Petty

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. In twenty years as a Petty fan I never got around to reading a biography until now. Probably because I figured... it might not be AS interesting of a story. Kurt Cobain, Jim Morrison, these were messed up souls with lots of drama to read about. Tom Petty is a pillar of strength, a Tom Bombadil of the rock world. And it’s true, though an abundance of drugs were at hand, there’s few sordid tales in this book. They didn’t stuff a shark into any groupie’s hooha like Led Zeppelin. There’s no descent into a dark psyche, no profound insight into some bleakness that turned Tom into a star. But what you do get is a thorough, intimately-informed telling of Petty’s history, and the same for those who surround him. The author takes care to learn a thing or two about each new figure in Tom’s life, I appreciate that mindfulness. I was reading three books when I read this one, and Petty: The Biography instantly placed itself as my favorite of the bunch. I was reading two or three chapters of this for every one of the others. The kismet of the story moved me, and it’s effortless to read. If you’re a hardcore fan, the best thing a biographer can do is BE SPECIFIC. Not just “they recorded a demo.” When, where, with who and what songs? Warren Zanes gives me most of the info I want without bogging down the flow of the narrative. My one complaint is a scant couple sentences are given to The Traveling Wilburys albums. Are you kidding me? What, they couldn’t get the rights to talk about it? (That’s not how it works.) This was a dizzying oversight and I don’t know how it got past the editors. Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Tom Petty, Roy Orbison. You’d think such an awe-inspiring union would earn a mention. What was it like in the studio for THAT group? Any reasonable Petty fan wanted to know and Zanes gave us nothing. But I’m very happy to have this book, and everyone makes mistakes. All in all it’s a good wholesome rock n roll yarn, just like Petty himself. If you enjoy living vicariously through the ups and downs of trying to make it in the wide world of music, you’ll enjoy the experience this book offers.

If you like Tom Petty’s music, or rock n roll in general, reading this book is a great way to understand how his songs came to be. It will help you to understand the sacrifices it takes to make such legendary music for the ages. Since this was written a few years before Tom’s passing, there is no mention concerning his death. If you want to understand the man, then read this book.

I've been a casual Tom Petty fan for many years, but became more interested after getting satellite radio and access to Tom's station. It was a great way to rediscover all of his hits and get introduced to deeper cuts. My interest in Tom as a person grew upon listening to his station, and after he passed away, I was very compelled to know more about the man and the music. This biography did not disappoint. Warren Zanes is a great writer with a strong musical background, so his insights and the way he couched stories and anecdotes felt authentic. It's clear that Zanes is a fan and even a friend, but he also doesn't pull any punches. He doesn't gloss over character flaws, but puts them into a context that connects with the music and lyrics. While this was written before Tom's untimely death, it still does a nice job of covering his career as a whole. It'll be interesting to see if there's a new addition with additional chapters covering the later years. At any rate, I thoroughly enjoyed the book. The only thing preventing me from giving it 5 stars is that for my taste, it didn't go deep enough into the music and the stories behind the songs. There's some of that, but it skims the surface rather than going deep. Of course, this type of in depth analysis would've tripled the number of pages and probably turn some readers off, but I would welcome it.

Excellent condition. Arrived on time. No problems. The book was written very good which lead to be interesting to read.

Well written, open, and insightful. Warren Zanes is a master. Highly recommend this book due to the subject and the uniquely qualified author. Peels back the layers and looks into the man and the dynamics of his upbringing and everything going on around him as he navigates a career and complex relationships. The music business is not calm waters. There’s a storm around every bend and monsters lurking in the waters. I love how Zanes approached this work and the access and honesty - good and the bad- allowed in the released copy by Petty. More like this please.

Excellent book about Tom Petty and his story. Great for any Tom Petty fan!

From the moment I first heard "Breakdown" on my radio as a kid, I was hooked on Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers. As I took up guitar, I always felt that if I could be in any band in the world, or have my band sound like any band in the world, it would sound like The Heartbreakers. Oddly enough, through his interviews, videos and what I've read of him over the years, I had built a picture in my head for what Petty might be like as a person, and I have to say that a few notable exceptions aside, what was in this book meshed very closely to that image I'd built of him over the years. Very often when reading books like this, you can find the image of your heroes dashed. Very often the narrative of similar works can feel like some sort of cathartic confessional intended to mend an image, explain away public embarrassment, or offer up a litany of excuses for past behavior. Zanes does not avoid Tom's flaws and foibles, something I felt was rather blatantly passed over in the Bogdanovich film. The thing that you realize with Tom however, is that despite his flaws, he remains about as grounded as one could expect throughout his journey, and I found myself impressed and moved by his dedication and devotion to his music and those around him. Few people can take as few words and chords and spin the magic that he and The Heartbreakers have with them over the years. Tom's music has always been incredibly relatable, and this book helps you to understand why. The book reveals an incredibly relatable persona that you can't help but be drawn to. On one level, he's a simple man with simple messages, who reveals himself through his simple, yet carefully crafted works. But he's also an incredibly savvy business man and visionary, not something you might expect from a man with such humble beginnings. It makes you root for him and the band. The book helps you understand where the drive, desire and motivation comes from, and the foundation that it was all built on. Overall, I think Zanes does an absolutely masterful job of capturing Tom's world; his background, his influences, his family circumstances, All of those elements that went into the making of the man, his career and his music. If his music has been part of the soundtrack of your life, this book has a way of making you feel like you're old friends with Tom by the end, and you really just want it to keep going. It makes you wish he'd never left us as soon as he did... Well done.

The first time I saw Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers live was at the US Festival in Southern California, Labor Day Weekend of 1982. The sponsors of this festival were none other than Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak of Apple Computers. There was only casual reference in one or two sentences of this event they created in the book by Walter Isaacson “Jobs.” I was a Tom Petty and Heartbreaker fan before the US Festival – a previous concert earlier that year scheduled for San Diego with Tom Petty and Stevie Nicks was canceled; I can still remember vividly the “heartbreak” I had when I had to turn my concert ticket in for a refund. In many ways, the music of Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers (and that of the Traveling Wilbury’s) represented my own existence – not living quite the Jack Kerouac life style I was gone from home, far away, and simply doing what I believed was my duty for my country. My existence was impacted by and mirrored what the Traveling Willbury or Heartbreaker songs represented. I recall how as the Bar NCO at the Marine House in Cairo Egypt I would play many of the Tom Petty and Heartbreakers albums along with other music during the Thursday evening “Embassy Socials” while I was the active Bar NCO in charge of dispensing the fluids. That Bar NCO gig ran as extra duty for 8 months for me; a lot of work but we never ran out of booze. The U.K. Embassy was just across the street from us and they too would come over on Thursday nights, along with others from staff of Embassies from our Allied nations. The Honorable Ryan Crocker was then a Political Officer and his lovely wife would frequent these gatherings regularly – when the young Political Officer arrived I always would squeeze in his favorite Iron Maiden tunes. I had missed Tom Petty and the Bob Dylan tour that came through Cairo just a mere 3 weeks or less before I arrived to my posting in Egypt. I was bummed out as a young guy, but drove onward in time. This book by Dr. Zanes is a terrific read and in my opinion, is the foundation for the definitive work on the life and experiences of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. Olivia Harrison’s statements in this book were an eerie foreshadowing in some ways. Reading of the many facets of Tom’s musical career were well placed and interesting to me; however, at times the minutiae of localized events and characters within the band drag out on several pages within. Still, this book is worth the read for music fans and for fans of Mudcrutch, Heartbreakers, and Traveling Wilbury’s. When I lived in Southern California I took for granted the many venues that Tom and the Heartbreakers would do; I always thought that Tom himself would in some way outlive me, and so I missed out on more chances to see him play live on stage. This book puts the music to its time and appreciation, the author spent more time on references to Don Felder than did Don Felder giving respectful reference to Tom Petty – these boys of Northern Florida did much for music – whether it was the Eagles or Heartbreakers, their impact along with the likes of many others enter the pages within this work. Therefore, this book will be lasting but does need now a new update and expanse on the life of Tom. A further in-depth consideration would be most welcome I am certain. The photos in the book are terrific, I really enjoyed two in particular – the one where Tom is sitting on the floor while two of his musical heroes are in chairs – he looks like the star struck student in comparison to the 2 stars in front of him who were none other but Johnny Cash and Carl Perkins. The other photo I really enjoyed and was surprised to see is a black and white photo of Tom walking alone out of the studio with his back to the camera – this photo now has a different meaning, yet it speaks volumes to the spirit. Anyone who is a Tom Petty and Bob Dylan, or George Harrison fan will not be disappointed in this book. Rest in peace Tom Petty and thank you for the music in the background to my own meager existence.