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Wave (May 1979) - Patti Smith Group

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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"?

-- October 30. 2005 (DDT)

Wave Original Album Tracks

1. Frederick
2. Dancing Barefoot
3. So You Want to Be (A Rock 'N&39; Roll Star)
4. Hymn
5. Revenge
6. Citizen Ship
7. Seven Ways of Going
8. Broken Flag
9. Wave

More Patti Smith Group at Deaconlight.com

• Patti Smith - Horses (1975)
  Album Commentary
• Patti Smith - Radio Ethiopia (1976)
  Album Notes