10 Songs That Caused Huge Rifts In Bands
4. Free Fallin - Tom Petty
As the 80's were winding down, Tom Petty needed to take a step away from the rock and roll machine. After going on tour and almost getting killed after someone burned his house down, Petty needed a bit of positivity back in his life. Once he hooked up with producer Jeff Lynne, they created the album Full Moon Fever, which gave Petty some of the most successful songs of his career.
Though the album is a solo record, many of the Heartbreakers were called in to work on the tracks. While Petty was really enthusiastic about the new direction, the other Heartbreakers found it hard settling into the album's groove. One day, bassist Howie Epstein turned up at the studio but was not enjoying the actual recording process. When Tom came out to tell Epstein they were getting ready to record the bass track, Epstein quickly pointed out he didn't like the song and abruptly left.
What the bassist missed out on was "Free Fallin," which would go on to become one of Petty's greatest ever tunes. Though the animosity quickly faded, Epstein went from ditching a song he didn't like to playing that very same song time and time again whenever the band hit the stage.