Patti Smith tells it exactly as it is in yesterdays Guardian ...
"You get people who say, 'The government won't give me a grant and I can't do my art.' I say, 'Fuck you, it's your own fault, you expect the government to give you a hand? The government is corrupt. Do what it takes. You do babysitting jobs, you work in the factory, you work in the bookstore or become a pickpocket, y'know? But whatever. Get a job.' Work is really good for an artist."
Now I know it might sound like asking you starving/needy artists to walk on a bed of nails or stick your head though a plate-glass window, but please - stop winging about the lack of funding from the Arts Council - stop all that intellectualizing twaddle - put down your pens - stop sitting around moaning about how hard the application forms are - and either get a job, rob a band - or STOP-NOW - thanks !
phew - glad I got that off me chest this morning - now where did I put the remote control and that bag of weed ?
2 comments:
Yeah, Chris and I had a good giggle when we read that too...good for her!
But she's right; if you really wanna do something creative, then you gotta fucking put the hours in. No one's gonna do it for ya.
Bless 'er..."she's still got fire in her belly," as Chris so beautifully put it. I thought she was really cool too about being a mother and a 'housewife'...
Always liked Patti ... always looked great in her army boots and Dread's hat, too.
Wish I'd had a mother like that.
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