Mike Campbell’s Memoir: A Deep Dive into His Journey with tom Petty
Scheduled for release on March 18 by Hachette Book Group, guitarist Mike Campbell’s memoir, Heartbreaker, offers an enthralling glimpse into his life with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, the iconic American band he helped shape from its early days until Petty’s untimely passing in 2017.
With an engaging narrative style and heartfelt honesty, Campbell recounts his evolution from a challenging childhood in Florida to his pivotal meeting with Petty, joining the nascent band Mudcrutch, and ultimately achieving stardom with the Heartbreakers.
Additionally, he reflects on his prosperous collaborations with music legends like Don Henley and Stevie Nicks, as well as his endeavors leading the Dirty Knobs and touring with Fleetwood Mac. The memoir is a poignant mix of humor and rich detail, especially remarkable considering Campbell wrote it entirely from memory.
“I attempted to keep a journal in the beginning,” he shares. “it started with Mudcrutch and moving to L.A.,but it became so disheartening. Every entry was about struggling in the studio. After twenty pages of that, I thought, ‘Forget it.’ So, it all remained in my head – what’s left of it.”
“I believe I contributed a musicality that Tom didn’t possess.”
— Mike Campbell
He reflects,“I know it’s a good book. It’s not just pride talking – I felt it while recording the audio version, and there were moments when I got emotional.”
Alongside Petty, Campbell co-wrote timeless tracks like “Refugee,” “Here Comes My Girl,” “You Got Lucky,” and “Runnin’ Down a Dream,” with his iconic riffs and solos transforming songs like “American Girl” and “Breakdown” into enduring favorites.
The songwriting partnership between Petty and Campbell was a blend of complementary yet distinct strengths.
“I think I brought a musicality that Tom wasn’t capable of,” Campbell explains, discussing his beloved Fender Broadcaster, the guitar that defined tracks like “american Girl.”
“I had techniques and influences that I could introduce to him in his songs, or present as my own music, which he couldn’t have achieved alone.”
He chuckles, recalling, “There was a moment when I presented him with something that felt like a Heartbreakers song, and he said, ‘That sounds too much like me. Go create something I can’t do.’”
Campbell candidly addresses the band’s internal struggles, revealing that he doesn’t shy away from the truth about Petty (“There were times he made me so furious I couldn’t even look at him,” he admits).Yet, his gratitude for the life he’s led and the connections he’s made shines through.
“Who knows what would have happened if Tom and I had never crossed paths?” he muses. “Writing this book made me realize how many miracles have unfolded in my life through timing, luck, and perhaps divine intervention. I started with nothing, and these songs came to me from somewhere. There were serendipitous meetings with my idols, and of course, my bond with Tom.”
“We had our brotherly disagreements, but a profound love kept us united through all the challenges.”
You mentioned how Tom once asked you to create something that didn’t sound like him, but when you played him your demo of “The Boys of Summer,” he dismissed it as “too jazzy.”
Indeed, in the version I presented, the chorus didn’t lift as it should have. Instead of transitioning to that uplifting major chord, I went for a minor one. I understood what he meant. After he left, I thought, “I’ll adjust that chord. I can enhance the chorus.” The version that Don henley eventually heard featured the revised chord. When Tom heard it later, he remarked, “Ohhh. You changed it.”
It’s captivating how your journey with Tom began with Mudcrutch. He invited you to join the group almost as if it were a given.
Tom had that magnetic quality. He was incredibly persuasive and could draw you into his vision.“I’m heading down this path. Come along.” His leadership was undeniable, and I was an easy target for that kind of charisma.
Your memoir portrays you as a peacemaker, yet there was a pivotal moment during the recording of Damn the Torpedoes when you asserted yourself and requested a larger share of the profits. Tom simply replied, “But I’m Tom Petty.”
That perfectly encapsulates our dynamic.I’d suggest something, and he’d counter, “Yeah, but I’m Tom Petty.” It was hard to argue with that. I could retort, “Well, I’m Mike Campbell,” but he’d respond, “Nobody knows who that is.” It was a checkmate moment, and while it stung, I had to respect his honesty.
“He said, ‘Yeah, but I’m Tom Petty.’ I couldn’t really argue with that.”
— Mike campbell
It’s enlightening to learn how the band faced potential breakups at various times, a fact many fans might not realize.
People will see the struggles within the band,realizing it wasn’t all about gold records and sold-out shows. Bands are fragile entities. Egos and resentments can easily arise.Personal relationships can sometiems fracture bands. Everyone is deeply invested,and tensions can escalate quickly.Many fans may not grasp how challenging it is to maintain a band’s cohesion. One member might get upset and declare, “I don’t need this.”
The reason the Heartbreakers endured was the brotherhood Tom and I shared. It’s hard to articulate, but from day one, we prioritized the music above all else. Regardless of our disagreements, we both understood that the music was paramount. We couldn’t let that slip away, no matter what.
I played the role of peacemaker. Each band member has a unique function. Tom was the leader,I was the mediator,Benmont[[[[tench,keyboardist]was a genius,Stan was a fiery spirit,and Ron was the steady,quiet bassist. I embraced my role, and if conflicts arose that threatened the band, I was steadfast to intervene and negotiate to keep us together. And we succeeded.
while there are countless songs to discuss, your account of “Don’t Do Me Like That” stood out. Tom had that one before the Heartbreakers even formed, yet it didn’t make the first two albums.
It almost didn’t make the third album either, if not for the second engineer who reminded us, “Do you remember that track you recorded on the first day? Let’s revisit that.” The title originated from a phrase Tom heard from his father. It started there and evolved into a great song.
Then there’s “American Girl.” You mention that the song didn’t fully come together until you crafted its iconic riff.
that was my approach with many songs: I aimed to create a powerful part that could elevate the song as much as the vocal. I always thought, “What would George Harrison do?” These moments are just another miracle. I have an innate ability to hear those elements, and with Tom, I think that’s what endeared him to me. I could take his Bo Diddley four chords and enhance them into something he might not have envisioned alone. If you remove many of those guitar parts, like in “Breakdown,” the song loses its essence.
“The harmony we discovered between the guitar tones, energy, and riffs defined our band’s sound.”
— Mike Campbell
You highlight “American Girl” as potentially the best song you created together.
There’s something special about it, indeed.
It’s also tragically poetic. You noted that it represented the band discovering its identity, and sadly, it became the last song you performed with Tom.
Yes, the irony is palpable.
Given that, does it hold even greater significance for you now?
Now that you mention it, yes. Though, I don’t typically associate “American Girl” with being the last song we played together unless someone brings it up. To me, it’s more of an optimistic burst of joy than a sad memory.
I’m grateful we performed that song together at the Hollywood Bowl, and we played it for decades.Each time we did, it sent chills down my spine. There’s something about it that feels inspired,poetic,and exuberant. It embodies the Heartbreakers, that unique tonality we discovered between the keyboards, guitar harmonics, energy, and riffs.
That was our band’s essence. That’s what we sounded like at our peak. That’s the sound we strived to achieve.
Returning to “The Boys of Summer,” that song emerged from your experimentation with a LinnDrum.
That’s the nature of songwriting. I composed “Refugee” using a drum loop from a record. “Here Comes My Girl” also originated from a drum loop. I didn’t have a drummer in my home studio, so I created drum loops before drum machines existed. That was just standard practise. With this new machine, I could program the drum loop however I wanted. I was simply enjoying the process.
One night, I thought, “I can add claps and tom-toms. It’s all about the beat; now let me layer some chords.” It was an inspired moment. It could have been a drum loop or anything else. songs can come from anywhere.
“I presented him with something that felt like a Heartbreakers song, and he said, ‘That sounds too much like me. Go create something I can’t do.’”
— Mike Campbell
You don’t shy away from discussing the addiction issues within the band. You detail your own struggles with cocaine and how it led to a hospital visit, marking your moment of clarity.
Absolutely. Your body will signal when it’s had enough. I experienced similar issues with alcohol. For a time, I thought I could emulate Keith Richards – “I can just drink whiskey and play.” Then my body protested, “No, don’t do that.I’m going to hurt you.” So,I stopped. It wasn’t difficult to quit; it simply no longer suited me.
Others weren’t as fortunate. You approached Howie Epstein and Tom’s substance issues quite differently.[[[[Epstein was dismissed from the band in 2002 due to his addiction.]With Howie,you confronted him directly,but with tom,you took a more reserved approach.
Howie and Tom were two distinct individuals, and their struggles occurred at different times in my life. When Howie was battling addiction, I lacked understanding. I’ve sence learned through Al-Anon. at that time, I was angry, viewing his behavior as disrespectful to the band. I didn’t recognize it as an illness, so I reacted with frustration.
I expressed my love for him but lacked patience for his actions. By the time I had gained insight into addiction, I developed compassion for Howie and what he endured.
Tom’s struggles emerged during his divorce, but my relationship with him was different. I could approach Howie and say, “I don’t like what you’re doing,” and he might listen. With Tom, it felt like “Your life is yours, and mine is mine. I can see what you’re doing, but I’ll respect your space. If you need me, reach out.”
I could have confronted him directly, which I did once with the manager. However, with Tom, you could say that, and he’d respond, “But I’m Tom Petty.I’ll do what I want.Leave me alone.”
Those were facets of his personality. He could be intimidating, yet there was love beneath it all.I believe one reason we remained together was our ability to keep our personal lives separate. We didn’t socialize much outside of touring.
When the tour ended or studio time concluded, I returned to my world, and he returned to his. My family, his family. We’d occasionally catch up on the phone for an hour or two, but we respected each other’s space. Tom made his own choices regarding his life,even during the last tour.
That was his decision – he wanted to tour. No one was going to tell him otherwise. We suggested postponing the tour, but he insisted, “Nope, I’m doing this.” That was that.
“Sometimes he made me so angry I couldn’t look at him.”
— Mike Campbell
Tom faced hip issues that escalated to a broken hip, leading him to self-medicate for pain relief. A week after the 2017 tour concluded with the Hollywood Bowl performance,he passed away. Many in your position might grapple with guilt – “I should have confronted him.”
I don’t struggle with that for the reasons I’ve outlined. My conscience is clear because Tom understood my outlook, and he knew I wasn’t pressuring him.
We shared an unspoken understanding, and I didn’t need to confront him for him to grasp my feelings. As I mentioned, there were no second thoughts about embarking on the tour. Actually, during our last conversation about it, I asked, “Are you sure you want to do this? Are you up for it?” He replied, “I’m not staying home. I want to go out.If I have to be in a wheelchair, I’m going to do it.” I said, “Okay, then what?” He responded, “After the tour, I’ll get my surgery. We’ll write more songs and make another record.”
That was the plan. It felt like business as usual. I know our manager, Tony, spoke with him and offered options like, “We can postpone this.You can have your surgery now.” Tom insisted, “I need to be out there. I want to play with the band, and we’re going to do it. I’ll be fine.” So, I have no regrets about it. I don’t dwell on it. I miss him – just like Howie – but I did everything I could.
