Before Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers became one of rock’s most enduring institutions, they were a restless Florida band feeling their way toward a sound — and a future. That early evolution is the focus of Origins 1971-1978, a new archival boxed set arriving Nov. 6 via UMe in celebration of the band’s 50th anniversary.
A key component is No Sleep Til L.A., a 12-track portrait of Petty’s emergence as a songwriter and bandleader. The album traces the path from the pre-Heartbreakers band Mudcrutch’s earliest recordings to the formation of the Heartbreakers themselves, moving through sessions in Miami, Tulsa and Los Angeles. Seven tracks are previously unreleased, while five others appear in new high resolution mixes. The album will also be issued separately on LP, CD and a limited-edition Zoetrope pressing, with the latter due Nov. 20.
The previously unheard “Parade of Loons,” recorded in 1978, previews the collection. Its animated video, directed by Peter Sluszka and starring Young Sheldon actor Iain Armitage, imagines a colorful world of Heartbreakers fandom.
The boxed set also includes newly mixed and remastered 50th anniversary editions of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and You’re Gonna Get It! Both albums feature extended versions of 11 tracks, including “American Girl” and “Breakdown,” with the work overseen by longtime producer and engineer Ryan Ulyate.
Elsewhere, Live From the Record Plant 1977 presents the band’s sought-after KSAN-FM broadcast in its entirety for the first time, including a guest appearance by Al Kooper. The Cut Out Bin gathers five more exploratory recordings of Petty working with session musicians — including what’s described as a yacht rock track with Leon Russell — before he settled on the Heartbreakers as the ideal vehicle for his songs.
The set closes with the band’s 1978 appearance on the BBC’s The Old Grey Whistle Test, restored and presented in high definition for the first time. The Blu-ray includes all 51 songs in high resolution stereo, Atmos and 5.1 immersive mixes, while the DVD captures the complete BBC performance.
Vinyl editions of Origins 1971-1978 are rounded out by an 88-page fanzine featuring track-by-track annotations from the original band, complete credits for the first two albums, archival photographs and memorabilia, plus Polaroids, postcards and collectibles.
The announcement arrives ahead of tonight’s (Sept. 16) Americana Awards in Nashville, where Petty and the Heartbreakers will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award. Original members Mike Campbell, Benmont Tench, Stan Lynch and Ron Blair are set to reunite for a performance with Chris Stapleton, with Steve Ferrone and Scott Thurston joining for the final song.