S9E455 - Patti Smith 'Horses' with Gabriel Rotello
This week's guest, writer, director, producer, journalist and musician Gabriel Rotello, brings us the stunning debut studio album by Patti Smith, 'Horses'. Gabriel's latest book, 'The CBGB Conspiracy', is a gritty mystery novel set during the sweltering NYC summer of 1977, with Son of Sam on the prowl and the city rocked by the blackout. As both a musician who lived that scene and a longtime LGBTQ journalist, Gabriel's insight into this foundational punk landmark of a record is not to be missed!
Songs discussed in this episode: My Generation (Who cover - Live at the Agora, Cleveland, OH 1976) - Patti Smith; All The Good Places - Gabriel Rotello; Easter - Patti Smith; Sonic Reducer - The Dead Boys; X Offender - Blondie; Judy Is A Punk - Ramones; Karn Evil 9 1st Impression Part 2 - Emerson, Lake & Palmer; No Feelings - Sex Pistols; Unknown - Patti Smith/Lenny Kaye - Max's Kansas City, Fall, 1973; Fire Engine (13th Floor Elevators cover) - Television (Live at CBGBs, 1975); Gloria, Because The Night, Redondo Beach, Birdland - Patti Smith; Holidays In The Sun - Sex Pistols; Birdland - Patti Smith; Personality Crisis - New York Dolls; Free Money, Kimberly - Patti Smith; Marquee Moon - Television; Break It Up, Land - Patti Smith; Teenage Crutch - The Shirts; 1983 (A Merman I Should Turn To Be) - Jimi Hendrix; Elegie - Patti Smith; Redondo Beach (Patti Smith cover) - Morrissey (Live at Earls Court)
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Gabriel Rotello is an Emmy-nominated and GLAAD Award-winning writer, director, producer, journalist and musician. In the 70s and 80s he was a keyboardist and musical director for acts such as Ronnie Spector, Solomon Burke and Darlene Love. His Downtown Divas revues in New York venues like the Limelight and the Palladium were considered key musical events of the era. In 1989 he founded OutWeek Magazine and served as its editor-in-chief. In 1992 he became the first openly gay op-ed columnist for a major American newspaper, New York Newsday, and was also a long-time columnist for The Advocate. His 1997 book Sexual Ecology: AIDS and the Destiny of Gay Men has was called by The Nation “the most important book about AIDS ever written.” Since 1999 he has written, directed and produced dozens of television documentaries for networks such as HBO, Netflix, Showtime, the History Channel, Cinemax and many other networks. His new mystery novel The CBGB Conspiracy has been garnering positive reviews for its depiction of New York's downtown and punk scene in the 70s.