Fri Jan 09 01:50:00 UTC 2026: ### Patti Smith Reflects on Career, Creativity, and Survival in New Interview
The Story: Patti Smith, the iconic punk-rock matriarch, recently discussed her new memoir, “Bread of Angels,” in an interview with The Globe and Mail. The conversation spanned her childhood illnesses, her accidental entry into music, the impact of her debut album Horses, and her enduring creative process. Smith reflects on her early career, including her groundbreaking reimagining of Van Morrison’s “Gloria,” her motivations for touring, and the conflicting demands of writing versus performing.
Key Points:
- Patti Smith’s new memoir, “Bread of Angels,” is described as dreamy and impressionistic.
- Smith claims she transitioned from writing to spoken word without a plan or design.
- Her debut album Horses (released in 1975) began with a reimagining of Van Morrison’s “Gloria,” claiming the right to create without apology.
- Smith states that illnesses during her childhood, including tuberculosis and mumps, nourished her creative side.
- She recalls a stage accident in 1977 opening for Bob Seger, and overcoming hesitancy with the help of her pianist, Richard Sohl.
- Smith acknowledges the conflict between the solitude needed for writing and the external, collaborative nature of making records and touring.
- She says that her 50th anniversary Horses tour felt like an end to that part of her life, transitioning to smaller shows in Europe with a quartet.
Key Takeaways:
- Patti Smith’s creative process is deeply intertwined with her personal experiences, including illness and childhood memories.
- Smith views herself primarily as a writer, with music and performance emerging as an organic, though sometimes conflicting, extension of that identity.
- Her career has been marked by a drive to merge poetry and rock ‘n’ roll, giving voice to outsiders.
- Smith emphasizes survival and adaptation as key elements of her long and influential career.
First Piper 