Shoffology

Music has always been a huge part of my life. Going back to when I was a little kid, my parents would always have a cassette tape blaring in the car whenever they drove my sister and I to school, catechism, practices or to run errands. Obviously for those who know me, The Beatles were a major staple of many drives (especially the Please Please Me and Past Maters I albums), along with the Righteous Brothers' greatest hits and Chris Isaak. But another album that was constantly in rotation was Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers' Greatest Hits. I still remember my mom putting it in and hearing "American Girl" for the first time; the jingle jangle of the guitar sounding like a radio signal breaking the latest news, then the drums, then that bass line, then hearing those "aaaaaahs" come soaring in. I was immediately hooked. And as classic after classic kept playing, it became one of my favorite albums (well, after anything by the Fab Four, that is).

I strayed away from his music a bit during my angsty high school years, but during the end of my senior year and going into college, as I began to expand my musical horizons again, Tom Petty was one of the first artists I came back to. I discovered what an amazing album Wildflowers was. I bought his Playback box set and couldn't believe the stuff that he considered outtakes. And then a few years later, my parents took my sister and I to see the Heartbreakers live, which is still one of the best concerts I've ever been to, and one I'll never forget.

Last year's losses of David Bowie and Prince were real punches to the gut, both so totally unexpected. But this actually feels worse for me, like someone took a bit of my spirit. Maybe it's because his music has been the fabric of so much of my life; maybe it's because he was far and away one of the most humble, down to Earth rockers you can think of. But mostly it's because I was not expecting this. At all. "He's going to do something after this tour," was my thought. Essentially, I took Tom Petty for granted. Which is something I never should have done.