Just so good

If you’re something of a Petty ‘completist’ then this is totally for you. The first part demonstrates the really insane life he twisted and turned through in a way that’s so personal and palpable there’s no room for second guessing. The second part where they both go through ever song up until Highway Companion again is honest and eye opening that has you pausing the book to listen back to the tracks that leap off the page the most.
The new intro that touches on Tom’s passing and legacy is particularly heartfelt and does a great job to help you the listener realise you’re in the presence of somebody that really really cared for Tom and his music and The Heartbreakers.
You have to read this book.

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Good but repetitive

A good listen but it did tend to repeat itself on more than 1 occasion.

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Nice Update on a good book

Read the original book on release.

I really enjoyed the updated audiobook.

I really felt the narrator seem to capture the essence of the late great Tom Petty.

A fantastic listening experience for me.👍👍

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Good, but repeats quite a few things.

It was interesting but lots of repetition. I guess because it was based on various interviews? Kept having to check I hadn’t skipped back!!!

Also, Tom Petty was not in Waterworld. It was The Postman.

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Conversations with Tom Petty, new edition.

I have the original edition and the extended edition in hardback and I was both excited to see this was produced for Audible and nervous that it would not meet my expectations given that it is voiced by an actor and not the author or Tom Petty himself.
We are very fortunate that hours of recorded material exists containing Tom Petty talking about his music and his life with the Heartbreakers. However, this means that we also have a direct comparison with the real thing. Among the material that exists are the tapes which Paul Zollo made of his conversations ( not publicly available), a small amount of which have been shared on social media by the author.
This production sounds as though it is being read rather than a conversation. The inflection of the actors voice is not particularly similar to Mr Petty and neither is the phrasing.
If you haven’t read the book, whichever edition, then this would be very interesting and worthwhile. But if you can read the book which also has some great photographs then I recommend that you do. It would also mean that the section which deals in depth with the songs on all the albums up until Highway Companion can be referred to rather like a reference book. When I am reading it I often pause to play the track so I understand the points that are being made. It would be difficult to do that with the audio version.
I knew that the voice would not be a totally accurate copy but I was disappointed with the pace, often too fast, and phrasing and wondered if I would be able to listen to the end, but I did find I was getting used to it and suspended my criticism somewhat and was able to enjoy it more.
The extended sections are not really suited to the audio edition as the reviews and articles included are very repetitive.. not meant to be read/listened to back to back. In fact many if the stories and incidents of the 40 year career get replayed over the whole. Which show up as slightly irritating in an audio version.
Writing this I realise that despite being heavily addicted to Audible with some 130 titles in my library and being even more addicted to Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers this is not a good match being produced in this way. Fans love Tom Petty’s voice. And he had a particular way of speaking. One can imagine his seriousness and often his humour. He was a great character and a sincere and thoughtful man, with gravitas and a sense of wonder at the way songs and music happened in his life. He often referred to it as the real magic.
This doesn’t do him justice, I am afraid. I will be dipping into the new edition hardback frequently but I probably will not listen to this again.

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ok, not as good as it could be

this book is do sicophantic it's hard to get into, some of the information is good but not groundbreaking, there's about an hour of how amazing Tom Petty is to start with which isn't necessary because we already know that, I had to fast forward a bit, then quite a lot of repetition, and lots of how amazing Tom Petty is and etc and then more repetition, I would recommend this because of course Tom Petty is amazing etc

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