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Tom Petty kicks all kinds of ass

ztejas

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jimmyjazz

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2 hours ago, ztejas said:

(Granted - Henley nailed the lyrics in a way that TP may not have. Talk about brilliance in its own right)

Henley is one of the all-time great singers of the rock era, and when he doesn't let his inner douchebag take over, he's also one of the great lyricists.  Unfortunately, his inner douchebag is a force to be reckoned with.  (See, for instance, "Dirty Laundry" and "Get Over It".)

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ztejas

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17 hours ago, jimmyjazz said:

Henley is one of the all-time great singers of the rock era, and when he doesn't let his inner douchebag take over, he's also one of the great lyricists.  Unfortunately, his inner douchebag is a force to be reckoned with.  (See, for instance, "Dirty Laundry" and "Get Over It".)

Overall TP was more consistent. You're right that Henley could be hit or miss. I just think that particular track was a match made in heaven and really brought out the best in him lyrically. 

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jimmyjazz

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1 hour ago, ztejas said:

Overall TP was more consistent. You're right that Henley could be hit or miss. I just think that particular track was a match made in heaven and really brought out the best in him lyrically. 

The beauty of Tom Petty is that, like Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, and Mick Jagger, he's not often considered as owning one of the "great voices" of rock 'n' roll, yet all four are among the greatest rock singers.  None have the tone of a Henley or Stevie Wonder or whoever, but they are actually on pitch (despite what the press might say) and their voices are all brimming with character.  This ain't the Met.

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South Austin

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12 hours ago, jimmyjazz said:

The beauty of Tom Petty is that, like Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, and Mick Jagger, he's not often considered as owning one of the "great voices" of rock 'n' roll, yet all four are among the greatest rock singers.  None have the tone of a Henley or Stevie Wonder or whoever, but they are actually on pitch (despite what the press might say) and their voices are all brimming with character.  This ain't the Met.

You could put Bono on that list – nobody has ever labeled him as a great singer, but his voice fits almost perfectly with the band’s sound (though his vocals have declined with age).

Tom Petty just has a classic rock and roll voice.

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Bogeywon

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6 hours ago, South Austin said:

You could put Bono on that list – nobody has ever labeled him as a great singer, but his voice fits almost perfectly with the band’s sound (though his vocals have declined with age).

Tom Petty just has a classic rock and roll voice.

Bono < anything else like literally ANYYYYYTHING

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ztejas

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6 hours ago, South Austin said:

You could put Bono on that list – nobody has ever labeled him as a great singer, but his voice fits almost perfectly with the band’s sound (though his vocals have declined with age).

Tom Petty just has a classic rock and roll voice.

Really? I think Bono's a pretty great singer. Certainly above guys like Petty or Dylan. 

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MAROON

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As some have already stated,  Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers to me are the greatest American rock and roll band.  Their catalogue of hits and songs that should have been hits is mind blowing.  Not sure I can think of a weak album.

 

When I feel like getting fired up - its always You Wreck Me turned all the way up.  It was also the perfect opening song in the Bogdonovich documentary.\

So many great songs that haven't been been mentioned - Even the Losers, Southern Accents, You don't know how it feels, etc etc. etc.

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jimmyjazz

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5 minutes ago, MAROON said:

So many great songs that haven't been been mentioned - Even the Losers, Southern Accents, You don't know how it feels, etc etc. etc.

In a weird way, "Louisiana Rain" might be my favorite Tom Petty song, except when it's "Wildflowers" or "American Girl" or . . . oh, fuck it.  Impossible to rank them.

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South Austin

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22 minutes ago, ztejas said:

Really? I think Bono's a pretty great singer. Certainly above guys like Petty or Dylan. 

Big U2 fan here, but I’ve never considered Bono a great vocalist. He has a unique voice that pairs so well with the band’s music. But I don’t think he had a great voice in and of itself.

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ztejas

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29 minutes ago, South Austin said:

Big U2 fan here, but I’ve never considered Bono a great vocalist. He has a unique voice that pairs so well with the band’s music. But I don’t think he had a great voice in and of itself.

Maybe not. Obviously, liking his voice or not is subjective. Technically he does stuff that is really difficult to emulate - especially at the upper end of his register. He makes the most of the voice he was given.

I guess where I'm coming from is that you can be a good singer without sounding great and vice versa. 

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South Austin

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32 minutes ago, ztejas said:

Maybe not. Obviously, liking his voice or not is subjective. Technically he does stuff that is really difficult to emulate - especially at the upper end of his register. He makes the most of the voice he was given.

I guess where I'm coming from is that you can be a good singer without sounding great and vice versa. 

I think that's fair. 

And while it is indeed subjective, it seems like the distinction we're making is between "great rock 'n roll voices," such as Petty, Springsteen, Jagger, and Bono, and other vocalists who are innately gifted with an incredible voice beyond the context of their band or genre.  For the latter, I'm thinking of people like Paul McCartney, Freddie Mercury, Steve Perry, and Marvin Gaye. 

And let's face it, most rock n' roll singers have been in the former category.  As jimmyjazz aptly noted, "this ain't the Met."

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ztejas

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1 minute ago, South Austin said:

I think that's fair. 

And while it is indeed subjective, it seems like the distinction we're making is between "great rock 'n roll voices," such as Petty, Springsteen, Jagger, and Bono, and other vocalists who are innately gifted with an incredible voice beyond the context of their band or genre.  For the latter, I'm thinking of people like Paul McCartney, Freddie Mercury, Steve Perry, and Marvin Gaye. 

And let's face it, most rock n' roll singers have been in the former category.  As jimmyjazz aptly noted, "this ain't the Met."

Right. I almost commented that Bono isn't Steven Tyler or Robert Plant. He's a great singer - he isn't some God's gift of vocal talent.

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jimmyjazz

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13 minutes ago, ztejas said:

Right. I almost commented that Bono isn't Steven Tyler or Robert Plant. He's a great singer - he isn't some God's gift of vocal talent.

Yes, I agree with that, but I also think he's a level above Jagger and Dylan.  Springsteen is a weird case -- he has almost an operatic style, filtered through 50 years of Marlboros and stress.  (No, I'm not saying he smokes.)

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Wally Pryor

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If you've not seen Somewhere You Feel Free, set aside an hour and a half to do so. Took forever for it to be released but finally was last November and the wait was worth it to see the making of Wildflowers.  So many great interviews / footage. 

Surprised to see it's still up on youtube / free:

 

 

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dcbc

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9 minutes ago, Wally Pryor said:

If you've not seen Somewhere You Feel Free, set aside an hour and a half to do so. Took forever for it to be released but finally was last November and the wait was worth it to see the making of Wildflowers.  So many great interviews / footage. 

Surprised to see it's still up on youtube / free:

 

 

I started watching it last night.  It does not disappoint. 

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dcbc

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Also, the topic of greatest American band is an interesting one and probably deserves its own thread.  I think Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers definitely is in the conversation considering the number of great songs, longevity, and general greatness.  Opinions differ, but I'd put them up there with the Grateful Dead and Talking Heads, which is to say among my top 5 favorite bands.  And I'd probably give them the nod. 

 

Other American bands of note, which probably are in the conversation for other people, and which I appreciate as well:

The Beach Boys

The Doors

Velvet Underground

Van Halen

Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention

Bruce Springsteen & the E-Street Band

Allman Brothers Band

 

Honorable Mention:  Steely Dan (lineup varied so much; so it's hard to put them in the conversation);

 

 

Then, there's my asterisk band of note, Phish.  Love them (I do).  Hate them (why you gotta hate).  They'll have been together with small gaps for forty years next year and have been a significant touring force without much in the way of airplay or whatever the modern substitute is.  But I don't put them in the conversation because they don't really fit the conversation.

 

 

 

 

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ztejas

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1 hour ago, jimmyjazz said:

Yes, I agree with that, but I also think he's a level above Jagger and Dylan.  Springsteen is a weird case -- he has almost an operatic style, filtered through 50 years of Marlboros and stress.  (No, I'm not saying he smokes.)

Sure. And yeah - characterizing Springsteen is difficult. 

Someone similar to Bono I think would be Brandon Flowers. Pretty talented singer but doesn't have some great, iconic voice. Yet it totally works for the band he's in. 

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jimmyjazz

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1 hour ago, dcbc said:

Other American bands of note, which probably are in the conversation for other people, and which I appreciate as well:

The Beach Boys

The Doors

Velvet Underground

Van Halen

Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention

Bruce Springsteen & the E-Street Band

Allman Brothers Band

 

Honorable Mention:  Steely Dan (lineup varied so much; so it's hard to put them in the conversation);

Not to derail the thread any further, but what the hell.  Any discussion of "greatest American band" that doesn't include the following (beyond what you posted, some of which I question) is way off track:

 

Nirvana

Eagles

Lynyrd Skynyrd

Los Lobos

Creedence Clearwater Revival

R.E.M.

ZZ Top

Cheap Trick

Chicago

 

. . . and probably sucks ass as a list.  I refuse to include The Ramones.

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ztejas

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22 minutes ago, jimmyjazz said:

Not to derail the thread any further, but what the hell.  Any discussion of "greatest American band" that doesn't include the following (beyond what you posted, some of which I question) is way off track:

 

Nirvana

Eagles

Lynyrd Skynyrd

Los Lobos

Creedence Clearwater Revival

R.E.M.

ZZ Top

Cheap Trick

Chicago

 

. . . and probably sucks ass as a list.  I refuse to include The Ramones.

Yeah I was about to say... if we're going to include Talking Heads can we include Nirvana? Can I add Smashing Pumpkins? Green Day? 

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Gil Bang

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On 1/16/2022 at 5:19 PM, TOR said:

Going off topic here, bare with me.  Back when, The Midnight Special was the only to see bands unless you went to a concert.   It was essential watching.

Counterpoint:

Performers who appeared on Don Kirshner's Rock Concert[edit]

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dcbc

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33 minutes ago, ztejas said:

Yeah I was about to say... if we're going to include Talking Heads can we include Nirvana? Can I add Smashing Pumpkins? Green Day? 

I don't know what those last three bands have to do with that first band, but sure, why not.

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dcbc

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1 hour ago, jimmyjazz said:

some of which I question

 

1 hour ago, jimmyjazz said:

Eagles

1uccju.jpg

But I think I culled from the same list you supplemented from just so as not to make it too long.  There are some winners in the supplement.

 

Also, we need to add The Band.

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ocugolf

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Saw him in Norman at the Lloyd Noble Center (what a shithole) with Jackson Browne when I was in high school.  Jackson Browne is criminally underrated.  He plays a great set.  The lights go out. All of a sudden a spotlight is on the stage and there's a big box in the middle of the stage.  Petty enters the spotlight, opens the box, pulls out his hat and lights come on and they blast "American Girl".  I get goosebumps thinking about it.

Saw him in OKC about a month before he died.  Remember thinking he didn't look great.  But what really stood out was how much fun he was having.  He had the crowd in the palm of his hand.  Played for 2.5 hours and never stopped smiling.  Still sounded great.

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Bogeywon

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23 hours ago, ocugolf said:

Saw him in Norman at the Lloyd Noble Center (what a shithole) with Jackson Browne when I was in high school.  Jackson Browne is criminally underrated.  He plays a great set.  The lights go out. All of a sudden a spotlight is on the stage and there's a big box in the middle of the stage.  Petty enters the spotlight, opens the box, pulls out his hat and lights come on and they blast "American Girl".  I get goosebumps thinking about it.

Saw him in OKC about a month before he died.  Remember thinking he didn't look great.  But what really stood out was how much fun he was having.  He had the crowd in the palm of his hand.  Played for 2.5 hours and never stopped smiling.  Still sounded great.

Always had them in the palm of his hand. He was a true one of a kind. There will never be another sound like tom petty and the heartbreakers. The there will never be another Elvis 

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stc

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full concert from the wildflowers tour. sound is great and the band is on fire, the outro to mary jane's last dance is some good shit. video quality is terrible but whatever. 

 

0:23 "Love Is A Long Road" 4:43 "You Don't Know How It Feels" 10:26 "Listen To Her Heart" 14:03 "I Won't Back Down" 18:16 "Free Fallin'" 23:13 "You Wreck Me" 27:30 "Diamond Head" 32:49 "Mary Jane's Last Dance" 41:30 "Into The Great Wide Open" 46:42 "Learning To Fly" 51:25 "Don't Fade On Me" 56:14 "Girl On LSD" 1:00:25 "I Just Wanna Make Love To You" 1:06:10 "Wildflowers" 1:10:03 "Yer So Bad" 1:13:31 "It's Good Too Be King" 1:22:58 "Breakdown" 1:27:05 "Driving Down To Georgia" 1:33:57 "Refugee" 1:38:49 "Runnin' Down A Dream" 1:48:15 "Honey Bee" 1:53:56 "American Girl" 2:00:30 "Alright For Now"
 

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Napoleon

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On 1/16/2022 at 9:16 PM, ztejas said:

My favorite Mike Campbell story actually didn't result in a Petty song. It was him offering Petty Boys of Summer then Don Henley picking up on it. Talk about a blind squirrel finding a nut. Maybe one of my 10 favorite rock songs. So fucking brilliant start to finish. My dad and I actually had a long text exchange about it recently. 

I guess Henley needed it more than Petty did. 

(Granted - Henley nailed the lyrics in a way that TP may not have. Talk about brilliance in its own right)

I love how pissy Henley got about The Ataris cover of this song. He’s such a piece of shit, I didn’t know how this version was allowed to be published, but now I realize that it was because Campbell wrote it. 

 

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jimmyjazz

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11 hours ago, Napoleon said:

I love how pissy Henley got about The Ataris cover of this song. He’s such a piece of shit, I didn’t know how this version was allowed to be published, but now I realize that it was because Campbell wrote it. 

A published, released song can be covered and released "without permission" by obtaining a compulsory license, the rate for which is set by law.  There are limitations to changes in lyrics and melody, but I don't know how those might be negotiated.

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South Austin

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12 hours ago, Napoleon said:

I love how pissy Henley got about The Ataris cover of this song. He’s such a piece of shit, I didn’t know how this version was allowed to be published, but now I realize that it was because Campbell wrote it. 

 

I can see why Henley was pissed. It’s a boring mailed-in version.

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BigDHornfan

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On 2/4/2022 at 11:33 AM, stc said:

full concert from the wildflowers tour. sound is great and the band is on fire, the outro to mary jane's last dance is some good shit. video quality is terrible but whatever. 

 

0:23 "Love Is A Long Road" 4:43 "You Don't Know How It Feels" 10:26 "Listen To Her Heart" 14:03 "I Won't Back Down" 18:16 "Free Fallin'" 23:13 "You Wreck Me" 27:30 "Diamond Head" 32:49 "Mary Jane's Last Dance" 41:30 "Into The Great Wide Open" 46:42 "Learning To Fly" 51:25 "Don't Fade On Me" 56:14 "Girl On LSD" 1:00:25 "I Just Wanna Make Love To You" 1:06:10 "Wildflowers" 1:10:03 "Yer So Bad" 1:13:31 "It's Good Too Be King" 1:22:58 "Breakdown" 1:27:05 "Driving Down To Georgia" 1:33:57 "Refugee" 1:38:49 "Runnin' Down A Dream" 1:48:15 "Honey Bee" 1:53:56 "American Girl" 2:00:30 "Alright For Now"
 

my first tour which started my decades long love affair with TP.  saw every tour after that.  and every one of them was with my Mom.  that became such a bonding thing between she and I.  She wants Wildflowers played at her funeral when the time comes and from that day on, when I hear it I will lose my shit.  but it's perfect.

 

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Rimbo

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On 1/2/2022 at 6:58 AM, Celery Man said:

I remember Last Dance with Mary Jane from when it was hit, and then obviously like everyone else I've heard most of his music by just living in the world. At some point in college "American Girl" started bouncing around in my head - I think it's from the scene in the Sopranos whenever Tony is in a coma and Carmela is talking to him about a beach trip when they were young and that song was playing. That song got categorized in my head as the perfect road trip song, which it is (also the most perfect rock song ever written), and for years any road trip that song gets cycled through at some point when highway speeds have been achieved, there are no tall buildings around, and the conversation has lulled.

I've since branched into his catalogue more seriously, and like a lot of other people here Damn the Torpedos is a favorite. Not seeing him live is one of my big regrets. I've also become a huge fan of Mike Campbell's guitar playing, both generally and from a philosophical agreement with his stance on parsimony. Becoming a dad has made me lean in to Petty a lot more as well.

Here's one.

 

Jesus. Stevie Nicks. Has there ever been a more painful case of gorgeous woman with a horrid voice?

(I mean. Besides Fran Drescher.)

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stc

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picked up the 1995 playback box set for $10 recently and was reading through the liner notes last night. apparently mike campbell had this on the back burner for a decade and they couldn't figure out what to do with it. the producer called in lenny kravitz, he listened to 30 seconds of the tape and immediately knew what to do...laid down the drum and bass tracks right there. 

 

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DougO

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On 1/18/2022 at 4:28 PM, dcbc said:

Also, the topic of greatest American band is an interesting one and probably deserves its own thread.  I think Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers definitely is in the conversation considering the number of great songs, longevity, and general greatness.  Opinions differ, but I'd put them up there with the Grateful Dead and Talking Heads, which is to say among my top 5 favorite bands.  And I'd probably give them the nod. 

 

Other American bands of note, which probably are in the conversation for other people, and which I appreciate as well:

The Beach Boys

The Doors

Velvet Underground

Van Halen

Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention

Bruce Springsteen & the E-Street Band

Allman Brothers Band

 

Honorable Mention:  Steely Dan (lineup varied so much; so it's hard to put them in the conversation);

 

 

 

 

 

Steely Dan was two visionary guys with session players, but more of a band thing in early years. 
Beach Boys were very much the same. Early years band, but mostly one visionary guy and session players and a band that went out to tour the stuff Brian had produced. So not much of a distinction there. Frank Zappa and Bruce are probably similar as well. 

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