Unknown Known
Unknown Known is a photo series consisting of musicians both known and unknown. The series is designed to put musicians of all levels on a level playing field sharing one thing they all have in common, the love of music. Some of the known musicians are pioneers in their field. The three that stand out are Patti Smith, David Byrne, and Lee Scratch Perry.
Patti Smith was influenced by William S. Burroughs and Allen Ginsberg a generation before her. Arthur Rimbaud and Willian Blake several generations before her. An Artist's exploration, the time the mid-1970's NYC, gave birth to her poetry being set to music as punk was birthed and her expression was formed.
David Byrne for his punk and post-punk sensibility which seemed to be happening simultaneously while he fronted the Talking Heads, NYC. David Byrne's solo work may be as influential as the Talking Heads.
Then there is Lee Scratch Perry who innovative not only styles of Jamaican Reggae music from Rock Steady to Dub through his recording studio The Black Arch Studio. Lee Scratch Perry's exploration of sound and vibrations as an engineer and also as a performer who pioneered the genre that would later influence the British Punks.