Elon Musk & Patti Smith: Say What?

Diametrically Opposite Humans Collide in My Universe

I sold all my Tesla stock yesterday because I hold Elon Musk responsible for making this election closer than it ought to be, resulting in significant societal anxiety and delayed decision-making for many. This includes the agents and managers we’re working with to confirm talent for the Patti Smith tribute on March 26, 2025, at Carnegie Hall. For nearly 20 years, my strategy has been to announce about ten confirmed acts next week, just four months before the show. Yet, the world hesitates, waiting for the outcome of next week’s election, which is putting a pause on many decisions—from the wars in Ukraine and Israel to investment choices and artist bookings. Yes, touring decisions, recording schedules, and album releases are all on hold as we await our next President.

The election should be a grand slam, like the Yankees' remarkable performance last night in the eighth inning, with our designated hitter Kamala—a litigator—up against a convicted perpetrator. However, it’s not. Big money and numerous followers are pushing Musk and others to support the wrong side of history, and this is affecting my show, damn it. (I realize I'm being myopic; it’s impacting more than just me and the 2,800 people who will fill Carnegie Hall—just making a point.)

There is a price for integrity—doing the right thing, even if it doesn’t serve our financial interests. Selling my stock may not seem significant; I purchased most of it in 2014, over a decade ago, and I've profited well from it. It split twice, steadily increasing and multiplying in value. I’m not a day trader; I don’t have the time for that, and perhaps it was short-sighted, but I had enough yesterday. I believed in Tesla's business plan and its founder/CEO when I invested ten years ago, but not anymore!!

I had a huge admiration for Elon starting in 2012. In fact, in 2015, I went to great lengths to secure a breakfast meeting with his brother, Kimbal Musk. Kimbal sits on the boards of both Tesla and SpaceX, and he runs a really cool restaurant project called The Kitchen, which sources local ingredients from community gardens to help low-income children learn about agriculture. Good stuff. I even had the chutzpah to ask him to bump me up on the waiting list for the first version of Tesla Model X during our second meal together, as I was fully committed to EVs, and at the time, this car and its network of charging stations were incredibly ahead of their time. He obliged—thank you, Kimbal! His email was a spacex.com address; how cool is that?

I proudly supported and extolled all things Musk: The Boring Company, Starlink, SolarCity, Neuralink, and of course, SpaceX and Tesla. He created a brilliant constellation of concepts, solidifying his status as one of the great industrialists of our generation. I defended him until I read Walter Isaacson’s biography on Elon over a year ago. I bought copies for my children, but I now question that decision as my two sons are part of the “young men bro culture” who still revere him and may inadvertently support the Republican agenda. They are quintessential young entrepreneurs, navigating the delicate balance between financial success and ethical integrity. (For clarity, I need to emphasize they’re voting for Kamala, but Elon’s strong endorsement has certainly muddled their perspectives.)

This confusion extends to all of us. Is Musk willing to support Trump, driven solely by the lure of government contracts to further enhance his already staggering $270 billion fortune, making him the richest person in the world? Having read Isaacson’s book, it’s clear there are deeper motivations at play, and Elon is undeniably very intelligent. Even after listening to his first interview on the Joe Rogan podcast in 2018—recommended by my sons—he clearly was brilliant, albeit with an extreme edge. While his exploration of psychedelics, vast knowledge in various sciences, and deep thoughts on AI might contribute to some mental confusion, I never anticipated he would rationalize supporting someone as morally questionable as Don the Con.

Many have been swayed, and this election is generating tremendous agitation. It’s forced me to juxtapose Patti Smith and Elon Musk in the same headline, even though they clearly stand on opposite sides of integrity. Patti stands as one of the preeminent artists of our time, championing important causes and creating beauty, while Elon, the embodiment of capitalist ambition, appears to be using his power for increasingly selfish reasons.

Patti’s poignant lyrics in her iconic song “People Have the Power” serve as a powerful reminder of our individual and collective strength. It’s timely and critical—we hold the power in our democracy to vote and make the right choice next week. Even the richest person has less power than we do when united.  The lyrics evoke a timeless belief in the potential for collective action to catalyze meaningful change and inspire a vision of unity that transcends individual ambitions.  We can do this!

 I was dreaming in my dreaming
Of an aspect bright and fair
And my sleeping it was broken
But my dream it lingered near
In the form of shining valleys
Where the pure air recognized
And my senses newly opened
I awakened to the cry
That the people have the power
To redeem the work of fools
From the meek the graces shower
It’s decreed the people rule

People have the power
People have the power
People have the power
People have the power

Vengeful aspects became suspect
And bending low as if to hear
And the armies ceased advancing
Because the people had their ear
And the shepherds and the soldiers
And they lay among the stars
Exchanging visions
And laying arms
To waste in the dust
In the form of shining valleys
Where the pure air recognized
And my senses newly opened
I awakened to the cry

People have the power
People have the power
People have the power
People have the power

Where there were deserts
I saw fountains
Like cream the waters rise
And we strolled there together
With none to laugh or criticize
And the leopard
And the lamb
Lay together truly bound
I was hoping in my hoping
To recall what I had found
I was dreaming in my dreaming
God knows a purer view
As I lay down to my sleeping
I commit my dream to you

People have the power
People have the power
People have the power
People have the power

The power to dream to rule
To wrestle the earth from fools
It’s decreed the people rule
It’s decreed the people rule
I believe everything we dream
Can come to pass through our union
We can turn the world around
We can turn the earth’s revolution
We have the power
People have the power
People have the power
People have the power

The power to dream to rule
To wrestle the earth from fools
It’s decreed the people rule
It’s decreed the people rule

We have the power
We have the power
The people have the power
We have the power