Wednesday, October 15, 2025

Okay, I Still Love this Woman, Even If Some Limey Doesn't

From the other night at the London Palladium, please enjoy The Patti Smith Group (with original members Jay Dee Daugherty and Lenny Kaye, plus two of Patti's kids) and a terrific version of her anthemic (and still desperately pertinent) "People Have the Power."

Oh -- and with some special guest movie actor who apparently is somewhat controversial these days, and who ruined the show for at least one Brit critic.

The occasion was a celebration of the 50th anniversary of Patti's debut album Horses; the song in question, of course, is from her fifth (1988) album Dream of Life, but what the heck -- who's counting? 😎

In any case, and speaking of that critic: It was Uncut's Sam Richards.

Take it away, Sam!

...But then Patti risks undoing all the goodwill she’s accrued over the previous two hours by bringing out auxiliary guitarist Johnny Depp. It’s a baffling misjudgement.

For a start, he adds nothing musically – and dressed ostentatiously in a fedora and an assortment of tie-dye rags, he inevitably serves to draw attention away from the show’s real star. But Depp is also a hugely divisive character, for obvious reasons. Smith’s traditional set-closer “People Have The Power” is always likely to lack its usual unifying qualities when there is a woman stood behind you shouting “Fuck off, Johnny!” throughout the song.

You can read the complete review, which is considerably more enthusiastic than that excerpt, over at the Uncut web page HERE. You're welcome very much.

2 comments:

steve simels said...

Note to self: Apparently Patti Smith less interesting to readers than anticipated.😎

Alzo said...

Johnny Depp played on Ian Hunter's most recent LPs and it's hard to tell what he "adds... musically." It must be fun for him to jam with his musical heroes- and for them as well. But I think Sam has a point about distraction.