Part of the hard-rockin' band's strength is the ability to steer clear of caricature-no top hats or rose-colored granny glasses-while staying true to Petty's essence. "We have never tried to be Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and never will&-that would be un-Petty-like and totally defeats the spirit of his vibe...We play the music and we play it very well and with a lot of love and passion for it."