The Wadding Is The Hardest Part

I get asked all the time "you are really into music, who's your favorite band?" That is such a hard question to answer but I usually say, "it depends on what mood I'm in." However there are a few bands that always seem to rise to the top of the list, The Beatles, The Grateful Dead, and the band I'd like to talk about today, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. I've loved the band since I was in high school and I first heard "Free Fallin'" off Tom's solo album "Full Moon Fever." I knew of him before then, but that album was my gateway to my now, 25 year fascination with Tom and the boys. I've seen them in concert 7 or 8 times, I've lost track. Like most good music though, thinking about Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, brings to mind a funny story, which if you will indulge me, I will share here.
 My third Tom Petty concert was the Dogs With Wings Tour, supporting the Wildflowers album. The year was 1995.  I was living in Los Angeles at the time. The concert was out in a place called Devore Canyon, like two hours out of the city. I took my girlfriend at the time. The car broke down on the way there, so we were running really late. When we got to the amphitheater, the opening act was already playing and parking was full. They put us out in some auxiliary lot and I told my girlfriend we were going to have to run for it, because I didn't want to miss a minute of Petty. I dragged her off the paved path through a short cut. Pitch black, no lights. About two minutes in, she asks me if I hear frogs, I don't answer and keep running. Well, we found the frogs. My shortcut took us through a swamp. We were covered in mud by the time we got to the show, and she ruined a brand new pair of shoes. Well, it was a great show, didn't miss a minute. That girlfriend married me three years later, and we are still married to this day. Guess she forgave me for the shoes.