Legendary Nashville songwriter, Harlan Howard is purported to have coined the expression “three chords and the truth” and friend and colleague Bob Dylan is also remembered for the great line “All I need is my red guitar, three chords and the truth”. Well that’s all this riff is. Three chords. No passing chords, no fancy inversions or suspended notes. Just three chords - D A E.

Mike Campbell was and is famously prolific in his writing and brought all of that work to Tom in case there was something there that connected. In this case, Tom saw the truth in those three chords and decided to write a masterpiece. It may have taken a while for the final brushstrokes to arrive, but when they did, they truly transformed a young girl with a faraway look in her eye into the Mona Lisa.

This episode includes a conversation with musician, writer, and former guest, Jeff Slate.

If you want to listen to You Wreck Me before the episode, you can find it here: https://youtu.be/-3aGZZueg08

If you'd like to listen to the fantastic version released as a part of the Fillmore box set, you can find that here: https://youtu.be/aPV745BKtr8

If you have any interest in Van Halen, please check out my friends Corey and Mark over on And The Podcast Will Rock. You can find the show here: https://shows.acast.com/podcastwillrock

Don't forget to follow me on social media, like, subscribe, and please, leave a rating if you like the show.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thetompettyproject

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TomPettyProject

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetompettyproject/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thetompettyproject

All music other than the piano version of Wildflowers, including the theme song, provided by my very best friend Randy Woods. Check him out at https://www.randywoodsband.com

The Tom Petty Project is not affiliated with the Tom Petty estate in any way and when you’re looking for Tom’s music, please visit the official YouTube channel first and go to tompetty.com for official merchandise.

A last very special thanks to Paul Zollo. Without his book, "Conversations with Tom Petty", this podcast wouldn't be nearly as much fun to research. And further thanks to Warren Zanes for his outstanding book "Petty, the Biography".

Producer: Kevin Brown

Executive Producer: Paul Roberts

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-tom-petty-project.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On certain days, I think “Time to Move On” is the best song on Wildflowers, on other days, other songs take that honour. It’s a song that resonates with so many people because it gives us that glimpse into someone finding freedom, if not exactly peace.

Despite being the fourth most streamed song from Wildflowers on Spotify, "Time to Move On" was not played live very many times. In fact, on setlist.fm, it comes in tied with Swingin as the 58th most played song in Tom’s catalogue, behind tracks such as Drivin Down to Georgia and Melinda, which were never originally released as studio tracks. But Time To Move On has cult status among Petty fans as being another phrase that’s used as a show of support for someone who has had some sort of pivotal event happen in their life and is at a crossroads of one kind or another.

This episode includes a conversation with Janet Lovell, who is one of the admins on the Tom Petty Nation Facebook group.

If you want to listen to Time to Move On before the episode, you can find it here: https://youtu.be/pDPq1QbGAAk

If you'd like to listen to one of the few times this song was performed live, from the Wildflowers & All the Rest boxset, you can find that here: https://youtu.be/aPV745BKtr8

Don't forget to follow me on social media, like, subscribe, and please, leave a rating if you like the show.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thetompettyproject

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TomPettyProject

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetompettyproject/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thetompettyproject

All music other than the piano version of Wildflowers, including the theme song, provided by my very best friend Randy Woods. Check him out at https://www.randywoodsband.com

The Tom Petty Project is not affiliated with the Tom Petty estate in any way and when you’re looking for Tom’s music, please visit the official YouTube channel first and go to tompetty.com for official merchandise.

A last very special thanks to Paul Zollo. Without his book, "Conversations with Tom Petty", this podcast wouldn't be nearly as much fun to research. And further thanks to Warren Zanes for his outstanding book "Petty, the Biography".

Producer: Kevin Brown

Executive Producer: Paul Roberts

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-tom-petty-project.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’re all quick to judge people, whether they cut us off in the fast lane, or don’t hold a door open for us as we’re heading out of the grocery store. But we don’t know what that person is going through, emotionally, psychologically, physically. That disconnect is amplified a hundredfold when it’s in the context of a famous person. Wealth and stardom and all the trappings of comfort don’t mean much if your marriage is falling apart. So “You don’t know how it feels to be me” shouldn’t be viewed as a dismissive wave of the hand, it should be viewed as an invitation to empathy.

This episode includes a conversation about Wildflowers with special guest, Russell Mark of The Nextdoors.

If you want to listen to You Don't Know How It Feels before the episode, you can find it here: https://youtu.be/ygfA1A45tn8

If you'd like to listen to that home demo version, with the alternative lyrics in the second verse, you can find that one here: https://youtu.be/D-g_THmIqI8

Don't forget to follow me on social media, like, subscribe, and please, leave a rating if you like the show.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thetompettyproject

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TomPettyProject

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetompettyproject/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thetompettyproject

All music other than the piano version of Wildflowers, including the theme song, provided by my very best friend Randy Woods. Check him out at https://www.randywoodsband.com

The Tom Petty Project is not affiliated with the Tom Petty estate in any way and when you’re looking for Tom’s music, please visit the official YouTube channel first and go to tompetty.com for official merchandise.

A last very special thanks to Paul Zollo. Without his book, "Conversations with Tom Petty", this podcast wouldn't be nearly as much fun to research. And further thanks to Warren Zanes for his outstanding book "Petty, the Biography".

Producer: Kevin Brown

Executive Producer: Paul Roberts

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-tom-petty-project.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Everything about the way this song is crafted sneaks up on you. It’s a masterclass in how you take an idea and flesh it out into a fully-fledged tour de force piece of art. And that’s not to say that this song isn’t wonderful when played just on an acoustic guitar, or on piano with just the vocal accompaniment. It’s a great song in its bones, but it’s dressed in such elegant musical finery that it becomes this dazzling, breathtaking thing of beauty.

This episode includes a conversation about Wildflowers with Mary Beth Donnolly.

If you want to listen to Wildflowers before the episode, you can find it here: https://youtu.be/Kw8vBDk880k

If you'd like to listen to that home demo version, with the alternate bridge section, you can find that one here: https://youtu.be/m2OFxeg4spU

The photo I had mentioned in the show of Tom and the band at the Viper Room can be found here: https://tinyurl.com/3jhus6rb

And do please check out the fantastic Regarding Roger podcast here:

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/regarding-roger/id1716908381

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5Edvf5uVeRzCTRpsKVo2sd

Don't forget to follow me on social media, like, subscribe, and please, leave a rating if you like the show.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thetompettyproject

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TomPettyProject

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetompettyproject/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thetompettyproject

All music other than the piano version of Wildflowers, including the theme song, provided by my very best friend Randy Woods. Check him out at https://www.randywoodsband.com

The Tom Petty Project is not affiliated with the Tom Petty estate in any way and when you’re looking for Tom’s music, please visit the official YouTube channel first and go to tompetty.com for official merchandise.

A last very special thanks to Paul Zollo. Without his book, "Conversations with Tom Petty", this podcast wouldn't be nearly as much fun to research. And further thanks to Warren Zanes for his outstanding book "Petty, the Biography".

Producer: Kevin Brown

Executive Producer: Paul Roberts

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-tom-petty-project.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When climbers finally decide to take on the holy grail of all ascents, Everest, they first face a nine day journey to base camp, which includes two full rest days. This journey alone weeds out about thirty of explorers. Those who are lucky enough to make the arduous trek to the first staging post are then faced with Mount Everest growing ever upwards into the clouds before them. Well my fine friends, I finally made it to basecamp and I’m staring up at my own personal Everest, relishing the challenge ahead, and looking forward to finding my own place among the Wildflowers.

Wildflowers is the album that converted me from a casual fan to a Pettyhead and is, in my opinion, one of the most perfect albums ever recorded.

I hope you enjoy this tenth season of The Tom Petty Project. Like the album, it’s been a long time coming and I hope I can do it justice.

Don't forget to follow me on social media, like, subscribe, and please, leave a rating if you like the show.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thetompettyproject

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TomPettyProject

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetompettyproject/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thetompettyproject

All music in this episode was played by me on my trusty old Korg X3!

The Tom Petty Project is not affiliated with the Tom Petty estate in any way and when you’re looking for Tom’s music, please visit the official YouTube channel first and go to tompetty.com for official merchandise.

A last very special thanks to Paul Zollo. Without his book, "Conversations with Tom Petty", this podcast wouldn't be nearly as much fun to research. And further thanks to Warren Zanes for his outstanding book "Petty, the Biography".

Producer: Kevin Brown

Executive Producer: Paul Roberts

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-tom-petty-project.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One last non-Petty episode before we being digging into Wildflowers! This time, Russell Mark, from The Nextdoors is back to talk about their new single "Swing and a Miss". We talk about perfection in art and whether it's worth striving for, we nerd out over specific production choices and songwriting form, and of course, we talk about Gary Carter, and America's pastime. It was a lot of fun chatting to Russell again and I hope you enjoy our chat as much as we did!

You can listen to or buy Swing and a Miss here;

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/2rkI6C98jJhv6GhSmWYBaP

Apple: https://music.apple.com/us/album/swing-and-a-miss/1733839196

Youtube Music: https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=9k1c5udiTgo

Bandcamp: https://thenextdoors.bandcamp.com/album/swing-and-a-miss-single

And you can go check out The Nextdoors website for upcoming shows and all sorts of other info! https://nextdoorsmusic.com

Don't forget to follow me on social media, like, subscribe, and please, leave a rating if you like the show.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thetompettyproject

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TomPettyProject

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetompettyproject/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thetompettyproject

All music, including the theme song, provided by my very best friend Randy Woods. Check him out at https://www.randywoodsband.com

The Tom Petty Project is not affiliated with the Tom Petty estate in any way and when you’re looking for Tom’s music, please visit the official YouTube channel first and go to tompetty.com for official merchandise.

A last very special thanks to Paul Zollo. Without his book, "Conversations with Tom Petty", this podcast wouldn't be nearly as much fun to research. And further thanks to Warren Zanes for his outstanding book "Petty, the Biography".

Producer: Kevin Brown

Executive Producer: Paul Roberts

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-tom-petty-project.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is another special non-Petty episode of the podcast with the fantastic Jake Thistle, who found time in his insanely busy schedule to sit down with me to discuss his label debut, The Half Left Out. We chatted a little about Gainesville and Tom of course, but mainly we dug into the weeds around his full debut release, with topics ranging from album sequencing, how different producers bring different perspectives to songs, and how to avoid cliche: Jake has a fairly direct way of dealing with that! We also dug into the brilliant video for Brooklyn Can Wait and talked through each track in a little more depth.

Jake has a new live album coming out some time in the next few months and already has demos made for most of a new studio recording which will be coming sometime hopefully soon. In the meantime, make sure you check out https://jakethistle.com and go support Jake at a live show if he’s playing anywhere near you.

You can listen to Jake's fantastic album, The Half Left Out here;

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/5NHK1O1KV8HX4rQpHBWYxM?si=SkDAanucR9C3ZQYtJ2HCow

Apple: https://music.apple.com/us/album/the-half-left-out/1713615334

Youtube Music: https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_nUNZNye9Kwjuhxc-DG4eYsojuLhOz_CHs

And check out the video for "Brooklyn Can Wait" here: https://youtu.be/w_7rzZ5gMTw

Don't forget to follow me on social media, like, subscribe, and please, leave a rating if you like the show.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thetompettyproject

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TomPettyProject

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetompettyproject/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thetompettyproject

All music, including the theme song, provided by my very best friend Randy Woods. Check him out at https://www.randywoodsband.com

The Tom Petty Project is not affiliated with the Tom Petty estate in any way and when you’re looking for Tom’s music, please visit the official YouTube channel first and go to tompetty.com for official merchandise.

A last very special thanks to Paul Zollo. Without his book, "Conversations with Tom Petty", this podcast wouldn't be nearly as much fun to research. And further thanks to Warren Zanes for his outstanding book "Petty, the Biography".

Producer: Kevin Brown

Executive Producer: Paul Roberts

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-tom-petty-project.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A really fun one today folks. John and Kevin dig deep into inclusions and ommissions from 1993's Greatest Hits. We have a conversation about formats (CD vs vinyl), chronological ordering vs sequencing, and whether ballads belong on Greatest Hits compilations. Both John and Kevin have one song that the other feels simply doesn't belong on the Greatest Hits album and have a fulsome conversation about their reasoning!

Do check out www.4for4.com if you're into fantasy football and follow John on Twitter at @4for4_John

Don't forget to follow me on social media, like, subscribe, and please, leave a rating if you like the show:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thetompettyproject

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TomPettyProject

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetompettyproject/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCt6BLRWuuAR43zHpNKIirOw

All music, including the theme song, provided by my very best friend Randy Woods. Check him out at https://www.randywoodsband.com/

Logo provided Ed Booth, who you can find here: https://edboothart.com/

The Tom Petty Project is not affiliated with the Tom Petty estate in any way and when you’re looking for Tom’s music, please visit the official YouTube channel first and go to tompetty.com for official merchandise.

A last very special thanks to Paul Zollo. Without his book, "Conversations with Tom Petty", this podcast wouldn't be nearly as much fun to research. And further thanks to Warren Zanes for his outstanding book "Petty, the Biography".

Producer: Kevin Brown

Executive Producer: Paul Roberts

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-tom-petty-project.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.