"The job required that I think not about him, but the people who want to know more about him."
Tom Petty is my favorite musician. And the more I learn "The job required that I think not about him, but the people who want to know more about him."
Tom Petty is my favorite musician. And the more I learn about him, the more he cements himself in that spot.
Primarily, this book discusses the unveiled truth behind Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers—not just from Tom Petty's perspective, but from everyone. If someone from Mudcrutch has something against Tom Petty, it’s revealed. And Tom chooses not to defend himself. Despite his temper, which was also very prevalent, Tom Petty was a better man than the world that shaped him.
Warren Zanes never misses a chance to mention that there was a darkness that surrounded Tom Petty in his later life. It was the result of his childhood—his father beat him and his neighborhood was very dangerous. One of his neighbors, Charlie Souza (from The Tropics and later Mudcrutch), had an incident where a "friend" asked him out to play while his mother was bedridden. Charlie said he couldn’t. The boy told Charlie to wait outside his mother's room so that he could see if there was any way to help his mother. The music was apparently loud in Charlie's room, so he never heard the other boy leave. When Charlie walked back into his mother's room, he found her dead with stab wounds. That’s the type of place Tom Petty grew up in as a child.
But the darkness was also the result of Stan Lynch, a man who Tom chose to see as a co-worker, but saw enough of him to be his brother, even if he wouldn’t want to admit it. It’s clear the two of them were great friends. And it’s clear Tom Petty never got as angry as when Stan would get under his skin. He eventually had to let him go. But we get the story from every band member’s perspective, including Stan's, which I loved. It allows the audience to confidently judge the situation. Me personally, I understand that it was a complicated relationship. Stan wanted to travel on buses with naked girls, inhale some cocaine, and never missed a chance to talk behind the backs of his band. Even in the 70s, Stan and Ron Blair got into a physical altercation, which was one of the reasons Blair left early on. He didn’t want the intense, high-energy life Stan wanted. So they would butt heads. His best friend in the band was Mike Campbell, who he eventually had a harder falling out with than Petty. Mike had his wife touring with them in Europe, and Stan made it known how against that he was. It got in the way of his bus filled with debauchery and women. All Mike wanted to do was travel separately. It’s hard to sympathize with Stan, but Zanes gives Stan the perspective of, "well, we were in a rock and roll band. What else would I want?"
Benmont Tench III seemed like the peacemaker of the group, and although Mike Campbell was Petty's right hand man, I feel Tench had the best head on his shoulders. He was more privileged than the rest of his band. His dad was a judge, so they were a bit better off. The rest of the band saw him as "educated." For better or worse, I couldn’t help but find his childhood relatable. His parents let him drop out of Tulane to join Mudcrutch, which I found so epic. Tom and Benmont recorded "On the Street" in his parents' living room. And honestly? It sounds better than most music I’ve heard of. It never fails to put a smile on my face. Tom Petty never had any major issues with Benmont. For example, Mike Campbell's solo work upset Tom because Mike playing alone sounded like Tom playing alone. Tom never had an issue with Benmont's solo album, however. In fact, it received praise for being independent of the Heartbreakers. I think Benmont Tench is the Heartbreaker I admire the most after Tom. According to Benmont himself, there may be something coming soon. I, for one, am extremely excited. The man has under-appreciated talent. "Veronica Says" is a masterful lyric, and it’s clear why he’s the one who got along best with Bob Dylan's writing language. He also plays his beautiful keys for his friends, Stevie Nicks and Ringo Starr. No big deal. When it comes to his band, Tom Petty's decisions were always very thoughtful. Of course, that was the result of getting burned a couple of times.
But of course… the darkness in Tom Petty, above anything else, came from heartbreak. That includes his falling out with Stan Lynch, but I’m talking more so about his romantic life now. He described the pain of his first breakup as something worse than he had ever felt. And I think that was the moment we got the brilliant songwriter. All it takes is a woman to love, she takes a bite out of your heart like an apple, and she puts it back into your chest. You’re never the same after you love someone. And when you grow apart because of a situation that’s really nobody's fault, fighting for it seems futile and extremely painful. These thoughts and emotions are what go into "American Girl," Shadow of a Doubt (A Complex Kid)," A Woman In Love (It’s Not Me),” "I Need to Know," "Free Girl Now" and so many others. Tom Petty takes the most painful experience a man can feel, and you know what he does? He makes it fun. It makes "The Heartbreakers" that much more of a fitting band name.
"I don’t believe the good times are over. I don’t believe the thrill is all gone. Real love is a man's salvation. The weak ones fall, the strong carry on."
Honestly, I’m more surprised that Tom Petty remained true to himself his whole life, constantly singing about faith, hope, and love. He sings about what a man can aspire to at his best. Of course, he was complicated and he faced several hurdles. He had a temper. But his good outweighed his bad by so much. And that’s something I admire every time I learn more about him. The man really cared… and I mean REALLY cared about making good music. That was his vocation. And I’d say he went above and beyond. Tom Petty may have not changed the world, changed music forever, or made any sort of history. But his stories change people's lives. I’d say he was the most consistently good musician. He criticized himself so much, but in that humility, you’ll find that his music contains gleaming gems no matter where you look throughout his life. He’s able to pick up a fallen, forgotten human being and say, "don’t worry, man. I’ve been there." And then he'll smirk that contagious smile that he gave the world with his very first album.
It’s hard not to love Tom Petty's aura. It’s what made Stevie Nicks want to leave Fleetwood Mac. It's what made Bob Dylan go cheer him up when Stan Lynch embarrassed him in front of John Lee Hooker. It’s what made George Harrison and his family want to spend Christmas with the Petty family. The best part is that we don’t hear most of these stories from him. We hear it from them. Zanes did everything possible to make everyone's voice heard, which only shows us that much more how amazing Tom was. And then we just hear Tom respond saying how much he loved them, in a way that’s unique to whichever person he’s talking about. I loved his bond with Stevie Nicks in particular, they were such great friends—better than I thought they were. She showed up at his door with enough groceries to stay a few nights while he was going through his divorce, what evidently seemed to be the darkest point in Tom's life. Because of his profession and his attitude about it, he was never alone, nor in bad company. Someone great, and I mean REALLY great, was always around the corner. Tom attracted the right people by being the best example to everyone around him. I aspire to be like that. Of course, he fell, but everyone does. What’s important is that he climbed that hill, recognized all things must pass, and left his past behind him. And with all the darkness that shaped him, he should’ve turned out a lot worse. Instead, he reminds the world when it’s time to wake up. His music is so important to me. It really sounds silly, but it helps me to be the best version of myself, despite everything that breaks my heart. And if my heart does break, well… he's got more than enough for that too....more
I think Eve and Mark sitting on top of the Africa house while they talk about life and how to best use their powers is probably my favorite scene in tI think Eve and Mark sitting on top of the Africa house while they talk about life and how to best use their powers is probably my favorite scene in the whole series....more
I got this book as a Secret Santa gift from one of my newer friends, and I read one chapter a day, as instructed by the book. While reading this book,I got this book as a Secret Santa gift from one of my newer friends, and I read one chapter a day, as instructed by the book. While reading this book, I ended a strong friendship with one of my best high school buddies, and it barely even hurt. Part of it was because I think our friendship REALLY ended after I caught him in too many damaging lies to me and my friends last summer, but another part of it was definitely because I was reading this book. It only made me realize how much I should've stopped being friends with this guy sooner. As I said, I found out he was lying to me, but I also found out he was lying to my loved ones (some of whom he had never even met), and most importantly, he was lying to himself.
Since summer, I knew I could no longer trust him. But this book reminded me that I could no longer help him either. It was only after our friendship ended that another long-time friend told me he was always surprised at how much I'd go out of my way to help this mutual friend of ours, who'd always self-sabotage all the good things I did just so he could self-victimize. And it really opened my eyes. It's one thing to not want to help, but it's important to know if I'm actually even helping. In reality, all my responsibility should be how I can hope for the best for him and move on to actually helping others.
But you know what? Even if he never apologized for anything, I forgive him. To forgive others, you don't need to tell them, "I forgive you," it's more of a thing you need to do for yourself. Forgiving can also mean letting all grudges go and start focusing on better, more important things. It's really that easy. And go easy on yourself. Take things one step at a time. Progress is better than perfection. Try not to dwell on the past and definitely don't worry about the future. Ask yourself: "How can you help your brain right now?" Chances are that the answer won't only help you mentally, but it will also help you spiritually, emotionally, socially, morally, and physically.
Dr. Amen's book is a great read with so many important lessons and healthy habits to add to your life and to take care of your brain. It really healed me. I've seen other reviews on this book saying it's not good enough because the anecdotes and exercises are "common sense" or "cliché." But I think that's kinda the point. Maybe we could all use a reminder of common sense, even if we think we already have it. Chances are, you could always learn something. Even if you already know everything in this book, reminders never hurt. Plus, there's a lot to remember, so chances are you really haven't thought about one of these concepts enough! For example, I already know that love is the most important thing in life, but reading about it is always still useful to me.
This book was pretty darn fun, especially since the book is interactive! I recommend writing down the stuff this book tells you to write down and taking the quizzes the book tells you to take! At the beginning of this book, I was already pretty happy, but I know I'm even happier now. Not only do I know how to make myself happy, I'm also more CONSISTENTLY happy. If you read this, have an open mind, be honest with yourself, and I hope it helps you like it helped me!...more
**spoiler alert** Ok, look. I know what this story was trying to do. The art was consistently great, and art is freaking hard, man. That alone is incr**spoiler alert** Ok, look. I know what this story was trying to do. The art was consistently great, and art is freaking hard, man. That alone is incredibly commendable.
But then the problem for me comes in… the writing is not good. It was hard not to think back to Batman and Catwoman's cringeworthy dialogue during Tom King's run. Tom King writes all his characters as extremely edgy, and they all have to curse excessively, even when it’s very uncharacteristic. Kalibak dropping F-Bombs? That’s just silly and irreverent for a character like him. Same thing with Orion. And Barda. And so many others. And why were Scott and Barda so mean to Lightray's normal reactions to their awkward public displays of affection? Seriously. They were the weird ones, not him. And the way they tell a hero like him to shut up is so unwarranted. It’s hard to take seriously. I know a major trait of Apokalips is that it’s absurd, but still… it’s more Tom King edginess than a characteristic display of Apokalips's insanity.
But then, maybe the whole story is just in Scott's head…? Maybe it was another Earth? Maybe… maybe… maybe… And that’s another problem. Everything is relative in the story, so it’s all up to interpretation. I don’t think I could’ve written a story like this, so I’ll give Tom King that. But I think I say that in kind of in a bad way too. Yes, it’s consistent, but it’s consistently edgy, and tries to dodge any criticism by saying that this story may not mean anything. But Mister Miracle did have some great nuggets and references. The writing is just also riddled with things that kind of taint the whole thing.
Like I said, the art is great. But that’s just it—the art is so great that it presents the illusion that the story, just because it covers some dark and deep topics, is great too. But I really don’t think it is. I think it succeeds in doing what it wants to do, I just don’t think what it tried to do accurately represents the already existing characters. You know what this kind of reminds me of? Zack Snyder. It’s great visual storytelling. Fantastic, even. But the actual characters and themes seem too transparent to grasp....more
**spoiler alert** I’ll give this book a star for everything the first few chapters tried to do. The chapter where Miles talks to Peter about how being**spoiler alert** I’ll give this book a star for everything the first few chapters tried to do. The chapter where Miles talks to Peter about how being Black is not something he’ll ever understand? That’s great. The book needed way more of that. But unfortunately, you need action, an interesting plot, and a solid landing to write a good superhero story. This book proves that if you’re going to write Spider-Man, you need to know how to write action. And I think a citywide birdemic was pretty ridiculous. I think when Rio turned into a bird monster zombie thing, it became 100% clear that this book is sadly just a bad story. It would’ve been great if we got another story focusing on the humanity behind Spider-Man, like Hostile Takeover, but this was just absurd filler....more
I think this is the fastest I’ve ever read a novel.
I am tremendously hyped for Spider-Man 2 on the PS5. I think it’s the most I’ve been excited for a I think this is the fastest I’ve ever read a novel.
I am tremendously hyped for Spider-Man 2 on the PS5. I think it’s the most I’ve been excited for a game since Arkham City.
As I officially finished my time in New York (for now), successfully defended my thesis, and relish a new period in my life, Hostile Takeover was a perfect and gripping read.
It’s Spider-Man at his best—New York is beautifully detailed and accurate. It definitely gets the seal of approval for an authentic, relatable NYC tale. MJ and Peter have a romantic drama that pulls at your heartstrings. I got the "oh no… I’ve gotten THAT text before" feeling in the best way possible. Overall, if you’re a Spidey fan who wants to hype up Spider-Man 2 even more, you’re gonna love this book. It’s another amazing drama featuring everyone's favorite wall-crawler. The book has familiar characters, but also creates new ones. Still, it never feels crowded. In fact, it's a great, small-scale story of what New York was like before the events of the original PS4 game. If you want to remember why 2018 was likely the best year ever for Spidey, this is the book for you. Oh, and it is pretty cool how 2023 is kind of the follow-up to that. Seriously. Another PlayStation game AND another Spider-Verse? Heck yeah. I was a big fan of this, and I’m happy I'm a big fan of this. It made me happy to be alive.
Now… excuse me while I apply for jobs while I create a new save file for Spider-Man....more
This book feels like you’re sitting down and chatting with the man behind the helmet, and I’m all for it. It’s really relaxing and he knows how to setThis book feels like you’re sitting down and chatting with the man behind the helmet, and I’m all for it. It’s really relaxing and he knows how to set a calming vibe. If you want a cool, comforting, thought-provoking, funny, and easy read, this is is for you. I took my time with this book in the fall of 2019 as I would prepare for my creative non-fiction workshop. What a cozy little routine for a fitting class....more
I started and finished this book during the fall of 2022. It was a perfect read during a time I felt more like Peter Parker than I ever have in my lifI started and finished this book during the fall of 2022. It was a perfect read during a time I felt more like Peter Parker than I ever have in my life. Living in New York, exploring the city while trying to do the right thing, and (maybe most importantly) girl drama like I’ve never felt before—if this doesn’t say Peter Parker, I don’t know what does. I even dressed up as Spider-Man for Halloween and (finally) played Spider-Man on the PS4. Living in New York while playing a game set in the most accurate map of Manhattan in any video game was such a surreal and amazing experience.
Funny enough, I’m probably less into superheroes now than I’ve been in a long time. But I still find myself hanging by a thread to Spider-Man. Granted, it’s kind of impossible not to be into Spider-Man while in New York. But still. I think it’s because of something Marvel’s Nick Lowe told me during my internship with Marvel: “Don’t pitch me a story about Spider-Man versus Hammerhead, pitch me a story about heartbreak.” And I think that’s why I still pull towards the ol’ Web-Head.
A threat against the multiverse never makes me feel anything anymore. But a young man’s heart breaking executed in a confusing and straining way… well… it doesn’t get better than that. Superheroes magnify the messages in their narrative. So a run-of-the-mill, action-packed adventure will always seem exponentially more formulaic and honestly… boring. But… a painful and emotional drama involving the stress of being low-income college student, while also falling in love with someone who may not like you and then another girl you don’t notice is super into you, and balancing a social life with a selfless and giving one… that’s also exponentially magnified. If that run-on sentence was exhausting to read, then I accurately captured the tone and pacing of a good Spider-Man story… and a great New York story....more
This is the first comic in a long time that just 100% feels 10/10 for me. It’s written very well, it’s quick, intense, heartfelt, and has one of my faThis is the first comic in a long time that just 100% feels 10/10 for me. It’s written very well, it’s quick, intense, heartfelt, and has one of my favorite artists ever. I love Chiang's style as he keeps things focused on simple colors and sharp line work. I read the first issue before leaving to the airport heading back to New York in March, and I just binged the last four in the volume now. Paper Girls #1 has to be one of the greatest first issues of all time. Seriously. The iconography of the first few panels alone are so profoundly prophetic that you just have to keep reading. Each of the girls are also so charismatic. The best way to describe it is "the comic book equivalent of Stranger Things," but even that misses the beat a bit. It does a lot different, but those were some of the vibes I got. I definitely recommend Paper Girls. I can’t wait to get Volume 2!...more