I have been listening to some early concerts of Patti’s where she was reciting poetry, setting up rapport, relating and reacting to the audience. There was real power, connection and something so dynamic. She captured the spirit. New York in the mid seventies was a cauldron of energy and she writhed in it. She was immersed. She brought together the Beat Poetry, Sixties Rock, Art, photography and the new Punk ethos and rolled it into one great new entity. Patti rocked. She created like nobody else. She spat vitriolic rhetoric and protest. She identified with Dylan, Hendrix, Doors, Beatles, Stones and Who but captured that rebellion and brought it to a new level. Her tongue flamed.
That creative spark was present in everything she touched – the music, the poetry, the look, the art, the attitude and Robert’s photography. It was her life. What strikes me is that there was no separation.
For me Patti is a fulcrum point, a connection. She joins a number of worlds together into one. Patti wasn’t trying to be Punk; she was Punk. She was riding the moment. But unlike the others she did not divorce herself from what had gone before. She was welded into that rebellious tradition. She did not deny it.
Never let go of that fiery sadness called desire.
That’s the energy we feed off that comes from the fires inside. That desire is to create.
In art and dream may you proceed with abandon. In life may you proceed with balance and stealth.
In art you hold nothing back. Nothing is taboo. There are no rules; no restrictions – you express yourself as fully as you can. In life you have to compromise and find the way to accommodate. You can be totally selfish in art. You have to be empathetic and compassionate in life.
As far as I’m concerned, being any gender is a drag.
Being both would be interesting.
Jesus died for somebody’s sins but not mine.
Didn’t die for mine either. I like some of the things he said but I don’t like the religion that has grown up around him to exploit it. Religion is a power base and spirituality gets lost.
People have the power to redeem the work of fools.
I believe that we can change the course of the world and put things right. We don’t have to follow these selfish, greedy people with their mantra of wealth and power – profit over everything. We should stop electing megalomaniacs and run the world sensibly.
Those who have suffered understand suffering and therefore extend their hand.
If you’ve been poor you know how important it is to help others. There’s a hell of a lot of suffering to humans, animals and plants that are being caused by this senseless way of running the world.
To me, punk rock is the freedom to create, freedom to be successful, freedom to not be successful, freedom to be who you are. It’s freedom.
Punk attitude is to do it regardless. To say what you mean; to paint, write, dance or sing how you feel – not for profit or an audience.
An artist is somebody who enters into competition with God.
Creation is the purpose of life – along with a bit of wonderment, fun, love, fulfilment ………..
The new artists coming through were very materialistic and Hollywood, not so engaged in communication.
It’s not about the money, the fame or the ego – it’s about the art – communicating what is in your head with others, making things that have never been seen. I paint with words.
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John Lydon wasn’t particularly impressed with her and said “Horses?, horse shit, more like.”
He had strong views on most things and liked to be unpredictable and controversial. Who knows what he really thought?
An artist is somebody who enters into competition with God… That’s an intriguing quote. I never see it as competition, but co-creation. The first time I read in the Bible that man was created in “God’s” image, I figured right off the bat that meant we had the ability to create.
Well Cheryl I’m not sure I’m qualified to comment. From where I sit we have minds that enable us to create. Our imagination is immense. We’ve invented science, literature, religion, language and all manner of arts and technology. Imagination is our greatest strength and weakness.
Reblogged this on Opher's World and commented:
I do love Patti!!