“No-one had brought an electric guitar in the church before… it caused a bit of a stir”: Patti Smith on her controversial first gig – and why rock belongs to the people

Patti Smith playing an acoustic guitar.

Multidisciplinary artist and punk-rock pioneer Patti Smith is receiving renewed interest after being name-dropped on Taylor Swift's new album, The Tortured Poets Department.

In a 2023 interview with Harvard Business Review, Smith talked about how she used instruments – including the electric guitar – to convey her unique brand of punk poetry, which continues to inspire generations of artists.