Random Thoughts, Notes, & Incidents

Quick review here... I realize I never got around to telling about the Tom Petty concert a week or so ago. Well, it was excellent, of course. Since then, I picked up the new CD, "The Last DJ," which included a bonus DVD, and that, too, is highly recommended.

TP just keeps getting better, as far as I'm concerned. There were a few years, back a ways, where they were just turning out pop music that was fun, but not as exciting as the early stuff, and not as important or lasting as what they're doing now. That period is long over.

The TP of today is a thoughtful, mature, artist - who can still rock the house. Some of the songs on the current CD are among his best ever. Thematically, he's returned to one of his best topics; biting the hand that feeds him.

Much of the album is about the current, sad state of the music industry, and the mediocrity that we've all come to accept. While the songs are about artists selling out, the themes apply to much more of what's going on in our society than just the music.

The DVD which came with the CD includes performances of most of the songs on the album, shot in the recording studio, cut together with an interview of TP talking about the project, and the above stated themes. He also lamented how the business uses people up so quickly, and that new artists don't get the nurturing, tutoring, and chances that he was given starting out 26 years ago.

TP's commentary on artists selling out also carried over into the concert. In these days of "Bank of American presents the Rolling Stones" (or Budweiser, etc.), this show was conspicuously without corporate backing. In case anybody missed that, from the stage TP announced, "This show is sponsored by You!"

The Heartbreakers live on! Tom Petty is the last great, honest rock star standing.