The significance of March 9th
A date that not only marks Patti and her husband Fred's first meeting in 1976, but also of Robert Mapplethorpe's passing in 1989.
Exactly 50 years ago today on March 9, 1976, Patti Smith and Fred “Sonic” Smith met for the first time at a hot dog joint. This extract on Page 120-121 of Patti’s newest book Bread of Angels puts that chance meeting into words -
We landed in Detroit on a windy Tuesday afternoon. The crew left for the Ford Auditorium to set up our equipment and the rest of us went straight to a welcome party hosted by the Detroit musician community at Lafayette Coney Island. I didn’t particularly like parties, but I was lured by their legendary hot dogs… The people were very welcoming. We stayed awhile, had their deservedly lauded hot dogs, said goodbye to all, and headed toward the door. That’s when I first saw him. He stood by a white radiator in a blue overcoat. I noticed the threads where a button was missing. That fleeting moment was to redirect the whole of my life. Lenny introduced us simply: Fred Smith Patti Smith, Patti Smith Fred Smith. He had lank brown hair and eyes like water. He placed the button in my hand, and I wordlessly declared it a treasure. I felt a gravitational force; my being truly shaken, kindling my desire for the One, the better savage. Fate had touched us; I knew at that moment he was the one I would marry.
Last year (before this extract existed) I shared two photos of Patti and Fred on the Leather Saints instagram that were taken that same evening, backstage at Ford Auditorium, Detroit, for the Patti Smith Group concert referenced above.
FYI: When I first stumbled on them, the images were partially damaged with red ink blotches. My photography degree came in useful here and I spent a bit of time cleaning them up. You can still see some red marks, but they are no longer covering either Patti or Fred’s face. Both images were also heavily underexposed, so I tried to balance them out and match them as best as I could.
At the time I had no idea of where and when they were taken, though I was instantly struck by how young Fred looked and it made me wonder just how far back they might go. I recognised the t-shirt Patti is wearing and remembered another shot of her in the same t-shirt with Richard Sohl. I did some digging and via that photo I found the date and location - Ford Auditorium, Detroit, March 9th, 1976.
Same shirt, same trousers. Of course, it’s possible Patti wore this outfit on multiple occasions, but I have since confirmed with another source that the photos of Patti and Fred were taken here. It was then that I finally started putting the pieces together.
Christ, I remember thinking to myself. This must have been one of the first photos taken of them together. Then I dug deeper again and I discovered through Patti’s words in an interview in Rolling Stone Magazine in 1996 that March 9th, 1976, was in fact the day they first met.
Patti Smith interviewed by David Fricke in Rolling Stone Magazine, July 11, 1996:
- How did you meet Fred?
Patti: “It was March 9th, 1976. The band was in Detroit for the first time. Arista Records had a little party for us at one of those hot-dog places. I’m not one much for parties, so I wanted to get out of there. I was going out the back door - there was a white radiator, I remember. I was standing there with Lenny [Kaye]; I happened to look up, and this guy is standing there as I was leaving. Lenny introduced me to him: “This is Fred ‘Sonic’ Smith, the legendary guitar player for the MC5,” and that was it. Changed my life.”
What an incredible piece of history.
March 9th unfortunately marks another significant date in Patti Smith’s life, as it is also the day that Robert Mapplethorpe lost his battle with AIDS in 1989.
At this time in her life, Patti had retired from music and retreated from the public eye to bring up her family with Fred in Detroit.
However, on March 17, 1990, Patti and Fred performed ‘People Have the Power’ at Arista’s 15th Anniversary concert to raise money for AIDS. Just over one year on from losing Robert to the disease on March 9, 1989, almost 9 years since either of them last performed on stage, and two weeks on from their 10 year marriage anniversary on March 1, 1980.
The benefit, titled ‘That’s What Friends Are For: Arista Records 15th Anniversary Concert’, was held at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. Arista President Clive Davis (who had signed Patti Smith to the label in 1975) declared the event to be ”a party with a purpose.” The hosts included Chevy Chase, Michael Douglas, Whoopi Goldberg, and Melanie Griffith; with past and present Arista label acts Hall & Oates, Whitney Houston, Barry Manilow, Milli Vanilli, Carly Simon, Patti Smith, Lisa Stansfield, and The Four Tops all performing songs.
“That’s What Friends Are For” was the finale song sung by Dione Warwick and Whitney Houston before being joined on the stage by the other guests of the event. Over $1.5 million was raised that night for the Arista Foundation which gave the proceeds to various AIDS organizations.
So, today my thoughts are with Patti on this bittersweet date.
Please support the work of photographer Michael N. Marks and Lloyd Ziff. Patti Smith’s Just Kids remains available in most bookshops and online in the UK, US, and in Europe. Robert Mapplethorpe’s Foundation continues to keep his work alive in the public consciousness.
One unfortunate event with Robert and a fortunate one with Fred.
Nice. If more people started to invest in documenting their own life with as much value, we would all be more free instantly, and better off as a society!