Refugee
04-21-2008, 03:30 PM
If a member of your high school band were to call you up 30 years later and tell you he is “getting the band back together,” you woud probably get a good laugh out of it — or even feel sorry for the poor guy.
When that friend happens to be Tom Petty, however, it’s a whole other response.
Yes, it’s true: Tom Petty, one of the world’s biggest rock stars, is coming to the Ventura Theater, but not with his usual back up band, the Heartbreakers. Instead, he is living out a lifelong dream and reuniting his original band, Mudcrutch.
Mudcrutch first came to California from their native Florida in the ’70s and recorded one single before disbanding, thus opening the door for Petty, the band’s bassist, to give it a go on his own (and we all know what a poor career choice that was). But, decades later, Mudcrutch is back with their first album and a weeklong tour of California that is coming to the Ventura Theatre for a show that is already sold-out. The Reporter scored an interview with original Mudcrutch members and longtime Heartbreakers Mike Campbell and Benmont Tench, who discussed the history of Mudcrutch and the real reason why you won’t be hearing any Petty classics at the concert.
So have you contacted Guinness yet to determine if this is the longest time period from a band’s formation to the time they released their debut record?
Mike Campbell: [Laughs] You might be right.
Benmont Tench: It probably is. We’ll have to look into that.
Did you ever think in your wildest dreams Mudcrutch would get back together?
BT: Every time I heard an old Mudcrutch song, from either the lineup that did the single or the lineup shortly thereafter, I just loved the sound. Somewhere in my head and heart, I hoped it would happen but never in my wildest dreams thought it would happen.
MC: It was completely Tom’s idea, and we were thrilled to go along with it.
What was the reaction when Tom Leadon and Randall Marsh, who’ve spent the past 30 years or so teaching guitar and playing drums in bar bands, while you guys became legends, got the call from Tom Petty that he wanted to get the band together?
MC: They were blown away. I think it was one of those, Why us? It was sweet to be able to work with them again and have the chance to share in making music together after all these years.
BT: Yeah. They were just over the moon. It was amazing, and more importantly, when they showed up they were really good. They walked right in and didn’t skip a beat. just a joy to play with them.
With all the success you’ve had, can you remember what that feeling was like when you moved out to L.A. to make it with the band only to have it fall apart so quick?
MC: It was disappointing. We just went into the studio and couldn’t capture the sound we really wanted.
BT: We were trying to get a live sound, like we were known for, but we were new to the studio and didn’t know how to make things sound like we wanted.
MC: We were frustrated. After that the guys went their separate ways. It was Benmont who was doing a demo session and he asked me, Ron , Stan [Lynch, drummer] and Tom to play on it. Tom was there and thought, “I gotta get all these guys in my band!”
[B]So your humble demo session was a catalyst for rock’n’roll history.
BT: I’ve never thought of it like that, but looking back now, you’re right.
What’s the biggest the difference between playing the Ventura Theater as opposed to, let’s say, the Super Bowl?
MC: No difference at all. [Laughs.] For us the biggest difference will be having a different rhythm section. Tom’s back to his original role in Mudcrutch playing bass. The Mudcrutch rhythm section has a real special swing to it. It’s different from the more driving rock of the Heartbreakers but equally good.
BT: [It’s a] very unique style but still valid.
I know you’ve been asked this a million times since the tour’s been announced, but here’s a million and one: Any chance of hearing some Tom Petty songs at the show? Please?
MC: [Laughs.] Sorry. It’s true, there’ll be no Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers songs played — all Mudcrutch songs, but the band does do some cool covers.
BT: Even if we wanted to play some Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, songs we don’t have the time to learn ‘em!
[I]Mudcrutch’s performance at the Ventura Theater on April 20 is sold out.
http://www.vcreporter.com/cms/story/detail/no_longer_stuck_in_the_mud/5892/
When that friend happens to be Tom Petty, however, it’s a whole other response.
Yes, it’s true: Tom Petty, one of the world’s biggest rock stars, is coming to the Ventura Theater, but not with his usual back up band, the Heartbreakers. Instead, he is living out a lifelong dream and reuniting his original band, Mudcrutch.
Mudcrutch first came to California from their native Florida in the ’70s and recorded one single before disbanding, thus opening the door for Petty, the band’s bassist, to give it a go on his own (and we all know what a poor career choice that was). But, decades later, Mudcrutch is back with their first album and a weeklong tour of California that is coming to the Ventura Theatre for a show that is already sold-out. The Reporter scored an interview with original Mudcrutch members and longtime Heartbreakers Mike Campbell and Benmont Tench, who discussed the history of Mudcrutch and the real reason why you won’t be hearing any Petty classics at the concert.
So have you contacted Guinness yet to determine if this is the longest time period from a band’s formation to the time they released their debut record?
Mike Campbell: [Laughs] You might be right.
Benmont Tench: It probably is. We’ll have to look into that.
Did you ever think in your wildest dreams Mudcrutch would get back together?
BT: Every time I heard an old Mudcrutch song, from either the lineup that did the single or the lineup shortly thereafter, I just loved the sound. Somewhere in my head and heart, I hoped it would happen but never in my wildest dreams thought it would happen.
MC: It was completely Tom’s idea, and we were thrilled to go along with it.
What was the reaction when Tom Leadon and Randall Marsh, who’ve spent the past 30 years or so teaching guitar and playing drums in bar bands, while you guys became legends, got the call from Tom Petty that he wanted to get the band together?
MC: They were blown away. I think it was one of those, Why us? It was sweet to be able to work with them again and have the chance to share in making music together after all these years.
BT: Yeah. They were just over the moon. It was amazing, and more importantly, when they showed up they were really good. They walked right in and didn’t skip a beat. just a joy to play with them.
With all the success you’ve had, can you remember what that feeling was like when you moved out to L.A. to make it with the band only to have it fall apart so quick?
MC: It was disappointing. We just went into the studio and couldn’t capture the sound we really wanted.
BT: We were trying to get a live sound, like we were known for, but we were new to the studio and didn’t know how to make things sound like we wanted.
MC: We were frustrated. After that the guys went their separate ways. It was Benmont who was doing a demo session and he asked me, Ron , Stan [Lynch, drummer] and Tom to play on it. Tom was there and thought, “I gotta get all these guys in my band!”
[B]So your humble demo session was a catalyst for rock’n’roll history.
BT: I’ve never thought of it like that, but looking back now, you’re right.
What’s the biggest the difference between playing the Ventura Theater as opposed to, let’s say, the Super Bowl?
MC: No difference at all. [Laughs.] For us the biggest difference will be having a different rhythm section. Tom’s back to his original role in Mudcrutch playing bass. The Mudcrutch rhythm section has a real special swing to it. It’s different from the more driving rock of the Heartbreakers but equally good.
BT: [It’s a] very unique style but still valid.
I know you’ve been asked this a million times since the tour’s been announced, but here’s a million and one: Any chance of hearing some Tom Petty songs at the show? Please?
MC: [Laughs.] Sorry. It’s true, there’ll be no Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers songs played — all Mudcrutch songs, but the band does do some cool covers.
BT: Even if we wanted to play some Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, songs we don’t have the time to learn ‘em!
[I]Mudcrutch’s performance at the Ventura Theater on April 20 is sold out.
http://www.vcreporter.com/cms/story/detail/no_longer_stuck_in_the_mud/5892/