As stated in the last post, Patti Smith was in town Firday to promote the Film, Patti Smith: Dream of Life. I was fortunate enough to be able to sit down with Ms. Smith at lunch and talk about anything I could. Personally, I have a very hard time meeting people who’s work I greatly admire, and make no mistake here, at heart, I’m a Patti Smith fanboy.
People Have the Power
PWTP is not my favorite PS song – not by a long shot. However I see more and more of her life’s work, in that phrase. The phrase carries more and more meaning, both in her art and her world view. At it’s core is the idea that people have the ability to change the world. I read this to be more about making changes in our day to day lives as well as changing the world through political activism, or even just by voting.
In the liner notes for the album Wave, musician Ivan Krall is noted as being “stateless” – she is quick to point out that so are the citizens of the District of Columbia. This lack of voice is a serious problem for our community (and country), Ms. Smith feels that …we as people need to be open to change either in how we are living or how we govern ourselves… A unanswered question (about the inability to change) remains; How much does that inability hurt the average citizen?
We spoke briefly about the upcoming election, she is a ardent Obama supporter (as am I). With her stance on change, that is no small wonder.
About a quote I use on this blog all the time
We were speaking about working in bookstores – did you know that Patti was working at a bookstore even well past the release of her second album. I find that both amazing and sad. Anyway, there is a quote I use here on a somewhat reoccurring basis; “It must be hard to be a cashier in a bookstore – to be surrounded by the history of your true loves” (Jim Carroll, Crow). I’ve always thought of this as a terminal state of wanting to be with your loved ones – but not really being able to be with them. Although not confirmed, we both knew that JC had written a few songs about her and this is probably one of them. I mean it’s not he has sent her a list or anything…
About a strong culture for the arts
We spoke about the problems facing cities – initially we spoke of the changing or suburbanization of New York City. describing what is needed to build a real cultural community (art, music, whatever) is the ability for artists and interested parties to be in all levels of the culture. This can be as simple as being able to live in the city as a bookstore worker or a successful artist, because both are critical for the culture to really be actualized and truly grow. This is not just a problem for New York it is a growing international issue.
CBGB’s
We did not speak of her final set at CB’s closing but of the first time Television played. She estimates about 8 people showed up for that show. You never expected to be able to make a living playing music anyway, in the early days of whatever we want to call the period of american music from 1976 – 1982 she was happy to make 20 bucks from a night of playing at CB’s.
However the loyalty (among the artists) that the early downtown music scene developed continues to last as well as produce legends of the participants.
On Bobby Fischer
This surprised me most. I’m a chess guy (not hardcore – I don’t read about openings and stuff) and never would I have thought Patti would have brought up Bobby Fischer. we were talking about people she had met and he came up kind of randomly – they met toward to end of his life in Iceland. There were serious rules about this meeting as well – only one bodyguard for each of them – Patti laughs – I don’t have a bodyguard – so I brought along a member of the crew. Fischer has crazy about Rock and Roll, Patti says that he told her one of the main reasons that he would play at Washington Square Park was so that he could get money to go see music in the evening – he loved the Four Tops and the Temptations.
Currently
Patti has a number of current project other than Patti Smith: Dream of Life Currently at the Fondation Cartier is a major solo exhibition of the visual artworks created between 1967 and 2007. This includes collaborative pieces with Robert Frank, Robert Mapplethorpe and Jem Cohen. Musically she is releasing an album with Kevin Shields (My Bloody Valentine) of her spoken word performances of writings from her work The Coral Sea.
My sleepers will flee towards another America – Jean Genet
