Full Moon Fever

Singer needed a fresh start, and with these dozen tracks he earned one -- but it wasn't easy.

When the Heartbreakers frontman finally released his debut solo album in April 1989, it had been subjected to delays by a label that didn’t hear any singles.

The rocker's short message was a tongue-in-cheek criticism of the transition to CDs.

If certain executives at Tom Petty's label had gotten their way, his classic solo debut Full Moon Fever might never have been released.

He pissed off his band by going solo, but this LP ultimately brought about positive creative and personal changes.