Heartbreaker by Mike Campbell
not a book review but also not not a book review
Reading a music memoir is usually an exercise in searching for the truth in between the glory and bombast. There is none of that here as Campbell and co-author Ari Surdoval have crafted a book as understated and humble as Campbell himself seems to be. Campbell focuses most of Heartbreaker on his extremely spare upbringing. He was mostly raised by his mother while his military dad was overseas. You can feel the tension of their poverty palpably, and can see how deeply affected Campbell was by this lonely, destitute life. His mom managed to get him his first guitar, and years later, serendipitously a stoned out hippie handed him another one. Campbell took these guitars and clung onto them as the only respite. It feels like actual fate that a kid that grew up how he did would go on to write some of the biggest rock songs ever. I know nothing about guitars except that I like listening to them but I still enjoyed reading Campbell obsessing over chords and scales and pickups and other technical things I only have a rudimentary understanding of.
As a huge fan of Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers I enjoyed Petty: The Biography by Warren Zanes, but Heartbreaker is a true insider’s perspective to Tom Petty’s inner machinations, or at the least a view into how his ego and stubbornness could sometimes cloud his judgment. For example, he passed on “The Boys of Summer” and when Campbell took it to Don Henley who turned it into a huge hit, it took him some time to admit regret and offer congratulations. Still, Campbell speaks of Petty with the deepest pathos and appreciation for 40 years of collaboration and brotherhood. Much of Heartbreaker reads like a thoughtful thank you note Campbell was never able to send1. Campbell also pays homage to Howie Epstein, bassist for the Heartbreakers who died in 2003. I think being a fan isn’t necessarily a requirement for reading Heartbreaker as Campbell’s writing is so matter of fact and sincere that he draws you in whether he’s talking about his wife, their kids, and their various animals or dropping stories about KISS, Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan, or Stevie Nicks.
Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Books for the eARC. You can purchase Heartbreaker here.
Tom Petty died in 2017.