Hey music lovers have you ever thought about Stevie Nicks and Tom Petty as a duo? These two rock icons together? It turns out they have a cool history of making music magic and get this there's even a documentary about Petty that just resurfaced with some awesome insights into their bond.
How It All Began: Tom Petty Spills the Beans on Stevie Nicks Collaboration
In a throwback interview from Cameron Crowe's newly unearthed documentary Tom Petty : Heartbreak Beach Party Petty himself tells the tale of how his musical connection with Stevie Nicks started. Apparently Stevie a longtime fan of The Heartbreakers was hanging around and really wanted to sing with them.
Petty remembers Stevie asking him for a song one night at dinner. She had asked before but this time she was serious. So Petty being the legend he is said "Okay I will write the song." And he did! He went home and the next day he wrote "Insider". Yep that song they worked on for Petty's 1981 album Hard Promises. That's where the album title even came from inspired by the lyrics of "Insider."
But here is a twist Stevie felt so strongly about "Insider" for Petty that she did not want to take it from him even though they planned to collaborate. Petty recalls her saying something like “I can’t take this from you because I see how bad you want it you just keep it and write me another song and we’re even.” How cool is that?
"Stop Draggin' My Heart Around" and More: Musical History is Made
True to his word Petty then wrote another song for Stevie and that song became "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around." This mega-hit ended up on Stevie's album Bella Donna. Petty in the interview says "I think it took us a few hours. We went down and learned it and sang it and the rest is history." Just a few hours to create an iconic song? These guys were pros.
He also mentioned how creating music is always a thrill for him. Even after all these years making music still felt like fun. He loved the magic of recording with his band and hearing it played back. That passion is what made Tom Petty so special.
Their collaborations did not stop there either. Later in 2009 they teamed up again to sing "I Need to Know" together for Petty's 30th Anniversary Concert movie . Stevie Nicks made a guest appearance and they rocked it out.
Lost and Found: The Resurfacing of "Heartbreakers Beach Party" Documentary
This whole story is coming to light now because of Cameron Crowe's documentary Tom Petty: Heartbreakers Beach Party. This documentary is like a time capsule from the early MTV days. It originally aired just once on MTV way back in 1983 and then vanished. Until now.
Recently the long-lost 16mm film reels were found and the documentary got fully restored. It even had a theatrical release in October 2024 and now you can stream it on Paramount+ starting March 11 2025.
The documentary is described as a "fun candid fast-paced and musically rich ride" with Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers. It shows them making their album Long After Dark promoting it touring and just being themselves. It’s got behind-the-scenes stuff the "You Got Lucky" music video being filmed and cool conversations.
Cameron Crowe himself considers this his directorial debut believe it or not. Before this he was known for his print journalism. He was nervous about directing but Tom Petty helped him feel like a real director when they filmed Petty playing "I'm Stupid." Petty’s daughter Adria Petty says the doc is special because it shows a rare unguarded look at her dad and his band. Apparently Tom Petty never gave such open access to his life and music again.
"Wild Thing" Unearthed: Another Treat for Tom Petty Fans
As if the documentary wasn't enough the Tom Petty Estate also just shared previously unreleased video footage of the band covering The Troggs' classic "Wild Thing" back in 1982. This video is also directed by Justin Kreutzmann and it is awesome.
The "Wild Thing" video is from a French TV program called Houba Houba but it also includes bonus footage from Cameron Crowe's Heartbreakers Beach Party film. The audio is newly remastered so it sounds amazing.
This "Wild Thing" clip along with other Record Plant videos for songs like "Keeping Me Alive" "Finding Out" and "Stories We Could Tell" are all part of the Deluxe Edition of Long After Dark. So there is tons of cool unearthed Petty content out there for fans right now.
Stevie Nicks and Tom Petty: A Musical Friendship for the Ages
The story of Stevie Nicks and Tom Petty's collaborations is a reminder of how cool music friendships can be. Two legendary artists coming together respecting each other's talents and creating something amazing. And now with the Heartbreakers Beach Party documentary and the "Wild Thing" video we get a new glimpse into that special musical moment in time.
Must-Listen Stevie Nicks & Tom Petty Collaborations:
- Stop Draggin' My Heart Around (Stevie Nicks ft. Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers)
- Insider (Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers ft. Stevie Nicks on backing vocals)
- I Need to Know (Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers ft. Stevie Nicks - Live in 2009)
- Wild Thing (Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - Cover performance from 1982)