Re: (TV) Putting a Temporary Cap on One's Talent / RE: Playingwith Patti in the Dark

["Rex Broome" <rexbroome@lycos.com>]

"Casey, Leo J" <Leo.J.Casey@Volpe.dot.gov> writes
> >Speaking of clichid, I always thought Kaye's playing was pretty 
> >pedestrian and predictable both on Smith's studio stuff and in concert 
> >(he's better as a producer of other bands or compilations). Ironically, 
> >would bet Patti Smith would not have succeeded as well commercially if 
> >she had had a better guitarist. I.e., in order to make it commercially 
> >you almost need to have a guitarist who plays hackneyed solos that 
> >appeal to the mass audience.

Seems like Kaye is more important as a personality than a player, both in rock at large (Nuggets compiler, producer, journalist) and with the PSG itself (sings a bit, writes some of the music, and mostly has been at her side since the guitar/piano-only Piss Factory, and Patti has a big thing about the family/tribal nature of her art, right?)... I wouldn't call him "hackneyed", but no, I couldn't pick a Kaye solo (other than the ones I know from the PSG records) out of a lineup of other similarly rootsy, ballsy players.

ISTR reading an interview with Pete Buck where he describe hopping onstage with the PSG on one of the shows with Tom on board.  Patti tried to goad him into taking a solo (saying something along the lines of "Let's see if this kid can play") and he looked over at Tom sitting on his stool and said, "No way!"  He doesn't seem to have been as intimidated by Lenny Kaye!

Tom's playing even on his guest shots on the latter-day Patti albums is really restrained as well.  Part of me wishes he would just, for once, sign on to play the lead guitar role on somebody else's album for the whole record (or most of it, as Richard has often done), and of course Patti would be the ideal choice.  But his solos on the two songs on that Luna album really light up those songs, and it would be cool to hear more of that kind of thing from him.

-Rex
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