Saturday, February 5, 2011

SHE DOES POETRY TOO


One of the many endearing things about Patti Smith is that, in the end, she's a rock n' roll fan. She's one of us, and makes no secret of it. She's done countless covers over the years (beginning with her first 45), and they really run the gamut. But even before that, she wrote liner notes, wrote for Creem and Rolling Stone, and lyrics for Blue Oyster Cult and Rick Deringer. Fittingly, she met her guitarist, Lenny Kaye, in a record store. (Kaye had also been writing for Crawdaddy, Creem and Rolling Stone, not to mention compiling Nuggets, the first garage compilation). So, a chance visit to a record store put the two together. He put on Bristol Stomp by the Dovells, they began dancing, and the friendship and unofficial partnership began. (Just the thought of a four decade friendship beginning with a song like that is, I don't know why, somehow very cool.)


From 1976, roughly six or seven years after meeting. A qreat clip.

So here's a mess of covers. Some are from her latest album, which is all covers. Someone not familiar with her might think that an album of covers would indicate a writer out of gas. But that's another endearing thing about her, she doesn't give a shit. She's probably one of very few people making records that would do an album of covers despite having their own new material ready and waiting. Anyways. there's also a few live things down there, and covers from other LP's as well, and a link to a blog with 11 Stones covers. Here's the rundown of original artists: Mp3s: The Leaves, Them, Neil Young, the Stones, REM, Bo Diddley, the Velvet Underground, Jimi Hendrix, another Velvet Underground, the Who, Nirvana. Video covers: Debby Boone (!), the Byrds, Nirvana, Jefferson Airplane.

~ NOTE: ALL MEDIA IS HOSTED BY THE BLOGS & SITES NAMED BELOW ~
First, the song that started it all:
The Dovells - Bristol Stomp mp3 at Rocky52.net
The Covers:
Patti Smith - Hey Joe mp3 at Le Blog de la Grande Chose
Patti Smith - Gloria mp3 (via Box.net) at Pop Goes the Radio
Patti Smith - Helpless (Live, 2007) mp3 at Here Comes the Flood
Patti Smith - Gimme Shelter mp3 at Indie Rock Cafe
Patti Smith - Everybody Hurts mp3 at Podcast.xs4all.nl
Patti Smith - Who Do You Love (live) mp3 at A Quiet Revolution
Patti Smith - Pale Blue Eyes (live) mp3 at French Kisses
Patti Smith - Are You Experienced mp3 at ScienceFriction.net
Patti Smith - We're Gonna Have Real Good Time Together (live) mp3 at Big O
Patti Smith - My Generation (live) mp3 at Sick Sal
Patti Smith - Smells Like Teen Spirit mp3 at Music Is Art (NOTE: If mp3 link doesn't work, go to site for download)
Patti Smith - 11 Stones covers (zip file) at Punk Not Profit
Videos:
Patti Smith - You Light Up My Life video (and interview) at YouTube (Note: From "Kid Are People Too". Song starts at 3:52.)
Patti Smith - So You Want To Be a Rock n' Roll Star video (live) at YouTube
Patti Smith - Smells Like Teen Spirit video at YouTube
Patti Smith - White Rabbit (live) video at YouTube

3 comments:

missjulied said...

You and I met in a record store too. :-)

Tom G. said...

You're too awesome. I was thinking about that last night!

missjulied said...

I'm glad we still have that connection! Through space and time constraints.....