The iconic Patti Smith made a rare late-night TV appearance earlier in the week, going to The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon to discuss her new book Year of the Monkey.
In addition, she discussed “acting like a jerk” to Bob Dylan the first time the crooner came to see her play back in 1974. According to Smith, Dylan walked in backstage and asked “Hey, are there any poets in here?” Smith responded by saying “I hate poetry!”
“I acted like such a jerk. I don’t know what came over me. Like Sixteen Candles, when you like the boy but you don’t want the boy to know you like them.”
She also talked about her surprise at the strong reaction to her viral Instagram photo with Keanu Reeves.
Finally, she read aloud a new, original poem followed by performing an absolutely stunning rendition of Neil Young’s 1970 cut ‘After the Gold Rush’, from the album of the same name, with her bandmate Tony Shanahan on keyboard.
Smith is headed to Australia in April to perform at this year’s Bluesfest, as well as perform a handful of headline shows in Sydney and Melbourne.
Watch Smith perform ‘After the Gold Rush’ – as well as snippets of her interview – below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfeIk5XKnf8
