Are Tom Petty and the boys underrated/obscure?

[JakeK]

Something crossed my mind that I think I should share with you all...

Most of the people who I go/went to school with/know with the birth year 1985 and younger are not familar with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. Whenever someone asks me, "Who's your favorite band/artist? I say "Tom Petty" (sometimes coupled with "and the Heartbreakers"). There are about 10 people I know who were aware of Tom Petty before I told them I liked him. In fact, one girl I knew told me that if I was going to get a girl, I had to stop listening to such an obscure artist. I asked her, "Do you know who he is?" "Not really," she said, "I don't know any songs"

A little girl (about 9 or 10 maybe) on my Facebook page (who lied about her age) said, "WHO?????" when I posted something about Tom Petty. Serves her right since she claims to like that Disney stuff.

Do any of you think that TP and the boys are obscure or underrated? I think they are both in the sense that many people don't know about them. They'll usually know "Free Fallin", maybe "Won't Back Down" because of Johnny Cash, possibly "Runnin' Down a Dream".

But if musicians don't know who he is, they are probably the same kinds of people who've never heard of Rickenbacker or Gretsch!

[beatlefreak]

I certainly wouldn't call a Superbowl halftime headliner 'obscure'.

[jimk]

Yeah, that pretty well sums it up. If you can get a gig playing a halftime show at the Superbowl, you ain't obscure anymore.

True confessions here: I first heard of Tom Petty watching some rock'n'roll retrospective on VH-1 back in the late '90s, I think. And I remember thinking to myself "I don't know who this guy is, but he seems to be very well informed, intelligent, and articulate." I later found out quite a bit more about him thanks to this forum.
JimK

[collin]

No.

The girls you are talking to are just listening to what most people your age listen to. Sounds pretty normal to me.

Yes, the battle to find people your age who are into cool music is increasingly tough, but it just means those people are just "that" much cooler when you do find them.

[sloop_john_b]

Are they underrated/obscure? NO.

Should you deny yourself the pleasure of knowing someone who isn't familiar with them? NO.

[kiramdear]

I found it hard to believe that anyone who lived through the Eighties could not know who Tom Petty is, but Jim has just proven me wrong.

Jake, maybe your young friends are in the dark because they haven't ventured off the beaten path yet. Tom and the boys are now classic rockers and most of their fans are older, but the "top ten" charts are still filled by and large with artists who appeal to a younger crowd. On the other hand, the internet makes it all available to anyone with an interest and a computer, so many of your friends will get around to discovering these great albums sooner or later if they take their music seriously. You're ahead of your curve, that's all, Jake.

[JakeK]

TP and the boys are my favorite band. I've been rather obvious about this fact, I know. Thanks to "Live Anthology", he's led me into some great bands such as Booker T and the MGs, Dave Clark Five and The Zombies.

His band is assembled of talented musicians.
Mike Campbell and Benmont Tench are possibly the best at what they can do (and if they aren't, they sure are high up there). Steve Ferrone is a versatile drummer; he can be as steady as Ringo, with a bit more energy to as ferocious as Keith Moon, but more laid back style with no hysterionics. Scott Thurston can play it all, lead and rhythm guitar, harmonica, bass, keyboards, ukuele, mandolin, banjo, trumpet, and is one heck of a singer. Ron Blair is a phenomial bassist, and an underated one at that, who can play with his fingers in a Duck Dunn style, thumb it out like Brian Wilson, or with a pick like Paul McCartney. Stan Lynch was a good drummer, too, and maybe had a bit more energy on stage than Steve Ferrone. Howie Epstein was a very good bassist in '82-'87, being able to not only tackle Ron's original basslines with a little twist, but played some cool ones of his own, and was one of the finest harmony singers around.

The people I used to go to high school with, and a few college kids I go to school with will listen from anything from this rapper fellow named Little Wayne to modern country (which I loathe) Garth Brooks and Kenney Chestnut to kiddie-pop stuff like The Jonas Brothers and Hannah Montana.

A shame, I know, but here's a little twist, probably 50% or 60% of the world didn't know or like Michael Jackson until he died. That concert film that he did in October was sold out for two months and is selling rapidly now. That was probably the first live experience of Jack-o for most people.

So, I can understand that The Heartbreakers are not obscure, but kids my age just don't know good music!

[sloop_john_b]

thumb it out like Brian Wilson

Now Jake, no need to insult the man.

[collin]

A shame, I know, but here's a little twist, probably 50% or 60% of the world didn't know or like Michael Jackson until he died. That concert film that he did in October was sold out for two months and is selling rapidly now. That was probably the first live experience of Jack-o for most people.

well.......not really.

MJ being one of the biggest selling artists of all time was known by LOTS of people.

Heck, the tour he was rehearsing for (which became that film) was sold out in minutes.....worldwide!

[Scastles]

A shame, I know, but here's a little twist, probably 50% or 60% of the world didn't know or like Michael Jackson until he died. That concert film that he did in October was sold out for two months and is selling rapidly now. That was probably the first live experience of Jack-o for most people.

well.......not really.

MJ being one of the biggest selling artists of all time was known by LOTS of people.

Heck, the tour he was rehearsing for (which became that film) was sold out in minutes.....worldwide!

Will say this much, Jake, there was many a time I wish I hadn't known about him.

[jimk]

I found it hard to believe that anyone who lived through the Eighties could not know who Tom Petty is, but Jim has just proven me wrong.

You have to keep in mind, Kira that I spent the last half of the '70s, ALL of the '80s and '90s not only playing folk, and old-time country music, but also actively nursing a healthy allergy to anything that required electricity to create music. I'm playing catch-up now. So returneth the Prodigal.

The irony is that over the last decade I have met and befriended quite a few former rockers who have unplugged and are now playing the kind of music I spent thirty years playing. Stuck in Lodi.....again!
JimK

[8mileshigher]

.... kids my age just don't know good music!

Jake, you are insightful.
Your folks must have raised you in a household where "good " music was on the stereo.

The last Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers concert we attended had an audience age range from probably 5 years old to 70+ and everybody was singing along and everybody knew every song by heart because TPHB have so many hits... spanning decades. We thought it was pretty cool that three of four generations were all fans.

[paologregorio]

Are they underrated/obscure? NO.

Should you deny yourself the pleasure of knowing someone who isn't familiar with them? NO.

+1

[antipodean]

Tom who?

[jimk]

Tom who?

JimK