Shelter

That is funny! CDs are so much better than vinyl that way. Suppose one should ask oneself.. what disc would be the best for signaling?! Not sure to what extent this issue is any different than picking your favorite album, really. Unless, of course, your motive would differ.. depending on scenario.. Perhaps the idea would be to bring the most annoying stuff imaginable, in order to increase your drive and incentives to get the h*ll out of there. (In which case I would probably not think to bring any TP at all.. perhaps a burnt single track disc of Heartbreaker's Beach Party or Don't Pull Me Over if so..) I guess this is all why I always keep a stick of carefully picked Flac files in my First Aid Kit - in case of sonic emergency. (How mad I would be if I get washed up on that island and all there is would be an old cassette player! - Better stuff that emergency kit with a player too.. oh, and some speakers.. and a set of solar panels - the weather will be nice, right?!) A case can be made that I would simply bring a guitar and some extra strings and make do with my own funky versions of every song I can think of. The hard case could even double as a canoe.

happy b-day! hope it's a good one!

Another interesting thing with this thread so far, is the comparatively frequent mentioning of Breakdown. Love it! It's really cool that several people here seems to have been onboard this train more or less since it left the station, so to speak. Kudos! I find what I read to be a refreshing update on the often repeated official story - at least a story I've heard and believed - that it primarily was the UK that took TP&TH to heart, offered air play and ticket sales early on, while the home market was less interested at first, things moving slowly, with some of the early singles catching on just in time for the big breakthrough with Damn The Torpedoes a few years later. It's good to hear that this is perhaps not to be overstated, that apparently a lot of people actually got to hear some of the Shelter stuff on the radio from the start. That said, I guess it's no surprise if the ones that got it then, are the ones that are still fans today and visit this site, so.. Anyway. How cool that must have been!

Right. Just that first contact hardly meant actually listening in my case. Once I started to really listen, things started to develop along more complicated lines, that's all. At least some lines of which still confirm your theory.. By all means.

Was thinking the same thing.. To see how this first contact aspect would effect any of the multiple preference rank threads that discuss the albums, songs, live sets and such. In my case, your theory holds - if only in parts. I think my first exposure to TP was the album Long After Dark, and thus the opening track One Story Town was the first song. This was sometime in 1982 or 83, from a cassette unto which someone dubbed the LP for the listening pleasures of my father. And lo and behold, over time LAD really has become my favorite TP album! Although - mind you - I was pretty young at the time, and while I thought LAD sounded pretty cool and "mature" in a much enticing way, I was only too soon off to enjoy some one hit wonder of the time, some oldies 60s records that I loved or perhaps Twisted Sister. And I suppose similar things happened when hearing/seeing Don't Come Around Here No More or Jammin' Me - songs that to me, much like MJ2LD suggests, were really more videos than songs on records. They looked cool most of all, Jammin Me was so modern. But to cut to the core. My first REAL - focused and obsessed - TP fan was later in the 80s, when I happened to hear some of the Shelter era stuff and really fell in love with it instantly - when I heard Anything That's R&R for the first time, I knew it was forever before the song was even through! At the same time I was catching up, as it were, and I was discovering the then contemporary state of things - called stuff like Traveling Wilburys and Full Moon Fever - stuff that I was equally, or even more so, floored by. (Yes, in those days the Jeff sound really tickled my ears in all the right way - brilliant stuff all around, and light weight in a way that can be appealing, and yes.. this is where your theory starts to fall apart.. ) That said.. with age and time, this my first actual TP era split in two eventually.. The 70s stuff remained favorites over the years, while the FMF experience soon slowly began entering the shadows of so much of the other great stuff, previous and coming. To me the FMF thrill first got deepened and widened with the ITGWO experience - if you would have asked me in 1992 or 1993, I'm sure I would tell you that FMF was not only my first favorite, but that it would always be so. But alas, while ITGWO prooved to be a timeless masterpiece(despite some of the less timeless of its sounds) to keep along for life, my interest and long term excitement with my first TP obession FMF, soon ended up at the lower half of my personal ranking. So.. for me, I guess it goes a bit both ways in terms of early favorites and long term favorites. You grow older, wiser, gather experience.. get more stuff to compare with.. learn how to listen for different things and in different ways.. Much like the artists themselves - most of them, at least the genius ones - you move on. SOmetimes it's just with the benefit of decades of hindsight that really gives you the perspective on things, that reveals what holds and what doesn't, right? To some extent, the older you get, the better you get at detecting what you like. But at the same time.. the more rusty and stuck in your old ways you get too, so.. Good question - got me thinking.

One Story Town, I think it was.. strangely enough. As an older kid I remember being knocked over with excitement when I stumbled upon oldies like American Girl and Anything That's R&R.. That was around the same time as I heard the Full Moon Fever album upon release in 1989 and that combined experience really did it for me.

^ normally not much of a Jeff fan, I must say that one was spectacular. really fun to watch. thanks much for sharing!

Ah, yes. Big Ben. That is all very interesting, actually. And well put. Being a bit of a Ben man myself, I very much agree with what you say about 'Ben the glue'. Much like TP phrasing, Ben's smooth work always add magic, sometimes in your face and a lot of the time very much in the shadows or in the fine prints. Making all the difference, really. Can't be stated enough. And I too have been noticing the same thing about HE. But I rather see the album as the unexpected exception from the rule, w/r/t Ben. That is, for once I'm fine with how the songs and the sound work with this lesser pronounced Benness. (Which is not to say that they they could've worked, if differently, with more contributions i/t/o keys, something I think these songs could be treated with, for variation and exploration, in a live setting - should most of these songs ever get played live, that is..) That said, I'm not sure it's about the mix. At least not entirely. Like you imply at the end of your post, I think that at least for several of the songs they just had Ben add fitting stuff sporadically, rather than him playing all over the album only to be mixed down or edited out at the end. At least that would be my guess, seems like the material took that route and that they were bent on a certain vibe this time. Too bad in a way, still.. like I said, somewhat against my own judgement, I think it's the first time it works pretty well with so little Ben. Besides.. no wonder Ben had time to finish his long awaited solo album in the meantime..

Very true, a very special quality that is! For sure! Echo is an absolutely great example. Another good one in that respect could be Have Love Will Travel. Stuff that really are going places thanks to TP delivery. As is so much in the catalog. Come to think of it, some of the best moments of the Mojo album are also some of the best examples of this. I know.. many aspects of Mojo to me add up to me not being particularly fond of it as an album (its' length, track sequence, outtakes, "intakes".. and so on), but the stuff of greatness that never the less is on Mojo really entirely comes down to two things, as I hear it - a great sound and a great phrasing. I mean, perfectly good songs - Running Man's Bible, Trip to Pirate's Cove and pehaps most notably the utterly cool Good Enough and the smooth Something Good Coming, even the often times soarly overlooked No Reason To Cry - are turning true classics thanks to TP singing/phrasing. Entire new worlds are coming to life in my mind when hearing some of that stuff.

Happy birthday!!

Yes, exactly that. It's been discussed before and I think it's one of the key aspects to this issue. Contrary to popular belief, "there are so many ways". You said it. Question is if there is any financial incentive n-o-t to change it up. Given that they really want to. For one thing, like you say, selling downloads or live streamed shows would suddenly make more sense - and even if that won't make them the ginormous amounts of extra money perhaps imagined, and even if they don't even do it anyway.. again, like you say, there are plenty proof and plenty of other acts showing how a more varied set can be a real thing, when music and joy is what matters to performers (it does not have to be about improv either, mind you.) Well, I am not gonna name names, but we all know who they are, who really dig through their catalogs, without skipping over the key hits, who play long and varied shows - within tours or from tour to tour. So, no doubt, both from a market and musical points of view it can easily be done, in a lot of creative and sound ways. As I so often conclude, it simply comes down to the will to do it.

Took me three days to get here (since you asked, that is) but I'm in the future right now. And it's beautiful here! Btw: Happy 4th of July everyone!

Happy birthday everybody!

Oh, sorry for the delay.. forgot about it. Here's something Been wondering that same thing. If it was a chronological thing, a phase, or merely a matter of flavor. Hopefully someone knows..

^ Well.. Something like that, right? You can probably boil it all down even further, all the way to the "who cares". Which I can't help feeling a little sad about. Personally I will always hold a candle for the album cause. Sidenote: That new profile picture of yours is awesome!! I still have that exact tour poster somewhere, in giant format. Maybe it should not be rolled up and stored away..

These reports from Bizarro World are quite fascinating! What else is on the horizon? Benmont turning trumpet? A bald Jeff Lynne? Oh, you guys..

Sure thing, pretty much all I'm saying too. Always sad when support means stepping on toes. I suppose, in some ways silence rocks too.. in much the same way some of the best ever albums are albums never made, ironically. That's the stuff of legends. As long as MC is happy and knows we love the music, I'm happy too. But no drama, really. No reason to step back on wishing that he didn't have to choose. True that, true vibes.

A lot of Dirty Knobs this week

Fair enough, like always, discussing production and sound of various albums is interesting, but a lot of what you say here, to me it's pure crazy talk. "Minimalistic" perhaps, but I don't, at all, understand, or even hear the cold or "tin" aspect of the HE sound sometimes mentioned. Sounds mostly like plastic free, intense rock to me, if that is what gives you a sense of metallic cans..? What's more - to me HE is among the most beautifully realized in all of the catalogue, both in terms of parts and sum, both in terms of material and sound/production. Simply brilliant, most of it. And a very effective album, perhaps especially so from a vinyl point of view, with the two archs that is the a and b sides.. an art form not always carried out to perfection, or even kept in mind these days. -- Still I have a hard time picking one fav song of the batch. That said, I too would enjoy hearing what some of my fav producers would have made of the material, sure. Ok, just had to disagree. To each their own.

^ Oh, I for one am guilty of assuming a thing or two. By all means. All in genuine curiosity though. -- A lot of what you say ties in well with what I'm thinking. That this is really, at the core, about priorities, about loyalty and partnership. Loyalty and a partnership that are not exactly threatened in any way, if I am to take a wild guess. I don't know these people in person, their masterplans or the specific where's and why's when it comes to defentitions of, and lines between 40+ years of friendship and at least 40 years of professional level A greatness that is at work here, but I will try to resort to basic logic. -- It's just that, to me, if the nucleus to "Boys of Summer" (to keep using that well picked symbol and to avoid adding production work, session work and general performing to the messy picture) could go to Henley, once TP decided he didn't want it for himself or TP&TH, then what's the difference if MC would have cut it himself? Or in this here case, if he records a handful of DK songs that TP decides he doesn't want anyway? Like most of us, I am gonna assume that MC takes more or less all his creative ideas, or the core aspects of such, through TP, once they are going anywhere, before even trying to use them elsewhere. That - again - is what I mean with loyalty and priority.. To contractually establish such an "order of proceedings" would be both reasonable, quite understandable and quite a different thing from preventing MC from even having any second or third hand priorities in terms of what to do with whatever leftover time and material that he may feel fun or interesting to develop and/or put his own mark (or even name) on. TP and MC are after all two people and what would theoretically and/or practically works in a DK context, doesn't necessarily work - or even make sense - in a TP context. So why then deny it's exisitens as something else, something friendly that can co-exist - that is, if TP doesn't want a certain material anyway.. then what's the problem? (Unless of course, all of DK current material is to understood as songs that MC withholds from TP, but I'm gonna assume that is not where this is at.) This is not even a question of one undermining the other, as far as I understand the issue. To me it remains strange. And no matter, I'm sure Mike is all a gentleman about it, anyway.. I'm sure, again, in the big scheme of things, he's got no reason to complain. That's why I do it for him. Those are some killer songs that would make for a killer album. No further questions.

Something like that, yeah. While being clueless w/r/t what the fine print stipulates, hearing this makes me wonder.. Given that you can't buy someone's soul (not stop a sun from shining, as it were), that is you can't really control where someone else should keep his creative mind and inner thoughts at all times anyway, I suppose what it has to come down to is loyalty, right? To be contractually obliged to prioritize your "main gig" at all times (being available physically or creatively) over whatever petty gigs (pun intended) you take on on the side, is one thing, but I seriously doubt - and find it quite ridiculous - that TP has anything to fear in terms of MC deserting him, starting a mutiny or rouse the rabble in any way harmful for TP or TP&TH, in such a way that it has to be legally written that TP owns his ass in all public matters and that in actual effect he can't have side gigs at all, at least not recorded and in his own artist name. Again, I don't know the details here, but I guess we gotta take his words. As for me, I think MC has plentyful (and then some) to show for his loyalty, without being singled out at the one Heartbreaker prevevented to make a record. After all - he has obviously been trusted to write, produce, record, show up in interviews and videos, and perform with all kinds of other artists (who may or may not be in the market to compete with TP and/or TP&TH) for ages, using his own name (forever tied to that of TP anyway) as a contributor, but apparently he's not allowed to make records in his own namehead lining - or under the seriously less commercial name of Dirty Knobs for that matter, as if they would ever come close to outgrow or even seriously compete with TP legend anyway. Hm.. Come to think of it.. What with DK generally avoid using their real names - somewhat Traveling Wilburys style - although everybody knows pretty much who they are, and all.. Maybe MC insistently calling himself Tom Petty (really funny that, btw!) in that official (rare as such) little video - linked in the other thread - was nothing but a funny little way to circumvent his legal rights to officially be himself within the context of another band than TP&TH. If so, that was pure genius! All that said, who knows what's up. Not that TP is not to be considered the coolest boss, or that MC probably get reimbursed quite handsomely for tying his hands like this, but still.. This set-up - at least from what is implied - seems unnecessarily stingy to me. Main thing is that MC is happy - but again, personally I would love for him, like Ben, to be able to make a record (or two). Couldn't possibly ruin the future career of the "main gig" in all our hearts and minds, could it?

Cool, thanks!

and here's a sweet piece to enjoy while waiting..

Didn’t see this until today, but in case someone is interested in checking this out, there are actually (kinda like I predicted all along..) now a selection of four tracks from the fanclub exclusive live album “Live 2013” made available at Spotify. That’s not the whole thing, at least not as of yet. But still.. it might be less fun for HCC members to once again get their club benefits watered out, but it’s unquestionably awesome that Steppin’ Stone, Willin’ and the killer version of Tweeter & The Monkey Man are hence officially released. Truly fantastic recordings, IMO! What’s more, I discovered that Spotify offers a playlist that “recreates” the June 3rd 2013 show from the Fonda - complete with TP “commentary” in between songs, made exclusively for Spotify! Could be fun to hear, right? But hold on. It turns out to be a really oddball promotional move, since that show, of course, is not officially available at all – keyword is “recreates” - most of the commentary is along the lines of “here’s one from the Full Moon Fever album” and most of the actual playlist consists of the album versions of the tracks played at the Fonda on the 3rd. (That is all cept the same four “Live 2013” tracks are studio, actually. And only one of those – Willin’ - was actually recorded at the Fonda at all - perhaps not even on the 3rd, I don’t know..) All in all, I’m not sure whether it’s TP or Spotify getting the desperate end of this particular stick? I didn’t know it existed until today and just thought I’d mention it here, since no matter what, it’s part of the legend now in some sense.. On a somewhat related sidenote.. They (the TP office and/or Spotify) still haven’t agreed to cancel that Father’s Place, Roslyn album listing that we discussed earlier this year. But they seem to have made it a bit harder to find. Unless it’s my computer playing tricks on me (AI, right?) the title does not seem to be listed, until you specifically search for it, then it shows up. Perhaps a trade off of sorts, if a strange one at that. Still don’t know why they let that one pass.. but it’s still there to be streamed.

Cool, thank! Great having this little Knobfest going here at the Farm.