Full Moon Fever

Full Moon Fever is the debut solo studio album by American musician Tom Petty, released on April 24, 1989, by MCA Records. It features contributions from members of his band the Heartbreakers, notably Mike Campbell, as well as from Jeff Lynne, Roy Orbison (who died prior to its release), and George Harrison, three of Petty's bandmates in the Traveling Wilburys. The record showcases Petty exploring his musical roots with nods to his influences. The songwriting primarily consists of collaborations between Petty and Lynne, who was also a producer on the album. Full Moon Fever became a commercial and critical success, peaking at No. 3 on the U.S. Billboard 200 and being certified 5× platinum in the United States and 6× platinum in Canada.

MCA Records under Irving Azoff originally refused to issue the album, believing it did not contain any hits. Azoff resigned within a few months and, with new label management reviewing the album positively, they decided to release it. In 2019, the album was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. Rolling Stone magazine ranked the album number 298 on its 2020 list of the "500 Greatest Albums of all Time".

Background and recording

Having earlier in 1987 finished a Heartbreakers tour behind the album Let Me Up (I've Had Enough), Petty decided to record a solo album without the Heartbreakers (similar to the arrangement between Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band at the time). This stirred some controversy among members of the Heartbreakers, although all but drummer Stan Lynch contributed to the album. Benmont Tench and Howie Epstein initially were not happy about playing the Full Moon Fever songs live during Heartbreakers concerts. Lynch hated playing them right up until his departure from the band, saying it made him feel like he was in a cover band.

The recording process in 1988 was a low-key affair, with many of Petty's friends contributing, including the members of the Traveling Wilburys, except for Bob Dylan. Recorded mainly in the relaxed atmosphere of Mike Campbell's garage studio, Petty would later say it was the most enjoyable record of his career. Recording of Full Moon Fever was actually interrupted to allow time for recording of the first Wilburys' album. Two songs recorded during the sessions did not make the Full Moon Fever album. "Down the Line" and "Don't Treat Me Like a Stranger" were released as B-sides. During the sessions, Petty wrote "Indiana Girl", an early draft of what would eventually become "Mary Jane's Last Dance".

Release and reception

The album, which became Petty's commercial peak as an artist, was helped by favorable critical reviews and three hit singles. The album was released on April 24, 1989, and rose to eventually peak at No. 3 on the U.S. Billboard 200 and No. 8 in the UK. Five singles were released from the album; two hit the top 20 of the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and three topped the U.S. Mainstream Rock chart. The RIAA certified Full Moon Fever 5× platinum on October 5, 2000, in the US and the CRIA certified it 6× platinum on September 18, 1991, in Canada.

Critical praise was generally high. Rolling Stone compared the album favorably to the Traveling Wilburys' debut, Traveling Wilburys Vol. 1, saying it has the "same restless charm", but commenting that Full Moon Fever at times seems "sprawling". The review claims the album is "another rewarding, low-key side project for Petty", giving it three-and-a-half stars out of five. The Boston Globe noted that "some Petty fans might find this album to be a kind of cruise control, but its sheer unpretentiousness and crisp, non-doctored sound make it irresistible." The Orlando Sentinel opined that "Lynne's production is sometimes a little too clean, and there's nothing earthshaking or innovative going on... But when was the last time you picked up an album this solid: tough, pretty, good rockin', no filler?" Ultimate Classic Rock wrote, "By all measures, Petty’s first solo effort, Full Moon Fever, was an unequivocal success."

AllMusic gave the album four and a half stars out of five in a retrospective review, admiring the craft of the album and rivaling it with the Heartbreakers' Damn the Torpedoes. This review notes there are no weak tracks on the album, calling it a "minor masterpiece". The 2004 Rolling Stone Album Guide called Full Moon Fever a "masterful solo album". Michael Hann of Uncut characterises it as "a '70s rock'n'roller at last successfully capturing the best of '80s pop, which is perhaps why Full Moon Fever remains a touchstone whenever a young band wants to get the sound of '80s AOR down pat." It was ranked number 92 on Rolling Stone's list of the 100 best albums of the 1980s, and was ranked number 298 in the 2020 update of the magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. In 2000. it was voted number 534 in Colin Larkin's All Time Top 1000 Albums.