One of the hardest things to accept is that you can't make someone stop doing drugs. Ultimately, they have to make that choice themselves. All you can feasibly do is explain how their actions affect people and be there for them in their times of need. Besides that, the journey is for them to make in the end. So when Tom Petty was grappling with substance abuse issues back in the 90's, lead guitarist of The Heartbreakers Mike Campbell had to sit idly and watch. Now, he's reflecting on what that time in their lives.
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Recently, Mike spoke with the Independent to promote his new book Heartbreaker: A Memoir. There, he recalls Tom Petty being particularly stubborn about his use of heroin in the 90's. Consequently, he would never bother trying to stage an intervention for his friend and bandmate. "It would have gone like this. 'Tom, I'm worried about you. You're hurting yourself. Maybe you ought to think about cleaning up,'" Campbell says. "[Then] Tom would have said, 'What the f--- does Mike have to say about me? It's my business. Leave me alone.' You couldn't talk Tom into anything."
Mike Campbell Candidly Admits Why He Never Spoke With Tom Petty About Drug Abuse
Ultimately, Mike's decision was to let Tom Petty figure these things out on his own. The band in general would lead with a pretty formal arrangement, where they wouldn't bring any of their problems to work. Anything that didn't involve stage performances or studio recordings had nothing to do with each other. It's incredibly cold from Campbell and the rest of the band. However, they all found it to be for the best. He chops it up to good ol' fashioned masculinity. "We didn't have touchy-feely talks," he says. "We're dudes."
Mike's purpose in his memoir is to outline his relationship with music and art and the journey that brought him there. In a statement captured by PEOPLE, he lays out why he released his book now. "It's the story of a poor kid from Jacksonville, Florida who realized a dream through music. It's a long journey through hard work, dedication, and luck," Campbell writes. "Playing guitar and writing songs has been my inspiration and purpose. It's a story of hope, redemption, and gratitude, a testimonial that dreams can come true if you believe in yourself and follow your truth. It took two years to write and it's a labor of love. I hope you enjoy the ride!"
