Punk poet Patti Smith to join rock hall of fame

[BeatleBoot]

http://detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070109/ENT01/701090367/1033

Punk poet Patti Smith to join rock hall of fame

Legendary punk poet Patti Smith, widow of MC5 guitarist Fred "Sonic" Smith, is among the five inductees of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's Class of 2007, it was announced Monday.

Smith joins alternative rock four-piece R.E.M., mega-selling (and highly combustible) stadium rockers Van Halen, '60s girl group the Ronettes and hip-hop pioneers Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five -- the first rap act to be inducted into the hall -- in the new group of hall-of-famers.

"We couldn't be more proud to honor this unique, diverse group of rockers, rappers, singers and poets. This is what rock and roll is all about," Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation President and C.E.O. Joel Peresman said in a statement.

Inductions will be held March 12 at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City.

Smith, 60, became one of punk rock's most beloved poets and singers in the 1970s, when she was a staple of New York City's burgeoning underground punk scene, which was marked by its raw, do-it-yourself spirit.

<more>

[SteppingRazor]

1. Kinda surprised she wasn't in it already n/t

[Zavulon]

2. I've heard precisely one song of hers - isn't the HoF a little much?

Can anyone tell me what effect she had on music (seriously)? I'm not saying anything bad about her, I'm just pointing out that if not for one song I'd never have heard of her, and because of that I just wonder if she truly belongs in the same hall as people who most of the planet has heard of.

[soothsayer]

3. Yes, she does. She's a unique and no doubt influential voice

in music, so even if you don't know her, prolly oodles of musicians/singers/songwriters who discovered her were inspired, etc. Good for her!

[BeatleBoot]

4. A Profound Effect

http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/pattismith/discography

A profound effect I'd say.

And if you were growing up in Detroit in the early to mid 70's, she was the absolute Queen of Punk (and Iggy Pop was the King).

Although, I would say that Niagra from Destroy All Monsters was a close second.

[Book Lover]

5. Oh, well, if YOU haven't ever heard any but one piece of her music...

obviously she's a poser. Except for the fact that she has (and will continue to) influenced hundreds of musicians, poets and artists. Forgive me, but are you under the age of 25?

[Zavulon]

14. I'm 43.

My post was basically asking people why she deserves the honor, but luckily I got some sarcasm along with it as well.

[etherealtruth]

17. Try to get your hands (and ears) on a copy of Horses

I'm 44 (until the end of this month, that is), I grew up hearing her ... though I must admit she has a metropolitan Detroit connection (married to Fred Smith of the MC5), so she may have gotten more play and promotion here. She really has a unique voice and is a true poet.

Horses is excellent.

On edit: I see many have pointed you in the direction of Horses :)

[Zavulon]

19. No prob, I appreciate it. I'll try picking it up on the way home.

Thanks :)

[etherealtruth]

24. I must warn you ...

My two youngest children (10 and 13) despise HORSES and beg me not to listen to it.

[Zavulon]

27. Perfect!

If kids that age hate it, I'll probably love it. :)

[WCGreen]

20. I'm with you....

She was a flash in the pan and has lived on has survived on her cover of a Springsteen song...

[Zavulon]

23. The thing that really confuses me

is how much money I've spent in record stores in my life and how little I've heard of her. There are acts in the HoF that I can't stand, but at least I can name four or five of their songs. In her case, only one - and one fairly reliable general rule I know is that if you only know one song of an artist, the rest of that artist's songs sound nothing like that first one. In the 1980's I rushed out to buy Red Rider's album because of "Lunatic Fringe" (hey, back then I liked it, no excuses now), for example, and the rest of the album sounded like very poor bluegrass.

Two people rather enthusiastically recommended "Horses," though, so I'll give it a shot.

[WCGreen]

29. It was a good album but only influenced a sun genre of

rock that faded away...

[lectrobyte]

8. You should buy a copy of "Horses" and "Easter". Her more

recent efforts are very relevant, too.

[Zavulon]

15. Thanks, I'll take a look.

Usually when someone makes it into the HoF, I know a lot more about them - but in her case, almost nothing. I have to admit I'm pretty curious about this.

[warrens]

16. Horses is a great, great album

It still might be ahead of its time, 30 years later.

[Zavulon]

21. I'm going to swing by Borders (groan) on the way home and

see if it's there. I have something to pick up anyway, so if they have a copy of "Horses" I will get that as well. Thanks for the advice - I had never even heard of the album, so it might clear up a lot of confusion for me.

:)

[paulk]

28. you might not like it - she can be something of an acquired taste

But, she was very influential, especially at the time. She married poetry (she was a published poet) to music in a way that hadn't been done before. The first time I ever heard her, I was 18, and sitting in my parent's living room listening to the radio. This simple little piano riff, followed by this voice... a women's voice, a real voice - not the pretty little girl voice female's until then had been allowed. And the word's - "Jesus died for somebody's sins... but not mine". Wow. It turned my musical world upside down.

This was in the days of seventies corporate rock, remember. This was really groundreaking stuff.

Of course, nowaday's I really can't stand listening to her. My tastes in music have kinda changed. But, still - she deserves this award.

[bunkerbuster1]

33. Radio Ethiopia kicks ass too

It's an overlooked follow up album.

Patti is just... Patti. I can't imagine the New York punk scene of the mid-70s without her.

I'm not her hugest fan; I can take or leave a lot of her more self-indulgent things, but I sorta take it for granted that she belongs in the HoF, although a big part of me thinks it's funny that such a thing as the "Rock And Roll Hall of Fame" exists in the first place.

[provis99]

6. the key word here is "underground"

I don't think punk was ever anything more than a flash-in-the-pan, underground movement popular with music critics but unpopular with mainstream America. The only popular punk band today I can think of is Green Day. I don't think punk really influenced anyone mainstream. So this brings up the question, what the heck is the criteria for getting into the Hall of Fame anyways?

[paulk]

25. well, I hope it isn't commercial success.

If "mainstream" defined art, we'd all be stuck listening to Ashley Simpson...

[Megahurtz]

26. Hahahahahaha!!!

:rofl:

[Beelzebud]

31. The terms popular and punk are opposites... Green Day isn't punk.

You don't think punk influenced anyone mainstream? Try Green Day. LOL

You know to this day there is STILL an underground punk rock scene? Those people would laugh at the idea that Green Day is a punk band.

[catzies]

7. I think it's a great class, and deep. Grandmaster Flash is the first hip hop artist

And Patti Smith inspired R.E.M.

[Jcrowley]

9. Dancing barefoot

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcobSQT4pvo

[mcctatas]

10. That's wonderful...

I just downloaded a bunch of her stuff from itunes about 10 minutes ago...

[anakie]

11. Horses

is one of my desert island records - her version of Gloria rocks. Congrats to her for her election into the Hall. She deserves it for a career spanning over 30years.

peace

[DoYouEverWonder]

12. You know what the sad part is?

Patti Smith is friggin 60 years old! No way, because that means I'm not that far behind.

[etherealtruth]

18. Oh gosh ...

She's a "young and angry" voice. 60, no, no it can't be.

[ToeBot]

13. At the very least, it will give John Stewart another chance to take a swing at her. n/t

[mvd]

22. I think the inductions of..

Patti, R.E.M., and the Ronettes were great choices. I'd say that I think I enjoy Patti's recent stuff even more than Horses, but it's all very good and influential.

[Irreverend IX]

30. Nothing says underground punk...

Like the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel.

[Beelzebud]

32. LOL