Conversations With Tom Petty

July 25, 2005
This lengthy but highly readable compilation of interviews with rock star Petty covers every aspect of his four-decades-long career, from his first success in the 1970s blending the sound of the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and the Byrds ("I think we kind of invented the New Wave"), to his controversial stance on 2002's The Last DJ
as a critic of the greed and homogeneity in the current rock establishment ("I wanted to write an album about what everybody thought but wouldn't say"). While too many of journalist and musician Zollo's questions to Petty about his songwriting contain phrases like "It's got a beautiful chorus," overall the book is successful because the notoriously media-wary Petty responds to Zollo's almost obsessive knowledge about his life, career and craft with articulate and intelligent answers that even nonfans can enjoy. Petty also provides insights into his various side projects, including backing Bob Dylan on tour ("It's a little like playing with a jazz artist") and playing in the Traveling Wilburys with George Harrison ("He wanted to be in a band, but he wanted to avoid all those pitfalls that a band has"). Photos.

September 15, 2005
Every so often someone like Tom Petty comes along and proves Leo Durocher wrong: nice guys don't always finish last. One of rock's most consistent songwriters and performers of the past 30 years, Petty sat for interviews with author and songwriter Zollo between 2004 and 2005, chronicling his career from his youth in Gainesville, FL, through success with his backing group the Heartbreakers, side trips as a solo artist, and as one-fifth of the ultimate supergroup, the Traveling Wilburys, right up to the present day. The Q& A format is ideal for showcasing Petty's likable personality, and his passion for the music he creates is palpable. Zollo, a longtime fan, comes well prepared with knowledgeable and insightful questions that spur Petty's detailed recollections. Especially good is the book's second part: a discussion of nearly every song that Petty has written, recounted simply enough to engage lay readers but with enough on the nuts and bolts of songwriting to serve as an excellent primer for budding tunesmiths. Fans will be in Petty heaven; casual listeners will have a new appreciation for the artist and his music. This first comprehensive biography is recommended for medium and large pop music collections. -Lloyd Jansen, Stockton -San Joaquin Cty. P.L., CA

Copyright 2005 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 15, 2005
Zollo's far-reaching inquiry into rocker Tom Petty's motivations and memories achieves an intimacy that the publicity-shy Petty usually doesn't allow. It's a deeply satisfying career assessment, accompanied by an authoritative discography, harking all the way back to the early-seventies heyday of Mudcrutch. Thereafter came the prolific output of the Heartbreakers, the two Traveling Wilburys albums, and Petty's solo stuff. Petty speaks candidly about collaborating with George Harrison, Roy Orbison, " et alia" in the Wilburys; touring with Bob Dylan; and the exigencies of sustained pop-music success. Zollo seems to know as much about Petty's career as TP himself and, even if he's not guilty of downright softball questions, gushes appreciation. Yet, given the depth of coverage he plumbs, a little uncritical admiration seems a minor sin. Zollo--and Petty--have created a vital book about a pop-music star of the first magnitude.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2005, American Library Association.)