Artist of the Week: Tom Petty (and the Heartbreakers!)

OVERVIEW:

TOM PETTY, man. One of my favorite musicians, ever. I was introduced to Tom Petty through my dad who was really in to his music. He's a really brilliant songwriter and has had a pretty consistent band for several decades (though hasn't always released albums with them).

Petty's music has encompassed many genres. Songs such as "Time to Move on" from the album Wildflowers has a bit of a country influence to it while another song from the same album ("You Wreck Me") is much more of a traditional rock song.

He's had several number one hits: from "The Waiting" (his first #1 hit on the U.S rock charts) to the classics "I Won't Back Down," "Refugee," and "Free Fallin,'" all from his 1989 album Full Moon Fever.

DISCOGRAPHY:

1976   Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
1978   You're Gonna Get It!
1979   Damn the Torpedoes
1981   Hard Promises
1982   Long After Dark
1985   Southern Accents
1987   Let Me Up (I've Had Enough)
1989   Full Moon Fever*
1991   Into the Great Wide Open
1994   Wildflowers*
1999   Echo   
2002   The Last DJ
2006   Highway Companion*

Songs with a * were solo records, released separate from his band the Heartbreakers

MY FAVORITES:

This is a pretty tough one! I suppose if I really had to choose an ABSOLUTE FAVORITE it would have to be his 1994 album Wildflowers. It probably has my favorite (at the moment at least) Tom Petty song: "It's Good to Be King." To guys looking to get in to Tom Petty I'd recommend his first self titled album: 1976's Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, and his first solo record: 1989's Full Moon Fever.

So yeah! If you haven't heard any Tom Petty (hard to imagine, he has a lot of CLASSIC ROCK STAPLE SONGS, which you probably have heard before) you really need to check him out! He's really one of the most underrated rock lyricists around and makes pretty consistently good stuff.

Also something noteworthy: the song Zombie Zoo from Full Moon Fever is pretty much the worst song ever I think. I hate that song so much but the rest of the album is so good.

fun fact: On my VERY FIRST DAY ON IRC, EVER, when I was like 12, I did a np: thing in #gamemaker and it was Tom Petty - Free Fallin'. I only had three songs on my entire PC haha, but Rowain noticed I played a tom petty song and we started talking about Tom Petty and he recommended Wildflowers (i think I only had tom pettys greatest hits on CD or something) so that's how I got in to Tom Petty really.

did he Work with steven wilson im sure Free fallin is a cover on deadwing.

Fade

yeah son I like me some tom petty, my dads pretty into him too but I've just heard so much of his stuff that I'm really not into it as much anymore.

i must be one of the only people who isn't really into tom petty.

they play him on the fucking HARD rock bullshit radio stations around here all the time and it's fucking annoying. I can't stand free falling or  that running down a dream song.

you're not alone, i don't like any of the stuff gw likes!

you're not alone, i don't like any of the stuff gw likes!

i've heard like 3 people on GW mention Tom Petty ever.

i've heard like 3 people on GW mention Tom Petty ever.

really? loads of people like him. people in #music are playing his shit all the time.

I've seen the guy's CDs in sale loads of times, but never really picked any up. They're like right next to Tom Waits usually and well shit what am I gunna buy?

Basically I haven't heard a single thing from this guy, which is odd since he has been name dropped so much in GW.

cool dad rock.

gotta admit i never saw what you guys did. it's very dad rock to me yeah!

I agree.
Nothing really special about petty

this is one of the guys I listened to a whole lot when I was a kid. learning to fly and won't back down are two of my favorite songs. free fallin' can get pretty annoying, though.

I agree.
Nothing really special about petty

don't you think that's being a little PETTY?

i am sorry, this thread had gone on long enough without this joke being made.

haha, I was making the joke at the first place, it might have been subtle though

goddammit I know I shouldn't even comment because you'll percieve it as an insult buttttt you didn't really say it in a way that makes sense. adjectives can't be described as "special" or really have that characteristic!

about pettiness, yes.

you sure are right kid but
quit being difficult

y'know that's the part where I don't work myself too much over grammar.

I am in peace of mind, good god!




Edit:
PRAY THE LORD HAVE MERCY
I DIDN'T CAPITALIZE THE "P" IN PETTY