Petty: fame can hurt
St. Petersburg Times - August 26, 1985

"I'm a person that never wanted a lot of attention," Gainesville-born rock star Tom Petty insists in a discussion of fame with the San Diego Union. "It's a double-edged sword. You are pampered on one hand. But the other side of the blade is just as sharp ... there are huge negative sides to fame. You can't live in society like everyone else. And anytime when you give up the way you live, when you realize that now you have to adapt to a different existence, that's enough to shake up your psyche fopr a long time." Petty currently resides in Encino, Calif., an area of Los Angeles that is home to Michael Jackson, Pat Benatar and members of Chicago and REO Speedwagon. Dave Stewart of the Eurythmics, who collaborated with Petty on the Southern Accents album and is his new best friend, just moved in down the street. "Dave has this theory of arranging that he calls 'freedom thinking,'" Petty explains. "He thinks you should try any idea you have, because you can always erase it and try something else."