I used to be in a lesbian chorus that had a gay male director. One evening before rehearsal, this incredibly talented Doctor of Music excitedly reported that he’d discovered a female singer that he thought we’d love: Patti Smith. I hope our collective inner “duhs” didn’t register on our faces. How could a person whose life work is music not know one of its pioneers?
Granted, Smith took a hiatus through most of the ’80s to be a mom. But a new documentary, Patti Smith: Dream of Life, that premiered at Sundance earlier this year, at least will give people who don’t know her a chance to catch up. The intimate, 16mm documentary, shot mostly in black and white, was made over the past 12 years. Even the trailer reflects Smith’s intense and personal approach to her music.
In the film, Smith pays tribute to the artists who influenced her life and work over the years, from William Burroughs to Bob Dylan to Jim Morrison. She had a close friendship — maybe more — with Robert Mapplethorpe and credits him with encouraging her at the beginning of her career.
Here’s Smith performing “Horses,” from her debut album of the same name, in a January 2008 performance. Times Online recently named Horses one of the most influential albums of all time.
Songs like that defy labels, even though Smith is often credited as one of punk rock’s founding mothers. Smith doesn’t care for the moniker.
“I have, since my first record, said right on the record that I was beyond labels, beyond gender, independent, and I don’t like to be called any label. Every time you see a journalist that calls me a punk rocker, it’s because they don’t have the imagination of the professional intelligence or the curiosity or see the full breadth of what I’ve done.”
Don’t you wish she had an opinion?
The director of Dream of Life, Steven Sebring, managed to capture who Smith is without using labels, according to reviews. And, naturally, Smith has plenty to say about the process.
Patti Smith: Dream of Life will be released in theaters later this year. But don’t wait until then to get to know her music. Trust me, the lady rocks.
