Patti Smith's new album, Banga, hits the streets today. It's Smith's first collection of original material since 2004 and sees her paired with some familiar faces.
Smith made a name for herself in the 1970s in New York's thriving punk and new wave scene. Smith and her band, the Patti Smith Group, frequented hotspots like Max's Kansas City and CBGB, finding a space at the forefront of the musical music. Her combination of spoken word, poetry and rock earned her the title "the godmother of punk."
Smith is joined on her new album by longtime collaborater Lenny Kay and Jay Dee Daugherty, an original member of the Patti Smith Group. Tom Verlain, who also took to CBGB's stage during its musical heyday as the frontman for Television, joins Smith on the first single from Banga, "April Fool."
The songs touch on a variety of subjects, from the voyage of Amerigo Vespucci to the New World in 1497 ("Amerigo") to a birthday song written for Johnny Depp ("Nine"). One song, "This is the Girl," is a ballad in memory of Amy Winehouse.
In this exclusive video, Smith explains "This is the Girl" and shares her writing process.
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