Tom Petty (1950–2017)

A wonderful coffee-table companion to the excellent 2007 Tom Petty documentary Runnin' Down a Dream. Unlike Conversations with Tom Petty by Paul Zollo and Petty, written by this same book's editor Warren Zanes, the Runnin' Down a Dream book can't really stand on its own. Many parts of the narrative are dealt with fleetingly, and while I know the band's story well this will not be satisfactory for newcomers. This book is for dedicated fans only, or for those who want a bit of bonus content show more after watching the Runnin' Down a Dream documentary.

Which is not to say that the book is throwaway; hardly anything attached to the Tom Petty name could be considered as such – certainly nothing released in his lifetime. The photos are excellently produced and the interview snippets interesting (including one from Mike Campbell on page 113 which suggests the possibility that Tom Petty broke his hand punching a wall not because the recording of 'Rebels' was going badly, but because Mike had played his 'The Boys of Summer', a hit song Tom had passed on, earlier that day).

The book is not throwaway, then; remarkably, it actually becomes restorative. Tom Petty was always a rock-and-roller with integrity, a man who tried "to be responsible to a [creative] gift I've been given" (pg. 12). To hear the band's story again, to listen to the energy of the music again, to hang out with Tom Petty again, particularly now that he has been gone from us almost a decade, is a feeling like a Sunday when all is well. The afternoon sun shines, work is an age away, and it feels "like the good guys are actually winning the war" (pg. 79). show less

Excellent book that covers the bulk of Petty's career. It pulls very few punches about the bad stuff, and provides some excellent looks into the seminal moments in the career of both Petty and the Heartbreakers.

I only wish Stan Lynch would have had a chance to offer his view of his decision to leave or be fired. But, hey, when you get turfed, I guess you also give up that right.

Still, full of great stories and even better photos. Excellent book.

The rock star's first solo album, featuring "Free Fallin'" and "I Won't Back Down."

3/4 (Good).

With Jeff Lynne producing, and co-writing half the songs, this has a very strong Traveling Wilburys vibe - if Traveling Wilburys came prepared with their A material instead of just goofing around together and seeing what happens.

A lot of unkind stuff was said about this, but I like it more than his stuff with the Heartbreakers