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Runnin' Down a Dream (Split from R&/or R News)

John Cougar Lunchbucket Oct 29 2007 10:28 AM

The Sundance Channel is running a four-hour rock-u-mentary of Tom Petty tonight. Not to be missed!

Edgy DC Oct 29 2007 11:30 AM

Stupid Bogdonavich names a film about TP and the Heartbreakers after a song from the TP solo catalog.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Oct 29 2007 11:49 AM

According to Jim Faber in the Snooze, it's really a film about Petty's drive and ego, and how he continually sought to place himself in whatever cultural spot was most advantageous for him. So maybe a solo song title is best. ]Monday, October 29th 2007, 4:00 AM 'RUNNING DOWN A DREAM' Tonight at 7, Sundance Telling a story right takes time. Director Peter Bogdanovich obviously believes this because he takes no less than four hours to relay the musical rise - and rise, and rise - of Tom Petty in "Running Down a Dream," which debuts tonight at 7 on the Sundance Channel. The length may seem better suited to a Ken Burns epic, if not "War and Peace," but believe me, there's barely a wasted minute. It helps if you're a Tom Petty fan, but even if you're not, you'll appreciate the tension, history and inspiration captured by a tale so finely told. Covering nearly 40 years of musical upheaval, "Dream" finds Petty improbably navigating every pop sea change that comes along. We follow him from his days as a hippie kid (in his first band, Mudcrutch) to his period passing as a "new wave" star in the late '70s, to his repurposing as a neoclassic rocker with the breakthrough "Damn the Torpedoes" album, to his canny transformation into an MTV video star and, finally, to his current role as elder statesman. That last change took particular savvy: Petty networked himself into a near peer to rock's Mount Rushmore set, mainly through his toil with George Harrison and Bob Dylan in the Traveling Wilburys. Along the way, the program offers tales of corporate chicanery, legal showdowns and a long string of musical mutinies, plus personal stuff ranging from divorce and child abuse to drug addiction and even arson. Gossip fans may carp that there's less of this sort of thing than you might expect, but that's central to what makes "Dream" such a godsend for music lovers. Instead of running through the usual "Behind the Music" clichés of recreational abuse and ego battles, "Dream" mainly stays with the music. It's hard to recall a program that provides such sustained and generous insight into the creation of songs and a sound. Even better, Bogdanovich found vintage footage to illustrate every phase of the band, dating back to Petty's nascent days. In the interview segments, we hear about the battles between, say, drummer Stan Lynch and Petty, with a specificity usually reserved for a book. We also see, and hear, how Petty changed his style to suit not just his muse but the times. In some moments, Petty's ruthless side pokes through. In more of them, his defiance does. But ultimately, "Dream" offers less a personal profile than a salute to a musical catalogue that deserves the deep focus.

Gwreck Oct 29 2007 11:51 AM

Taping it, definetly. Wasn't clear if the Sundance Broadcast would include the "director's cut" that's on the DVD they released, or if it was a shorter version that includes Concert footage, too.

Edgy DC Oct 29 2007 11:58 AM

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Along the way, the program offers tales of corporate chicanery, legal showdowns and a long string of musical mutinies, plus personal stuff ranging from divorce and child abuse to drug addiction and even arson. Nothing, sadly, about his tumultuous career in the Crane Poll Rock Band Ladder Challenge. This is available on DVD already?

Gwreck Oct 29 2007 12:01 PM

Yes, through a Best Buy-exclusive. Comes bundled with a DVD from a concert and a bonus CD, I think.

metirish Oct 29 2007 07:44 PM

="John Cougar Lunchbucket"]The Sundance Channel is running a four-hour rock-u-mentary of Tom Petty tonight. Not to be missed! Good show so far, liking the Wilbury segment quite a bit.

metirish Oct 29 2007 08:56 PM

Missed the first hour and a bit, thoroughly enjoyed the rest of the show.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Oct 29 2007 09:44 PM

I got a phone call and missed how the drummer turned into a black guy with an English accent. I also never knew until tonight that their bass player is dead. Or died. And was replaced with the old bass player. I thought the best stuff was Petty being a tough cat and declaring bankruptcy so as to exit his contract while recording 'Torpedos' -- and knowing it was going to be enormous right then -- then being a stand-up guy opposing the list-price action on the 'Hard Promises' album. I have said this before but Hard Promises came out when I couldn;t afford $9.98 albums, much less $8.98. I earned my copy by selling new subscriptions to the Daily News (then having to deliver them morning before school -- absolute torture). I also enjoyed the sincerity with which Eddie Vedder discussed Tom. Complaints: 4-hour movie they could have spelled out how many wives this guy had. I mean we see a daughter who's in her 20s. I kind felt the last 45-60 minutes was a lot of ballwashing on music that hasn;t really been embraced yet. Overall interesting stuff.

Gwreck Oct 30 2007 12:17 AM

="John Cougar Lunchbucket"]I also enjoyed the sincerity with which Eddie Vedder discussed Tom. Saving the viewing of the documentary until the weekend but was nice to hear this. Vedder, I think moreso than any of his contemporaries, has always been quick to acknowledge how he grew up a fan of rock music, and has been gracious and sincere when speaking of his influences/heroes -- Townshend, of course, but also Young, Springsteen, Petty and Stipe.

Edgy DC Oct 30 2007 06:11 AM

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: I got a phone call and missed how the drummer turned into a black guy with an English accent. I also never knew until tonight that their bass player is dead. Both of these thoroughly covered in past "Ladder Challenge" and "Suprise, You're Dead" episodes. Howie Epstein died from complications due to prolonged drug use. There's arguments whether it was an OD or not. Reports agree that (1) he was despondent over the death of his dog, and (2) he was out of the band (and Ron Blair back) already anyhow. He had been linked romantically for a long time with Carlene Carter (who had a thing for bass players), and some reports would have the two of them chemically linked also. He had previously been the bassist for Del Shannon. Drummer Stan Lynch was a songwriter throughout his tenure as a Heartbreaker. He sold his songs outside of the band and did well. Eventually, he got to the point where it was more worth his while to stay home and write. A big part of the songwriting game is connections, and the band gave him all the connections he needed. Blair was the guy who originally recruited Lynch. Lynch and Epstein were the main harmony singers, with Howie taking the high parts.

metirish Oct 30 2007 06:37 AM

I may have missed it but I think this show didn't have Epstein as out of the band officially but that he was totally strung out when they did the Rock and Roll HOF show and that was the last they saw of him, Blair also played that gig and after Epstein died he just slid right back into the band. Kinda cool to hear Petty say while talking about Johnny Cash that he kinda wished he (Petty) hadn't recorded " I won't back Down " after hearing Cash's version.

TransMonk Oct 30 2007 07:32 AM

I only caught the last hour...I'll have to stay tuned to see if it's on again. From what I saw it was really well done. I enjoyed Tom sticking up for McGuinn in the face of the A&R guys as well as Johnny Depp saying he'd have liked to see Ringo play at the opening of the Viper Room. I vaguely remember Dave Grohl playing drums on SNL, but the footage brought it all back.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Oct 30 2007 07:47 AM

="Gwreck"] ="John Cougar Lunchbucket"]I also enjoyed the sincerity with which Eddie Vedder discussed Tom. Saving the viewing of the documentary until the weekend but was nice to hear this. Vedder, I think moreso than any of his contemporaries, has always been quick to acknowledge how he grew up a fan of rock music, and has been gracious and sincere when speaking of his influences/heroes -- Townshend, of course, but also Young, Springsteen, Petty and Stipe. They showed footage of him singing a Petty song, oh wait here it is... Film had better sound & picture.

TransMonk Oct 30 2007 10:18 AM

Two more chances to see the film (if you're like me and missed most of it and have access to the Sundance Channel): Thursday November 1 at 3AM Saturday November 3 at 3PM