Tom Petty: Runnin' Down a Dream

[thatguy]

Shannon says it's always time for Tom Petty. For such basic chord progressions and a fairly specific vocal style, the catalog is pretty varied, and there are so many good songs from all points in he/their career. 

I think this came out in 2007. It's nearly 4 hours long. I watched this on Kanopy which only gives you a 24hr period to watch a video after you start, so I watched it in 3-4 batches (feel asleep during the first part as it was pretty late when I started it, so I had to backtrack quite a bit the next day). 

The quality of the video clips from various interviews is all mismatched and distracting. 

It covers the Gainsville days: Tom's dabblings in music, his family life, early bands, meeting Mike Campbell and Benmont Tench. It talks a lot about Mudhoney and driving out to LA to try to get a recording contract. The beginnings of the Heartbreakers, Stan Lynch joining on drums, the first two albums, success in the UK and then finally in the US. Legal battles while trying to record Damn the Torpedoes. More success. Lots and lots of touring. Bass player Ron Blair leaving and Howie Epstein joining (Wikipedia says "On September 1, 1982, Epstein made his live debut at the Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium in Santa Cruz, California, on the tour to promote the album, Long After Dark".. MTV.  More success. More legal battles. Petty breaking his hand and recovering. Solo projects, collaborations. Stan leaving. Petty's house being burned down by an arsonist. Being Dylan's backup band. There's a bunch of intimate video with the Wilburys jamming, or just talking. There's also similar video from a Roger McGuin recording session where he's trying to make a comeback and the record company is telling him what songs to play and Petty is there to help and says the song is crap and pushes back on the record company reps that are also there in the studio. 

I didn't realize that Howie Epstein died of a heroin overdose. I kinda stopped paying attention to Petty after that song "Into the Great Wide Open" which seemed very "on the nose" and maybe even tired. So the latter part of the film was good "catch-up". By the end of the film, Petty is looking pretty haggard on stage, but it was still 10 years before his death in 2017.  

It's a portrait of a guy who was pretty driven. Probably difficult in a lot of ways, but also really considerate. Both Campbell and Tench seem like the most laid-back mellow people. 

Recommended if your a Tom Petty fan, but be prepared to watch it in parts...

--tg

[Drunk Monk]

I've told you the tale of when Tom shouted us out from stage, right?

[thatguy]

I've told you the tale of when Tom shouted us out from stage, right?

you have not...do tell!

--tg

[Drunk Monk]

Cal Expo - early 90s? I was working the pit, mostly carrying young girls who passed out form front of stage, under the stage scaffolding, to rock med. That was back when ‘em was young and strong and could carry a full grown woman (now I can barely carry my dog). It was hot - sacto hot. A fight broke out in the front of stage crush. Tom stopped mid song and pointed at the culprits. We jumped on them and yanked them out, over the barrier, and handed them off to other security, who ejected them. The audience applauded.

Tom shouted out ‘Let’s give these guys up here a hand. They’re working their asses off!’ He pointed at us in the pit. I felt so seen. We all did. I will always respect Tom for that.

[thatguy]

Wow! Kudos from the man himself! Respect...

--tg

[Drunk Monk]

Right? Twas a blessing.

I got pretty close to Tom at the show. He was standing just above me several times on stage. And up close, he looked kinda ghastly. He was pale and his face had faint veins. An intense looking dude. But man, I love singing along to his music when driving. He had such a narrow vocal range that I can almost keep up. 

I saw him several times. He put on a great show. But that Cal Expo show eclipsed them all.

[Greg]

I saw him at the Us Festival when they were just hitting their stride. A great show.

[King Bob]

I saw the Dylan/Petty show at the Greek. I just looked through my stubs and it was June 16, 1986. I had seen Petty the year before, also at the Greek, and he did an amazing show then. IMO Petty was not quite as strong at the Dylan show, but his band totally fired up Dylan. He had some of that wild energy of his first electric albums. Plus he did a great version of "I and I" from Infidels, that I thought was better than the album version, despite the lack of Sly & Robbie.

[thatguy]

I saw the Dylan/Petty show at the Greek. I just looked through my stubs and it was June 16, 1986. I had seen Petty the year before, also at the Greek, and he did an amazing show then. IMO Petty was not quite as strong at the Dylan show, but his band totally fired up Dylan. He had some of that wild energy of his first electric albums. Plus he did a great version of "I and I" from Infidels, that I thought was better than the album version, despite the lack of Sly & Robbie.

I was also at that show and we probably went together. I have no memory of it except of walking past Wavy Gravy on my way to the bathrooms or concessions. 

--tg

[King Bob]

I couldn't remember who I went with but that's probably right.

Incidentally, there is a Kenny Burrell song from 1963 called "Wavy Gravy"