sign in sign up
<<
Home , David Fricke, Dhani Harrison, Fleetwood Mac, Highway Companion, Hypnotic Eye, Kiss My Amps (Live)

“All the News RS1299That Fits” The Photo Issue

50 Years of Images That Defined Rock & Roll The stories behind our magazine’s most legendary shots, from ’s bedroom party to ’s acerbic T-shirt and more ...... 24

TRIBUTE 1950-2017 He was a genius craftsman with a dark side – and he never stopped believing in the power of rock & roll. By David Fricke ....14

DEPARTMENTS

Online ...... 8 Letters ...... 10 Playlist ...... 12

ON THE COVER Tom Petty photographed in in June 1991 Ice-T Fights Back by Mark Seliger. Petty was about to release Into A contact sheet from the rapper’s cover shoot, taken after 1992’s ultra- the Great Wide Open. controversial “Cop Killer,” which George H.W. Bush called “sick.” By Mark Seliger

November 2, 2017 RollingStone.com | Rolling Stone | 5 ROLLINGSTONE.COM

EDITOR AND PUBLISHER: Jann S. Wenner

MANAGING EDITOR: Jason Fine DEPUTY MANAGING EDITOR: Sean Woods ASSISTANT MANAGING EDITORS: Christian Hoard, MUSIC Alison Weinflash SENIOR WRITERS: David Fricke, Andy Greene, Brian Hiatt, Peter Travers JAY-Z’S 50 SENIOR EDITORS: Patrick Doyle, Rob Fischer, Thomas Walsh ASSOCIATE EDITOR: Hannah Murphy ASSISTANT EDITORS: Rick Carp, Jason Maxey, Phoebe Neidl GREATEST ASSISTANT TO THE MANAGING EDITOR: Ellen Nelson EDITORIAL STAFF: Betsy Hill CONTRIBUTING EDITORS: Matthieu Aikins, Mark Binelli, SONGS David Browne, Rich Cohen, Jonathan Cott, , Anthony DeCurtis, Tim Dickinson, Jon Dolan, Raoul Duke (Sports), Josh Eells, Mikal Gilmore, Jeff Goodell, As Jay begins Vanessa Grigoriadis, Erik Hedegaard, Will Hermes, 4:44 Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Steve Knopper, David Kushner, his tour, Greil Marcus, Alex Morris, Charles Perry, Janet Reitman, we list his top Stephen Rodrick, Rob Sheffield, Paul Solotaroff, Ralph Steadman (Gardening), Neil Strauss, Matt Taibbi, cuts, from Touré, Jonah Weiner, Christopher R. Weingarten, David Wild

the ’90 DESIGN DIRECTOR: Joseph Hutchinson CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Jodi Peckman collabo with ART DIRECTORS: Matthew Cooley, Mark Maltais the Jaz to PHOTO DEPARTMENT: Sacha Lecca (Deputy Photo Ed.), Griffin Lotz (Assoc. Photo Ed.), Sandford Griffin (Finance Mgr.) his 2017 LP’s ROLLINGSTONE.COM EDITORIAL: Jerry Portwood confessional (Editorial Dir.), Justin Ravitz (Executive Ed.), Brian Crecente (Editorial Dir., Glixel), Exposito, title track. Ahmed Fakhr, David Fear, Jon Freeman, Elisabeth Garber-Paul, Sarah Grant, Kory Grow, Joseph Hudak, Lauren Kelley, Jason Newman, Hank Shteamer, Brittany Spanos, Tessa Stuart SOCIAL MEDIA: Shara Sprecher, Alexa Pipia DIGITAL CREATIVE STUDIO: Scott Petts (Dir.), LaurieAnn Wojnowski (Senior Prod.), Adam Bernstein, George Chapman, Chris Cruz, Sarah Greenberg, Dan Halperin, Alberto Innella, Chelsea Johnston, Megan McBride, Taryn Wood-Norris

PRESIDENT AND CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER: Gus Wenner

CHIEF REVENUE OFFICER: Michael H. Provus HEAD OF DIGITAL SALES: Matthew Habib Jonathan Ross Lynch ADVERTISING DIRECTOR: Jessica Grill Groff (Dahmer) : Meghan Hoctor, Craig Mura, John Stark TV MUSIC MOVIES MIDWEST: Adam Anderson, Brian Szejka WEST COAST: Kurt DeMars SOUTHWEST: Kailey Klatt FINCHER TALKS A INSIDE ‘MY SOUTHEAST: Gary Dennis, Mark Needle NATIONAL MUSIC DIRECTOR: Mitch Herskowitz ‘MINDHUNTER’ BENNINGTON FRIEND DAHMER’ EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, MARKETING: Gina Abatangelo MARKETING/ACCOUNT MANAGEMENT: Christine Ayuso, Filmmaker David Fincher Full coverage of Linkin Park’s How a quirky graphic novel Emma Greenberg, Sara Katzki, Ashley Rix, Maddie Simpson weighs in on his first series for star-studded Bowl inspired a chilling film about PUBLICITY: Kathryn Brenner Netflix – another serial-killer concert to commemorate the the life and killings of mass CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER: Timothy Walsh thriller – since House of Cards. life of Chester Bennington. murderer Jeffrey Dahmer. CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER: Alvin Ling GENERAL COUNSEL: Natalie Krodel HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR: Victoria Kirtley Shannon EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, LICENSING: Maureen Lamberti POLITICS CONTROLLER: Karen Reed

REMEMBERING TOM PETTY MATT TAIBBI Wenner Media RollingStone.com/taibbi CHAIRMAN: Jann S. Wenner Unheard interview recordings with the PRESIDENT AND CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER: late star – plus, on the CULTURE Gus Wenner Heartbreakers’ early days, and biographer VICE PRESIDENTS: Timothy Walsh, Jane Wenner ROB SHEFFIELD CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Joseph Hutchinson Warren Zanes joins host Brian Hiatt and RollingStone.com/sheffield Andy Greene to recall his time with Petty. Rolling Stone International Rolling Stone Music Now airs Fridays at CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER: Meng Ru Kuok MOVIES CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER: Ivan Chen 1 p.m. ET on the SiriusXM Volume channel. CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER: Tom Callahan PETER TRAVERS Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes. RollingStone.com/travers MAIN OFFICES: 1290 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY ALL THIS AND MORE AT 10104-0298; 212-484-1616 ROLLINGSTONE.COM/PODCAST ROCK & ROLL NATIONAL MUSIC ADVERTISING: 441 Lexington Ave., New York, NY 10017; 212-490-1715 DAVID FRICKE DIRECT-RESPONSE ADVERTISING: 212-484-3492 RollingStone.com/fricke SUBSCRIBER SERVICES: 800-283-1549 REGIONAL OFFICES 333 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 1105, Chicago, IL 60601; TO EXPLORE OUR ARCHIVES, VISIT FOLLOW US ON 312-782-2366 5700 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 345, Los Angeles, ROLLINGSTONE.COM/COVERWALL CA 90036; 323-930-3300 Lewis Stafford Co., 5000 Quorum Dr., Suite 545, Dallas, TX 75254; 972-960-2889 Z Media, 1666 Kennedy Causeway, Suite 602, Miami Beach, FL 33141; 305-532-5566 Rolling Stone (ISSN 0035-791x) is published 22 times per year, of which four are double issues, for a total of 26 issues per annual term (the number of issues in an annual term is subject to change at any time), by Wenner Media LLC, 1290 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10104-0298. The entire Copyright © 2017 by Rolling Stone LLC. All rights reserved. contents of Rolling Stone are copyright © 2017 by Rolling Stone LLC, and may not be reproduced in any manner, either in whole or in part, without Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is written permission. All rights are reserved. Canadian Goods and Service Tax Registration No. R125041855. International Publications Mail Sales Prod- prohibited. Rolling Stone® is a registered trademark of Rolling uct Agreement No. 450553. The subscription price is $39.96 for one year. The Canadian subscription price is $52.00 for one year, including GST, payable Stone LLC. Printed in the of America. in advance. Canadian Postmaster: Send address changes and returns to P.O. Box 63, Malton CFC, Mississauga, Ontario L4T 3B5. The foreign subscription price is $80.00 for one year, payable in advance. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY, and additional mailing offices. Canada Poste publication agree- RALPH J. GLEASON 1917-1975 Rolling Stone ment #40683192. Postmaster: Send address changes to Customer Service, P.O. Box 62230, Tampa, FL 33662-2230. From time to time, HUNTER S. THOMPSON 1937-2005 Rolling Stone may share subscriber information with reputable business partners. For further information about our privacy practices or to opt out of such sharing, please see Rolling Stone’s privacy policy at rollingstone.com/services/privacypolicy. You may also write to us at 1290 Avenue of the Amer- ROLLING STONE is printed on 100 percent carbon-neutral paper. icas, 2nd floor, New York, NY 10104. Please include your full name, complete mailing address and the name of the magazine title to which you subscribe. FROM LEFT TOP, TO RIGHT: KEVIN MAZUR/WIREIMAGE; PATRICK HARBRON/; VCG/GETTY IMAGES; FILMRISE; GARY MILLER/GETTY IMAGES

8 | Rolling Stone | RollingStone.com November 2, 2017 Tom Petty 1950-2017 He was a genius craftsman with a dark side – and he never stopped believing in the power of rock & roll By David Fricke

n september 25th, tom petty and performed the final concert of a three-night run at the Holly- wood Bowl in Los Angeles. It was also the climax of their 40th Anniversary Tour, a 53-show celebration of the singer-guitarist’s unbroken lifetime with his band as one of rock & roll’s biggest, best and most committed live acts. ¶ Thirty minutes before he walked onstage, Petty welcomed singer- Lucinda Wil- O liams into his dressing room. “He had a big smile, and he was putting a cough drop in his mouth,” says Williams, an old friend who had just fin- ished her opening set. “I didn’t want to stay too long. It was getting close to showtime. I said, ‘Tom, the audience is rockin’. They’re good to go. I’ve warmed them up for you.’ He looked at me and goes, ‘I bet you did,’ with those twinkly eyes and that beautiful face.” They hugged; a photo was taken. It was, she says, “the last time I saw him.” ¶ Six days later, on the evening of October 1st, Petty suffered cardiac arrest at his home in Malibu, and was rushed to UCLA Medical Center in Santa Monica. He died at

14 | Rolling Stone LEARNING TO FLY Petty in 1977 Tom Petty

8:40 p.m. the next night, after a daylong 40th Anniversary shows, “and the story he many grown men cry.’ The same thing can vigil by his family, friends and bandmates. wanted to tell.” be applied to this.” Petty was less than three weeks from his Very few people beyond the Heartbreak- Tributes swiftly followed the news of 67th birthday. ers’ immediate circle knew that Petty was Petty’s passing. On October 3rd, Spring- “I got the phone call and told the folks suffering, at each gig, from a hairline frac- steen dedicated the first preview perfor- in my house,” says, ture in his left hip, which he planned to mance of his solo Broadway residency to rec alling the sudden, shocking impact of deal with after the tour. “I don’t know how Petty. , , Cold- that news. “There were shrieks of horror. it happened,” says his longtime manager play, Fleet Foxes and the War on Drugs You couldn’t quite believe it. We were from Tony Dimitriades. “I don’t think he even were among the bands that covered Petty’s the same generation of rock & rollers. We knew when it happened.” At one point, songs onstage. played bits of “Free Fall- started around the same time and had Dimitriades told Petty, “You can’t tour like in’ ” and “Learning to Fly” during “Beauti- a lot of the same influences. And when I that.” The singer responded, “Why not? I’ll ful Day.” lived in California, I got to know him quite do it in a chair if I have to.” “I thought the world of Tom,” said Bob well. He was just a lovely guy who loved Petty postponed two shows in late Au- Dylan, who hired Petty and the Heart- rock & roll and came up the hard way.” gust due to laryngitis. He was otherwise breakers as his road band in 1986, then On that last night at the Bowl, in his in vintage road-warrior form, according to became Petty’s bandmate – with Harrison, adopted hometown, the Florida-born J. Geils Band singer Peter Wolf, who saw early rock & roll legend , and Petty covered every mile of his journey the real deal when Petty and the Heart- of – in with determined, jubilant force: his cre- breakers opened shows for the Geils Band a supergroup, the . “He ative odyssey as a songwriter; the com- in 1977. This summer, Wolf and his solo was a great performer, full of the light, a mercial success that continually followed group did the honors for Petty. “He was friend,” Dylan said of Petty, “and I’ll never him; the record-business trials that came going through some great pain” from his forget him.” along with it; his garage-band hip, yet “put on long, stellar shows,” Wolf In a dramatic acknowledgment of the bond with the Heartbreakers – lead gui- says. “I’d watch him coming down from grieving across America that week for Petty and the victims of the October 1st massacre at a music festival in Las Vegas, country singer – who was onstage there when the shooting began – opened the October 7th episode of Saturday Night “I was never afraid to pick up Live with “I Won’t Back Down,” Petty’s an- them of iron will and moral certainty. the telephone and explain a “That put me off when I wrote it,” Petty said of the song in a 2009 Rolling situation to him,” says Stevie Stone interview, one of many conversa- tions I had with him over the past decade Nicks. “He would .” for the magazine and his SiriusXM chan- nel, Tom Petty Radio. “It’s so bare, without any ambiguity. There was nothing there but truth.” But, he admitted, “that was my mindset: . I will move on.” tarist Mike Campbell, keyboard player the stage. There was an inner force driv- “Tom never settled for anything but , bassist , multi- ing him.” the best, on any level,” says Campbell, instrumentalist and “He was just kicking ass,” Tench says of Petty’s musical partner since 1970, when drummer . “We’re just gonna Petty, “and we had found another level of he joined the singer’s early Florida band, throw a bunch of records up in the air and playing as a band. There was a depth of . “That was one of the great see where they fall tonight,” Petty told soul coming through.” The two men spoke things about him. He didn’t settle for just the sold-out crowd in his sandy, slow-as- briefly after the September 25th show at being OK.” molasses drawl, early in a two-hour streak the Bowl, raving about it. “I figured I’d get of legacy that was, in fact, decisively cho- a call in a month or two: ‘Tom wants to get etty entered the last sen and largely set in stone throughout together and jam some shit out.’ ” year of his life with confidence the tour. “It was magical, it was spiritual,” Camp- and pride. In December 2016, There was the early signature jangle bell affirms. “Everybody was so happy, es- P during a radio interview to of “American Girl” from the 1976 studio pecially Tom – full of glory and hope.” The announce the 40th Anniver- debut, Tom Petty and the Heartbreak- guitarist was particularly pleased when sary Tour, he described a recent rehears- ers, and the legendary perfectionism of Petty threw “Breakdown” – a nugget from al with the Heartbreakers, their first in “Refugee” – more than 100 takes in the the first , only played twice before two years. “We had the amps up loud,” studio, Petty claimed – from his 1979 mul- on the tour – into the closing-night set Petty told me with a delighted chuckle. tiplatinum breakout, Damn the Torpedoes. with striking high harmonies by backing They also broke out the and covers: Much of the show was given to generous vocalists Charley and Hattie Webb. “Smokestack Lightning,” “Kansas City,” spins through the intricate balladry and “I’m just so sad,” Campbell says now, Fleetwood Mac’s “.” pointed reflection on Petty’s acclaimed “to think that I’m not going to play those “ sounds amazing,” Petty exult- solo outings, 1989’s and songs again.” ed. “It just locked right up.” 1994’s Wildflowers, with profound glow “I haven’t seen this outpouring since my Then, on February 10th, 2017, Petty and muscle from the Heartbreakers. And dad passed,” says , a few was honored by MusiCares, the musicians Petty highlighted strong recent work like days after Petty’s death. Dhani – the son of health-care charity, as their Person of the the heavy-blues rave-up “I Should Have Petty’s close friend, the late Beatle George Year at a dinner and tribute show. By the Known It,” from 2010’s Mojo. “He got the Harrison – notes that when his father died time Petty and the Heartbreakers closed

balance he wanted,” Campbell says of the in 2001, “someone said, ‘I’ve never seen so with their own set, a broad corps of stars PREVIOUS PAGE: MICHAEL ZAGARIS

16 | Rolling Stone | RollingStone.com November 2, 2017 1

Heart Breaker

(1) As a member of the Sundowners in the mid-Sixties. (2) At home in L.A. in 1977. (3) The Heartbreakers, 1979: Blair, Campbell, Tench, Lynch and Petty (from left). (4) With Dana, his second wife, in 2007. (5) Petty’s first ROLLING STONE cover, from 1980. 2

and disciples including Williams, , , Regina Spektor, the Bangles and the modern-rock band performed Petty songs from across his entire canon. opened the evening, playing “Refugee” alone at a . “His hooks, his titles – when he gets to them, it’s solid as a rock,” Newman says, likening Petty “in a remote, odd way” to the legend- ary pop songwriter Burt Bacharach, “who winds all over the place. But when he gets to the hook, slam, it’s there. Petty didn’t wander. But those hooks and titles are so memorable.” reprised her duet with Petty, “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around,” a Top Five hit in 1981. The Fleetwood Mac singer attributes his uncanny abil- 3 ity to write for and about women – the 4 scrappy fighters in that song and 1978’s “”; the restless dream- er in “American Girl”; the romantic ideal in “Wildflowers” – to “the really strong women” around Petty: his first wife, Jane; their two daughters, Adria and AnnaKim; and his second wife, Dana, whom he mar- ried in 2001. “Tom was a completely masculine per- sonality,” Nicks says, “but it softened him and made him much more understand- ing.” Nicks, who first met Petty in 1978,

FROM TOP: KEITH HARBEN; NEIL ZLOZOWER/ATLASICONS.COM; IMAGES PIZZELLO/AP CHRIS BOOT/URBANIMAGE.TV; ADRIAN “was never afraid to pick up the phone and 5

RollingStone.com | Rolling Stone | 17 Tom Petty explain a situation to him. And he would of Tom’s stuff – you could describe it as ily members to watch the filming and meet just talk me down.” minimalist. But less is more.” the star. “He’d met my aunt before,” Petty At MusiCares, Cage the Elephant deliv- Petty returned to the Wildflowers proj- recalled. “She said, ‘Elvis, this is my neph- ered a potent unplugged twist on Petty’s ect before his 40th Anniversary mara- ew and my niece.’ He said, ‘Hi, how are 1993 hit “Mary Jane’s Last Dance,” a decep- thon was over. “He asked me to call some you?’ Then he went to his trailer.” In that tively jaunty folk-blues about holding on to people,” Dimitriades says, “and see if they moment, Petty claimed, Presley “made my a fleeting passion. Cage singer would come on the road and perform it life.” Aside from a few odd jobs in his youth contends that like , Petty “con- with him. One – and she said yes immedi- – in a Gainesville musical-instrument quered the popular belief that creativity ately – was .” store, as a groundskeeper at the University dies with age,” especially in rock & roll. “It’s so hard to believe it’s even hap- of Florida, short stints in a barbecue res- “The more experience he had, the more it pened,” Dhani Harrison says of Petty’s taurant and a funeral home – Petty only enhanced his ability. He became stronger.” death. He remembers, as a child, a Christ- played, wrote and recorded music for a liv- “No one could understand the pace I’m mas in L.A. with the Petty and Harri- ing, until his death. running at,” Petty said in our radio inter- son families – Dhani and Adria playing Another epiphany came in 1965 when view. “My family’s complaining that I don’t Nintendo with their rock-god dads. And Petty – then a member of a local combo take any time off.” Earlier this year, Petty there was the day that an advance copy of called the Sundowners – went to Jackson- produced an album, Bidin’ My Time, for Full Moon Fever arrived at , the ville for his first concert, headlined by the an idol: , the singer-bassist Harrisons’ English estate. George put it Beach Boys and featuring two British Inva- in and a founding member of on his jukebox, Dhani says, “and just had sion bands, the Zombies and the Searchers, the Flying Burrito Brothers. And Petty it on repeat.” who became crucial influences on Petty’s was keen to work on the next album by his Earlier this year, Dhani stopped by Pet- lashing-jangle charge and pocket-grenade protégés . “It was a short walk, ty’s house to play him some new music: songwriting with the Heartbreakers. Petty 20 steps, from his front door to his studio,” Dhani’s first solo album, In///Parallel. later discovered that Campbell, who grew Dimitriades says. “He’d be there every day.” “He put the record on in his studio, put up in Jacksonville, also went to that show. The two finally met in Gainesville, where Campbell was supposed to go to college but instead ended up playing with Petty in Mudcrutch. “We connected instantly, like we’d known each other already,” the - During a meeting with his label, ist says. There was also “this thing that set us apart from the other musicians in town Petty cleaned his nails with – this drive to write our own songs.” By 1974, the future core of the Heart- a switchblade. “I wouldn’t breakers – Petty, Campbell and Tench, another Gainesville native – had played on have hurt anybody,” he said. Mudcrutch’s debut single, “Depot Street.” Released the next year, it was a commercial bust on that eventually broke up that group. Petty later got a solo deal with Shelter but turned to Campbell One of the projects that had been put his head in his hands and listened to the and Tench again to form a band – with Pet- on hold when Petty died was an expanded whole thing from start to finish,” Dhani re- ty’s name up front, playing his songs. “Mike reissue of Wildflowers – all of the tracks calls. At the end, “he looked at me, gave me and Benmont are good, smart people,” for the intended double album plus ad- this big, beaming smile, and said, ‘Guess Petty said in 2014. “They were cool with ditional, unreleased songs – followed by you found your target demographic.’ it right away.” Tom Petty and the Heart- a tour showcasing Petty’s breakthrough “He was so proud, like a dad,” Dhani breakers – with Blair and original drum- writing on that record. “That would have says. “I’m sure thinking about that in the mer , both from Gainesville been smaller-scale, away from the hits,” future will make me lose it. What could – released their self-titled debut album Campbell says. But “plans for that some- be cooler in the entire world than for your in November 1976, then hit the road in how evolved into ‘It’s the 40th year. Let’s target demographic to be Tom Petty?” earnest. do this tour first.’ ” “The influences were obvious – the In a 2014 conversation with Rolling etty characterized his Byrds, a lot of the Merseybeat stuff,” Wolf Stone, Petty recalled the unique genesis roots and ambition this way, says of Petty and the Heartbreakers’ 1977 of Wildflowers, pointing to a day when in the title song of his 1985 sets opening for the J. Geils Band. “But his co-producer, , played him P album, : “I Tom would close the show by doing ‘Shout.’ ’ demos for their 1968 double got my own way of talkin’/But It’s a challenging song to do, once you’ve LP, The Beatles. “It hit me how strong the everything gets done, with a Southern ac- heard the Isley Brothers’ version. I was songs were,” Petty said, “with just a couple cent.” He was born Thomas Earl Petty on always amazed how they did it their own of acoustic . I would try to write in October 20th, 1950, in Gainesville, Flori- way. And every night, they got multiple the same fashion. I started to hear a whole da; a brother, Bruce, arrived in 1958. Their encores.” new kind of thing coming out.” mother, Kitty, “was a very kind, good per- With Damn the Torpedoes, Petty and Petty was flattered when Hillman asked son,” Tom said in 2009. Their father, Earl, the Heartbreakers became that rare phe- if he could record his own version of Wild- was “Jerry Lee Lewis if he didn’t play the nomenon in rock: a critically acclaimed flowers’ title track for Bidin’ My Time. “It piano. He was scary and violent. He beat band that packed arenas, sold in is a song of pure – agape,” Hillman the living hell out of me.” platinum numbers – including the 1985 says, using the ancient Greek word. “Then In 1961, an uncle working on the local experimental concept, Southern Accents you look at it now. It’s almost prophecy: set of an movie, Follow That – and made challenging singles that were ‘You belong in that home by and by.’ Most Dream, arranged for Petty and some fam- popular on Top 40 radio, FM rock sta-

18 | Rolling Stone | RollingStone.com November 2, 2017 Learning From the Master During the Heartbreakers’ stint backing in 1986 and ’87. “I thought the world of Tom,” Dylan said. “He was full of the light.”

tions and MTV (the eerie menace of “You “I certainly don’t have a chip on my chael is such a gentle soul,” she says. “Mi- Got Lucky”; the electro-psychedelic haze shoulder,” he told me in 2014. “I was just chael and Tom were able to get through of “Don’t Come Around Here No More”). trying to do the best job I could.” Still, anything because they were the yin and “Tom was a great classicist,” Springsteen Petty confirmed with relish a story about yang of it.” Petty was “in some ways not the says, “and the Heartbreakers were a real a meeting to renegotiate a contract dur- easiest person to get along with. Michael guitar band. The music was beautifully ing which he pulled a switchblade knife was able to be the calming factor.” written, beautifully constructed. But Tom’s out of his boot and started cleaning his Petty, in turn, took the unique nature attitude and personality gave it a modern fingernails. “I was just that kind of guy,” he and benefits of his leadership seriously. edge.” said. “And those meetings are really bor- “It really wasn’t Tom Petty and the Heart- Tench believes that as a writer, Petty ing.” But, he insisted, “I wouldn’t have hurt breakers – it was Tom Petty in the Heart- “walked in this strange penumbra between anybody.” breakers,” claims Ferrone, an English- the shadow and the light.” “Free Fallin’,” Mounting tensions within the Heart- born session musician and former member Petty’s Top 10 single from Full Moon Fever, breakers over Petty’s creative grip culmi- of the Average White Band who played “has a catchy chorus,” Tench says. “But nated in Lynch’s departure in 1994. Bass drums on Wildflowers as a sideman prior there is a story and sorrow that is bril- guitarist , who joined in to becoming a Heartbreaker. Before an liantly laid out.” 1982 when Blair decided to quit the road, encore on Ferrone’s first tour with Petty Petty’s dark side – manifested at times was let go in 2002 over his addiction to in 1995, the singer asked him if he knew in an explosive temper; more often chan- . (Blair returned; Epstein died of “Breakdown.” The drummer said no; it neled into a willingness to wage all-out an overdose in 2003.) Petty fell into his wasn’t on the list of songs he was supposed war with the music business over his in- own hard-drug use in the Nineties as he to learn. tegrity and just reward – was a running coped with a difficult divorce and a rough Ferrone recalls Petty’s response: “Tom parallel drama to his success. He famously spell – musically, commercially, emotion- says, ‘OK, this is what you do. You play this fractured his left hand when he punched ally – with the Heartbreakers. “It wasn’t beat [Ferrone mimics the song’s distinctive a wall during a contentious mixing ses- the best period in my life,” Petty confessed shuffle]. The crowd will go crazy. Follow sion for Southern Accents. Petty declared in 2006. “But I am through it. I came out me.’ That was the rehearsal. And here’s the bankruptcy while making Damn the Tor- .” thing: He didn’t have an ego. It wasn’t ‘You pedoes to force his way to a more equitable Nicks credits Campbell with being a don’t know my most famous song?’ That

ROBERT MATHEU ROBERT record deal. vital, balancing force in Petty’s life. “Mi- never came into it.”

November 2, 2017 RollingStone.com | Rolling Stone | 19 Tom Petty

The End At the , September 22nd. His last show came three days later. “Everybody was so happy,” Campbell says. “Especially Tom.”

Petty “was so smart,” Campbell says, Petty spent much of his stardom in That work produced lasting friendships, as well as “one of the funniest people I’ve ready, grateful service to his rock & roll especially with Dylan and George Har- ever known. And he had a good heart.” The elders. In addition to backing Dylan on rison. “I never sought these people out,” guitarist recalls a point “several tours ago” the road and making two albums with the Petty claimed when I asked him in 2009 when he was having “some real personal Traveling Wilburys, Petty produced a 1981 about why he got along so well with leg- problems. I was doing my job but strug- comeback album for the early-Sixties rock ends. “Every one of them came to me. Ob- gling to keep my vibe up.” One night, in the & roll singer , Drop Down viously, they liked something we did. At middle of a song, Petty came over to Camp- and Get Me; backed , with times, I think they were looking for some bell, “stood next to me, and he goes, ‘Just the Heartbreakers, on the country titan’s help, like, ‘I need to put a band together.’ remember, up here, nobody can touch us.’ ” 1996 album, Unchained; and appeared We had this unit. Bob used to say, ‘These as a singer and co-writer on a 1991 album guys communicate without talking.’ He pringsteen calls it “the by the Byrds’ Roger McGuinn. Petty also liked that.” debt” – the chance, if it comes, found the time to relaunch Mudcrutch – Petty “had a great bullshit detector – he to honor a pivotal teacher and with original guitarist Tom Leadon and didn’t suffer fools, just like my dad,” says S repay that gift of inspiration. drummer Randall Marsh – for two studio Dhani Harrison. While Petty and George “You know that without this albums and national touring, the kind of Harrison “were kind of stone-y, mellow guy and without that guy, there would be action they never enjoyed the first time dudes, they had that toughness. They’d

no you.” around. kick your ass. But they loved the same stuff TENNILLE ANDY

20 | Rolling Stone | RollingStone.com November 2, 2017 – ukuleles, motor racing. They would go to the Formula One races together.” George “really felt at ease with Tom,” Dhani says, “because it was like having another you next to you. There were more Great Late Petty eyes watching out for you.” Dhani recounts a story that Petty once The hits stopped coming. But these told him about the Heartbreakers’ tour with Dylan – a story that “says everything tracks prove he never lost his touch about the way Tom interacted with people: honest but cheeky.” Onstage one night, Dylan kept complaining that the stage Square One The Trip to Forgotten Man lights were too bright and threatened to Tom Petty Pirate’s Cove Tom Petty and the leave if they were not turned down. Fi- , Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers nally, Dylan walked off, forcing Petty to 2006 Heartbreakers , 2014 Mojo, 2010 coax him back on as the Heartbreakers Petty’s third solo album – Hypnotic Eye was arguably kept playing. co-produced with his Full This late-period twist on one the most topical record Moon Fever cohort Jeff In the wings, Dhani says, “Bob was of Petty’s favorite themes Petty ever made. For the Lynne – was an unresolved – the great to searchers and strivers in going, ‘Fucking lights. I’m not going back hybrid of Fever’s pop mod- something better – moved those songs, all politics out there. It’s like fucking Disneyland ernism and the woodland like psychedelic flashback: a out there.’ And Tom says to Bob, ‘You’ve flair of Wildflowers. But in slow-motion tale of wildcats was local – the struggle never been to Disneyland.’ Bob just started “Square One,” Petty wrote on the run, dotted with crys- to be heard above the laughing. Tom called him on it, straight one of his most honest bal- tal drops of electric piano crowd; the pride in personal out. They walked back out there and car- lads at a time when he had and short, coyotelike howls independence. A seesaw much to confess: turmoil of -style jump ried on playing.” of guitar. There was also that in the Heartbreakers; hard Petty backbone in the lyrics: and straight-ahead gallop, With Petty’s death, three of the five Wil- trials in his personal life. true freedom as a lifelong “Forgotten Man” was a race burys are gone (Orbison died in 1988), and “Square one, my slate is commitment. “You’ve got to through rage and despair the Heartbreakers have lost their voice clear,” Petty sang with more stay in the game,” he sang, that felt like an astute mea- and leader. But, Tench says, “I never want gratitude than brio, ready “Or you’ve only got yourself sure of the national mood as this guy to be thought of as ‘OK, we’ve put for his creative renaissance. to blame.” Petty played it every night him in the file, that’s done.’ Because he on his last tour. resonates. There’s a reason why he was in I Should Have the Wilburys with Bob, Roy and a Beatle. Mudcrutch Known It Looking Mudcrutch, 2008 Tom Petty and the He was a real cat.” When Petty sang “a for Daddy Heartbreakers song by Jimmie Rodgers, Merle Haggard Sometimes you can go Tom Petty home again – with the right Mojo, 2010 or the Searchers,” Tench insists, “he wasn’t Tom Petty Radio, 2015 friends. Petty’s first serious Campbell got a writer’s a dilettante, trying something on. He was band – with Campbell, credit for this song, a Recorded in the summer for real.” Tench, drummer Randall killer centerpiece of the 2017 of 2015, this otherwise- The last time Campbell talked to Petty Marsh and guitarist Tom shows. It’s not hard to hear unreleased song made its was after the band’s September 17th con- Leadon, Petty’s teenage why. This gnarly blast of debut that November on cert in San Diego, aboard the flight to Los bandmate in the Epics – kiss-off, sung by Petty with Tom Petty Radio, the day left Gainesville to seek its Angeles ahead of the Hollywood Bowl perfectly sneering effect, his SiriusXM channel went fortune in L.A. with a lone is driven by the guitarist’s on the air. It started as a shows. “Tom got up and made a little 45 at the end of the ride. hot-fuzz snake-dance riffing, groove – Petty on bass with speech,” the guitarist says, “like, ‘This has Mudcrutch was the debut, with stop-on-a-dime jolts in Ferrone – that evolved, with been the best tour. You guys were great. a delayed reward reflecting the beat and a breakaway Campbell and Tench, into that band’s affinity with the We’re not going to do any more long tours solo section. Petty and the something darker: a slow- country-rock Byrds. Petty Heartbreakers’ teenage love like this, but we have a lot of stuff we’re funk portrait of self-inflicted was the same old trouble, for the Sixties power blues gonna do, because this is the best the band hurt as a young woman too, as he sang here: “I don’t of Cream and early Fleet- has ever been.’ scare easy/For no one.” wood Mac is here in full. keeps mistaking sugar “When he walked past me,” Campbell daddies for a real father continues, “I put my arm out, I pulled him figure, written by a man with Melinda American Dream his own troubled childhood. close to me and said, ‘I’m so proud of you. I Tom Petty and the know your leg has been killing you. You’ve Heartbreakers Tom Petty and the been up there like a soldier, man.’ We had The Live Anthology, 2009 Heartbreakers I Forgive It All a nice hug and said we loved each other.” This of concert Hypnotic Eye, 2014 Mudcrutch After that, at the Bowl, “it was backstage, history covered more than The opening track on Petty’s 2, 2016 ‘Hi, how you doing?,’ a little patter between a quarter-century of Petty’s last studio album with the “I ain’t broke and I ain’t hun- songs.” life on the road with the Heartbreakers was a brac- gry/But I’m close enough to Heartbreakers, mixing hits, ing throwback to the early care,” Petty sang in this qui- “It’s sad that he’s gone,” Springsteen and a broad garage-rock concision of says of Petty, “but it was nice to be alive etly magisterial ballad – just range of covers (Them; a “Breakdown” and “I Need voice, and a in his lifetime.” And the work remains. James Bond movie theme). to Know.” “My success is distant breeze of keyboards. “Good songs stay written. Good records “Melinda” was a unique anybody’s guess/But like Petty had never sounded entry – brisk folk-rock noir a fool I’m bettin’ on happi- stay made. They are always filled with the this alone and at peace on promise and hope and life essence of their co-written with Tench, never ness,” Petty sang. He played issued on a studio album – this song once on the 2017 record, looking back at his creator. with extra room, at a 2003 tour, on opening night in past – including the fear and “Tom made a lot of great music,” Spring- show in , for , but those violence of life at the hands steen points out, “enough to carry people Tench to shine on smoky- lines reverberated through of his father – with hard-won forward.” jazz piano. the set lists that followed. resolution. DAVID FRICKE

November 2, 2017 RollingStone.com | Rolling Stone | 21