What’s Your Worst?

Tomorrow during the Superbowl, the legendary Tom Petty will be headlining the halftime show.

Folks, Petty has been making music as long as I’ve been alive. That’s over three decades-and the stuff he’s turning out these days is as good(maybe better) than his stuff back in the 70s and 80s.

Last night, in prep for the Superbowl, I ran across an NPR interview with Tom done by the Fresh Air hostess. He was, as he always is, the very definition of cool. Petty, not the hostess!

This interview brought to mind an interview Petty did some 15 or 20 years back. In it, he was asked a question I really, really dig:

What is the worst song you’ve ever recorded?

Here’s Petty, a shoo in for the Rock Hall of Fame, a man who’s cranked out hits for freaking ever, being asked what is the biggest piece of crap he ever laid down in a studio. His answer, “The Waiting” which, I’ll agree, is a pretty lame song.

But think about that question: What is your worst?

This causes a rock star(who SHOULD have an inflated ego) to be really, really vulnerable. And Petty did it(must be the southerner in him…being humble and all).

I’ve always thought if I get to interview my heros some day(Stephen King, Springsteen, Dylan, Tom Robbins, etc.); people with prolific artistic careers, I’d want to ask that question that was asked of the head Heartbreaker. See, if you even GET asked that question, it means you’ve cranked out a TON of artistic stuff. And I want to be asked this question someday. Why? Because if I get asked this, it means I’ve put out a lot of books, CDs, etc…and those are my goals.

So, here’s to someday creating something bad!