Patti Smith: how she rocks our world

by **KL&fool** » Sun May 27, 2012 8:40 am

At 65, the great lady has just released a new book and album. This article has some great renditions of some of her iconic music, such as 'Soul Kitchen' and 'Because The Night'.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2012/ma ... h-tributes

Aah, for nostalgia's sake, there's a clip from The Old Grey Whistle Test.

Enjoy it!

by **vladimir** » Sun May 27, 2012 6:39 pm

by **vladimir** » Sun May 27, 2012 6:42 pm

Patti Smith: Horses: good album

by **Gary Gilmour's Eyes** » Mon May 28, 2012 7:37 pm

The best there ever was. I was hooked by the opening line of Horses (Gloria);
Jesus died for somebody's sins, but not mine.
Nothing's changed. Try listening to 2001's'Gung Ho!' .14 minutes that capture the insanity of the Vietnam War in a way that has never been equalled.
Pity she was out of action for so long, while caring for Sonic Smith, her AIDS infected husband. Noone has matched her raunch. Chrissie Hyndes a distant 2nd.

by jm » Tue May 29, 2012 7:22 am

Gary Gilmour's Eyes wrote:The best there ever was. I was hooked by the opening line of Horses (Gloria);
Jesus died for somebody's sins, but not mine.
Nothing's changed. Try listening to 2001's'Gung Ho!' .14 minutes that capture the insanity of the Vietnam War in a way that has never been equalled.
Pity she was out of action for so long, while caring for Sonic Smith, her AIDS infected husband. Noone has matched her raunch. Chrissie Hyndes a distant 2nd.

Her memoir "Just Kids" is brilliant.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/006621131X

by **Falcon Randwick** » Tue May 29, 2012 8:16 am

Gary Gilmour's Eyes wrote:Sonic Smith, her AIDS infected husband.

Are you sure of that? I've done multiple searches and can't find any reference to Sonic having had AIDS. He died of myocardial infarction according to any reference I could find.

by jm » Tue May 29, 2012 8:36 am

Perhaps GGE is confusing Fred with Robert Mappelthorpe.

by **kinard** » Tue May 29, 2012 9:01 am

Liked her introductions to Bob Dylans podcasts. "It's nightime in the big city..."

by **Falcon Randwick** » Tue May 29, 2012 9:06 am

jm wrote:Perhaps GGE is confusing Fred with Robert Mappelthorpe.

That was my first thought.

Oh, and 'happy birthday, JM'.

by jm » Tue May 29, 2012 9:15 am

Thanks B.

For anyone interested the "Just Kids" ebook is available at Garage.

by **Gary Gilmour's Eyes** » Tue May 29, 2012 6:40 pm

You could be right about Sonic. Depends on which report you believe. There were certainly assertions that the myocardial infection was a cover for AIDS received from needle sharing. Either way, he wrote some great rock songs with her and they appeared on her post-Sonic comeback album. Cannibals was an absolute classic.

by **vladimir** » Thu May 31, 2012 8:07 am

GGE, just caught the One Voice album, outstanding, thanks for that tip. Her vocals on this one remind me of some of Marianne Faithful's heavier stuff.

by **long in the tooth** » Thu May 31, 2012 10:09 am

Fred "Sonic" Smith died from heart disease.... not AIDS.
I rented a house from him and Patty back in Michigan in the 70's. Great guy. And Patty?
Well.... she is one of the most remarkable people I have ever had the good fortune to know. Her son Jackson is a bad-ass musician as well. Got married to Meg White, previously of the White Stripes. Now that was a party. Have seen her perform many, many times. Each one a unique and memorable experience.

by **Gary Gilmour's Eyes** » Thu May 31, 2012 6:39 pm

Glad to stand corrected. The AIDS reports came from the Australian music media and were obviously wrong. Sonic Smith was a good musician in his own right, going right back to his MC5 days. Pleased you enjoyed her more recent work, Vlad. More emphasis on slow, tortured ballads, but she can still rock with the best.

by jm » Tue Jun 05, 2012 3:45 pm

We'll be playing Patti's new album "Banga" at Garage tonight. Catch an interview with her on BBC radio today.