Stevie's Favorite Rock Star Discussion

[Hawkeye]

This should probably be in chit chat. But A) like the thread title says, Tom Petty is Stevie's favorite rock star and B) more importantly,half of the heartbreakers work for Stevie as much as they do Tom. Seriously, I don't think Stevie has one album without Mike Cambell or Benmont Tench and Benmont was on her first 2 tours. Weren't the heartbrekers crazy busy in the early 80's how was he aable to tour with Stevie?

But none of that is the point of this post. I've always liked Tom Petty, but really haven't gotten around to getting all his albums, just had his greatest hits from 93, the Running Down a Dream DVD and knew a few other songs from the radio and what not. I always intended to get all his stuff from beginning to end and just finally got the motivation to get them all at once in preperation for seeing him live for the first time next month (although really all I need to know for his show is the hits + MOJO hes as bad as Stevie with his sets) but Im glad it finally pushed me to get all his albums:

I have to say that I was really shocked to find that Tom Petty didn't make very good albums, especially in the beginning of his career. In comparison to Neil Young (I've always felt the two were similar on many levels, I don't know why) who's had about 30 incredible albums that are great start to finish, especially his album tracks. But I've been decieved by Tom with his singles for his albums before he turned 40. The worst is his 1976 self titled album. Other then Breakdown and Fooled Again (Don't like It) there's nothing listenable on it.

But his first being shaky is understandable. My biggest dissapointment is Full Moon Fever. Running Down a Dream and I Wont Back Down are 2 of my all time favorite songs by anyone, and I've always heard great thing about FMF. This or Danm the Torpedos are like his 2 signature albums when lists are made and what not. But wow is it filled with Filler. It's listenable, but the songs are all 4's 5's and 6's. I really like Face in the Crowd, Yer So Bad and Ill Feel Better when you're gone, but the rest does nothing for me.

Into the Great Wide Open was Tom Pettys first great album. It took him until he was 41 but he finally made a great album. I don't love every song but thats not even what I'm asking when I say Great album. Not only is every song "Listenable" from tracks 1-12 but most are incredibly good and the album has a great flow and feel. I listened to 2 Gunslingers about 15 times over the course of 3 days. Other songs that wowed me were Kings Highway, Dark of the Sun and All or Nothing.

Now Wildflowers took it another step and BLEW ME AWAY. This thing is possibly top 5 albums of all time, I'll just have to wait and see. I can't believe he made this absolute masterpiece just 5 years after that rubbish Full Moon Fever. All 15 songs are gold including my favorite Tom Petty song of all time It's Good To Be King. ButI've known that one for awhile. The "10's" include Hard on Me, Don't Fade on Me, Honey Bee, Crawling Back to You and the title song.

His latest MOJO is probably my 2nd favorite of his that I own so far, which is good news for my concert. The one before that Mudcrutch is also very good. I have to add I own only 8 of his 16 albums (and I think its bull**** the way he has "solo" albums, I just lump all 16 as Tom Petty albums) So my opinions above my have to be altered, especially about him bot having a great album before being 40, I'm missing everything from Hard Promises til Full Moon Fever, so I'll update you guys once I've heard those.

My opinion of Tom Petty hasn't gone down at all. In fact its gone up since hearing the awseome Wildflowers and new CD, but I was just inredibly shocked to find out that the albums that Running Down a Dream, Breakdown and Refugee come from are so "Not Good"

[justcrazylove]

YOU ARE WRONG! So very very wrong!