Broken Record with Rick Rubin, Malcolm Gladwell, Bruce Headlam and Justin Richmond Tom Petty and the Creation of “Wildflowers”
Dec 25, 2018
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When A Tight Band Records Dozens Of Songs
- Rick Rubin recounts recording around 50 songs with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers during sessions tied to the greatest-hits project.
- The band was so tight after decades together that they could crank out many strong takes quickly, leading to a large pile of unreleased material.
Songwriting Begins With Petty's Home Demos
- Tom Petty usually created songs alone with an acoustic guitar and homemade demos that mapped out parts and structure.
- Rubin describes Petty's demos as clear blueprints that the band then used as the starting point for full arrangements.
Two Production Philosophies Shaped Petty's Sound
- Rubin contrasts Jeff Lynne's meticulous, isolated tracking approach with his own aim for organic, hyper-real moments.
- Jeff Lynne recorded parts instrument-by-instrument for perfection; Rubin preferred capturing a human, alive performance even with small imperfections.