SULKY ANGLE: THE POETRY OF PATTI SMITH

Patti Smith's name has been seen in our pages often — as record reviewer, as chronicler of the mythic history of the Rolling Stones, above all as poet. For it is the grittiest poetic instinct of the 70s which supremely imbues all of her work. We don't often print what's stamped officially as "poetry" in CREEM, but then poetry like Patti's don't come knockin" every day. Because above all Patti's poetry is rock "n" roll splattered in a vibrating mosaic on the printed page; you can shake with it, and you love her for it, as Jaan Uhelszki makes clear.

Lester Bangs