Now that Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers have finished touring behind their Hypnotic Eye LP, he's just about ready to get back to the studio — with his other band.

Heartbreakers guitarist Mike Campbell tells Rolling Stone that his next order of business will likely be joining Petty and his fellow Heartbreaker Benmont Tench for a new album from Mudcrutch, the band the trio were part of with guitarist Tom Leadon and drummer Randall Marsh during their '70s pre-fame days. This continues the unlikely Mudcrutch revival that started in 2008, when Petty reconvened the band for a self-titled LP.

"It probably won't take very long. It's a labor of love, really," said Campbell, who admitted that they've had to hold off on recording while Leadon recovers from some recent unspecified health problems — but they all seem to be taking the medical drama in stride. "Petty was going, 'Well, that's a good thing because I don't have any songs yet.' We'll come up with the songs when we have to."

For Campbell, Mudcrutch's continuation offers an overdue opportunity to see his old friends Leadon and Marsh earn a share of the spotlight. "This is really something for them to shine in. It makes us really happy to give them a chance to get some light," he continued. "It's a good band, different from the Heartbreakers. Tom plays bass, so it's got a different swing to it. It's nothing that's going to get us rich and famous, although I'm sure Randall and Tom wouldn't mind if that happened."

"It was one of those lighting bolts to the brain," Petty said in 2008 of his decision to reunite the band. "A few years ago I just started thinking about how I missed those guys ... We've stayed in contact over the years and we've all stayed good friends. I brought it up to Mike and everybody was up for it. We had a ball doing it. We made the album in two weeks flat. We played everything live -- vocals, no overdubs."

Mudcrutch peaked at No. 8 and was followed by a brief run of tour dates, something Campbell says remains a possibility with the next record. "I hope we do some gigs again this time," he mused. "If we have the time and the guys are all up for it, then I'd love to go out and play."

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