Although this record overall doesn't hit me as strongly as Patti Smith's first two records, Horses and Radio Ethiopia, it does have one of my all-time favorite Patti Smith songs - "Dancing Barefoot."

This record was out during that strange window in time at WKZL before the station became "North Carolina's Best Rock." It was a mix between Top 40 and rock and whatever. Since it was the only so-called rock FM station in the area, it was KZL or nothing in Winston-Salem/Greensboro, unless you could pick up WQDR in Raleigh. Now I am, of course talking commercial radio stations here. Deaconlight was always the best around. But Deaconlight didn't start until 11:00 at night.

I remember we had "Frederick" from this record included in the playlist at KZL in pretty heavy rotation. That song, along with tunes by Elvis Costello, Joe Jackson, Nick Lowe, and a handful of other decent pop artists, made it an interesting time to be on the air. I had this great hope that radio would actually get good.

But then all the generic junk started coming in and watering down the good stuff.

I worked at that version of KZL from August 1978 to August 1979. Sometime between then and when I returned in 1982 is when Bob Brown sold the station to, was it Nationwide? I remember the "North Carolina's Best Rock" format (under the direction of the Burkhart/Abrams radio consultancy) was around for awhile before I returned in 1982. By then there was no Patti Smith, no Elvis Costello, no Joe Jackson, etc. played until I started the New Generation show there.

Anyway, this Todd Rundgren-produced LP was Patti's last before taking a break from recording to dedicate herself to her family. You think the title is a goodbye "wave"?

-- 30 October 2005 (DD)

Other Patti Smith Group Records on Deaconlight.com