Mike Campbell. Where do I start. Let’s start with what is happening as I write this. The COVID-19 virus has wrecked the live music scene and streaming has taken over our music prescription for the last several months. Everything since late February 2020 has mostly cancelled or postponed. As I write this some states are headed towards “Phase Two” opening up. There is still not much happening in the music world. I postponed Parrot Heads in Paradise’s Meeting of the Minds in Key West with the help of my team and the backing of the board of directors. I had several stadium shows planned from the Rolling Stones “No Filter Tour” to Joan Jet and the Blackhearts with other bands where I planned to see my pal Hal Selzer play to a likely sold out stadium with Joan. I can’t even begin to list all the shows I have already missed like Kenny Wayne Shepherd with Samantha Fish third row …OMG..it is postponed to the fall. Will it happen?
Speaking of postponed and back on topic. Mike Campbell. So for the Mike Campbell fans out there let’s get everyone on the same page. Mike is a long-time guitar sideman to Tom Petty. If you ever saw them you would know that they were complete brothers on and off stage. They wrote songs together, they played guitar together, and they were together to the end. Mike recently toured with Fleetwood Mac after the departure of Lindsey Buckingham. He is an amazing guitar player and songwriter. Mike wrote a demo for “The Boys of Summer” while experimenting with a drum machine. He showed it to Tom Petty but they felt it did not fit with the record they were working on at the time called “Southern Accents.” At the suggestion of producer Jimmy Iovine Campbell played it for Don Henley who wrote the lyrics and recorded the vocal. It was a smash hit.
That brings us back to 2020. Mike Campbell must sleep with a guitar. He never stops creating. COVID-19 kept us in “Lockdown” at this point since March and who knows from here? That is not the point. Go download this song. The proceeds help “Feeding America.”
I had tickets to a standing room only show at the Birchmere in Washington DC back in March. That show and the launch of a new album was pushed back to the fall due to the virus. I also had an invitation to attend a show in Florida that was pushed back as well. I had that on my radar and think I still may try for two dips of this concert tour which is a small club smoking opportunity to see one of the best out there these days. Who is playing? Mike Campbell and his long time side band “The Dirty Knobs.” They have already recorded “Wreckless Abandon” and I am in line to get the tracks as well as the vinyl. The title track is released as a video and it is quite frankly awesome. Go check it out. I can’t wait to see this band live. I’ll bring back some stories and photos. See ya down the road.
Bonus: A nice interview to watch after reading this.