Who knew Patti Smith had gone prog!?!?!?!?

[Adm.Kirk]

Yes, Patti Smith singing PFM. I had no idea!

https://vimeo.com/62069239

[RapidRefresh]

Patti Smith beat the Pope to prog! Amazing!

[Baribrotzer]

I wonder how this came about.

I do get the impression that PFM are not considered "prog" in Italy, so much as "classic rock", and they're stars there in a way they aren't in the rest of the world. Maybe like, I don't know, Kansas in much of the US, or Crack The Sky in the city of Baltimore, or Pink Floyd in general. And so in a festival or all-star TV setting, which this clearly is, it might make sense to bring her in as a guest with the local heroes. It's kind of an odd version of PFM, too - no bass, no keyboards, just two guitars and drums plus an orchestra.

[Raff]

I wonder how this came about.

I do get the impression that PFM are not considered "prog" in Italy, so much as "classic rock", and they're stars there in a way they aren't in the rest of the world. Maybe like, I don't know, Kansas in much of the US, or Crack The Sky in the city of Baltimore, or Pink Floyd in general. And so in a festival or all-star TV setting, which this clearly is, it might make sense to bring her in as a guest with the local heroes. It's kind of an odd version of PFM, too - no bass, no keyboards, just two guitars and drums plus an orchestra.

This is indeed the case, and "Impressioni di settembre" is also perceived more like a pop song than a prog one. That being said, prog is still relevant in Italian culture, and it is not uncommon to see news related to historic bands and artists on the front pages of newspapers. In recent times, I have seen extensive articles on the 40th anniversary of Gabriel leaving Genesis, on Chris Squire's passing, and obviously about Italian prog artists.

[miamiscot]

Italy must be a pretty cool place. (Unlike here!!!)

[Baribrotzer]

It's not surprising, though.

Italy played a very big part in the creation of classical music - a large number of the pre-Baroque composers appear to have been Italians. Quite a bit of it, of course, started out as Catholic church music. It's still important there, and even small cities have full-time professional orchestras and large opera houses. And although the rest of Europe eventually picked up on it and made their contributions, it's integral to Italian culture in the same way as the Church, or the legacy of Ancient Rome. Which might explain why prog hit it so big there so fast back in the early Seventies - classical music is almost a sort of folk music to an Italian, so prog's classical licks and structures were immediately familiar and pleasing.

[Vonta Jitty]

I agree.
Equally the reason why so much prog eminated from the UK is partially down to English Anglican church music. The majority of English prog musicians attended what are known as public schools which rather misleadingly and despite the name are fee-paying schools. Many of them were boarders, only going home at the end of each term or semestre. These schools were the haunt of the affluent middle classes and were notorious for their conservatism and antipathy toward contemporary popular music and their tradition of weekly Church attendance.

It's not surprising, though.

Italy played a very big part in the creation of classical music - a large number of the pre-Baroque composers appear to have been Italians. Quite a bit of it, of course, started out as Catholic church music. It's still important there, and even small cities have full-time professional orchestras and large opera houses. And although the rest of Europe eventually picked up on it and made their contributions, it's integral to Italian culture in the same way as the Church, or the legacy of Ancient Rome. Which might explain why prog hit it so big there so fast back in the early Seventies - classical music is almost a sort of folk music to an Italian, so prog's classical licks and structures were immediately familiar and pleasing.

[Baribrotzer]

Also, the British council schools - the government-run, tax-supported, open-to-all institutions that we in the US call public schools - had a good, active Music Appreciation program at the time. As do the present-day Scandinavian schools.

[Scrotum Scissor]

I do get the impression that PFM are not considered "prog" in Italy, so much as "classic rock", and they're stars there in a way they aren't in the rest of the world. Maybe like, I don't know, Kansas in much of the US

Fairly spot on, I think. In addition, "Impressioni di Settembre" is considered a kinda evergreen in Italian pop/rock, being from the early stages when such music went from being little more than an anglosaxon phenomenon of influence into assuming a national identity there - with artists like I Pooh, Fabrizio de Andre, Dik Dik, Lucio Battisti and I Nomadi, all of whom are still fondly remembered and highly celebrated. Interestingly, during the heydays of "progressive" rock, several of these acts were also actively informed by the success of bands like P.F.M. and le Orme.

"Impressioni" has been covered by countless artists in Italy, from folk to hard rock to punk groups (including one by Giovanni L. Ferretti's notoriously leftist radical CCCP). Franco Battiato made a strange rendition of it during his "adult pop" phase, and I once saw Gianna Nannini perform it with her band in the early 90s.

[Trane]

Patti's second album Radio Ethiopa is somewhat proggy

[bRETT]

So doing 12-minute tracks of free-form jazz and poetry in 1977 wasn't prog enough?

[olivetti]

Shame about the video! Out of sync!

[Rarebird]

Nice synthesizer-stuff. Alas the video stops several times.

[Adm.Kirk]

I don't know if 12 minutes of free form jazz and poetry add up to prog for me. LOL! I suppose it could for some. I've always associated Pattie with more of the punk thing, but I haven't really investigated her music beyond the song or two you hear on the radio.

Bill

[bigjohnwayne]

Patti Smith is a permanent surprise. She wrote a non-ironic tribute to the late Pope John Paul (the first one) ending with the spoken words "bye Papa". She cowrote a song with Bruce Springsteen (am I the only one who finds this strange?)

Plus she is one of only a few "smart" rockers who actually seems smart in real life. Go ahead, try to make a list. You won't be able to fit the front of a post-it note.

[Raff]

Don't forget her collaboration with Blue Oyster Cult. She wrote the lyrics to some of their best songs, such as "Career of Evil" and "Fire of Unknown Origin", and also sang on "The Revenge of Vera Gemini", which is my fave song on Agents of Fortune. It seems that one point she was considered as a possible lead singer for the band, whose keyboardist, Allen Lanier (RIP) she date for a time.

[GuitarGeek]

Don't forget her collaboration with Blue Oyster Cult. She wrote the lyrics to some of their best songs, such as "Career of Evil" and "Fire of Unknown Origin", and also sang on "The Revenge of Vera Gemini", which is my fave song on Agents of Fortune. It seems that one point she was considered as a possible lead singer for the band, whose keyboardist, Allen Lanier (RIP) she date for a time.

She was also responsible for the lyrics to Debbie Denise and Shooting Shark.

[Trane]

Although I find her stuff slightly over-rated, this woman’s career does have some very interesting moments in her early albums (while I am aware of her later career which picked-up in 96 I have not had a chance yet to hear it, but I suppose this is now a matter of months) , man , this chick has got some class (and good collabs) and is bloody cute as well – I love brunettes like her.

While the “High-priestess of punk” or other stupid title are vastly too exaggerated, this chick had some cool lyrics (strongly inspired by Rimbaud and Verlaine to the point she made it into a cult like Jim Morrison did too) and her group was highly influential and certainly one of the better things to cime out of the NY punk scene (along with Ramones and Television and the superb Talking Heads – not really punk, these last ones).
Her first few albums are icons of punk, but every progheads must listen to those, partly because there are a few surprises.

Horses: although attributed to Patti Smith (no group) , the structure of the group is well into place. A bit overrated an album, it does have the excellent Gloria, the 9-min+ Horses and Free money as great highlights. On the downside there are few duds (the 9-min Birdland is fairly boring and the bonus My Generation is purposely atrocious.

Radio Ethiopia: While this one is not as well regarded by punk specialist, this is the one album of hers most likely to interest the proghead. Not just because of the 10-min+ title track (which is excellent), but this album is rather more even album than Horses. Other highlights include XXXX . Interesting Chicklets bonus track too. >>> My personal fave from her and my recommendation should you try her out.

Easter: not my fave album of hers to say the least, in spite of her two anthemic tracks like Because The Night and RnR Nigger (an ode to Hendrix), maybe because there are no longer tracks. Other interesting moments are the live Babelogue where she raves like a mad beat poet (rap artistes can go back in their cribs) used as an intro to RnR Nigger and would now get her a lot of heat for her text and 25 Floor and High On rebellion. Inferior or very average track include Space Monkey, the opening Till Victory, Privilege etc… Boring and overlong (6 mins) title track (although the lyrics are good) and above-average bonus track Godspeed (rings a bell?)

Waves: the last of her “classic” albums (IMHO anyway) including the Byrds RnR Star and BOC Fire Of Unknown Origin as a bonus track. This album is well in the line of Easter.