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TyronnePatti Smith
February 20th 2008 01:24
The banshee poet
Natural Born Rocker
Political punk poet rocker Patti Smith has always been an acquired taste. An aquired taste that influenced the likes of R.E.M, Sonic Youth, Garbage, U2 and The Smith’s amongst others.
Her powerfully distinct vocals elevate any technical shortcomings. Her personal lyrics and expressive chords bombard the mind and ear drums. Fusing her beat poet ideals into pioneering the punk rock movement in the 70’s Patti was born in 1946 to a jazz singer mother and blue collar father.
Growing up in New Jersey with a strong religious influence by here mid teens she abandoned the restrictions of faith and after graduating high school moved to New York City.
Patti and her arsenal
In 1967 she met long time collaborator and celebrity photographer Robert Mapplethorpe. His photos of the young Patti would later become Album covers including the one for the groundbreaking Horses.
Horses album cover
Moving to Paris she began busking and was certainly attempoting to live the life of an artist, returning to New York she tried her hand at theatre acting and also became a rock Journalist for Cream Magazine.
In the early 70’s Patti began developing the sound and textures that would make her music resonate. Encouraged by Robert Mapplethorpe’s financial and emotional support she started performing with a band that consisted of Lenny Kaye, jay Dee Daugherty and Ivan Krawl.
Writing many of her own songs and including spoken word in her shows her first single contained a tome to Patty Hearst. Her first official album, Horses launched a career that has always garnered industry respect but seldom clicked with the public.
Patti at peace
Her biggest hit “Because the Night” co written by Bruce Springstein is the song most of the general populace will remember her for. By 1980 Patti moved away from touring and recording, it is during this period that many started discovering her contribution to the musical landscape of the previous decade.
In 1995 Smith teamed up with Bob Dylan on the road and since 1996 she has been back on the road, in the studio and producing more quality works with the likes of Michael Stipe.
Still a political animal she also has continued fighting for conservation and human rights plus been inducted into the “Rock N Roll Hall of Fame”.
This has been a very brief overview of Patti Smith and her music, for those who love her I apologise for not listing every achievement and interesting social dalliance. Maybe a part 2 may be called for.
Here is a clip of Patti doing her take on the classic Them number "Gloria"
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That's Joey on mic, you damn ass
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