Hypnotic Eye Explained
Hypnotic Eye is the thirteenth and final studio album by American rock band Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, released in the UK on July 28, 2014 and in the United States on July 29, by Reprise Records.[1] [2] The album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, becoming the only Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers album ever to top the chart. Hypnotic Eye was nominated for the 2015 Grammy Award for Best Rock Album. It was the Heartbreakers' final studio album before disbanding in 2017, following Petty's death in October of that year.
Background
The first sessions for the album occurred in August 2011 at the band's Los Angeles-based rehearsal space, the "Clubhouse", where the song "Burnt-Out Town" was recorded. The album marks a stylistic return to the band's first two albums, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers (1976) and You're Gonna Get It! (1978).[1]
Promotion
On June 10, 2014, the song "American Dream Plan B" was released as the lead single from the album, along with two additional tracks, "Red River" and "U Get Me High", from the band's website and digital stores.[3] A month later, a CD single with "American Dream Plan B" and "U Get Me High" and a coupon for $2 off the price of the album were released.[4]
"Forgotten Man" and "Fault Lines" were released for streaming on the band's website in early July 2014.[5] Additionally, all five tracks released in promotion of Hypnotic Eye were released on an "interactive radio" with a tuning dial that finds the tracks for listeners.[6]
Commercial performance
The album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart, with first-week sales of 131,000 copies in the United States; to date, it is the only Tom Petty (solo or with the Heartbreakers) album to reach the top spot on the chart.[7]
Personnel
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
- Tom Petty – vocals (all tracks), rhythm guitar (all tracks but 10), lead guitar (right channel on track 9, track 10, track 11 outro), fuzz bass (track 3), high bass (track 7), bass (track 9)
- Mike Campbell – lead guitar (tracks 1–8, left channel on track 9, 11), rhythm guitar (track 10, 12)
- Benmont Tench – piano (tracks 1–7, 10–12), electric piano (track 1, 6, 11), organ (1–3, 5–9, 11–12), mellotron (tracks 4, 8, 11), synthesizer (track 5)
- Scott Thurston – rhythm guitar (tracks 1, 3, 5–8, 11), 12-string guitar (track 4), harmonica (track 2, 10, 12), tambourine (track 9), lead guitar (track 12)
- Ron Blair – bass guitar (all tracks but 9)
- Steve Ferrone – drums (all tracks), percussion (track 6, 7, 12)
Additional musicians
- Josh Jové – fuzz guitar (track 7)
- Ryan Ulyate – background vocals (track 8)
Production
- Chris Bellman – mastering
- Mike Campbell – producer
- Jeri Heiden – art direction
- Josh Jové – assistant engineer
- Greg Looper – engineer
- Tom Petty – producer
- Chase Simpson – assistant engineer
- Nick Steinhardt – design, art direction
- Ryan Ulyate – producer, mixer, recorder
- Travis Weidel - back-line technician
- Alan "Bugs" Weidel – crew chief, back-line technician, equipment manager
Charts
Year-end charts
Notes and References
- David . Fricke . David Fricke. April 10, 2014. Petty's Maximum Rock & Roll. Rolling Stone. 20. 1206. March 27, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140404204541/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/tom-pettys-maximum-rock-roll-the-heartbreakers-hit-the-studio-20140402. April 4, 2014.
- Web site: New North American Tour Dates for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers . May 20, 2014 . May 20, 2014 . Tom Petty . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140520221033/http://www.tompetty.com/blog/new-north-american-tour-dates-tom-petty-and-heartbreakers-241461 . May 20, 2014 .
- Web site: Listen to American Dream Plan B! . June 8, 2014 . July 15, 2014 . Tom Petty . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140716224614/http://www.tompetty.com/blog/listen-american-dream-plan-b-298706 . July 16, 2014 .
- Web site: "American Dream Plan B" and "U Get Me High" from the New Album Hypnotic Eye . July 9, 2014 . July 25, 2014 . Tom Petty . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140726000235/http://www.tompetty.com/blog/american-plan-b-and-u-get-me-high-new-album-hypnotic-eye-342036 . July 26, 2014 .
- Web site: Hear Tom Petty's New 'Fault Lines' Track from 'Hypnotic Eye'. DeRiso, Nick. July 16, 2014. July 27, 2014. Ultimate Classic Rock.
- Tom Petty Hides New Song 'Forgotten Man' on His Website. Grow, Kory. July 16, 2014. July 27, 2014. Rolling Stone.
- Tom Petty Scores First No. 1 Album on Billboard 200 . Billboard . 2014-08-07.
- Web site: Artisti - Classifica settimanale WK 31 (dal 28-07-2014 al 03-08-2014). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. it. 7 August 2014. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20140808065629/http://www.fimi.it/main/chart_id/1857. 8 August 2014.
- Top Billboard 200 Albums: 2014 Year-End Charts . Billboard . 2015-01-15.
- Top Rock Albums: 2014 Year-End Charts. Billboard .
