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o n g w r i t i n g B o o k R e v i e w : by James Linderman
Conversations
with Tom Petty by Paul Zollo
Previously published in The Muses
Muse | I
thought it would be appropriate to take a look at this book, 'Conversations with
Tom Petty', considering that this year marks the 30th anniversary of his career
as the front man of his legendary band The Heartbreakers and also considering
he has been in the news with reports that he has been in talks with lawyers about
the possibility that the Red Hot Chili Peppers latest single "Dani California"
is a direct plagiarism of his song "Last Dance With Mary Jane". | Tom
Petty, often cited as one of the outstanding songwriters in the American rock
and roll tradition, is also thought to be one of the most insightful critics of
pop culture and its ability to shape modern thought.
As the author of
some of the world's most memorable rock anthems such as "American Girl", "Breakdown",
"Refugee", "I Won't Back Down", and Free Fallen'" and as a member of the renowned
Traveling Wilburys with Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Roy Orbison and Jeff Lynne,
Petty has woven himself into the fabric of modern music and has much to say about
it. |
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The
book, 'Conversations with Tom Petty' is a chronicle based on meetings that took
place in 2004 and 2005 between Tom Petty and journalist Paul Zollo. As
senior editor for American Songwriter magazine and regular contributor to Performing
Songwriter, Acoustic Guitar, Sing Out!, Billboard, Variety and Musician magazine
and the author of several excellent books on creating music, Paul Zollo's enthusiasm
and voracious interest in music literally leaps off the pages of everything he
writes. This book is no exception.
'Conversations
with Tom Petty' is divided into 2 parts. The first part is titled "Life" and is
a fairly chronological account of Tom Petty's musical journey beginning with his
childhood in Gainesville Florida where he was initially inspired by the Beatles
invasion of North America in the early '60's.
The author talks with Tom
Petty about everything from learning to play the guitar, to forming bands as a
teenager, right up to life as an American rock icon. It becomes obvious very early
in the book that these are aptly referred to as "conversations" because the rapport
that the author has with his subject is so natural and unpretentious it hardly
feels like a journalistic interview in the traditional sense.
My favorite
story is the one in which Tom Petty describes getting to meet Elvis Presley on
one of Presley's film shoots when Tom was a young child and the impact that had
on him. Petty is quick to pay homage to many from that generation of musicians
who paved the way for an artist like himself and inspired him into this career.
Part 2 of the book is titled "Songs" and it offers Petty's own "take"
on each of his songs one by one. It's interesting to see what inspired a certain
song that, as a listener, I had a preconceived idea about that was not artist-intended.
Paul Zollo's Conversations with Tom Petty is a must read for Petty fans
but would also be a fun read for anyone wanting to get an insight into what it
is in life that influences songs like Tom Petty's and what it is about these songs
that make people feel that they reflect something valuable and authentic about
life.
To pick up a copy of Paul Zolo's conversations with Tom Petty go
to http://conversationswithtompetty.com/buy.html
Questions
about this article? Email jana@thesongbridge.com | | |
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