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Interview
by SashaS
1-7-2004
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| Patti Smith: 'trampin'' beyond the truth |
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Conscious rock
Patti Smith’s world of protest and concerns
If war, as Leon Trotsky postulated, was the locomotive of history, then rock music was the engine of social change and awakening at the end of the 1960s and during the 1970s. Quite a major part in this process was down to Patti Smith, the lady whose first new album in four years, ‘trampin'’, is reason we meet. It’s also her first album for new label - previous eight records were all with Arista - Columbia Records.
Smith joined Columbia on 20 October 2002 - after her label [of 1/4 century] declined to extend her contract - the 148th anniversary of the birth of the poet Arthur Rimbaud, a longterm source of inspiration for her writing and music. ‘trampin'’ is the current group’s fourth collection, following ‘Gone Again’ (1996), ‘Peace and Noise’ (1997) and ‘Gung Ho’ (2000). The title track is a spiritual song that was a staple in the repertoire of the American contralto Marian Anderson, the only cover alongside ten original compositions.
“I hope that the new album will have a positive response,” Patti Smith starts first of her long answers, “because I think it is the most passionate, the most heartfelt album and probably the best I’ve made since the ‘Horses’. I’m very proud of it, and very, very satisfied with the result, as we all are, right boys?“
She addresses the remaining four members seated around her and occasionally they utter a sentence or two, but this is the Smith’s baby despite Lenny Kaye (guitar) and Jay Dee Daugherty (drums) being members of the original ensemble that played on ‘Horses’, her seminal 1975 debut LP. The fresher members are Tony Shanahan (bass, keyboards) and Oliver Ray (guitar); this particular line-up dates from 1996. They are helped on the album by Smith’s daughter Jesse’s piano accompaniment on the title track.
Ms Smith remains outspoken, finger-pointing, accusing, questioning, as a true artist should be - an alert observer. During her career - a poetess who’s became the ‘Godmother of Punk’ - she’s earned her reputation that is unmistakable today: strangely down to earth and suffering no fools gladly, a mother of two and a warrior-woman, claiming to be shy and turning every answer into a monologue that takes her wide and far from the original topic. Few times she loses her thought-line but when it is done with this amount of passion - it is understandable.
“The new record is full of concerns,” the lady Smith opens her mind, “about our life, the world, and I really felt rejuvenated before this record. I think there is a lot of fresh energy and anger and excitement and, even, fresh melancholy on this record. It’s an honest, strong music and I am very proud of what we’ve achieved on this album.”
“My name may be above the title but it is a collective work and all my band members all contribute to it. Let me introduce you…”
Everything is next
Patti Smith started her career as a journalist, progressed to poetry before gravitating toward rock and becoming the founding voice of ‘punk rock’ scene in New York City in the early 1970s. During the back half of that decade she released four albums before settling in a domestic bliss with Fred ‘Sonic’ Smith, formerly of legendary MC5.
The ‘Happy house’ phase - the union produced two children and their son was appearing in Texas on the same evening she played London, as she proudly announced onstage - only resulted in one marital album in 1988, ‘Dream of Life’. Patti’s been widowed since ‘94. From 1996 Smith appears to be on a new crusade and ‘trampin’’ feels even more so.
Two songs are pivotal on this album, ‘Gandhi’ and ‘Radio Baghdad’; the first is a peon to peace, the second is attempting to oppose sanitization of Iraqi atrocity and humanize its suffering. The song is well informed and depicts its historical place as one of the ‘cradles of civilisation’ accurately.
“Yes, I didn’t know much about it but I did my research and was appalled to discover what we are trying to destroy in the name of ‘fight against terrorism’. It is disgraceful, frightening and government manipulated all by making us feel - fear and boosting the nationalism. What this planet needs right now is not fear and nationalism but understanding, dialogue and every conceivable attempt to resolve this conflict, as well as plenty of others.”
You‘ve always been outspoken and conscientious artist which must have caused certain problems in your career; has it become easier or art is still being censored?
“Hardly anything has changed on the establishment side although they have much less to deal with than in the 1960s and ’70s. There are less artists who question through music and we can talk forever how we feel betrayed and how we may feel let down by people not speaking out or doing their part, but right now - one of the things we as a band try to convey on this record is to get a positive spirit and go with ‘Let’s do it!’ attitude.”
“What’s important is content, not worrying about censorship, media pressure and business demands,” Patti says before quickly adding, “not that there were that many during my career! We, as a band, don’t worry about any of it and simply write what we believe is right, we face our detractors and fight the world’s madness.”
Trampin' ignorance
Can modern generation deal with Patti‘s heavy symbolism, all the lyrical intricacies, the demand for analytical approach to her lyrics?
“There is a great anti-war movement but it doesn’t get a coverage from the US media; there was a march last year which millions attended but it got only about three seconds on the news and it had all to do with some star’s dress. The media is not doing its job.”
It is more likely they are doing sterling job for the ruling elite by spreading the needed propaganda. Aren’t you more disappointed that all world politicians grew up in the era that could be considered enlightening but still behave in this manner… But then, Clinton avoiding to inhale, Bush dodging the draft, Blair toying with a band ambition…
“There is a lot of talk of the 1960s and 1970s artists having failed to make people take something with them from that period. But, you have to look at the people who have political ambitions. Their career is important and to be elected you have to lower your standards to the bottomest of common denominators. They are more concerned with what is going in the political process that what effect it has on nations, individuals…”
“We all listen to music when we are young and some of us take its idealism with us into later life but politicians can’t do that due to being centred on getting into the office. You do the best by being pragmatic, appealing to some small mind in middle America the government created via a flawed educational system and feeds its main information via television. Public opinion is formed by CNN in the States.”
Patti Smith and her four-men band will bring their conscious-rock for a Euro tour this summer. Cancel your annual holiday, now! [01 May 2004]
~¨¨~
Patti Smith plays Brixton Academy, London, on 03 July.
SashaS
1-7-2004
Patti Smith’s ‘trampin’’ is released 26 April by Columbia
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