The Tom Petty Project

We're taking a sylistic detour today however as we plunge headlong into the world of electronic music, loops, samples, heavily processed guitars, and found sounds! But don't worry, we have a fantastic guide!

As well as co-hosting one of my favourite shows, Brian is a prolific musician who has released over a dozen albums of his own material.

This special bonus episode of the podcast is a conversation I had with the wonderful Brian Ruskin of @honest-unmerciful.bsky.social !

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Like all the true originals, Shine has a way of expressing herself that imprints on you. She'll make you and can make you cry with both her voice and with her intimate relationship with her guitar. But most of all, she'll make you sit forward in your seat and pay attention!

This week's episode is a fantastic freewheeling chat that I had with the inimitable Shine, who I had the privilege of spending time getting to know over Zoom.

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Shine & the Shakers on Instagram: "Polish Press Records Presents: The new Shine original single begs the question, in the battle of the sexes who is the winner or does everyone lose a little bit along... Woman's Plight is a haunting new single that captures the raw emotions and complexities of toxic relationships. With lyrics that speak to the hurtful words we say to those we love, this powerful anthe...

We're taking a break from The Last DJ for this week's episode.

Get ready to SHINE!

www.instagram.com/reel/DRNRn4e...

I never heard a single bad word about her from anyone and I miss her terribly, especially in December.

She was just one of those people who radiated love.
I wanted to re-share her marvellous thicket story with you to remind you how funny she was!

YouTube video by The Tom Petty Project Gwen Jones - The Thicket

It's very hard to believe that Gwen Jones has been gone for three years. She was a friend I never met in person. Funny, generous, genuine, caring, kind, strong, and fiercely loyal.

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Welcome to the first chapter in the ballad of Jack and Zoey, with a Y. (Inspired by Blue Sunday and other assorted lyrics...)

It's Blue Sunday on a cold Wednesday up here in Saskatoon!

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I asked if there was anything wrong
She said, "Nothin' worth talkin' 'bout"

#BlueSunday

Love seeing that Pulp made your list. It was a triumphant return IMO.

I didn't manage to get around to finishing my Freddie ep! Hoping to get that rattled off before I head down to Weyburn this weekend to hang out with @cdmorrissette.bsky.social !

A fun haul for #rsd Black Friday. 🤘🏻

When he got interested in music again, he started playing with Mike quite a bit, and so he was just there when we needed a bass player for the last two tracks we did for The Last DJ.”

When he first quit, he didn't quit the band, he quit the whole music thing. He was fed up. But we were all young boys then...

If he hadn't been there, I am sure it would have been the end of the whole thing when Howie died. Ron stepped in and had this huge enthusiasm through the whole thing...

In a 2006 Rolling Stone interview, Tom credits Ron Blair’s return as being pivotal for the band saying, “The band has a good family atmosphere that wasn't there for a while. It came back about a year or two ago. I think when Ron Blair returned, it really bonded us back together in a weird way...

Lost Children, track 7 from The Last DJ, is now available wherever you listen to podcasts (i.e. your phone....!)

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All these lost children, born to chase the hurricane...

#LostChildren

A stunning album top to bottom. Man those guys were a fantastic live rock n roll band!!!

YouTube video by The Tom Petty Project Storyteller Session from the Tom Petty Weekend 2025

Thanks to Michael and Laura for making sure I got a copy of this! I did edit the audio to cut out some of the echo so there are a couple of spots where it's slightly weird (audience talking mainly) but I hope you enjoy my storytellers session from the TPW!

Video by Becker

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The Last DJ.
Track 6.
Like a Diamond.

Out now!

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Big full moon
Above the road
I'm a long long way
From tomorrow

#LikeaDiamond

The algorithm is working??? That's weird....... 😆

But, I'm lining up a plethora of conversations for the coming weeks with artists who performed at the weekend and once Jake's new album is ready, I'll be roping him into another fanboy chat!

#TomPettyWeekend

Also included in the episode are chats I had with Maggie Clifford and @jeffslate.bsky.social. I did chat to Shine and to Jake also, but due to technical difficulties, I couldn't use those recordings!

Pete and I are officially ACTUAL friends now, not just Facebook friends, because we've hung out, broken bread together, stood in a crowd and sung our hearts out, and hugged! I thought it would be fun to recap the Tom Petty Weekend with Pete to get his thoughts as well as mine.

Tom Petty Weekend 2025 with Pete Nester Podcast Episode · The Tom Petty Project · 2025-11-16 · 1h 41m

I'm joined today by my good pal Pete Nester, from @honest-unmerciful.bsky.social, for a special bonus episode!

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Not pictured are the IWBD tees I picked up for my girls from the Florida Gators Rally House (but I snuck the key chain in there!)