Tom Petty’s Real-Life Nightmares: Rocker on ‘Damn the Torpedoes’ Woes

This story was originally published in the February 21, 1980 issue of Rolling Stone. At the moment, Tom Petty doesn’t look much like a man who recently regained the upper hand in his career. Instead, hemmed in by hazy lights center stage at Philadelphia’s Tower Theater, he looks strained and ashen as he sings “Even the Losers,” a hard-learned article of faith from his new album, Damn the Torpedoes. Appearances aside, though, Petty still barks with all the fervor and inflection of a raving tenor saxophone when he hits the chorus tag: “Even the losers/Keep a little bit of pride/They get lucky sometime.” Then, with barely a breath, Petty’s skilled cohorts, the Heartbreakers — guitarist Michael Campbell, drummer Stan Lynch, bassist Ron Blair and keyboardist Benmont Tench — hammer into “I Need to Know.” Suddenly, something in Petty’s voice snaps, reverberating to the last row of the musty hall. Campbell and Tench exchange startled looks, but the group keeps pushing, with Petty’s voice chafing and yanking all the way. “Stay right where you are,” Petty tells the audience at the song’s end, a confounded expression crossing his face. “We’re gonna take a break.” Related Tom Petty’s 50 Greatest Songs Watch… Read full this story

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