Of course, every artist has ‘minor works’ that they do, but I don’t think I have any ‘minor disciplines.’ Each discipline I approach as a major undertaking that I put my whole self into. – Patti Smith
I’m not really a musician. I’m a performer, and I love rock n’ roll. I’ve embraced rock n’ roll because it encompasses all the things I’m interested in: poetry, revolution, sexuality, political activism – all of these things can be found in rock n’ roll. – Patti Smith
Mohammed personally mapped out seven heavens. If he got to seven, you know there’s more. – Patti Smith
I came into music because I thought the presentation of poetry wasn’t vibrant enough. So I merged improvised poetry with basic rock chords. That was my original mission. – Patti Smith
Bringing good news is imparting hope to one’s fellow man. The idea of redemption is always good news, even if it means sacrifice or some difficult times. – Patti Smith
In the ’60s, I used to love rock magazines; I’d cut out pictures of Bob Dylan and John Lennon. – Patti Smith
I don’t believe any artist who says, ‘I had to do that because DJs will tell me I can’t play that music. I will lose my job.’ Well, lose the job and create a new job. If your label won’t let you have the cover you want or sing the songs you want, then leave! – Patti Smith
I have great respect for my parents. I got such beautiful things from both of them. It doesn’t mean that we didn’t have our rough times, but they were remarkable people who were open-minded, creative and hard-working, and had great senses of humor. – Patti Smith
No matter what anybody thinks about any of them, every record I’ve done has been done with the same amount of care, anguish, pain, suffering, and joy. – Patti Smith
Sometimes you’re doing really well, then, after three or four years, everything inexplicably crashes like a house of cards and you have to rebuild it. It’s not like you get to a point where you’re all right for the rest of your life. – Patti Smith
I was so unhealthy as a child, and at least three or four times my parents were told to get ready, that I would not make it. – Patti Smith
The cult of celebrity in the ’60s and ’70s was really more reserved for movie stars or high socialites. Paparazzi didn’t care about Janis Joplin. – Patti Smith
The thing is, it’s not uncool to worry about people who seem like they’re going on the wrong path. There’s nothing cool about being self-destructive. – Patti Smith
I felt alien my whole life, but I didn’t feel alien because of my gender. Other people made me aware of my gender. – Patti Smith
Nothing is a hobby – each discipline is its own world with its own high standards. Of course, every artist has ‘minor works’ that they do, but I don’t think I have any ‘minor disciplines.’ – Patti Smith
For everything bad, there’s a million really exciting things, whether it’s someone puts out a really great book, there’s a new movie, there’s a new detective, the sky is unbelievably golden, or you have the best cup of coffee you ever had in your life. – Patti Smith
The new artists coming through were very materialistic and Hollywood, not so engaged in communication. – Patti Smith
I was born in 1946, so I was born on the tail end of when everything was deemed important. You made things to last. If you came from a poor family, there was only one can opener. – Patti Smith
I’m not afraid of terrorism at all. I’m afraid of loss of our freedom, loss of mobility, loss of global comradeship. – Patti Smith
I’ve always looked the same. Since I was a child, I hated having to deal with my hair. I hated having to change my clothes. As a kid, I had a sailor shirt and the same old corduroy pants, and that’s what I wanted to wear everyday. – Patti Smith
I was a sickly child, not very strong physically. I wasn’t really the greatest in school. I didn’t really excel in anything particularly. But I was happy with who I was. – Patti Smith