There's bad news for Patti Smith fans hoping the New York music icon will hit the road soon in support of her two-CD career retrospective, LAND 1975-2002.
Smith's drummer Jay Dee Daugherty, who has played with her for 27 years, is recuperating from a serious motorcyle accident that occurred shortly after the March 19 release of LAND.
"Someone made an illegal turn and crushed his leg but he's doing quite well," said Smith, 55, down the line from her New York City home yesterday.
"It was a little scary at first but he's responding to his operations and treatment so we're very optimistic. He'll be all right by the late summer. We're right now in a little difficult situation because in waiting for (Daugherty), our crew had to seek some other work, so we have to really regroup. But I think it's more likely we'll be doing things perhaps in the fall."
'ACOUSTIC THINGS'
Smith last played in town at Convocation Hall on July 4, 2000 and said yesterday she didn't yet have a Toronto date.
"We will be doing acoustic things and certain things, but we're pretty much waiting for (Daugherty) to finish his rehabilitation and when he does, we'll probably tour."
However, she does have an exhibit of some drawings she made of the World Trade Center's Twin Towers in the aftermath of Sept 11. It opens at the Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh at the end of September and will travel to Houston and Philadelphia.
She's also looking at options for her next record deal.
Best known for such songs as Dancing Barefoot, People Have The Power, and Because The Night over the years, she is currently without a major label contract.
NEW SONGS
"I finished my contractual duties with Arista," said Smith. "I had an eight-record responsibility, which I did, and then I had the responsibility to put together a greatest hits package. I wanted to really concentrate on getting this work done before I pursued my future and that is being pursued now. I'll probably know in the next month or two where I'm going to be. Whether I'll be independent or whether I'll be on any label at all."
Smith says she's been writing lots of new songs since her last studio release, 2000's Gung Ho, and one -- Higher Learning -- is included on LAND, along with a cover of Prince's When Doves Cry.
"I really always admired the song," she said of the funky Prince tune. "I liked the song. I liked the lyrics. And I think I found a way to interpret the song that would be interesting.
"That's what really motivated me to do it."
