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Before recording the 1975 poetic proto-punk classic Horses, Patti Smith and her band honed the tunes in a triumphant run of shows at New York's iconic venue, CBGB. In the studio, producer John Cale then helped the band to further refine the songs in a process that brilliantly showcases their anarchic spirit and primitive beauty. Smith's background as a rock critic and poet is equally in evidence here as heard on the re-imaginings of such warhorses as "Gloria" and "Land of 1000 Dances," where she boldly adds her own provocative and unflinching lyrics to great effect. Horses' influence on the burgeoning punk-rock movement is undeniable and it remains a pillar of the genre as well as one of the finest debuts of all-time!