Uploaded October 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 hours ago
This conversation took place on May 27, 1986, in a record company office in Hollywood, California. On assignment for "Guitar Player" magazine, my mission that afternoon was to do separate interviews with Tom Petty and Mike Campbell. Their band, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, had just finished a world tour with Bob Dylan and they’d begun working on what would become their "Let Me Up (I’ve Had Enough)" album.
While both Petty and Campbell were accomplished guitarists, there were no signs of one-upmanship in the Heartbreakers: Each man played for the song. “Mike really is the best in rock and roll,” Tom insisted on the front end of our interview. “I’d be lost without him. I’ve played with Michael since 1970, and we’ve developed a whole style of playing together.”
As I spoke with Mike, we could see Tom waiting in an adjacent room. As soon as Mike and I finished, Tom came in for his interview. Hear it here: youtube.com/watch?v=8p4lcPvbPWM&t=2681s).
I found Mike to be self-effacing, soft-spoken, and very forthcoming as we covered many facets of his artistry. I hope you enjoy our conversation!
The B&W promotional photo of Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers by Caroline Greyshock is courtesy MCA Records. Thanks to engineer/producer Nik Hunt for filming the intro and outro and enhancing the sound of the 39-year-old master tapes.
For more than 230 other blues-, rock-, and guitar-intensive podcasts, interview transcripts, and articles, visit the magazine version of "Talking Guitar" at jasobrecht.substack.com/. #tompetty #tompettyandtheheartbreakers
#jasobrecht #talkingguitar #nikhunt
This podcast is copyright 2025 by Jas Obrecht. All rights reserved.
This conversation took place on May 27, 1986, in a record company office in Hollywood, California. On assignment for "Guitar Player" magazine, my mission that afternoon was to do separate interviews with Tom Petty and Mike Campbell. Their band, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, had just finished a world tour with Bob Dylan and they’d begun working on what would become their "Let Me Up (I’ve Had Enough)" album.
While both Petty and Campbell were accomplished guitarists, there were no signs of one-upmanship in the Heartbreakers: Each man played for the song. “Mike really is the best in rock and roll,” Tom insisted on the front end of our interview. “I’d be lost without him. I’ve played with Michael since 1970, and we’ve developed a whole style of playing together.”
As I spoke with Mike, we could see Tom waiting in an adjacent room. As soon as Mike and I finished, Tom came in for his interview. Hear it here: youtube.com/watch?v=8p4lcPvbPWM&t=2681s).
I found Mike to be self-effacing, soft-spoken, and very forthcoming as we covered many facets of his artistry. I hope you enjoy our conversation!
The B&W promotional photo of Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers by Caroline Greyshock is courtesy MCA Records. Thanks to engineer/producer Nik Hunt for filming the intro and outro and enhancing the sound of the 39-year-old master tapes.
For more than 230 other blues-, rock-, and guitar-intensive podcasts, interview transcripts, and articles, visit the magazine version of "Talking Guitar" at jasobrecht.substack.com/. #tompetty #tompettyandtheheartbreakers
#jasobrecht #talkingguitar #nikhunt
This podcast is copyright 2025 by Jas Obrecht. All rights reserved.
