“It was just in my closet, and one day I pulled it out, turned it on, and thought, ‘Wow… this is a sound that I’ve been missing’”: How Mike Campbell ended up reconnecting with a classic piece of Heartbreakers gear

Mike Campbell of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers performs on stage at United Center on August 23, 2014 in Chicago, United States.

For Mike Campbell, opening a new chapter with the Dirty Knobs on upcoming album Mission of Mercy, doesn’t mean he’s forgetting his roots with late bandmate Tom Petty.

Rather, he’s embracing the future while nodding to his illustrious career through the gear he’s using – namely, an old amp from the early days of the Heartbreakers.