Patty Smyth and Scandal to play LPAC
Valley Press Staff Writer
Patty Smyth and Scandal, the New York band that scored hits such as “The Warrior” and “Goodbye to You” and whose videos became a staple on MTV in the ’80s, will take the main stage at 8 p.m., Sept. 27 at the Lancaster Performing Arts Center.
Scandal’s self-titled, gold-certified debut EP came out in 1982. The five-song collection featured the hit songs “Goodbye to You” and “Love’s Got a Line on You.”
In 1984, Scandal released “Warrior,” the band’s only full-length studio album, which included the hit single “The Warrior.”
Smyth continued making music as a solo artist after Scandal broke up.
She released her first solo album, “Never Enough” in 1987. It included the hits “Downtown Train,” a Tom Waits cover and the title track.
Many articles written about Smyth mention her “distinctive voice.”
There is no use trying to describe it when the late Carrie Fisher said it best: “Miss Smyth’s vocational gene pool consists of a male construction worker and a female night club owner.”
Smyth’s 1992 selftitled second solo album featured the hit “Sometimes Love Just Ain’t Enough,” a duet with the Eagles’ Don Henley.
Smyth and Scandal are back together touring on weekends, mostly, as she records new music.
“I’ve been in Nashville a lot, just trying to get everything ready, working out how I’m putting the record out and that kind of stuff,” Smyth said in a telephone interview.
The new album, she said, is a “Patty” record, not a country record.
“I finally found somebody that I thought I could work with that was cool,” Smyth said.
She wrote some new songs and might include a few cover songs.
Smyth would not reveal which cover songs she is considering because she hasn’t recorded them yet.
“I’ll call you back when I cut them,” she said.
Smyth envisioned an
’80s “chick” show where she performs songs that other female singers made popular, such as Pat Benatar and Blondie’s Debbie Harry.
“It would be funny for me to be singing Pat Benatar songs and Blondie songs,” Smyth said.
The LPAC audience can expect to hear the Scandal hit songs along with her solo music.
“You play your hits that’s what you do,” Smyth said. “I like making the crowd happy. It’s always fun when people sing along.”
Tickets cost $39 for orchestra and $34 for balcony. For details visit www.lpac.org, call 661-723-5950, or visit the LPAC box office at 750 West Lancaster Blvd.
To read all of Fisher’s Smyth biography, visit pattysmythscandal.com