February 10, 2006

Patti Smith: it was 35 years ago today

Patti Smith

Patti Smith took the stage for the very first time 35 years ago.

On February 10, 1971, I gave my first poetry reading, opening for Gerard Malanga at St. Mark's Church on the Bowery. In desiring to project a raw energy, I recruited Lenny Kaye. We climaxed the reading with his sonic interpretation of a stock car race with electric guitar while I read Ballad of a Bad Boy. It seemed to have a negative effect. I took that as a positive sign.

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