“I got a hold of a little psychedelic substance and tripped out all night. By morning, I said, ‘I’m a bass player!’” How a psychedelic-fueled studio session set Ron Blair on the path to becoming a founding member of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers perform onstage during the 'Damn the Torpedoes' tour at the Capitol Theatre, Passaic, New Jersey, June 27, 1980. .

As an original member of Tom Petty’s Heartbreakers, bassist Ron Blair supplied distinctive basslines for the band’s classic first four albums – Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, You’re Gonna Get It!, Damn the Torpedoes, and Hard Promises.

But global success came at a cost: Blair learned quickly that rock-star life was anything but glamorous, being earmarked by a mind-numbing succession of one night stands, and exhaustive recording and touring commitments.