The devastating moment Tom Petty was targeted by an arsonist
When Tom Petty passed away in 2017, the world was sent into a state of shock. It was an incident that even now, some five years later, many have not recovered from, such was the gravity of his talent and impact on popular culture. A fascinating man with a back catalogue that speaks for itself, not only did Petty help to raise the bar of his own generation and galvanised millions who came after him. Despite many changes in the zeitgeist, his songs have authenticity and a propensity to rouse that even give the efforts of Bruce Springsteen a run for their money.
From The War on Drugs to Pearl Jam, Petty’s style courses through that of many of the most prominent artists, with his form of heartland rock one of the most iconic in existence. Petty was such a legendary character that even the great Stevie Nick of Fleetwood Mac viewed him as a best friend and a mentor.
Despite the broad outpouring of love for Petty, not everybody felt the same, as the Florida native found out in the 1980s when an anonymous arsonist targeted his house, setting it on fire and causing unimaginable damage. Understandably, this had a significant impact on Petty and his family, and they nearly lost everything. However, Petty responded in the best way possible: by writing one of his best-beloved songs, the anthemic ‘I Won’t Back Down’ from Full Moon Fever.
Petty lived at his property in Encino, California, for years, and although his time was happy there, the most miserable flashpoint came in 1987. Petty, his then-wife Jane Benyon, and their young daughter were having breakfast when they suddenly caught a whiff of smoke. The arsonist had soaked one of the property’s wooden staircases with lighter fluid and lit it before vacating the scene.
Luckily, the family were able to escape, but not everyone was unscathed, and their housekeeper suffered minor wounds. At the time, it was reported that the fire quickly increased in scope because of the house’s wooden roof, which ultimately caused $1 million in damages. Petty and his family lost a lot in the fire, but miraculously, the only room that was not damaged was his basement recording studio.
Per Petty’s account, he had no inkling that anyone wanted to do him harm prior to the fire, as he hadn’t recieved any indication, such as threatening messages or calls. In what is the most fascinating aspect of the story, no one was ever picked up for the crime, with it remaining unsolved some 35 years later.
“We were shaken for years by it,” Petty told Paul Zollo in the book Conversations with Tom Petty. After the incident, Petty and his family lived with a host of relatives and friends whilst they rebuilt what they had lost on the same site. However, the crime shook him up so bad that it affected his music in one particular way moving forward.
“I wouldn’t even use the word ‘fire’ in a song or anything,” Petty admitted to Zollo. “It really frightened me. They didn’t just try to kill me, they tried to wipe out my whole family. And it was a hell of a day. It was my wife’s birthday.”
