<P> Although most of their material was produced and performed under the name "The Heartbreakers", Petty released three solo albums, the most successful of which was Full Moon Fever (1989). In these releases, members of the band contributed as collaborators, producing and performing as studio musicians . </P> <P> Petty's early bands included the Sundowners, the Epics, and Mudcrutch . In 1974, Mudcrutch signed with Shelter Records and re-located to Los Angeles, California . They released one single, "Depot Street," in 1975, which failed to chart; the group consequently disbanded . </P> <P> In 1976, Petty, with himself as lead singer and guitarist, formed "Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers" with Mike Campbell (lead guitarist), Ron Blair (bass), Stan Lynch (drums), and Benmont Tench (keyboards). The Heartbreakers began their recording career with a self - titled album, released through the Shelter label . Initially, the Heartbreakers did not gain much traction in the US, although they achieved success in the UK playing "Anything That's Rock' n' Roll" on Top of the Pops . Early singles included "Breakdown" and "American Girl". Recalling the band's first gig in the UK in 1976, Petty states, "The audience just jumped up and charged the stage and were boogieing their brains out . It was such a rush . Wow, we had never seen anything like that, man ." "Breakdown" was re-released in the U.S. and became a Top 40 hit in 1978, after word filtered back of the band's massive success in the UK . "American Girl" was covered in 1977 by Roger McGuinn on his "Thunderbyrd" LP . </P> <P> Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers' second album, You're Gonna Get It! (1978), was their first gold record, and featured the singles "I Need to Know" and "Listen To Her Heart". In 1979, the band was dragged into a legal dispute when ABC Records, Shelter's distributor, was sold to MCA Records . Petty refused to be transferred to another record label . He held fast to his principles, which led to his filing for bankruptcy as a tactic against MCA . </P>

When was tom petty and the heartbreakers formed