Reel Music Fest: Interview with Peter Bogdanovich
By Barry Johnson
The Oregonian - Saturday, January 19, 2008
"I don't hold anything against the audience because I'm the one that stirred it up in the first place. I should just know better than to get too close." --Tom Petty, after being pulled off stage by fans at a concert.
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers have logged over 30 years in rock and roll, during which time Petty and company have recorded such seminal hits as "American Girl," "Refugee," "I Won't Back Down," "Free Fallin'" and "Runnin' Down a Dream," the title of a new documentary that examines the band's origins and impact.
Petty couldn't refuse playing Super Bowl
Youngstown Vindicator - January 25, 2008
NEW YORK -- Tom Petty says he's not much of a football fan, but playing the Super Bowl halftime show was an offer he couldn't refuse. "The most significant thing about it is the people watching worldwide ... it's probably the biggest audience you can have, I would imagine," the 57-year-old singer told The Associated Press. "It's quite an honor to be asked; if you look at the people who have done it, it's a very elite crowd ... it's a great opportunity to play for the whole world at once," Petty said.
Tickets for Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers' North American tour go on sale the day after their Feb. 3 performance at the Super Bowl halftime in Glendale, Ariz. Steve Winwood is slated to be the special opening act.
People In The News: Petty to follow Super Bowl show with a summer tour
Eugene Register-Guard - Saturday, January 26, 2008
Tom Petty says he's not much of a football fan, but playing the Super Bowl halftime show was an offer he couldn't refuse.
"The most significant thing about it is the people watching worldwide. ... It's probably the biggest audience you can have I would imagine," the 57-year-old singer said.
"It's quite an honor to be asked, if you look at the people who have done it, it's a very elite crowd. ... It's a great opportunity to play for the whole world at once," Petty said.
The day after their Feb. 3 Super Bowl performance, tickets will go on sale fro Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers' North American summer tour. Steve Winwood is slated to be the opening act.
The band last went on tour in 2006. Back then, Petty indicated that it could be their last.
But Petty said recently, "The band wants to go really bad, so we had a meeting about it, and we decided, why not? ... We're doing a shorter tour than we did the last time."
Currently, the tour includes a pair of shows in the Northwest, both at the Gorge in George, Wash., on Aug 15-16.
Tom Petty is a pretty safe play at halftime
By Rick Massimo
The Providence Journal - Thursday, January 31, 2008
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers are playing the halftime show of Sunday's Super Bowl -- insert your favorite wardrobe-malfunction joke here.
In Short: Belichick sorry he'll miss Tom Petty's show
The Daily Northwestern - Friday, February 1, 2008
PHOENIX -- Tom Petty, the half-time performer at Sunday's Super Bowl has a fan in Bill Belichick. In a light moment, the Patriots coach admitted he was sorry to miss Petty's performance and said he might play Petty's CDs while preparing for the game. "Well, it's never kept anyone from winning," Petty said.
Through the Arch: Tom Petty couldn't root for the Buckeyes
By Tom Archdeacon
Dayton Daily News - Friday, February 1, 2008
PHOENIX -- Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers are the halftime entertainment at Sunday's Super Bowl LXII and while the Hall of Fame rocker is remaining the musical equivalent of Switzerland in this one -- when it comes to the big fight, he said he wants to remain neutral -- that wasn't the case the last time there was such a hyped football game at this new University of Phoenix Stadium.
Before Sunday's match-up between the unbeaten New England Patriots and the road warrior New York Giants -- in what many think will be the most watched Super Bowl ever -- the most trumpeted football game here was Ohio State's meeting with Florida in the BCS title game a year ago.
OSU was routed in that one and Petty was pulling for the Gators all the way.
N.F.L. ROUNDUP: Petty Already Rocking Long Before Halftime
By Karen Crouse
The New York Times - February 1, 2008
PHOENIX -- The Giants and the New England Patriots will be busy fine-tuning their game plans Sunday when the halftime entertainment, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, takes the stage for a 12-minute set. Patriots Coach Bill Belichick, a self-avowed fan of the band, was not going to be summarily denied this high note of Super Bowl XLII. He said he would play Petty's songs in his office while he prepared for his fourth Super Bowl in seven seasons.
Petty, who met with the news media Thursday, smiled when told his work was serving as Belichick's soundtrack for this Super Bowl. "Well, it's never kept anyone from winning," Petty said.
What A Heartbreaker
The Tampa Tribune - February 1, 2008
PHOENIX - Tom Petty didn't sing a single note. His Heartbreakers didn't strike a single chord. Not so much as a rim shot was heard Thursday from the band that will perform during the halftime show at this year's Super Bowl.
What a letdown.
Granted, Prince set the bar extremely high last year, performing for close to 15 minutes. But even Bono got up and threw "an American football" around a little bit at U2's new conference.
Petty and the Heartbreakers just sat behind a table and answered some questions. They didn't even do that very well, refusing to predict a winner or pick a favorite for the game.
Commentary: Petty whine about show for halftime
By Gregg Patton
Sarasota Herald-Tribune - February 2, 2008
PHOENIX -- Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers have had more hits than Tom Brady took all season.
Now that I've taken care of the obligatory football reference, I can move on to the real reason most of the Super Bowl journalists showed up Thursday: to check out the rockers who will be doing the halftime entertainment.
This has become an annual ritual here, the meet-the-music-legends news conference. It began with Paul McCartney three years ago. Since most of the people covering this event are Baby Boomers, who could pass up a chance to be in the same room with a real, live Beatle? No one, judging by the standing-room-only crowd.