first three CDs or cassettes of this six-CD or cassette box set. Even when abbreviating each of their first nine studio albums to four-to-six cuts (and throwing in a few stray tunes from the live album, the hits album, and a Christmas compilation), the songs break down into the hits and the also-rans. To be fair, there are quite a few of the former, 23 singles-chart entries (22 of them here), in fact, and some of the latter are could-have-beens. And since Petty is more a song maker (or, more precisely, a track cutter) than an album artist, his work is more amenable to compilation. Still, three discs are more than enough, and then come three more discs of rarities and outtakes. The first of these contains non-LP B-sides, most of which are pleasant throwaways (the drummer singing "Psychotic Reaction," etc.), though one, "Trailer," suggests that Petty's failed concept album, Southern Accents, could have been a more of a success if it had been included. The last two discs present early and alternate histories of Petty, as his pre-Heartbreakers group, Mudcrutch, searches for a sound and, later, as he tries out different approaches that never made it onto his regular albums. Some of this material will be of interest to hardcore Petty fans. To justify the length and price of the box, however, there would have to be real lost treasures here, and Tom Petty simply is no Bob Dylan. Not surprisingly, then, Playback is a box set that would have been twice as good at half the size, though it can be thought of as economical in the sense that it can be purchased in lieu of buying Petty's entire 1976-1993 MCA catalog.
**********
BIOGRAPHY/AMG
Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Upon the release of their first album in the late '70s, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers were shoehorned into the punk/new wave movement by some observers who picked up on the tough, vibrant energy of the group's blend of Byrds riffs and Stonesy swagger. In a way, the categorization made sense. Compared to the heavy metal and art rock that dominated mid-'70s guitar rock, the Heartbreakers' bracing return to roots was nearly as unexpected as the crashing chords of the Clash. As time progressed, it became clear that the band didn't break from tradition like their punk contemporaries. Instead, they celebrated it, culling the best parts of the British Invasion, American garage rock, and Dylanesque singer/songwriters to create a distinctively American hybrid that recalled the past without being indebted to it.
the Heartbreakers were a tight, muscular, and versatile backing band that provided the proper support for Petty's songs, which cataloged a series of middle-class losers and dreamers. While his slurred, nasal voice may have recalled Dylan and Roger McGuinn, Petty's songwriting was lean and direct, recalling the simple, unadorned style of Neil Young. Throughout his career, Petty & the Heartbreakers never departed from their signature rootsy sound, but they were able to expand it, bringing in psychedelic, Southern rock, and new wave influences; they were also one of the few of the traditionalist rock & rollers who embraced music videos, filming some of the most inventive and popular videos in MTV history. His willingness to experiment with the boundaries of classic rock & roll helped Petty sustain his popularity well into the '90s.
Born and raised in northern Florida, Tom Petty began playing music while he was still in high school. At the age of 17, he dropped out of school to join Mudcrutch, which also featured guitarist Mike Campbell and keyboardist Benmont Tench. By 1970, Mudcrutch had moved to Los Angeles with hopes of finding a record contract. The fledgling Shelter Records, founded by Leon Russell and Denny Cordell, offered the group a contract. However, Mudcrutch splintered apart shortly after relocating to L.A. Cordell was willing to record Petty as a solo act, but the singer's reception to the idea was tentative. Over the next few years, Petty drifted through bands, eventually hooking back up with Campbell and Tench in 1975. At the time, the duo were working with bassist Ron Blair and drummer Stan Lynch; soon, Petty became involved with the band, which was then named the Heartbreakers. Petty was still under contract to Shelter, and the group assumed his deal, releasing Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers in 1976.
Initially, the band's debut was ignored in the United States, but when the group supported it in England with a tour opening for Nils Lofgren, the record began to take off. Within a few months, the band was headlining its own British tours and the album was in the U.K. Top 30. Prompted by the record's British success, Shelter pushed the album and the single "Breakdown" in the U.S., this time to success; "Breakdown" became a Top 40 hit and "American Girl" became an album-oriented radio staple. You're Gonna Get It, the Heartbreakers' second album, was released in 1978 and it became the group's first American Top 40 record. Petty & the Heartbreakers were poised to break into the big time when they ran into severe record company problems. Shelter's parent company, ABC Records, was bought by MCA Records, and Petty attempted to renegotiate his contract with the label. MCA was unwilling to meet most of his demands, and halfway through 1979, he filed for bankruptcy. Soon afterward, he settled into an agreement with MCA, signing with their subsidiary Backstreet Records. Released late in 1979, Damn the Torpedoes was his first release on Backstreet.
Damn the Torpedoes was Petty's breakthrough release, earning uniformly excellent reviews, generating the Top Ten hit "Don't Do Me Like That" and the number 15 "Refugee," and spending seven weeks at number two on the U.S. charts; it would eventually sell over two million copies. Though he was at a peak of popularity, Petty ran into record company trouble again when he and the Heartbreakers prepared to release Hard Promises, the 1981 follow-up to Damn the Torpedoes. MCA wanted to release the record at the list price of $9.98, which was a high price at the time. Petty refused to comply to their wishes, threatening to withhold the album from the label and organizing a fan protest that forced the company to release the record at $8.98. Hard Promises became a Top Ten hit, going platinum and spawning the hit single "The Waiting." Later that year, Petty produced Del Shannon's comeback album Drop Down and Get Me and wrote "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around" as a duet for himself and Stevie Nicks. Featured on her album Bella Donna, which was recorded with the Heartbreakers' support, "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around" became a number three hit. Petty & the Heartbreakers returned late in 1982 with Long After Dark, which became their third Top Ten album in a row. Following its release, bassist Ron Blair left the band and was replaced by Howie Epstein, who previously played with John Hiatt.
Petty & the Heartbreakers spent nearly three years making Southern Accents, the follow-up to Long After Dark. Hiring Eurythmics' Dave Stewart as a producer, the band attempted to branch out musically, reaching into new territories like soul, psychedelia, and new wave. However, the recording wasn't easy -- at its worst, Petty punched a studio wall and broke his left hand, reportedly in frustration over the mixing. Southern Accents was finally released in the spring of 1985, preceded by the neo-psychedelic single "Don't Come Around Here No More," which featured a popular, pseudo-Alice in Wonderland video. Southern Accents was another hit record, peaking at number seven and going platinum. Following its release, Petty & the Heartbreakers spent 1986 on tour as Bob Dylan's backing band. Dylan contributed to the lead single "Jammin' Me," from the Heartbreakers' next album, Let Me Up (I've Had Enough), which was released to mixed reviews in the spring of 1987. Just after the record's release, Petty's house and most of his belongings were destroyed by fire; he, his wife, and two daughters survived unscathed.
During 1988, Petty became a member of the supergroup the Traveling Wilburys, which also featured Dylan, George Harrison, Roy Orbison, and Jeff Lynne. The Wilburys released their first album at the end of 1988 and its sound became the blueprint for Petty's first solo effort, 1989's Full Moon Fever. Produced by Lynne and featuring the support of most of the Heartbreakers, Full Moon Fever became Petty's commercial pinnacle, reaching number three on the U.S. charts, going triple platinum, and generating the hit singles "I Won't Back Down," "Runnin' Down a Dream," and "Free Fallin'," which reached number seven. In 1990, he contributed to the Traveling Wilburys' second album, Vol. 3. Petty officially reunited with the Heartbreakers on Into the Great Wide Open, which was also produced by Jeff Lynne. Released in the spring of 1991, Into the Great Wide Open sustained the momentum of Full Moon Fever, earning strong reviews and going platinum.
Following the release of 1993's Greatest Hits, which featured two new tracks produced by Rick Rubin, including the Top 20 hit "Mary Jane's Last Dance," Petty left MCA for Warner Bros.; upon signing, it was revealed that he negotiated a $20 million deal in 1989. Drummer Stan Lynch left the Heartbreakers in 1994 as Petty was recording his second solo album with producer Rubin and many members of the Heartbreakers. Like Full Moon Fever before it, 1994's Wildflowers was greeted by enthusiastic reviews and sales, tying his previous solo album for his biggest-selling studio album. In addition to going triple platinum and peaking at number eight, the album spawned the hit singles "You Don't Know How It Feels," "You Wreck Me," and "It's Good to Be King." Petty & the Heartbreakers reunited in 1996 to record the soundtrack for the Edward Burns film She's the One. The resulting soundtrack album was a moderate hit, peaking at number 15 on the U.S. charts and going gold. Echo followed three years later. 2002 saw the release of The Last DJ, a scathing attack on the corporate greed inherent in the music business. It was followed in 2006 by Highway Companion. Mojo, credited to Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, appeared from Reprise Records in 2010.
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