Marty Stuart on Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers:

I know when I make my own statements (as apposed to Marty making his), I should use the term "my favorite" instead of "the best". But to tell you the truth, I choose to do that for a reason: I do it when I feel to do so is the only way I can make the point I am trying to make as dramatically as possible. Often because I am attempting to help others appreciate about an artist/band that which has so far eluded them. Artists/bands whom, I believe, deserve more appreciation (and, okay, success) than they have enjoyed.

When I see The Rolling Stones routinely referred to as "The Greatest Rock ’n’ Roll Band In The World" (a phrase created, by the way, by their publicist!), repeated mindlessly simply because it’s the "common wisdom", I see red. I’ve seen The Stones live, and they were terr-i-ble.

I saw Tom and his band live, and to my tastes they were kind of pedestrian, like a hometown band whose members you know. Nothing special at all. But then I’ve seen a lot of really, really great bands and solo artists, and have rather high standards (if I do say so myself ;-) . Marty does too, and I have no idea why he holds TP & THB in such high regard. But when I don’t understand something, I consider that a failing on my part.

Now Marty Stuart And His Fabulous Superlatives: THERE is a great band! NRBQ’s live shows are legendary, and deservedly so. Awesome! Dave Edmunds, my ex’s (26 years together) favorite live show of all-time. Rockpile (Dave Edmunds, Nick Lowe, Billy Bremner, Terry Williams)---the greatest Super Group of them all (oops, there I go again). Of course Edmunds and Rockpile are from the UK, so are ineligible for Marty’s list. ;-)

Another pertinent comparison: I heard the debut album by The Dwight Twilley Band (Sincerely), and was flabbergasted! What a great, great album, instantly in my all-time Top 10. I then saw them on a coupla TV shows, lip-syncing to a recording. Interestingly, Tom Petty, whose own debut had just had been released, was "playing" bass in the band (the original Twilley band had no permanent bassist). I bought the Petty album, and was, frankly, rather underwhelmed. The second I liked even less.

Yet Petty & THB developed into major Rock Stars, and Twilley, after one solo hit ("Girls", I think) after drummer/singer Phil Seymour left the group, faded into obscurity. For those who like Tom Campbell’s guitar playing, give a listen to Bill Pitcock IV on Sincerely (and it’s follow-up, Twilley Don’t Mind). No comparison. For you guitarists: except for Ry Cooder, the greatest tone I’ve heard live was that of Pitcock. A Gibson ES335 plugged into a pair of blackface Deluxe Reverb’s, an MXR digital delay in line between the two amps. Rock ’n’ Roll, baby!

But what makes a band great? Here’s another interesting and instructive comparison: Both The Band and Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers toured with Dylan, and live recordings of some shows were released on albums. Compare the two. Both bands are playing similar music, in some cases the same songs. Which band do you think is "better"? Feel free to answer below. ;-)

Marty can be effusive in his praise of other artists. 

I remember seeing him introduce Steve Earle on one of Marty's shows.  Steve was just over his heroin addiction and had put on a LOT of weight.  He was huge (not important but it was just a shock to me).  Marty went on and on requesting a warm reception for his good friend Steve, repeating several times that Steve was a close friend of his.  Steve just stood there with his pants hanging about halfway down his butt looking at Marty like he was nuts.  I assume that was because he and Marty were probably not good friends and maybe had never met before the show. 

It was just a funny moment to me but it does illustrate the point that Marty can get a little carried away in his praise of other musicians and that may be what happened with Tom Petty.  Naming his own band The Fabulous Superlatives is another example.

We all know that there is no one best band, but we all have probably used the term at one time or another.

My girlfriend back in college (in the 1970s) used to say of some album  she was into at any given moment: "They are the best band in the world -- like so many other bands, of course."

NRBQ more musical and entertaining, that’s all.
Oh yeah, more output, longer track record and better songs.
They and the Isley's are America's bands.

Yeah @fuzztone, and NRBQ live are just incredible. Terry Adams’ piano and clavinet playing on stage, as well as Al Anderson’s guitar playing and Joey Spampinato’s bass playing (Keith Richard’s choice as Bill Wyman’s replacement in The Stones. Joey turned him down, choosing to remain in the true greatest Rock ’n’ Roll band in the world ;-) is about as amazing as any musician I’ve ever seen, and I saw Hendrix twice ;-) .

And then there’s the songs; Anderson left the band to concentrate full time on songwriting, relocating to Nashville. NRBQ have gone through three line-ups over their long history---dating back to 1968! (Terry Adams being the sole constant), and have made a LOT of albums. I have ’em all.