How Patti Smith became an honourary member of Blue Oyster Cult
Somewhere out there, there is an alternative timeline. In it, Patti Smith isn’t Patti Smith. Horses never came out, she never finished writing Bruce Springsteen’s track ‘Because The Night’. No, she was too busy being a lead singer of a band. In this timeline, Smith is the leader of Blue Öyster Cult.
It almost happened. Even before Patti Smith truly launched herself into the music world, she was a name to know. She was a cornerstone of the New York scene, as seemingly anyone who met her became enamoured with her talent and attitude. After running away from her small town to move to the big city and making a home in the Chelsea Hotel, embedding herself amongst the brightest talents of her time, she was deep into it all.
“Build a good name” was the advice she had passed on to her by William S. Burroughs around that time. As one of the many icons that met Smith and became a firm friend of hers, the Beat writer encouraged her to lead with authenticity, do her work, not compromise on her identity, but also make friends. If that era in her life was characterised by anything, it would probably be that – friendship and collaboration. At every turn down every corridor at the Chelsea, or in the corner of any bar she wound up in, she seemed to be meeting fellow artists who would inspire her or change her life in some way.
All of those run-ins served as a big, long chain, bringing her to key moments and key people in her life. She met Robert Maplethorpe, they moved into the Chelsea. There, she met Sam Shepard, who encouraged her to write more, including writing music. From there, she met Lenny Kaye, who would become a career-long collaborator and help her put on her first performances. At one of those first performances, she met Sandy Pearlman, the manager of Allen Lanier, the founder of Blue Öyster Cult.
It would be a formative connection in many ways. Lanier and Smith sparked up a romantic relationship that would prove inspiring but also deeply encouraging. As Smith was still finding her feet as a musician and finding her place in the music world, having only ever considered herself a writer up until this point, this connection was an important one in giving her the courage to see herself as a rockstar.
Lanier saw it for her. Collaborating became a key part of their relationship as Smith co-wrote several Blue Öyster Cult songs, including ‘Baby Ice Dog’, ‘Debbie Denise’, ‘Career of Evil’ and more, on all of which you can definitely hear Smith’s signature poetry on.
But then, the band went through another period of flux as their ever-changing lineup shifted again. Suddenly, they needed a singer. Given how close Smith now was to the entire group, everyone looked at her. In fact, they offered it to her, practically begged her. However, by that point, Smith felt that the chain had to continue – she’s got what she needed here, she felt bold and empowered, she had to move on.
While declining to be their full-time singer, Smith and the band continued to collaborate. She’d offer them poems to put to music and later down the line, when she was making Horses, Lanier played guitar on ‘Elegie’, returning the favour of collaboration as she forged her own path instead.
