Why Patti Smith Matters

Patti Smith arrived in New York City at the end of the Age of Aquarius in search of work and purpose. What she found--what she fostered--was a cultural revolution. Through her poetry, her songs, her unapologetic vocal power, and her very presence as a woman fronting a rock band, she kicked open a door that countless others walked through. No other musician has better embodied the "nothing-to-hide" rawness of punk, nor has any other done more to nurture a place in society for misfits of every stripe.

Why Patti Smith Matters is the first book about the iconic artist written by a woman. The veteran music journalist Caryn Rose contextualizes Smith's creative work, her influence, and her wide-ranging and still-evolving impact on rock and roll, visual art, and the written word. Rose goes deep into Smith's oeuvre, from her first album, Horses, to acclaimed memoirs operating at a surprising remove from her music. The portrait of a ceaseless inventor, Why Patti Smith Matters rescues punk's poet laureate from "strong woman" clichés. Of course Smith is strong. She is also a nuanced thinker. A maker of beautiful and challenging things. A transformative artist who has not simply entertained but also empowered millions.

Author: Caryn Rose
Publisher: University of Texas Press
Published: 05/31/2022
Pages: 248
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.50lbs
Size: 6.93h x 4.96w x 0.79d
ISBN: 9781477320112

Review Citation(s):
Library Journal 04/01/2022 pg. 88
Foreword 04/27/2022