Patti Smith backed by Silver Mt. Zion? Imagine the hum...

"We're happy because we don't wear underwear" - A Silver Mt. Zion just after they completed their Patti Smith endorsed personal hygiene course at the Montreal University.



On paper, the only thing Patti Smith and A Silver Mt Zion possibly have in common is a dramatic history of often undocumented mental illness. To try and comprehend the two of them teaming up is, well, incomprehensible. But in Montreal last October the unthinkable happened.

Patti Smith was doing a poetry reading at the Ukrainian Federation in Montreal, and rather than bore the, er, Ukranians to tears, she twisted the arms of Efrim and his collective band of merry men and women to join her. And now, courtesy of the Big O, here is that set in full!

http://www.bigozine2.com/archive/ARrarities08/ARpsmtzion.html

They didn't practice much (it shows) but there are some truly magical moments where each of their respective strengths shine through - in Smith's case bonkers poetry, and in Silver Mt Zions', bonkers instrumentals that go on until next week. Patti's in better form than she was on her last Dublin visit too, which is a bonus.

As the Big O (one of my all-time favourite download sites) will tell you, it is very much Smith's show but, as the occasional team up's between Irish slam poet Marty Mulligan and Kila demonstrate, the team-up works because it seems easier to jam with someone belting out a poem than playing a regular song.

It's an audience recording, as are most Silver Mt Zion and Godspeed You Black Emporer live bootlegs on the net (can't remember the site, but there's a Canadian one with a shedload of great ones out there somewhere, will update when my brain works)

There's a superfan review - "behind her Cassandran hair" etc - to accompany the slow download speeds you'll no doubt encounter if you're pinching this show at work.

Cold Lunch - real ham, baby gem lettuce, sugarsnap peas, cucumber, tomato, light splash of Levi Roots Fiery Guava Sauce, Hellmans mayo, salt, pepper, Govender's Chili Pickle, stuffed between two lumps of homemade bread, tae and Toblerone.

Hot Lunch - Kid Loco - Graffiti Artist OST. Rediscovered last night after it had spent at least two years under the couch.

Toliet Lunch - Cat Power Jukebox - and there was I thinking Paul Weller's Studio 150 was the most dissapointing, if not the worst, covers album of all-time. Well, it's got company. What a boring pile of unimaginative, unoriginal toss from a singer capable of much, much more.

Home & Away - Missed it.