"I Just Try To Write A Good Song"

Sean Bresnan - gonegator.com

Thats what Tom Petty said when asked about his songwriting methods at ASCAPs I Create Music Expo this past Saturday. The expo was aimed at practicing song writers. So, if youre not one, or not interested in the music business, the rest of the three day expo would have put you to sleep.

Tom spoke for an hour in front of a standing room only crowd of 700 - 800 people. I felt quite honored sitting on a reserved row along with Jon Scott, Bugs, Peter Bogdanovich, George Drakoulias, Tony Dimitriades, Mary Klauzer and Mrs. Dana Petty. Tom sat center stage with an interviewer and the room had two large video screens on either side, but there wasn’t a bad seat in the room. It was just great to listen to Tom talk in such an intimate setting.

To be honest, if you read Paul Zollos book, Conversations with Tom Petty, there really wasnt too much new information given. I did supply Mary Klauzer with three questions from the Tom Petty Bulletin Board. One of which was answered directly (kinda). The other two were kind of covered by other questions asked.

The first 20 minutes, the interviewer asked pretty standard questions. Tom wanted to give most of his time to the songwriters in the crowd, so the remaining 40 minutes or so was opened to the crowd. ASCAP had two microphones set up near the stage where people stood in line to talk to Tom Petty. They actually cut off questions when my friend and photographer, Michelle, was next in line. My heart just sank for her. But hopefully I will have pictures up at gonegator.com soon.

I know I didnt get all the questions, but my main concern was what Tom was saying. So, I will paraphrase some of the questions and give Toms answers. What I love about Tom Petty is what an honest, down to earth, humble and FUNNY guy he can be. And all of these things came out in this interview

Something of note, in the introduction part, the interviewer was mentioning tour dates. I havent seen or heard it mentioned anywhere else, but the band will be playing the Austin City Limits festival in, thats right, Austin Texas in September.

Interviewer: Where were you [in life] when music took you over?
Tom Petty: In my front yard

Tom then told the classic Elvis story we all know and love.

Interviewer: Tell us about your 1st band
Tom Petty: Tom never said which band it was, Epics or Sundowners, but did say I put this band together with the only other guy in Gainesville with long hair. He went on to say that this girl had asked him if his band would play a dance, so Tom said they got to the dance and had three songs worked up real good. We played these three songs really good [pause] and then we played them again. When I got into Rock n Roll, it was all about gettin the girl, so we did like Wooly Bully for this dance, never got that girl though. Tom went on to say that they auditioned for Capricorn at the studio in Macon, GA where the Allman Brothers recorded. He said, we were rejected for sounding too English.

Interviewer: Tell us about the songwriting process and lyrics, can you just call your muse up on the phone?
Tom Petty: Just lucky really, I like it when the words and music come together at the same time.” Tom went on to say how he wrote “Wildflowers.” He said basically, he had gone on a drive, turned the tape recorder at home and recorded that whole song, chord changes and lyrics in one take. On songs Tom said, “It just happens really and it keeps happening.” Who’s your muse?, “My wife [pause] inspiration comes at different times really, I just try to keep my antenna up because it’s downright impolite to ignore the muse. I just try to write a good song. I may write ten songs and throw them away before finding the right one.”

Interviewer: Tell us what its like working with the Heartbreakers.
Tom Petty: Theyre my family, theres nobody else I would rather work with.

Interviewer: Any advice for our songwriters?
Tom Petty: Always be yourself and never follow trends

Here are a few of the better questions asked by songwriters in the audience.

Songwriter: Any advice for writers block when your own worst critic?
Tom Petty: The Heartbreakers can be very critical surround yourself with good people find yourself a good producer to bounce things off of.

Songwriter: What did you think of the Strokes ripping off American Girl?
Tom Petty: I did hear that song, and if they had used my lyrics, I would have been upset I got a really nice letter from the Strokes saying please dont sue us, we meant it as a tribute to you So I let it slide.

Songwriter: Do you ever check your MySpace account?
Tom Petty: Whats that? [shrugs shoulders] I dont know what that is!

That answer received a great laugh and round of applause from the audience.

Im writing this from my notes and I dont remember the exact question asked, but on collaborating with Stevie Nicks, Tom said Stevie has agreed to come out and do a few songs with us on this tour. On wardrobes and look, Tom said we got into the music, never got into the jewelry.

So, I supplied Mary Klauzer with a few questions from TP's BBS. And the interviewer goes we're going to pause and ask a question from the BBS... someone in the audience said something like "Is it from the 'Crazy Chick'" and I swear Tom goes yeah it's probably from the Crazy Lady or something like that.

Now I've only done the Crazy Chick bit on Gone Gator Radio during one of my live shows. So, it kinda made me feel like Tom heard that and thought it was funny. It may have been purely coincidental with how he responded to the girl in the audience. But it was flattering that the girl in the audience HAD heard the bit!!!

From the BBS: How do you develop your characters for your songs.
Looks liked they picked Cathees question!
Tom Petty: Its just fun reallyits fun to try and be someone youre not to try to imagine what that person might be doingto tell a story. In a song, each line is so important. Tom goes on to give the 1st line of Blue Sunday as an example she took a rolled-up twenty out of her pocket and paid for my cigarettes now we have this guy who smokes he cant afford them and for some reason, this girl rolls up her money. Its just fun.

Ive got several more notes and an audio recording to go through with many more questions, but these were the best ones. Ill close with one of the last questions asked and I think with one of Toms best answers, ok, 2nd to the MySpace one.

Songwriter: What are your governing values?
Tom Petty: Have morals be good and treat other people the way you want to be treated.

In other words, dont be a dick!