Kid Rock Name-Checks Tom Petty on New ‘First Kiss’ Single
Kid Rock says his upcoming album digs deeper into country music. And from the sound of its lead single, 'First Kiss,' he's sticking pretty close to the genre's usual take on growing up in a small town, from first girlfriends and old Chevys to beloved pickup trucks and "Main Street [feeling] like Park Avenue."
And just as Eric Church paid tribute to a classic-rock giant on his hit 'Springsteen' a few years ago, Kid Rock nods to another rock-radio mainstay: Tom Petty. The chorus of 'First Kiss' includes the line, "Tom Petty on the radio / Going steady with nowhere to go," and Rock sings it with beer-raising earnestness. You can watch the video -- which depicts a small town that's still stuck somewhere around 1957 -- above.
Kid Rock has come a long way over the past 17 years, when he helped rocket the rap-rock genre into the mainstream with his hit 'Devil Without a Cause' album and songs like 'Bawitdaba.' He's since branched out into southern and heartland rock territories, and his music has adapted modern country's classic-rock shadings, complete with chord-chopping guitars. (One thing that hasn't changed: that damn hat he's worn since his MC days.)
In addition to his Lynyrd Skynyrd-biting hit 'All Summer Long,' he's toured with Bob Seger, Peter Wolf, the Marshall Tucker Band and ZZ Top in recent years. 'First Kiss,' his 10th album, will be released on Feb. 24, and he's reportedly planning on hitting the road with Foreigner as support this time.
See the Yearbook Photos of Tom Petty and Other Rock Stars
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