Patti Smith is overrated

Image result for patti smith

I know it's not cool to say. I know that everyone who is cool lists her as a friend or influence. Normally, that carries a lot of sway with me (see my Joni Mitchell piece). Anyhow, everyone thinks she is cool. I have heard her music and she is a terrible terrible singer. Like, worse than Lou Reed. On top of that, she seems mostly famous for covers. While she might be as ugly as Joe Cocker, her skills to not compare. I saw her on Leno (or Letterman, one of those shows) doing a Stone's song and she just butchered it. It must have been Letterman's, because she was in NYC for the Rock and Roll hall of fame. She was getting inducted, or inducting someone... who cares.

I want to like her.  I admire how she appears to play entirely by her own rules.  I like she
seems to follow an inner muse most of us will never access.  Maybe I expect a female pop star or similar in the public eye to be prettier.   I don't want that to be why I don't like her.  However, she truly does go out of her way to not follow into gender expectations.  But she can't sing.  Or maybe she won't.

Like Warhol, or Paris Hilton... she is the punk rock equivalent. She is famous for being famous. Lastly, look at that picture. I mean, I think it's great she doesn't feel obligated to buy into the patriarchal models of femininity and sexuality but dude... at least brush your fuckin' hair.

Somehow her and Lou Reed convinced every hipster that they are gospel.  Musicians that I really like and respect hold her at the top.  I don't get it.

Comments

Anonymous said…
I'd still throw it in.
Anonymous said…
Still love what she did. Loved the energy I felt when I saw her perform...Energy , you can't beat that !
Anonymous said…
Im going to pretend I didn't just read that.
Blazers said…
Lol, This is the funniest post i read today.

"brush your hair" That's her style, not copycat like those whom you have named. Fact still remains that no other female artist is much multitude like her. She is first in what she did. Learn to respect that in place of writing these all. Enough Said.
Anonymous said…
I agree. She seems to get a lot of media attention more from the people she talks about being around (or married to) than anything.
Anonymous said…
Yes, overrated indeed. She is a farce, and people who buy into her would probably eat a deep fried turd if they were told it were cool to do so.
Anonymous said…
'Brush your hair', hahahaha
Patti Smith is completely overrated. Could not agree more. Right place, right time, I guess. I don't know. Her popularity has always been a total mystery to me. I don't care how she looked or what her hair looked like. Roy Orbison was as ugly as they come, but he's a legend. (Couldn't think of a female equivalent off the top of my head...) Musically, Patti Smith is not just overrated - she is absolutely awful. Maybe her point of view was significant, or maybe her attitude was ground breaking. I don't know - but her music is rubbish.
Peter said…
Couldnt agree more. An untalented wannabee and total phoney hanger-on who long ago forgot that she was faking.
Anonymous said…
Own she is famous for covers and basically only has 3 good songs, including two covers. Totally overrated.
Anonymous said…
She doesn't have many accomplishments and she is only known for covers.
Anonymous said…
Didn't realise it was quite so simple to be foolish. Take someone you barely understand and, well.............suggest they brush their hair. The art of criticism is obviously to be found elsewhere. Still, it appears you are in good company.
Unknown said…
yes. she is over rated. actually she doesn`t even deserve a rating. there are musicians out there that are great that weren`t lucky enough to get on the trendy train like she did. i guess looking like mr. ed on a bad hair day with a record label to promote you and the media telling you if you don`t like her you`ll be branded uncool and stupid is what made her. it certainly wasn`t talent in any degree. sings off kilter on purpose, looks hardscrabble on purpose, lyrics aren`t anything with a wow factor. sounds like she`s just another fake hippie.
Unknown said…
she`s another tailor made hippie. all hype and no substance. sings horribly on purpose, looks like crap mostly on purpose and her lyrics have no wow factor at all. tunes are abundantly dull and forgettable. i guess the media tells people whats cool and trendy and like a fish the bite down on it with a force that will never let them release it.
Anonymous said…
Because the Night is regarded as a classic.

But it is just a terrible "cod rock" pile of cringeness that was probably written by Jim Steinman in his coffee break while working for that other talentless pile of blubber Marvin Meatloaf.

Bonnie "karioke queen" Tyler should have done this, and I am sure that she probably did in "Cardiff Ex Miners and Wheeltappers Social Club" in between the bingo and the leek and marrow contest.

Do a bit of Cher and Tina Turner and bob's your uncle. "Great turn lads, we will deffo have you back here"
Anonymous said…
Agree. She was at the right time, at the right place with a "brand" and associated herself with all the right people to get the brand out there.
Anonymous said…
First heard her read poetry at st. marks' church in the early/mid 70's. was underwhelmed. first heard her sing at either max's or cbgb shortly thereafter. was bemused and grossed out. last heard her perform at wollman skating rink in central park 1976(?). thought she sucked. haven't changed my mind
Binky said…
That photo looks to be posed with the sole purpose of exemplifying her persona of defiant bohemian scruffiness.
Lucy said…
First of all, you’re wrong. pun intended. She may be overrated in your opinion
but not in society’s standards really. I mean people like Stevie Nicks overshadow her
and if anyone is riding off of gimmicks, it’s Stevie.
Anyway, to conclude..she came out before aesthetics were “aesthetics”,
she’s not trying to be some feminine ideal by being who she is, she just is as a person.
She’s a true artist and great lyricist, powerful in her way of delivering art so yeah “cool people”
are going to want to associate themselves with her because she’s a talent.
So this whole post was just a waste of your time by just criticizing someone so you could
add more garbage onto the internet that you can’t get rid of in reality.
Anonymous said…
Ugly face, cacophonous voice. Because the night, like Patti is way overrated.
Anonymous said…
Lucy's comment, hahaha how old is she?
Pat Smith has been idolized (like many other artists ... Yes ... MANY OTHERS) just because they attract everyone's attention and all these moths follow that light but it does NOT mean they are great. Blind people need to follow, at least one one-eyed person. And Smith is not the exception. Her lyrics are rubbish. And if she's been in the music media for so long, it has only been because of that, because of how easily ordinary it can be. Not because of something different that changes your mind. Because it is easy to digest and people like things easy.
Unknown said…
I put her right next to Rihanna and Beck as the most ovverrated piece of garbage artists ever..The real sad part is Patty Smyth gets overshadowed by Smith's name almost.And Smyth is amazing Smith is a dying cat...A copy cat....
Anonymous said…
I bought her album (Horses, of course)and I really tried to get into the music. I really have an open mind for music, but no go. Every couple of years I put the lp on the player to see if maybe I have matured musically or something, and sure enough, by the 2nd song it's back in it's sleeve. Just for fun I did a Patti Smith sucks search on Google and found this page...agree, she is a product of marketing and influence...

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