heartbreaker's wildflowers

I was supposed to see the movie on Wednesday, with Carolyn.

The film did not arrive in time, so we had 90 minutes to wait.

What to do now?

She opted for dinner and, hopefully, the 7:30 pm show. 

I stayed for the sun's dramatic exit from the skies - absolutely gorgeous  - then caught the scheduled Thrills & Chills Surprise.

 

I was back the next evening, though, to catch the missed film, "Tom Petty, Somewhere You Feel Free".

The biopic had been pieced together from video footage from 1993 to 1995, during the creation of his 1994 album, "Wildflowers".

It was released in early November of that year, after his 44th birthday.

This biopic was released on what would have been his 71st birthday, had not a mixture of incompatible medicines cut short his life.

I have a cousin, Valerie, who died of that very thing almost a decade ago.

The documentary had obviously been lovingly put together from all the bits and pieces of home video, as well as a few new bits of commemtary from former band members and family and colleagues.

What it showed was a man going through a period of great change.

He had been making music with the same people for more than two decades and one of the relationships had become fractious.

He had been married to Jane for more than two decades, the children were nearly grown, and that relationship had shifted, more for the worse than the better.

This solo album served as the sounding board for him to wrap his head around the break-up of the band and the break-up of his marriage.

Therapy through music: that's a loss adjustment concept I know well.

He worked with a different producer than the one used on the albums with the band... and that was good.

He worked with different musicians than the ones he'd toured with for so many years... and that was good.

He wrote songs that were different in sound and tone than those he'd written for the band... and that was good.

He embraced the process of change through writing... as I have done for more than a decade now... and that allowed him to heal and to determine a new path.

 

I was surprised how many songs I knew from "Wildflowers".

I found myself singing along, sans voice, over and over again.

Still, that was not an album I'd ever owned.

I don't know, maybe it was because his music was all over the airwaves so I never felt the need to actually purchase any.

I saw him once in concert, at the 91X Fest in San Diego in 1983.

It was an all-day event, featuring six bands with him as the highlighter.

Even The Stray Cats took second billing to Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers!

What a magnificent show, with all types of folks coming out for the music and the sun and the joy of being young!

I was a month away from being a quarter of a century and out there with friends.

Were they stationed at NSGA, Imperial Beach, like I was?

Most likely, right?

Even the guy's mustache was regulation trim!

And that short girl, with the huge earrings, the lopsided smile, and those curved eyebrows?

That's me, captured by a news reporter on the site, looking for sound bites and commentary.

So, when he'd asked if the new wave look was a requirement to be a 91X fan, I'd spoken up, as I always did.

"You can be part of the new music scene without shaving your head."

Check out the clip and let me know if I'm wrong, ok?

After all, the young woman sure does look like I did, and she sure did say something I would have said, but that's been more than half my life ago.

What's that saying about waterfowl?

If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck...

yeah, that's all I'm saying.

(smile!)