Post by erik on Dec 9, 2023 19:55:35 GMT -5
The first Top 40 hit for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers is in this week's Pop Music Hits Spotlight.
BREAKDOWN (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers; Shelter; 1976)—Though they were formed in Gainsville, Florida in 1974 out of the remain of a cult band called Mudcrutch, Tom Petty and his band The Heartbreakers achieved massive success when, inspired by The Byrds and other groups of the late 1960’s and early 1970’s, they moved out to Los Angeles in 1975. Besides Petty, the band consisted of Bemont Tench on keyboards, Mike Campbell on lead guitar, Stan Lynch on drums, and Howie Epstein on bass. Along with many bands of the time, including The Eagles, they were very much an “album” band, well suited for the move towards FM radio stations that played a much greater amount of music than commercials; and, for that reason and a few others, they were a bit slow initially at achieving success. Their first single “American Girl”, from their self-titled 1976 debut album, was only a Top 40 hit in England, though it did become a cult hit in their own country. From that same album, however, they did achieve a modest American hit with “Breakdown”. Very much in the style of the Eagles and Steely Dan, “Breakdown” broke Petty and his band onto FM radio, particularly on album-oriented rock stations, and especially so in Los Angeles. While the song just barely broke into the Top 40, peaking at #40 in February 1978, it was the one that sparked what came after. Shortly after the song’s modest success on the charts, “Breakdown” was featured on the soundtrack of the 1978 cult comedy-drama film F.M., which was about a top-rated L.A. radio station whose employees rebel against their owners’ demands for far more commercials. Petty himself made a cameo appearance in that film, along with concert appearances by Linda Ronstadt and Jimmy Buffett; and though the film itself was only a modest box office success, the 2-LP soundtrack was a huge hit. Petty and his band went on to achieve massive success between 1979 and 2017, getting themselves inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in their first year of eligibility in 2002. Unfortunately, on October 2, 2017, Petty suffered a heart attack at his home in Los Angeles, and hours later was declared deceased at UCLA Medical Center at the age of 66. Tributes soon came flooding in from friends and colleagues, including Byrds’ founders Roger McGuinn and Chris Hillman; and benefit concerts were held in Petty’s honor that featured the remaining members of the Heartbreakers themselves.
BREAKDOWN (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers; Shelter; 1976)—Though they were formed in Gainsville, Florida in 1974 out of the remain of a cult band called Mudcrutch, Tom Petty and his band The Heartbreakers achieved massive success when, inspired by The Byrds and other groups of the late 1960’s and early 1970’s, they moved out to Los Angeles in 1975. Besides Petty, the band consisted of Bemont Tench on keyboards, Mike Campbell on lead guitar, Stan Lynch on drums, and Howie Epstein on bass. Along with many bands of the time, including The Eagles, they were very much an “album” band, well suited for the move towards FM radio stations that played a much greater amount of music than commercials; and, for that reason and a few others, they were a bit slow initially at achieving success. Their first single “American Girl”, from their self-titled 1976 debut album, was only a Top 40 hit in England, though it did become a cult hit in their own country. From that same album, however, they did achieve a modest American hit with “Breakdown”. Very much in the style of the Eagles and Steely Dan, “Breakdown” broke Petty and his band onto FM radio, particularly on album-oriented rock stations, and especially so in Los Angeles. While the song just barely broke into the Top 40, peaking at #40 in February 1978, it was the one that sparked what came after. Shortly after the song’s modest success on the charts, “Breakdown” was featured on the soundtrack of the 1978 cult comedy-drama film F.M., which was about a top-rated L.A. radio station whose employees rebel against their owners’ demands for far more commercials. Petty himself made a cameo appearance in that film, along with concert appearances by Linda Ronstadt and Jimmy Buffett; and though the film itself was only a modest box office success, the 2-LP soundtrack was a huge hit. Petty and his band went on to achieve massive success between 1979 and 2017, getting themselves inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in their first year of eligibility in 2002. Unfortunately, on October 2, 2017, Petty suffered a heart attack at his home in Los Angeles, and hours later was declared deceased at UCLA Medical Center at the age of 66. Tributes soon came flooding in from friends and colleagues, including Byrds’ founders Roger McGuinn and Chris Hillman; and benefit concerts were held in Petty’s honor that featured the remaining members of the Heartbreakers themselves.