Monday, October 11, 2010

Patti Smith: Rockpalast (1979)


Some of the fascinating reactions from MRML readers to our multiple choice Patti post:

fuzzpsych said...
I was about 12 years old, and babysitting my cousin's kids. Saturday Night Live was on, and Patti and the band were the musical guests. I was riveted--I couldn't figure out if she was a guy or a girl, it rocked, and the drummer jumped over the kit at the end of the song! Took me years to find out who she was, but I never forgot it.

Mona said...
I do remember watching her on the Old Grey Whistle Test in the UK in what 77 and being knocked out while my Dad thought it was the biggest load of bollox of all time...that is how I knew it was great!


Nazz Nomad said...
i remember that candy slyce skit- i can say that I first heard of patti smith with r nr r nggr.

one thing that has always pleased me about patti is how truly humble and warm of a person she is on stage and how absolutely thankful she seems.


Anonymous said...
good songs-political imbecile

Kaggsy said...
Thanks for this! Came across Patti when Horses made its debut in 1975 - she's a one-off and has always been an inspiration - great post!

TSI-NA-PAH said...
Thanks a lot, i've been with Patti a month ago,only for few minutes,but i remember this like a dream.

whitestuff said...
I was a member of her fan club in the late 70s. I believe her sister ran it if I'm not mistaken. As much as I worship Horses Radio Ethiopia is still my favorite.


Anonymous said...
i loved patti smith the first time i heard her, which was when 'horses' was released and i heard that unforgettable wail coming from a college radio show i enjoyed, but my introduction to her was years before. in 1973, she wrote an absolutely brilliant review of todd rundgren's "a wizard, a true star;" do a search, you can find it. i was already a todd fan, and i knew i would be buying the record when i was able, but reading patti's hallucinatory evaluation would have forced me to find it if i hadn't already been so inclined. when i did get the album months later, i was amazed to find, tucked inside the sleeve, a folded piece of paper, 3" x 7" maybe, a printed blow-up of a band-aid with a patti smith poem called "star fever" superimposed over the image. i treasure that album, not to mention everything that patti has touched since. and i saw gilda's candy slice the first it aired; she was and always will be one of snl's greatest gifts to the world.


The PopCulturist said...
I was already into Patti but seeing her open three shows for Dylan in Philadelphia in 1995, upon her return to live performance, was -- well, words are failing me right now. Short version is, if you have a chance to see her live, DO NOT MISS IT. Her shows start off at an energy level most shows never reach at all and go up from there. She keeps every promise rock 'n' roll ever made: musical, physical, emotional, sexual, spiritual. I've been blessed to see her five more times since. She's the closest thing our culture has to a high priestess.

On my blog, http://therarestuff.blogspot.com/, those interested can find a collection of Patti rarities, a powerful 2005 concert, and a great interview.

Biopunk said...
E. None of the Above

Or: Every rock journalist (...or rock journalist wannabe), who was (...or ever wanted to be), from NYC and writing back in the 80's...

And I'll take Patty Smyth over her any day.

Joe Stumble said...
Gilda Radner for me. Then, A. Then B.

pinkpressthreat said...
What a fantastic post-you made my (birth)day yesterday with that...Cheers!!



Here's a live FM broadcast from Germany's legendary Rockpalast. The whole show was filmed (see clip below) but this is the audio version.





Rockpalast '79 link is in the comments

Speaking of comments, your reactions to the first Patti post inspired this one, so if you have more to say now is not the the time to shut up!

5 comments:

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    IT'S TIME FOR YOUR WORDS NOW.





    http://www.mediafire.com/?46w457cwcaiv1cm

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hey Jeffen

    The mid 1970s was a pretty dismal time for music.Even many of the great jazz artists were into soul,disco,funk and fusion.Just horrible.

    There were some diamonds amongst the rubble.The Roy Loney version of the Flamin' Groovies,Graham Parker and the Rumour,Doctor Feelgood etc and of course Patti Smith.These musicians reaffirmed my faith in music.

    Cheers

    Doug

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  3. I wore a Patti Smith Teenage Perversity t-shirt to school when I was in the 8th grade in 77. I was sent home early that day. The only time I was ever sent to the principal's office. It was all for Patti!

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  4. Thanks! I watched the show on television in Sweden back then, and I still can remeber the impact it made on me. In an way it changed my life... Check the video clips on You Tube!

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  5. I was introduced to Patti Smith a few years ago while i was watching a french show (i'm belgian). She was performing "Smells like teen spirit" with a french singer (who was sucked by the way). And there she was...I found her amazing, great, voice, full of energy, after this song i was like...there's no words to explain it, it's like i've fallen in love with her. Since then i've bought all her records and trie to found her books of poetry. She became one of my heroes.

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