Petty hails rock's subversive power at Grammy gala
LOS ANGELES: Tom Petty declared himself a willing part of the subversive “conspiracy” of rock and roll as he was honoured in a star-studded bash ahead of the Grammy Awards.
A-listers including Stevie Nicks and Foo Fighters interpreted Petty’s songs Friday night at MusiCares, an annual concert that celebrates an artiste’s contributions and raises money for musicians in need.
The 66-year-old rocker reunited his backup band The Heartbreakers for the show as they jammed out “Don’t Come Around Here No More” and “Runnin’ Down a Dream.”
In a speech to the gala, which takes place ahead of Sunday’s Grammys, Petty delved into the history of rock ‘n roll, a term credited to the DJ Alan Freed.
Freed and the late record executive Sam Phillips “saw it as a conspiracy to get black music on white popular radio,” Petty said.
“The music became popular and it empowered the youth of America and the government got very nervous — especially the Republicans,” Petty said to laughter from the crowd at the Los Angeles Convention Centre.
He recalled how, by the late 1950s, Elvis Presley was drafted into the army and rock pioneer Chuck Berry had been imprisoned on controversial charges of underage sex.
“But it was too late. The music had reached England,” Petty said.
“In 1964, the Beatles came. I had my eyes opened like so many others and I joined the conspiracy to put black music on white popular radio,” the Florida native said to applause from an audience that included Beatle Ringo Starr.
Petty voiced confidence in rock’s future as he hailed three younger bands who took part in the MusiCares show — The Head and the Heart, Cage the Elephant, and The Shelters.
“They are going to carry this forward and we have to be there to support them through it, because there ain’t nothing like a good rock ‘n roll band, people,” he said.
Eagles co-founder Don Henley took the stage to perform Petty’s “Free Fallin’.” Jeff Lynne, the key member of new Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees the Electric Light Orchestra, came out for what is perhaps Petty’s most recogniseable song, “I Won’t Back Down,” which Lynne co-wrote.
Nicks joined Petty for “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around,” their 1981 duet that was the Fleetwood Mac singer’s first solo single. — AFP