The 50th anniversary of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers will be marked with a new box set, Origins 1971-1978. Arriving November 6th via UMe, the collection will be available as a 5xLP set, 4xCD set, and an uber deluxe edition, all of which also come with a DVD of a live performance. Of the 51 included tracks, 27 are previously unreleased, live, extended, and never-before-heard unheard.
The box set’s centerpiece is No Sleep Til L.A., a 12-track rarities compilation that will also be released as a separate LP, CD, and limited edition Zeotrope vinyl. The album traces Tom Petty’s early sound-seeking recordings, from Mudcrutch’s first studio sessions in 1971, to “the formative Tulsa sessions where Mike Campbell, Benmont Tench, Stan Lynch and Ron Blair learned to make records.” As the title suggests, the final recordings come from the group’s Los Angeles studio work.
Tracklist and Release Details
No Sleep Til L.A. features five tracks presented in new hi-res mixes, and seven that have never before been released. That includes “Parade of Loons,” which is being shared today as a preview. It comes with a video directed by animator Peter Sluszka and starring Iain Armitage (Young Sheldon).
Fiftieth anniversary editions of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and You’re Gonna Get It! are also included, both newly mixed and remastered from the original multi-tracks by Ryan Ulyate. Those two albums include a number of extended tracks, including “Breakdown,” “American Girl,” and “Baby’s a Rock ‘N’ Roller.”
Also in the box is Live from the Record Plant 1977, a performance broadcast for San Francisco’s KSAN-FM that has never been released in its 14-track entirety and features a guest appearance by Al Kooper. There’s also The Cut Out Bin, a five-track EP capturing Tom Petty as he explored solo work with session musicians prior to settling on The Heartbreakers as his band. That one features a yacht rock song accompanied by Leon Russell.
Finally, the DVD captures Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers’ 1978 performance on BBC’s The Old Grey Whistle Test. With audio restored by Ryan Ulyate, this is the first time the TV performance has been presented in high definition.
Deluxe Edition and Reunion Performance
Both the 5xLP set and the uber deluxe edition feature an 88-page fanzine with liner notes by David Fricke, Bob Harris, and Bud Scoppa, plus track-by-track annotations from the original band, a 24-inch x 36-inch Tom Petty poster, a 50th anniversary logo patch, archival Polaroids, two Mudcrutch flyer recreations, and a set of Heartbreakers “Punk to New Wave” collector cards. The deluxe edition adds a sweet limited edition Victrola case with illustrations by Bijou Karman, rolling papers and a rolling tray with Karman illustrations, a Shelter Records logo button, and an archival scarf.
The announcement of Origins 1971-1978 comes on the eve of The Heartbreakers’ reunion at the Americana Awards. Tom Petty and the band will be receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award, and founding members Mike Campbell, Benmont Tench, Stan Lynch and Ron Blair will open the show with a reunion performance featuring Chris Stapleton. Later Heartbreakers Steve Ferrone and Scott Thurston will also join in for the final song.
The Origins 1971-1978 box set is a must-have for any Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers fan, offering a comprehensive look at the band’s early years and featuring a wealth of previously unreleased material. With its extensive tracklist, deluxe packaging, and reunion performance, this release is sure to be a highlight of the year for music fans.
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