"Her pissed charisma, the screaming guitar—and perhaps our leather bank, all hundred tripping freaks who'd made the pilgrimage— silenced further carnage." What an incredible sentence. Love it
My parents lived in Venice when I was a tot and there you go! When I met Allan “again” as an adult, I said, “remember a baby in the bathtub”? Beatnik parents could use it like a playpen durning a reading. It was right in the store/café.
Thanks so much for this piece. Last year I saw Ezra Furman in concert in Vancouver and her final encore was a cover of "Because the Night". I've heard plenty of people take on Patti Smith's songs and they almost all feel limp in comparison to the original version. But Ezra shares Patti's uniroinic belief in the power of art to change the world. And Ezra's fans - many of them queer youth living on the margins - had no reason to take it for granted they'd get home from the show safely. In that context, "Because the Night" became prayer and prophecy. A stunning song by a stunning performer in the perfect moment.
On a lighter note, I often like to think that the contrast between Patti's affect offstage vs. onstage informed Emma Thompson's study-in-contrasts portrayal of the prophesying professor Sybill Trelawney in the Harry Potter series.
My shocking secret: I have never seen the Harry Potter series! I was a young mom at the time it was ‘the biggest thing ever” on the playground and I got stuck in my contrarianism! But one of these days . . .
I will have to look up Ezra Furman, thank you for that tip!
Ha! I'm familiar with the pop culture contrarian reflex.
Ezra has been the sort of unofficial house band for that Netflix Sex Education series - several of her songs are featured in the soundtrack. These are the two that really sold me on her. "Point me Towards the Real" in particular reminds me of something Patti Smith could have written.
I swear, Susie, you've had more wild adventures than even I've had, and that's saying something! Plus, you narrate them with such style, such amazing language, such verve!! I'm tickled that we're friends, darlin'. You're quite amazing!
Not as wild as yours, Susie, but the faint line of my connection to Patti Smith is this:
Lou Reed went to Syracuse U. for one year and then dropped out. During that time, he fell under the influence of poet Delmore Schwartz. I came along to Syracuse (better fellowship than yours at the Episcopal basement...I got two flights to the Yucatán plus room and board out of it) the following year. The rest of the Delmore fans and Lou's associates were still there, as was Delmore, a wreck by then, paranoia runs deep, you know, but still as brilliant as he ever was (same as it ever was, same as it ever was). I had a briefest affair with an excellent sculptress who'd been in relationships with both Reed and Schwartz. I became a Delmore aficionado too. Principal among the fans were my friends Peter Locke and Donny Kushner, who later together produced "Divorce Court." (Donny alone was one of the producers of the 2003 "Monster.) Through them I had a nice breakfast with Reed and met Andy Warhol, the grayest person I ever met (and even before Valerie took to carving on him). If memory serves, Lou and Peter and Patti were the only people who saw poor Delmore's remains to their final destination.
"Her pissed charisma, the screaming guitar—and perhaps our leather bank, all hundred tripping freaks who'd made the pilgrimage— silenced further carnage." What an incredible sentence. Love it
What a story!
Wait, what was that part about Ginsberg?
My parents lived in Venice when I was a tot and there you go! When I met Allan “again” as an adult, I said, “remember a baby in the bathtub”? Beatnik parents could use it like a playpen durning a reading. It was right in the store/café.
Loved the Valerie Solanas quote; as well as Patti’s leap onto pool table; thanks for writing
Yeah, unshakeable memory!
Great vignette, great storytelling.
Thanks Richard. It’s a pleasure to tell!
Thanks so much for this piece. Last year I saw Ezra Furman in concert in Vancouver and her final encore was a cover of "Because the Night". I've heard plenty of people take on Patti Smith's songs and they almost all feel limp in comparison to the original version. But Ezra shares Patti's uniroinic belief in the power of art to change the world. And Ezra's fans - many of them queer youth living on the margins - had no reason to take it for granted they'd get home from the show safely. In that context, "Because the Night" became prayer and prophecy. A stunning song by a stunning performer in the perfect moment.
On a lighter note, I often like to think that the contrast between Patti's affect offstage vs. onstage informed Emma Thompson's study-in-contrasts portrayal of the prophesying professor Sybill Trelawney in the Harry Potter series.
As always, a great and thought-provoking read.
My shocking secret: I have never seen the Harry Potter series! I was a young mom at the time it was ‘the biggest thing ever” on the playground and I got stuck in my contrarianism! But one of these days . . .
I will have to look up Ezra Furman, thank you for that tip!
Ha! I'm familiar with the pop culture contrarian reflex.
Ezra has been the sort of unofficial house band for that Netflix Sex Education series - several of her songs are featured in the soundtrack. These are the two that really sold me on her. "Point me Towards the Real" in particular reminds me of something Patti Smith could have written.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJ6NGViHenE&ab_channel=EzraFurman
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sqUTcb368kM&ab_channel=EzraFurman
Wowwww! A-Mazing!!!!
I’m so glad you liked it!
I swear, Susie, you've had more wild adventures than even I've had, and that's saying something! Plus, you narrate them with such style, such amazing language, such verve!! I'm tickled that we're friends, darlin'. You're quite amazing!
That can’t possibly be true! I’m so glad you’re here for the rocking chair memories! It’s amazing we survived it all.
Not as wild as yours, Susie, but the faint line of my connection to Patti Smith is this:
Lou Reed went to Syracuse U. for one year and then dropped out. During that time, he fell under the influence of poet Delmore Schwartz. I came along to Syracuse (better fellowship than yours at the Episcopal basement...I got two flights to the Yucatán plus room and board out of it) the following year. The rest of the Delmore fans and Lou's associates were still there, as was Delmore, a wreck by then, paranoia runs deep, you know, but still as brilliant as he ever was (same as it ever was, same as it ever was). I had a briefest affair with an excellent sculptress who'd been in relationships with both Reed and Schwartz. I became a Delmore aficionado too. Principal among the fans were my friends Peter Locke and Donny Kushner, who later together produced "Divorce Court." (Donny alone was one of the producers of the 2003 "Monster.) Through them I had a nice breakfast with Reed and met Andy Warhol, the grayest person I ever met (and even before Valerie took to carving on him). If memory serves, Lou and Peter and Patti were the only people who saw poor Delmore's remains to their final destination.
Wow, Carter. Please start a Substack and just tell us “a day in the life” every time you hit the keyboard. And to think it all happened in Syracuse!
I wonder if we’ll ever make art like that again.
Oh yes. I think it’s going on all the time; wer’re just so cut off from each other!
Loved it all, especially the jump onto the pool table. And after reading about your experiences, the clip gave it extra resonance.
Some of the best moments in life are unexpected things on pool tables.