16 - North Shore News — Friday, April 23, 2000 Lenny Kaye soldi Bob Mackin News Reporter bmackin@usnews.com A lot has changed in singer/songwriter/poet Parti Smith’s life since 1978. But Lenny Kave has remained a constant. Kaye was there to back her on guitar during a poetry read- ing at a New York church in 197]. He was there when the early version of the Pata Smith Group debuted two years later and played its last gig in 1979 at an Italian soccer stadium. And he’s been with her, step-by-step, during the resurrection of her career after the loss of loved ones in late 1994. Kaye and Smith were together in Vancouver's Commodore Ballroom Saturday for the first time since 1978, joined by Oliver _ Ray (guitar), Tony Shanahan (bass) and Jay- Dee Daugherty (drums). In an interview before ~ the show, Kaye said he remembered litde of the 1978 Commodore performance — except for “the image of Smith’s late brother Todd. “Todd was the head of our crew at the ime and it was at the height of his rock and roll glory,” Kaye said. “I have a real mental picture of him handing me my guitar and he had a scrap of the Amenican flag tied around his head, he was really living the rock and roll dream at the ~ moment.” Todd died a month after Smith's husband . . Fred “Sonic” Smith’s life was taken by a heart ‘attack. Those two events inspired Smith to _ record Gone Again, her first album since 1988. .. Kaye saluted Todd’s memory at the Commodore with a cover of the Yardbirds’ “For : Your Love” while Smith sat near the front of the ’ stage, sipping a cup of tea to rest her strained “voice. An American flag was draped behind Daughenrty’s kit. Kaye, says Smith, simply appre- ciates what the stars and stripes really mean. “We're mostly concerned with the struggle for personal freedom, and politics can be argued ‘in several different. manners. For Parti, a portion of the influences for this record stem from the Declaration of Independence.” __» Gung Ho, Smith’s new album, is rife with the words and imagery of Vietnamese revolutionary ’ Ho Chih Minh. Kaye says Smith was surprised to find his ideals were heavily influ- enced by the U.S. Declaration of Independence. Ironically, it was Americans who barded his coun- tuymen in the name of freedom during the Vietnam War. “These were human ideals, afl men are created equal and have a right to their happiness,” Kaye said. “Part of happiness is tree- dom of choice, freedom to choose whe you want to be without interference — trom geopolitics.” Smith was married in 19380, and raised children Jackson and Jesse. She returned briefly to music with Fred, a former member of the MC5, on 1988's Dream of Life. Kaye spent the decade leading his own band, writing, producing albums for the likes of Suzanne Vega and Soul Asylum, working as a disc jockey and compiling music for psychedelic and Appalachian folk albums. He even taught a university course about American music and pop culture at Rutgers University. “T must admit, I was a lite disappointed by the college teaching experience. 1 could see the kids doing things I did in school, like taking naps behind their hand, writing notes to each other. I enjoyed doing it because especially in the last 100 years looking at popular culture is a very casy way of seeing what the human psyche is about at any one partcular moment.” But he can’t resist playing in a band on the road. “It is probably the most pleasurable thing one can do. {ft is a wavelling family. [ feel extremely lucky to play for an artist you like and totally respect whose instincts are so righteous and uplifting and positive.” And it shows. At the Commodore, Smith turned in an energetic performance that erased the passage of time. She effortlessly switched gears from the political overtones of her current work to the innocence of “Be My Baby” to the urgency of “Because the Night”, while visiting mainstays like “Rock and Roll Nigger” and “People Have the Power” along the way. “We're not really interested in recreating the glory days of punk rock,” Kaye proclaimed. “We're not really much ofa punk rock band even though we play fast and loud and smash the gui- tars against che amplifiers with the best of them. We enjoy that. I still need it.” Wich that attitude, you can anticipate a return performance before another 22 yearslapses. NEWS photo Sprout www.eyoteaser.com/Sprout PATTI Smith returned to the Commodore Saturday after 22 years. Older and wiser, but as passionate and energetic as ever. Concert in support of crisis centre THE 9:45 in support of the Women Against Violence Against Women Rape Crisis Centre present “The West of MusicWest Awareness Performance.” Also performing are Parlour Steps and Max Serpentini. Wednesday, May 10 at The Jazz Cellar Cafe, 3611 West Broadway. The show starts at 9:45 pm. Cover $5. All concert proceeds go to WAVAWRCC. The 9:45 is: Jeanette Peake - vocals; Julie Bavalis — bass; Patricia Evans ~ keyboards, vocals; Reese Haynes - guitar Shawn Killaly -— percussion. The NORTH SHORE NEWS congratulates MAYTTE ABAD .- N. Vancouver Store Manager Recipient of the Top Gold Star 2000 Service Award. The 14 Salvation Army Thrift Storénin the Lower Matnland raive funds for charitable worka eur communities. =r ers on with Smith | photo BMG PATTI Smith (centre) and Lenny Kaye (second from right) were joined by drum- mer Jay-Dee Daugherty, bassist Torty Shanahan and guitarist Oliver Ray. =vent Best selection of pre-owned stereos, t.v.s, electronics Sale begins Sat., May 6th at 3 stores only! ee) i“ 3 LOCATIONS ONLY: 261 E. 12th Ave., Vancouver 874-4721 811 Columbia St., New Westminster 526-0319 14887-108th Ave., Surrey 581-9833