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LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 10: Musician Mike Campbell (L) and singer Tom Petty perform onstage during MusiCares Person of the Year honoring Tom Petty at the Los Angeles Convention Center on February 10, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

WCSX Classic Cuts

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: “Anything That’s Rock ‘n’ Roll”

The Hook: They were inspired to write a song about rock’n’roll by KISS’s success with “Rock ‘n’ Roll All Night.”

Album: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

Year: 1976

Writer:
Tom Petty and Mike Campbell

Stats:
Not released as a single here in America, it had moderate British chart success, reaching number-36.

Background:
Forty years ago yesterday, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers released their self-titled debut album. Forty years ago today, they began their first national tour, opening for KISS. As guitarist Mike Campbell tells it, one of the songs on their debut album was, in a way, inspired by the headliners.

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers’ guitarist Mike Campbell on a classic from their debut album, “Anything That’s Rock ‘n’ Roll.” OC:…that one. :16

“We did that one pretty fast. That was, I think, one of the last songs we did on that album. I think the discussion with that was KISS had this song out at the time: ‘I Wanna Rock N Roll All Night’ and party every day or something. I said, ‘We should do a song with ”rock ‘n’ roll” in it ’cause that always works.’ And Tom came in the next day and had that one.”

Tom Petty - Anything that's Rock 'n' Roll 1977

Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - Anything that's Rock & Roll 1976 Some friends of mine and me stayed up all through the night Rockin' pretty steady till the sky went light And I didn't go to bed Didn't go to work I picked up the telephone Told the boss

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