Many are heartbroken over the the news of Tom Petty’s passing earlier this week. Even the most casual music listener has probably sung along to the well crafted songs from the florida born multi-instrumentalists catalog of music including such songs as: “Free Fallin’, ‘Refugee’, ‘The Waiting’, ‘You Got Lucky’, ‘Don’t Come Around Here No More’, ‘Good To Be King’, and ‘I Won’t Back Down’, ‘Last Dance With Mary Jane’ and many others.
For over 40 years Tom Petty was a iconic figure—with with such an undeniable influence on popular culture and music that not surprisingly many musicians have shared their thoughts and feelings on the loss of such a music legend, and the impact he has had on their songwriting.
In preparation to the followup to their last album “Choke” Portland Oregon’s Soft Kill had already been channeling the music of Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers into their current studio sessions, so that when learning of Petty’s death, they were quickly able pay tribute by recording a cover version of ‘Insider’ a song originally written by Petty for Stevie Nicks, featured originally on 1981’s “Hard Promises” LP.
Soft Kill’s Singer Songwriter Tobias Sinclair goes on to explain:
“Tom Petty’s music was a mainstay throughout our childhoods and adult lives. Even when punk rock put up unnecessary walls blocking out things deemed uncool to embrace, his music with the Heartbreakers found its way through. Leading up to the making of this next album we talked a lot about him and his guitar tone and riffs, the brilliant minimalism rarely perfected in American rock & roll. He sang songs that picked you up from your reality and placed you in the story unfolding, three and a half minute breaks from life that could very well have been your own memories.”
He then goes on to say:
“Tom taught us to give just enough and to make sure it’s honest every time. Coincidentally we went into the rehearsal space with our new drummer Adam Bulgasem (Holy Sons, Dommengang, Black Mountain) and played a new song live for the first time that unashamedly embraced everything about his sound. This rough cover felt right and was cathartic. His influence cannot be understated, our thoughts and prayers go out to he and his family during this time.”
Listen to the Soft Kill cover of Tom Petty’s Insider below:
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