Long After Stan

Artists

Album Info

Release Date: 2013-06-29

Label: Stomper

Mike covers Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers' 1982 album Long After Dark.

Bandcamp notes:
This is a project that was harder to pull off than it sounds. I'm glad I took the time to do it. I had a little trouble finding the masters for it!

Back in 2015, I was invited to take part in a book release/reading/perfomance with Warren Zanes for his excellent Petty: The Biography at Berkeley College Of Music in Boston. While we were rehearsing that afternoon, I told Warren about this record and sent it to him. He wrote me a few weeks later saying how much he enjoyed it. In the back of my mind, I had a little fantasy that he would eventually hip Tom to this record. Maybe he did? Probably not...

I still think about adding drums, bass, keys, electric guitars, etc...to these recordings. Maybe someday!

Original 2013 liner notes:
In 1982 I received my first, somewhat decent, tape deck. One of the first times I remember using it was when a radio station played Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers brand new record "Long After Dark" in it's entirety. Ahh..remember those days? I still have the 60 min Maxell UDXLII. An old friend.

I always return to this record for some reason. Recently I realized that I started trying to write songs right around the time this record came out, and that this record has everything I have been trying to write and include in the records that I make. A strong opener, fantastic pop songs, moody stuff, rockers, and ballads.

On May 30, 2013 while in the middle of writing and recording The Rapid Shave LP, I had a full day to myself with nothing planned. I thought I would challenge myself and spend the day learning and recording this entire record in order. The only goal...have it finished by 5 pm.

I had already played "One Story Town" and "Change Of Heart" on stage with The Gentlemen through the years. My first band, Holy Smokes, recorded "Deliver Me" on a Fostex 8 track trying to get into a battle of the bands back in 1986. We didn't get in because the girl in charge didn't believe it was us. It sounded too good and it wasn't heavy metal.

I knew three of the ten songs. The rest I learned on the fly while I was recording.

After a few weeks listening to my recordings, I attempted to re-record a few of the songs, failed, and then questioned whether or not I should attempt the entire record with a full band, but decided to just go with the original idea and recording, warts and all (by the truckload. I have noticed at least 200 mistakes). I would love to tell you that I captured every song on the first take, but that was not the case, not even close. Multiple takes for each song people.....

Recorded with a Gibson Hummingbird, one Shure SM57, a Behringer board, direct to two track into a Pioneer 509 CD deck, I dialed in a decent mix/sound by the start of side two, which also happened to be around the same time I started losing my voice (see "The Same Old You").

"Long After Dark" has been, and still is, my favorite Tom Petty record.

Even though it is lacking any drums, I call my version "Long After Stan", and dedicate it to one of my favorite drummers, Stan Lynch.

I learned, then recorded this entire record from 9 am to 5 pm one beautiful spring day (May 30, 2013).

Enjoy,
Mike