Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers resurrected with 50th anniversary ‘Origins 1971-1978’ box set

Before Tom Petty was a household name, before “American Girl” became a rock radio staple, and long before he was running down any dreams, he was just a Florida kid trying to make it in the music business. And, believe it or not, it took a few tries. In celebration of Heartbreakers’ 50th anniversary, UMe is releasing a deluxe box set titled Origins 1971-1978 this November 6th, digging up the band’s earliest recordings from the vault — even some unreleased tracks!

So, let’s rewind to the 1970s… Disco, punk, and southern rock all were birthed while political upheaval and civil unrest carried over from the 60s. The US was at a crossroads, reflected in the music, movies, and other artworks coming out at the time. Meanwhile, Tom Petty was bouncing between Gainesville, Tulsa, and Los Angeles, trying to find his big break. His first band, Mudcrutch, didn’t exactly set the world on fire commercially although it did introduce him to future Heartbreakers Mike Campbell and Benmont Tench.

When Mudcrutch fizzled out in ’75, Petty attempted a brief solo career before realizing the magic was with a full band.

Enter former bandmates Campbell on guitar and Tench on keyboards, alongside drummer Stan Lynch and bassist Ron Blair; the Heartbreakers were born. Origins 1971-1978 captures that transition in real time, featuring recordings from the Mudcrutch days, Petty’s short-lived solo sessions, and the original Heartbreakers lineup as they found their groove. Throw in contributions from musical heavyweights like Al Kooper, Leon Russell, Jim Gordon, and Emory Gordy, and you’ve got quite the cast of characters helping shape rock history.

The centerpiece of the collection, No Sleep Til L.A., illuminates these early days. Seven of its 12 tracks have never been released, with the remaining five receiving fresh mixes via UMe. One standout addition is “Parade of Loons”, a previously unheard 1978 recording that offers a peek into Petty’s songwriting process before superstardom came a’knockin’.

But we’re just scraping the surface of this robust box set! This 50th anniversary collection also revisits the band’s first two albums, 1976’s Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and 1978’s You’re Gonna Get It! — both newly mixed and remastered by longtime engineer Ryan Ulyate — with 11 extended tracks, including “Breakdown” and “American Girl”.

But wait, there’s more.

Live From the Record Plant 1977 features the band’s complete KSAN-FM broadcast from Sausalito, California, released in its entirety for the first time. With Al Kooper making an appearance, it’s a snapshot of the Heartbreakers before the massive crowds selling out arena tours. The Cut Out Bin, meanwhile, features five recordings from Petty’s brief solo journey, including a yacht-rock number with Leon Russell. Yes, Tom Petty apparently had a yacht-rock phase. Who knew??

For those who prefer watching their rock history, there’s also a restored 1978 performance from the BBC’s The Old Grey Whistle Test on DVD, plus a Blu-Ray featuring all 51 songs in high-resolution stereo, Dolby Atmos, and 5.1 immersive mixes.

And what’s a collector’s edition box set without talking about the packaging?! Available in 5-LP, 4-CD, and uber-deluxe editions, Origins 1971-1978 is loaded with extras. The vinyl editions include an 88-page fanzine filled with copies of rare Polaroids from the road, handwritten memorabilia, track-by-track commentary from original band members, Heartbreaker trading cards (that are actually stickers), liner notes by David Fricke and Bud Scoppa, and a GIANT black-and-white Tom Petty poster. Everything — from the poster to the LP covers to the extras — features a beautiful silver foiling, giving the set a brilliant sheen. Even the box itself is impressive: red meets black-and-white with an iconic image of a young Tom Petty on the outside; red rose pattern on the inside.

For any Heartbreaker mega fan, Origins 1971–1978 makes one hell of a holiday gift. It’s packed with rarities, is ornately presented, and gives you a chance to revisit the earliest years of one of the world’s greatest rock artists. After all, even legends have to start somewhere. And, judging by what’s been pulled from the vault, Tom Petty‘s early years were anything but novice. Reserve your set via the links below!

Pre-order the box set via UMe:

• PRE-ORDER

Track listing:

ORIGINS 1971-1978

LP1: No Sleep Til L.A.

1. Parade of Loons
2. You’re Gonna Learn
3. Another Lonely Night
4. I Can’t Fight It†
5. Depot Street†
6. Sin City
7. Wild Eyes†
8. Unheard of Kind of Hero
9. Up in Mississippi Tonight†
10. Satisfy Yourself
11. Since You Said You Love Me†
12. Long Way

LP2: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers (50th Anniversary Edition)

1. Rockin’ Around With You
2. Breakdown*
3. Hometown Blues
4. The Wild One, Forever
5. Anything That’s Rock ‘N’ Roll
6. Strangered in the Night
7. Fooled Again (I Don’t Like It)*
8. Mystery Man
9. Luna
10. American Girl*

LP3: You’re Gonna Get It! (50th Anniversary Edition)

1. When the Time Comes*†
2. You’re Gonna Get It*†
3. Hurt
4. Magnolia
5. Too Much Ain’t Enough*
6. I Need to Know
7. Listen to Her Heart
8. No Second Thoughts
9. Restless*
10. Baby’s a Rock ‘N’ Roller*

LP4: Live From the Record Plant 1977

1. Pre-Show
2. Surrender
3. Jaguar and Thunderbird
4. Band Intros
5. American Girl
6. Al Kooper, Denny Cordell Intro
7. Fooled Again
8. Luna
9. How We Doin’ on Tape?
10. Listen to Her Heart†
11. I Need to Know
12. Strangered in the Night
13. Dog on the Run
14. (Get Your Kicks On) Route 66

LP5: The Cut Out Bin

1. Save Me
2. Making Some Noise
3. The Ballad of Harry, Neil & Tillie
4. Cry to Me†
5. Lost in Your Eyes

DISC 6: Live on the BBC’s Old Grey Whistle Test 1978

• 9 performances in HD and restored audio • Running time: 41 minutes • 48kHz 24-bit PCM stereo Picture: 4:3 Pillarbox / 29.97 fps • NTSC All Region

*Extended version

†New mix of previously released version

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