Patti Smith’s contribution to and influence on American rock music is incalculable, particularly with respect to New York City. In a talk/performance with Jonathan Lethem on Saturday night, however, Smith dropped a relatively surprising quote about the plight of modern up-and-coming artists hailing from the city she helped establish as a musical mecca to some.
Sarahspy points us to a brief recap of the event in which Smith had this to say to those considering pursuing their art in the city that never sleeps:
New York has closed itself off to the young and the struggling. But there are other cities. Detroit. Poughkeepsie. New York City has been taken away from you. So my advice is: Find a new city.
Can’t say I disagree with Smith in that NYC isn’t the easiest place to, as she said, “[get an affordable apartment] and build a whole community of transvestites or artists or writers.”