TOM PETTY THINKS GEORGE W. BUSH IS HEADED FOR HELL
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The first time I met Tom Petty was back in 1976. I had just gotten back from Afghanistan and Nepal and a crazy bunch of post-college years overseas and I had decided I was a rock writer. Tom was about to put out an album and no one at his label quite knew what to do with it and someone gave it to me. I loved it. Like really loved it and started playing it on my late night radio show even before it was released.
And a few weeks later, when I met this kid from northern Florida I thought he was a cool guy who had no rock star pretensions and I liked him right away. Over the years I never stopped liking him. He's about to release a new album, HIGHWAY COMPANION. I haven't heard a note. But I did read what Tom had to say to an interviewer from ESQUIRE the other day.
"The war in Iraq is shameful. Whether you're pro or con Bush, you've got to admit it: The guy lied. And he continues to do so. I can't understand why he's just not run out on a rail. To send somebody's kids off and have them killed for no good reason-- he's going to have his day in hell for that. I wouldn't want that karma. When you kill somebody's little sister with a missile, he's going to hate you forever. And the next generation will hate you even more."
UPDATE: JOHN'S GOT THE NEW PETTY MUSIC UP FOR YOU
I used to be a radio dj and nothing got me going more than discovering new music and turning people on to it. Of course, these days radio is the last place anyone would ever go to hear something new and fresh and different. So where can you discover new music? Have you tried CROOKS AND LIARS? In fact, John just put up "Saving Grace,", an awesome new song from HIGHWAY COMPANION, Tom Petty's new album. If you wait a week or two, you'll hear it everywhere; today you can hear it at C&L.
posted by DownWithTyranny @ 11:56 AM
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Tom's got a conscience.
Bush would probably call him a "do-gooder artist".
I saw him with Pearl Jam last week.
excellent show; and through it, I have heard some of the new album.
Petty didn't make any overt political statements during the show. But it doesn't take much listening to his music to realize where his passions lay.
I may finally forgive him for borrowing the band name The Heartbreakers from one of my favorites, the original Johnny Thunders and the Heartbreakers.
I have spent many a moment explaining "no, not those Heartbreakers, the other Heartbreakers".
Petty shows he is paying attention about what is going on. At this point to not see what is happening you have to NOT want to see it.
Tom's always had love for the little guy-from fighting his record company 25 years ago to keepthe cost of his LP low, to putting on amazing shows (which I've seen on four different tours), to calling out music industry suits on his last album, "The Last DJ". He's been involved in Farm Aid. He's never been particularly overtly political, but if not now, when? Can't wait to see you in Berkeley Tom.
I love that first Petty album too. I came to it when I was in the eighth grade. It was 1981. Hard Promises was on the charts. Damn The Torpedoes was a rock radio staple. "Stop Dragging My heart Around," the "duet" between Petty and Stevie Nicks, was also on the charts. I bought Petty's first album for $3.99 at J&R in NYC and just played the grooves out of the record that summer. That first side was so groovelicious, from "Rockin' Around With you" to "Hometown Blues" to "Anything that's Rock n Roll". And of course "Breakdown" and American Girl were the hits.
When I listen to that album I still hear summer sounds and think teenage thoughts. I guess that's called nostalgia, eh?
BTW, the record Petty held back from the record company over the price was Hard Promises. He was going to call it $7.98 if I remember correctly if the record company forced the price to be $8.98.
Thanks for the Petty post. I love Tom too. He always struck me as one of the good guys.
Tom Petty, yeah
You spelled tyranny wro... oh, wait, my bad, I guess it is right. But we still don't allow guns.
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