During the recording of the album , John Lennon was scheduled to be in the same studio at the same time . Petty was looking forward to meeting him when he came in . The meeting never occurred , as Lennon was murdered before the date of his planned visit to the studio . Petty and the band paid tribute to the slain former Beatle by etching " WE LOVE YOU J.L. " in the runout deadwax on early U.S. and Canadian pressings of '' Hard Promises ''
was murdered
Murder of John Lennon
Hard Promises