Patti Smith had her breakthrough as a musician 49 years ago with her record “Horses”
We met Patti Smith and Christoph Schlingensief in Munich in 2010
The American “Godmother of Punk” Patti Smith still rocks!
Munich. In 1975, a new musical age began with "Horses": the age of punk! And Patricia Lee “Patti” Smith (born December 30, 1946 in Chicago, Illinois) was there. She was a woman. She rebelled. She didn't want gender roles. She wanted freedom! She played the guitar. She sang. At that time Patti was already 29 years old. Their music and their lyrics represented the desire for freedom of an entire generation. Rebel, punk singer, lyricist and all with emotion. This woman is iconic! We first met the Goodmother of Punk in Munich in 2008.
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| HW and Patti Smith, 2008 in Munich in Georg Urban's art shop in the Hotel Bayerischer Hof, the photo was signed by Patti there in 2010, photo: A. Waess |
Patti Smith represents 49 years of punk history
Almost 50 years have passed since the first record. Patti sang, painted, photographed, wrote and texted. Books like “Just Kids” (ISBN 978-3596188857), in which she revives her life and her friendship with Robert Mapplethorne, were published. A crazy time!
By the way, she received the National Book Award for this book in 2010 and we met her again at the Hotel Bayerischer Hof in Munich.
"Come with me, let's have coffee upstairs!" she said to me and we took the elevator up. We sat down in the corner of the sofa. Patti wiped the full table once with a generous movement and books, newspapers, magazines and many small items flew onto the carpet. When the table was empty the coffee came! Patti drank it black and we chatted. She picked up her guitar and played a few chords.
“Because The Night”
The “Queen of Cool” sat with a bag of coffee and sang.
She started in New York in the 70s and knew every rock size.
Who doesn't know it, your “Because The Night”! By the way, this title was written by Bruce Springsteen.
And how could it be otherwise: as a rock poet, Patti Smith always came up with new songs herself
Her last album "Banga" came out in 2012. The now 77-year-old punk lady hasn't lost any of her stage presence. She has always remained true to herself.
- In 2022 Patti Smith "A Book of Days" was published - 400 pages by Random House USA Inc (publisher) - 978-0-593-44854-0 (ISBN)
We remember meeting Patti Smith in Munich
A timeless woman, around 170 tall, once with a brown, shoulder-length mane, now honorably gray, was introduced to me for the first time in Munich in 2008. In Georg Urban's art shop - which sells sculptures and religious folk art. We hit it off straight away. She talked about her daughter, of whom she is very proud. She may have grown up a long time ago, but she would still bring her my children's book: "Hetti Blue-Hair" - as she called it with a smile. (My book "Hetti Hexenfee. Fly higher Hetti always higher. A story from Hexenstadt" was published in 2008)
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| Patty Smith with the "Hetti Hexenfee" book, she really liked the story with the blue-haired witch child - here in May 2008, photo: Helga Waess |
A friendship: Patti Smith and Christoph Schlingensief
And in 2008 she told me about a very good friend with whom she wanted to perform at the Haus der Kunst that evening. She spoke of soulmates.
Christoph Schlingensief
Both discussed spirituality on stage while opponents of the exhibition protested outside.
They discussed life and death.
Two years later I met Patti Smith again
In her hotel room, Patti gave me her book “Just Kids.” “Robert a great love - a heavy loss”. Robert Mapplethorpe, to whom she also wanted to create a very personal monument with “Just Kids”. A “monument of friendship”. Easy to read, but for strong nerves! What a crazy life.
In June 2010, Patti Smith had an exhibition in Munich with photographs from Schlingensief's first African film project
We met Patti Smith and Christoph Schlingensief (1960-2010) back then and we remember this meeting with these photos!
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| Patti Smith and Christoph Schlingensief (both outside) with two friends in the middle, Location: Inner courtyard of the Sonja Junkers Gallery in Maxvorstadt, Munich June 25, 2010, Photo: Helga Waess (edited in sepia) |
The Sonja Junkers gallery in Maxvorstadt showed Polaroids by Patti Smith
Photographs taken during “The African Twin Towers”, Schlingensief’s first African film project. The gallery showed black and white photographs and film sequences from the set with the director.
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| Christoph Schlingensief in the yard the Sonja Junkers Gallery, Munich, 2010, Photo: Helga Waess (edited in sepia) |
