Heads and Laurie (was Re: coincidences and biographies)

["Fiona Webster" <fi>]

John writes:
> I have a theory (Ms. Anne Elk voice, anyone?).  This is my theory:  I believe

> people that are passionate about an artist like Patti Smith are going to
> appreciate intensity and sincerity in an artist above and beyond such
> considerations as genre and technical expertise.  That is why Patti fans are
> going to like such artists as Sleater-Kinney as opposed to, say, Yanni.
> Yanni is obviously a better musician from a technical standpoint, but who
> wants to listen to that stuff, right?   :-)   On the other hand you have
> somebody like ALbert Ayler, who posessed both the intensity and the technical

> ability.  I might also put Jimi Hendrix in that category, and I believe both
> Hendrix & Ayler have recieved praise in this forum before.  Anyway, some food

> for thought.

And yet in all our discussions of favorite artists we have in common
(Rolling Stones, Yo La Tengo, Sonic Youth, REM, Pere Ubu,
whatever...) I've rarely heard mention of *my* favorite artists
other than Patti Smith: the Talking Heads, and Laurie Anderson.
Also various Brian Eno and David Byrne spinoff projects.

And I know exactly why, as a Patti Smith fan, I like the Heads
and Laurie A. so much: LYRICS. It's no secret that I'm a big word
person, and have always been at least as into Patti's poetry and
other writing as into her music. The music and live performances
make her lyrics and poetry come alive, no doubt about it, but
I have a real thing for *quotable* artists. Patti Smith is highly
quotable, and so are the Talking Heads and Laurie Anderson:

    "When this kiss is over it will start again.
     It will not be any different, it will be exactly
        the same.
     It's hard to imagine that nothing at all
        could be so exciting, could be so much fun.
     Heaven is a place where nothing every happens.
     Heaven is a place where nothing every happens."
                                                --TH

   "She said: What is history?
    And he said: History is an angel being blown backwards into
     the future
    He said: History is a pile of debris
    And the angel wants to go back and fix things
    To repair the things that have been broken
    But there is a storm blowing from Paradise
    And the storm keeps blowing the angel backwards
    into the future And this storm, this storm is called
    Progress"
                                --LA

  "Facts are simple and facts are straight
   Facts are lazy and facts are late
   Facts all come with points of view
   Facts don't do what I want them to
   Facts just twist the truth around
   Facts are living turned inside out"
                           --TH

  "Who is this really?
   And the voice said: This is the hand, the hand that takes.
   This is the hand, the hand that takes. This is
   the hand, the hand that takes.
   Here come the planes. They're American planes. Made in America.
   Smoking or non-smoking?
   And the voice said: Neither snow nor rain nor gloom of night shall
   stay these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed
   rounds.
   'Cause when love is gone, there's always justice.
   And when justive is gone, there's always force.
   And when force is gone, there's always Mom. Hi Mom!
   So hold me, Mom, in your long arms.
   So hold me, Mom, in your long arms.
   In your automatic arms. Your electronic arms. In your arms.
   So hold me, Mom, in your long arms. Your petrochemical arms.
   Your military arms. In your electronic arms."
                                                        --LA


Well anyway, you get the point. Lyrics like these have been,
for me, like Patti's lyrics--not in any artistic similiarity, but in
how essential they have been to me. I just can't put it any
better than that: essential. They've been my food and drink,
my life substance.

                                --Fiona

P.S. And is it any surprise, really, that Lou Reed and Laurie
are an item now? I want want want for them to make an album
together: her lyrics, his music.