Benmont Tench on his late friend and longtime bandmate Tom Petty: “The reward outweighed the sorrow.
You have to go through your sorrow.
I’m going through the sorrow for the rest of my life.”
Credit: Michael Montfort/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
We really loved making music with Tom, Tench tells EW.
And we thought the world and think the world of him as a songwriter and as a singer.
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: This was a collaborative effort from all of Toms family his relatives and his band.
Then wed argue back and forth not fight, but a I love this!
But I love this!
once a week when wed gather at Ryans home studio and listen to a bunch of stuff.
Ryan fell into these songs.
I think we tried it and it just wasnt good enough for us to put out.
But we didnt go back and fix this and change that and massively rework stuff.
Mike said the other day: We always look forward.
We didnt tend to look back.
We hadnt put out a greatest hits for a while.
But the thing is that this is obviously to pay tribute to Tom.
We know thatyouknow this is special.
But do you know how special that stuff that was on records that you may have missed?
And there are things that were never released.
We would always say, Why dont we trythis.
And because he was in charge, hed say, Because I dont want to.
[Laughs]
But were used to having different opinions.
I think the biggest thing was simply that we didnt want to put out a 20-disc thing.
And we could have put out four discs of stuff nobody has ever heard.
But we chose to take it this way.
You get a taste of all that.
But I was so focused on finding that one song that thats the one that I paid attention to.
And I just almost started crying.
I didnt feel like it was too soon.
I felt like we have to be really careful with this to do it right.
I think a lot about how we pay tribute to icons and our heroes while theyre still alive.
Shocked is not the word…shocked doesnt even approach how we all felt.
We came off the tour all very pleased with the way the band was playing.
It makes…it makes no sense.
To put this box set together for me wasnt just cathartic: It just was kind of validating.
Just, like, Yes, he was as good as I thought he was, and better.
Yes, we were a really good band.
But also you hear the guy counting this song off, or going, That was really good.
You hear all the chatter and everything and it keeps it alive in your heart.
And it was a good experience for me to do this.
But for me the reward outweighed the sorrow.
You have to go through your sorrow.
Im going through the sorrow for the rest of my life.
Since I was 18, Ive been able to make sounds with Tom and Mike.
So that was going to happen, because that has always happened.
Every other summer I have spent away from home traveling around cities playing music with these guys.
Thats just a strange and slow process.
The nickel has been dropped, believe me, but its…its…its a long process.
As you get older, youre not going to do that as much.
But he was really funny and sharp.
He was really, really bloody smart.
He was all sorts of things.
Rocks like nobodys business.
Its a song thats Toms Chuck Berry thing.
Tom must have made up half lyrics on the spot anyway.
Ive wanted that to come out for years.
We cut it when we cut Mary Janes Last Dance, in the last batch of sessions.
A lot of people understood what was really going on.
They wanted to be in a band with this guy.
And those guys didnt want to be in a band with anybody!
Mikes busy with Fleetwood Mac and I have a baby daughter and my hands are full.
Im also playing solo gigs.
The Heartbreakers I dont know whats going to happen with Heartbreakers because its not Tom Pettyandthe Heartbreakers.
But we could have been just The Heartbreakers.
I was readingyour Instagram postabout that!
Just talking about those formative periods seemed so happy.I really love him.
I really love the band.
I miss making music with him.
I miss hearing a new song.
Here is the tracklist for An American Treasure box set:
CD 11.
Surrender Previously unreleased track from Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers sessions19762.
Listen To Her Heart Live at Capitol Studios, Hollywood, CANovember 11, 19773.
Anything Thats Rock N Roll Live at Capitol Studios, Hollywood, CANovember 11, 19774.
When The Time Comes Album track from Youre Gonna Get It!May 2, 19785.
Youre Gonna Get It Alternate version featuring strings from Youre Gonna Get It!
Radio Promotion Spot 19777.
Rockin Around (With You) Album track from Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers November 9, 19768.
Fooled Again (I Dont Like It) Alternate version from Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers19769.
Breakdown Live at Capitol Studios, Hollywood, CANovember 11, 197710.
The Wild One, Forever Album track from Tom Petty and the HeartbreakersNovember 9, 197611.
No Second Thoughts Album track from Youre Gonna Get It!May 2, 197812.
Here Comes My Girl Alternate version from Damn The Torpedoes sessions197913.
What Are You Doing In My Life Alternate version from Damn The Torpedoes sessions197914.
Louisiana Rain Alternate version from Damn The Torpedoes sessions197915.
Lost In Your Eyes Previously unreleased single from Mudcrutch sessions1974
CD 21.
Keep A Little Soul Previously unreleased track from Long After Dark sessions19822.
Even The Losers Live at Rochester Community War Memorial, Rochester, NY19893.
Keeping Me Alive Previously unreleased track from Long After Dark sessions19824.
Dont Treat Me Like A Stranger B-side to UK single of I Wont Back DownApril, 19895.
The Apartment Song Demo recording (with Stevie Nicks)19846.
Concert Intro Live introduction by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, The Forum, Inglewood, CAJune 28, 19817.
Rebels Alternate version from Southern Accents sessions198513.
The Damage Youve Done Alternate version from Let Me Up (Ive Had Enough) sessions198716.
The Best Of Everything Alternate version from Southern Accents sessionsMarch 26, 198517.
Walkin From The Fire Previously unreleased track from Southern Accents sessionsMarch 1, 198418.
King Of The Hill Early take (with Roger McGuinn)November 23, 1987
CD 31.
I Wont Back Down Live at The Fillmore, San Francisco, CAFebruary 4, 19972.
Gainesville Previously unreleased track from Echo sessionsFebruary 12, 19983.
You And I Will Meet Again Album track from Into The Great Wide OpenJuly 2, 19914.
Into The Great Wide Open Live at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum ArenaNovember 24, 19915.
Two Gunslingers Live at The Beacon Theatre, New York, NYMay 25, 20136.
Lonesome Dave Previously unreleased track from Wildflowers sessionsJuly 23, 19937.
To Find A Friend Album track from WildflowersNovember 1, 19948.
Crawling Back To You Album track from WildflowersNovember 1, 19949.
Wake Up Time Previously unreleased track from early Wildflowers sessionsAugust 12, 199210.
Grew Up Fast Album track from Songs and Music from Shes the OneAugust 6, 199611.
I Dont Belong Previously unreleased track from Echo sessionsDecember 3, 199812.
Accused Of Love Album track from EchoApril 13, 199913.
Lonesome Sundown Album track from EchoApril 13, 199914.
Dont Fade On Me Previously unreleased track from WildflowerssessionsApril 20, 1994
CD 41.
You And Me Clubhouse versionNovember 9, 20072.
Have Love Will Travel Album track from The Last DJOctober 8, 20023.
Money Becomes King Album track from The Last DJOctober 8, 20024.
Bus To Tampa Bay Previously unreleased track from Hypnotic Eye sessionsAugust 11, 20115.
Saving Grace Live at Malibu Performing Arts Center, Malibu, CAJune 16, 20066.
Down South Album track from Highway CompanionJuly 25, 20067.
Two Men Talking Previously unreleased track from Hypnotic Eye sessionsNovember 16, 201210.
Fault Lines Album track from Hypnotic EyeJuly 29, 201411.
Sins Of My Youth Early take from Hypnotic Eye sessionsNovember 12, 201212.
Good Enough Alternate version from Mojo sessions201213.
Like A Diamond Alternate version from The Last DJ sessions200216.
Hungry No More Live at House of Blues, Boston, MAJune 15, 2016
