tom petty - shadow of a doubt (a complex kid)

That said, we can’t forget that at its core, rock ‘n’ roll is the music of defiance and rebellion, and that spirit pervaded Tom Petty’s music from the get-go-as clearly demonstrated in the early single release, “Anything That’s Rock ‘n’ Roll”:ĭamn the Torpedoes turned out to be the breakthrough album for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers because they embraced that rebellious spirit in songs about the real-life struggles of everyday people, written in straightforward language that anyone who had experienced those challenges could understand and appreciate. Unlike Chumbawamba, who clearly set out on a mission to raise awareness and change minds, Tom Petty had no such agenda-he was a rocker first, foremost and forever.

Tom Petty’s approach was more or less apolitical and leaned toward individual empowerment, encouraging listeners to recognize that no matter how dire the situation, they always have choices. In addition to their common defense of artistic freedom, both Tom Petty and Chumbawamba were champions of the underdog, encouraging people mired in hopelessness to never give up. Chumbawamba worked from a socio-political perspective, championing political and social causes in defense of the working classes. You might think that following Chumbawamba with Tom Petty makes for an odd pairing, but contrary bitch that I am, I would argue that in at least one sense they’re two sides of the same coin.

Tom petty - shadow of a doubt (a complex kid)