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.

Oui cet article a répondu à mes attentes. Le messager qui me l'a remis était plus que parfait et il serait bon de tout faire pour garder et motiver des personnes comme cela. Je suis ravie d'avoir ce livre que je ne trouvais pas dans les librairies en France et pour moi ça a représenté beaucoup d'avoir cet ouvrage sur Tom Petty si vite, je l'aime et l'admire tant. Merci encore

Gostei da data de entrega cumprida. Agora vou começar a ler.

Known as the leader of the band, he fought and struggled to keep the band together to make great music. Tom and Mike were amazing song writers producing many hits over the decades. Like a lot of musicians he struggled with drug abuse but worked through it. A very interesting read!

Maravillosa historia para cualquier amante del Rock y sobre todo para alguien que ame a Petty.

The book is very well-written. That's not always the case with biographies of musicians. The author backs up his assessments with interviews and the views of the people who were there at the time, and the guiding voice of Petty somewhere in the background. The story itself was for me absolutely riveting. English fans at the time loved this band when they broke into the Whistle Test and stole it. They added something fresh and foreign to the rock 'n' roll format. A bit like the dynamic impact when Police released their first singles. Except with Southern accents. I lost track of what was happening to them over the years. The book provided a new insight for me into the life of a band on and off the road, the highs and lows, and the one thing that kept it all together. I was reading this when Tom Petty died. It seemed to me that another epic episode of my lifetime had gone. Like many other key musicians this guy and his band provided colours and nuances in the soundtrack of my life and I am grateful for that. Great book.