Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers’ ‘Long After Dark’ album to be re-issued with unreleased tracks

nme.com:

Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers’ ‘Long After Dark’ is on the way, and set to be released in October.The new version of the 1982 album will arrive in stores next month, more than 40 years after it was first released.Set to arrive via Geffen/UMe on October 18, the new variant will come as a double disc and contains seven recordings that remained unreleased up until now.

These include Petty’s ‘Never Be You’, which became a chart-topping hit for Rosanne Cash in 1984, as well as ‘Don’t Make Me Walk the Line’ and ‘Ways To Be Wicked’.

The latter was released as a single by Lone Justice in 1985.The other bonus tracks include four songs that were filmed for a French TV Special at the Record Plant in Hollywood – the same site where much of ‘Long After Dark’ was recorded.“Despite it being a golden era of The Heartbreakers playing at the height of their powers, it is widely known as the band’s most misunderstood and underrated success,” reads a press release.“The album features an edgy collection of rock ballads and guitar anthems backed by the unmistakable sound of The Heartbreakers, including founding members Mike Campbell (lead guitar), Benmont Tench (keyboards), Stan Lynch (drums), plus the new addition of Howie Epstein on bass and backing vocals.”Ahead of the album re-release next month, the fan favourite ‘Straight Into Darkness’ has been shared with a new video.

Check it out above, and pre-order the album here.Previously speaking about the material that went unreleased, Petty explained how he lost out to producer Jimmy Iovine during debates over the album’s direction.“There was some music recorded for Long After Dark that didn’t get on the record, that I thought would’ve made it a better album,” the songwriter said.