Tom Petty has told the kids to get off his lawn. Tom Petty comes from the rock & roll era of the 70’s, a time that is generally characterized with heavy drug use and free love. During that time, the veterans of that music scene, from the yesteryear of that era, called rock & roll an abomination. It was also common to make these associations with the music, mainly because they didn’t understand it.
Basically that is what Tom Petty is saying about the modern generation of music.. In a recent interview with USA Today, Tom Petty describes Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC) as “..a drug party” and DJ’s are “stupid.” While impressed by youth’s eclecticism, he’s mystified by the EDM boom and superstar DJs.
Watch people play records? That’s stupid. You couldn’t pay me to go. I’m not oversimplifying it. That’s what’s going on. I don’t think it would be any fun without the drugs. It’s a drug party.
He also criticized EDC for the two deaths that occurred this year, asking, “Do you need the money so bad that you’ll put some kid’s life at risk?” While he may have a point there, he is forgetting that their are health risks everywhere, at any festival, across all genres. Recently a Keith Urban concert was categorized as a “Mass Casualty Event.”
This type of view point is a common ignorance surrounding our culture. We’re sure some of the exact same ignorance surrounded Tom Petty and The Heart Breakers. Tom is 63 now. From what I imagine, he is holding on to the past and what he views as good music, to which he has every right. We just wish that he would take a more open approach to a culture he doesn’t quite understand. Tell us what you think about Tom’s remarks by commenting below!
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