I began, of course, as a poet, but the power of rock ‘n’ roll — rock ‘n’ roll was really the canopy of our cultural voice, and especially in the ’60s, late ’60s and early ’70s, that — and our rock stars, the people who were building that voice, whether it was John Lennon or Neil Young or Bob Dylan, or whoever it was, they were infusing politics and — and political ideology, social justice, sexual energy, poetics, all within the canopy of rock ‘n’ roll, and striving to make this a universal language. It was a real mission. And I — I wanted to add to that. Writing poetry is beautiful, but, when I was young, I wanted to be part of this important cultural voice.
Patti Smith talks about her memoir Just Kids on PBS NewsHour:
(via The BDR)