PATTI SMITH TRIBUTE NIGHT!

Tonight the organizers of Siren Nation are throwing the 2nd annual Patti Smith tribute. Slabtown will be hosting the event and proceeds will go to benefit the Siren Nation festival – an annual shebang celebrating the music, film and art made by women of the NW.

After promoting the event for the past few months I was shocked about how few of my friends and aquaintances knew who Patti Smith was. Sure, they had heard of her but they really didn’t know what she was all about. Which has inspired me to create….drumroll please….Patti Smith 101.

Patti Smith was a legendary wordsmith/poet who revived the New York rock n roll scene. It can be also be said that she was an important figure who inspired the punk rock movement to occur in America. She was born in 1946 and during adolescence moved to South Jersey. Soon after, she left for New York city to pursue her artistic dreams. There she met aspiring art photographer, Robert Mapplethorpe, and was introduced to the world of avant-guard art. She spent a great deal of time living dirt poor yet still managed to create a wealth of poetry and visual art. Smith and Mapplethorpe made their way into the infamous Chelsea Hotel where she would brush shoulders with the great beat poets – including Bob Dylan whom would inspire her to revolutionize rock n roll with her wordy mantras.

Her 1975 debut, Horses, was an influencial album of its time and was produced by former Velvet Underground member, John Cale, and reached critical – yet controversial – acclaim. While on tour for her second album, Radio Ethiopia, Patti Smith suffered a great fall from a 15 foot stage on January 23, 1977. It was amazing that she survived the fall, though unfortunately, she had to cancel the rest of the tour. However, soon after, Smith bounces back and collaborates with Bruce Springsteen on a tune called “Because Of The Night” which would appear on her album, Easter. This song would pry its’ way into the mainstream music charts and radio. Many would call it her “big hit”. Several albums would follow throughout the 80’s.

Patti Smith is a strong figure head that exceeds her gender. Yes, she is a woman in rock but more importantly, she is a visonary that should be remembered and celebrated. On March 12, 2007 she was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. Smith continues to support the arts and the environment through a handful of different activist groups including the Green Party and participated in one of the first protests against the Iraq War. Recently she has released an autobiography of sorts entitled Just Kids.

So as you can see, Patti Smith was quite an entity to our musical soceity. Please come out tonight to support the woman who revolutionized rock n roll and support the women of our generation!

Check out this video of Patti Smith performing “Ask The Angels” in Stockholm back in 1976

Check out the 15 minute documentary I made about Siren Nation back in 2008 (featuring The Trucks, Scout Niblett, Laura Veirs, New Bloods and more!)