Patti Smith, the iconic “punk poet laureate”, has opened up about her reading habits, noting how a Mark Twain book filled her with anxiety to the point of throwing up.
Ever since Patti Smith first hit the mainstream with her 1974 debut Horses, she’s been known as one of the most literate musicians on the scene.
With an attitude that is unmatched by peers and fans alike, and an ability to fuse punk rock with poetry in a way that others could only dream of, Patti Smith is undoubtedly one of the most unique and admirable musicians to have ever graced the stage.
With countless poems, poetry collections, and books to her name as well, many have wondered about some of the literary milestones in her life, including what she considers to be her favourite book and the one book she wishes she had written.
Thankfully, in a new interview with The Guardian, Patti Smith has now answered these questions, praising works by the likes of Carey Wallace, Carlo Collodi, Hermann Hesse, and Jean Genet. In an interesting segment though, Smith is also quizzed on the one book she was never able to complete despite her best efforts.
“I was reading Mark Twain’s The Prince and the Pauper when I was young,” she recalls. “It gave me such anxiety that I threw up. I never finished it – and still can’t bear to.”
While Patti Smith has just released her latest book, Year of the Monkey, the punk icon is set to return to Australian shores next year, bringing her band along for the ride as she performs what is bound to be a mesmerising performance at the 2020 Bluesfest festival. Check out all the details below.
Check out ‘Free Money’ by Patti Smith:
Bluesfest 2020
Lenny Kravitz
Jimmie Vaughan (Exclusive)
The Waterboys (Exclusive)
Eagles Of Death Metal
Ani Difranco
Amadou & Mariam
The Allman Betts Band
Zucchero (Exclusive)
Cory Henry & The Funk Apostles
Yola
Tal Wilkenfeld
Joachim Cooder (Exclusive)
Steve ‘n’ Seagulls (Exclusive)
Joining…
Dave Matthews Band
Crowded House
Patti Smith And Her Band
George Benson
Brandi Carlile
John Butler
Xavier Rudd
The Cat Empire
Morcheeba
John Prine
Jenny Lewis
Frank Turner
John Mayall
Buffy Sainte-Marie
The Marcus King Band
Walter Trout
Christone “Kingfish” Ingram
Greensky Bluegrass
Larkin Poe
The War & Treaty
Thursday, April 9th – Monday, April 13th, 2020
Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm, Byron Bay, NSW
Tickets: Moshtix
