Wreckless Abandon, the highly anticipated debut album from celebrated guitarist and songwriter Mike Campbell (Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers, Fleetwood Mac) and his band The Dirty Knobs, is set for release on March 20 via BMG. “Wreckless Abandon,” the lead single and title track from the album, is available today alongside a digital album pre-order, including limited-edition merch bundles. Watch the video, directed by Ryan Daniel Browne:

The Dirty Knobs created Wreckless Abandon without agenda, expectations or deadlines, and without worrying about outcome or hits. They’ve pushed boundaries of taste, imagination, and genres, to create a 13-track album of brutally confident rock and roll. 

In additional to Campbell, The Dirty Knobs are Jason Sinay on guitar and vocals (Neil Diamond, Ivan Neville), Lance Morrison on bass (Don Henley), and Matt Laug on drums (Slash, Alanis Morissette). 

The album was produced by Campbell and George Drakoulias (The Black Crowes, The Jayhawks), with all songs written by Campbell. It features further contributions from Grammy-winning singer, songwriter and guitarist Chris Stapleton as well as fellow Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers founding-member, Benmont Tench. Additionally, Klaus Voormann, who is best known for doing the art for The Beatles’ Revolver, created the album artwork.

Of the project, Campbell explains, “The Dirty Knobs first got together almost fifteen years ago but Wreckless Abandon is our first album and occasion to tour. Over the years The Knobs became an outlet for me to play some of the other songs I was writing and to keep the creative juices flowing in between working on albums and tours with Tom and The Heartbreakers.”

What followed was several years of intimate, almost incognito, performances in the band’s home-base of Los Angeles and surrounding Southern California cities. After all those years playing together, it became clear The Dirty Knobs should take what they were doing to the next level. After Campbell’s long-time compatriot, friend and bandmate, Tom Petty, passed away in 2017, he knew the only way to heal some of the pain was to throw himself wholeheartedly back into his music.

“Losing Tom was earth-shattering for me. It was a total shock,” Campbell continues. “It had felt like we would be playing together forever. For a while it was hard to imagine playing in my own band again, let alone one where I’m the frontman. Tom was always my beacon. But everything I’ve been doing since Tom passed, including this album with The Dirty Knobs, is in the spirit of honoring what we did together.”

Tracklisting:

"Wreckless Abandon"
"Pistol Packin’ Mama"
"Sugar"
"Southern Boy"
"I Still Love You"
"Irish Girl"
"Fuck That Guy"
"Don’t Knock The Boogie"
"Don’t Wait"
"Anna Lee"
"Aw Honey"
"Loaded Gun"
"Don’t Knock The Boogie (Coda)"

To support the release, Mike Campbell and The Dirty Knobs will hit the road throughout the spring. Confirmed shows are as listed:

March
10 — Minneapolis, MN — Fine Line Music Hall
11 — Chicago, IL — Park West
13 — Indianapolis, IN — The Hi Fi
15 — Nashville, TN — Brooklyn Bowl
17 — Alexandria, VA — Birchmere
18 — Philadelphia, PA — World Café Live
20 — Ridgefield CT — Ridgefield Playhouse
21 — Derry, NH — Tupelo Music Hall
23 — Boston, MA — Brighton Music Hall
26 — Brooklyn, NY — Brooklyn Bowl

April
7 — San Francisco, CA — The Independent
10 — Los Angeles, CA — The Troubadour
14 — Boulder, CO — Fox Theatre
15 — Denver, CO — Bluebird Theatre
17 — Dallas, TX — Blue Light
18 — Austin, TX — Antone’s
21 — Houston, TX — Warehouse Live
24 — New Orleans, LA — One Eyed Jacks
26 — Gainesville, FL — High Dive
28 — Tampa, FL — The Orpheum

(Photo by Pamela Littky)