In parts of Patti Smith's new memoir, M Train, she recounts her time in Michigan with her husband, former MC5 guitarist Fred "Sonic" Smith. In one section she mentions how Fred and her would hop in the car and drive from Detroit and drive 60 or so miles north up the coast and watch the sun rise over Lake Huron.
The milage distance is about where I was raised. Also, the time frame is about the time I was entering my teenage years and getting into "trouble." An older rock dog I know who's family owned a small roadside motel about the same distance as she mentioned and it located on the lake and they stayed there on occasion.
That got me thinking about one morning where I was walking back home at dawn along the beach after an evening of finding out if LSD was everything it was claimed to be. I spotted a quite rock-n-roll looking couple sitting on the sand and watching the sun inch its way up over the horizon. I gave them a glance, thought "that looks a lot like Fred of the MC5 and Patti Smith." Then I figured that since I was still tripping it probably wasn't them and, even if it was, I couldn't really carry on a conversation. So I just waved and went on my way. Now, I am wondering all over again if it was them.
Patti Smith turns 69 years old today.
What are you listening to tonight?
