Patti Smith on the Velvet Underground, 1996:a silver mylar pillowfloats solemnly from the pale hands
Patti Smith on the Velvet Underground, 1996:a silver mylar pillowfloats solemnly from the pale hands of Andy Warhol through the Factory windowacross the grainy New York skyline and the sound embodying that unheard work of art was perhaps a work of art itself the Velvet Undergroundthey were the stark elusive balloon that burst upon a deflated scene injecting that scene with a radiance that connected poetry the avant-garde and rock-and-roll they were a band of opposites shooting freely from pole to pole without apology with dissonant beautytrampling the flowers of peacemakers treading the blonde depthsblack in a white world white in a black world they opened wounds worth openingwith brutal innocence without apologycutting across the grain gritty, urbanicand in their search for the kingdom for laughter for salvation they explored thedarkest areas of the psyche and theyreimbursed and they delivered up all of these things all of these things can bedeemed romantic but one aspect can be truly romanticized their work ethic and the body they delivered up which isbeing acknowledged this night they are the Velvet Underground and their work isthe clipper shipthey are the Velvet Underground and we salute them and mourn with them their captainSterling Morrisonwho no doubtin viewing these proceedings might havea bit of mythical contempt for us allbut would also feel a secret pride and may John Cale Maureen Tucker and Lou Reedshare that pride and may they be as theheroes of the song“Waltzing Matilda” who when the Sun roseand they made to leave sha-la-la-la-lasha-la-la-la-lanot one regretted a thing -- source link
#patti smith#velvet underground