East Coast hardcore torchbearers DON’T SLEEP are celebrating the life and times of Tom Petty, with their previously unreleased cover of the legendary songwriter’s track “Runnin’ Down A Dream.”
Listen To “Runnin’ Down A Dream” Now.
“Tom Petty is a musical treasure,” admits frontman Dave Smalley. “His music is one of those rare things that nearly everyone vibes on – everyone from hippies to hardcore hoodlums. When DON’T SLEEP was talking about what cover song we wanted to do, there were lots of great ideas but there was always one guy saying “yeah but…” But when our lead guitarist Tom McGrath suggested Tom Petty, and specifically this song, there was zero hesitation from anyone. To make a cover great, you need to feel it. And everyone felt it. We tracked this in The Green Room studio in Harrisburg, PA with producer Matt Holmes, and it was done super late in the evening, after midnight. Energy levels through the roof, karma bright. I had a ton of fun singing it, and the words are freaking phenomenal. We salute you Tom!”
DON’T SLEEP’s chemistry is made up of hardcore vets fronted by Smalley, known for his lung-emptying exhales with Dag Nasty, ALL, Down By Law, DYS and others. The band released their debut album Turn The Tide earlier this year (September 4th), produced by Brian McTernan (Be Well, Battery) and Gorilla Biscuits / Youth Of Today member Walter Schreifels. The album follows their two EPs – Don’t Sleep (2017) and Bring The Light (2018). No stranger to the stage, DON’T SLEEP has toured with Shelter, Sick Of It All, Madball, Face To Face, and performed on the final Vans Warped Tour in 2018.
