There are a few things that are looking wobbly in the days leading up to Super Bowl XLII–cough cough, Tom Brady’s ankle, cough cough–and programmers on cable networks are betting that the ratings power of Tom Petty is one of them. The Hollywood Reporter is saying that networks are in a “counterprogramming frenzy” thanks to the allegedly low starpower of the veteran rocker, although weirdly enough they’re trying to go for the bro demo that I’d think would like classic rock, scheduling eating contests judged by former Giant Sean Landeta (Spike TV), the premiere of a reality series about Deion Sanders (Oxygen, go figure!), and a kitten halftime show for the Puppy Bowl. OK, that last one probably crosses more demographic lines than its competitors. While it’s pretty obvious that the halftime show’s programmers have been all about skewing conservative since the Super Bowl that ruined Janet Jackson’s career, I don’t know if Tom Petty is as weak a target as the folks at Spike and Oxygen suspect, his live shows do pretty well as far as ticket sales go, and I’d bet that his cross-demographic name recognition is higher than that of any top-20 musician today who hasn’t appeared as a featured performer on a TV show. At the very least, I’ll be tuning in to see if he brings out a special guest or two:
Cable nets offer Super Bowl halftime alternatives [Reuters]
Free Fallin’ [MySpace TV]
I am not a huge Petty fan at all but I want to see his performance. Prince absolutely killed it last year, maybe Petty will be OK.
Besides Sally here, I don’t know anybody who doesn’t like Tom Petty. The guy can write a goddamned song.
And that would be so rad if Axl showed up.
@Lucas Jensen: [raises hand]
I saw him a couple years ago when the Black Crowes were opening. It was a great show – he’s fantastic live.
I honestly don’t know which is more boring: Tom Petty or football. I used to watch the Super Bowl for the commercials, but these days you can just watch them all on the internet the very next morning.
Irony alert! Wasn’t “Into the Great Wide Open” supposed to be about Guns & Roses? Or at least the video, anyway? Which had Johnny Depp!
@heidiho: I’m pretty sure I saw that same tour when it stopped in Philly. I had a great time and I definitely plan on watching his performance. Also, I’m only 24, so I feel like that might make me a exception rather than the rule for my demographic.
Kinda looks like Brian May on guitar (the Rickenbacker) as well. But yeah, Petty is not that great and he’s definitely not cool, but his band is real tight and Breakdown is a good song.
@Lucas Jensen: i’ll second that shit. but i’ll take stevie nicks over axl as far as guest appearances are concerned. he’s brought her out every time i’ve seen him (or rather heard, as when you sit on the hillside behind the greek in berkeley you don’t actually see anything, but shit is free) to do that dope duet from hard promises. i love me some prince, but i love love love me some tom petty. if it weren’t for american girl the strokes wouldn’t exist.
Can’t wait for Superbowl LXXII when they have the Foo Fighters!
One million dollars says Stevie Nicks will show.
Tom Petty…What? Was Foghat booked that evening?
@Schluby: oh, come the fuck on. you can not even begin to put foghat on a level remotely approaching tom petty. just because music started for you at slanted and enchanted and the only thing you know about before then is thanks to those sweet soul jazz comps doesn’t mean that the rest of it is all equal.
/gets off soapbox
@ghostofduane: Petty’s lead guitarist, Mike Campbell, was indeed a Brian May doppleganger for most of the ’80s and early ’90s. Though their styles of playing are pretty different.
@iantenna: I second that. No cheap shots at Petty please…he’s had the career every rock star dreams of. Huge hits with his band, huge hits as a solo artist, major success on MTV, and for pete’s sake, he was in a band with GEORGE HARRISON AND BOB DYLAN. Homeboy deserves his Super Bowl halftime moment. And I agree – the demographic fits just right.
Although I can’t help but chuckle at this Onion article:
[www.theonion.com]
I hadn’t thought of the Stevie Nicks possibility. It just got interesting.
The NFL will get exactly want it wants with Petty–a set of safe well-known songs (I’m sure “You Don’t Know How It Feels” or “Mary Jane’s last Dance” won’t make the cut) that won’t drive people away.
That being said, TP& the HB’s have never done a bad show in the 20 plus years I’ve been seening them. Mike Campbell’s guitar work is worth the price of admission alone.
My set prediction:
“American Girl”
“I Won’t Back Down”
“Refugee”
“Runnin’ Down a Dream”
First off, word to iantenna. You’re allowed to be grumpy about Petty (coughMatoscough), but you’re not allowed to lump him in with Foghat.
As for capn-pajamabottoms et al, I’ll take the other side of the Stevie bet. “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around” is a great, great song in the Petty canon, but it’s also hella bluesy/slow for a Superbowl halftime show. Trust me, we’re gonna hear three, four songs tops, and they will all be barnburners: “American Girl,” “Don’t Do Me Like That,” “The Waiting,” and if he plays anything at a slow-to-medium tempo, “Free Fallin’.” I don’t see how you fit in a song about recrimination and heartbreak into a mini-set like that.
@Figgsrock: Oh yeah — duh! on me. Good call on “I Won’t Back Down.” That’s a gimme.
As the resident Tom Petty expert (see name/pic), I’ll guess the setlist that will have people talking til the next act pulls out a tit.
Running Down a Dream
The Waiting
I Won’t Back Down
American Girl
Yeah, come on…Foghat? At least nobody I hang around doesn’t like Tom Petty. Them’s fighting words in Athens, GA, thank God.
@extracrispy: dissing football and Tom Petty in the same breath? I almost had a heart attack.
@Lucas Jensen: I’m not a huge fan, but I think American Girl is one of the great American rock singles. It’s sort of the southern “Born to Run”. The production is also really great.
I got major flack for watching the entire 4 hour Sundance doc about Tom Petty. But I can’t help it…the man’s been churning out great songs for years. And he seems like a really normal, down to Earth kinda guy. Perfect for the football crowd, IMO.
@iantenna:
You’re jammin’ me. Quit Jaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaammin’ me.
More likely, a guest appearance on Petty’s stage by Jeff Lynne. I could go for a Petty/Lynne redux of “Hold on Tight.” It’s been on commercials enough, this year. Better would be “Mr. Blue Sky.” The best would be a real oldie, like “Poker,” “Dreaming of 4000,” or “Fire on High.” I’ll hold my breath…
@plasticaisle: I watched that documentary as well, and I think it makes a fantastic case for Tom & the Heartbreakers (let’s not forget those guys, who make up perhaps the finest, most versatile backing unit since the Hawks and Booker T and the MGs) being the last great American rock’n'roll band.
@AcidReign: If Jeff Lynne makes an appearance, you can bet Tom will sing “Handle with Care”, which has become a staple of his set in recent years.