
Patti Smith and My Bloody Valentine 's Kevin Shields have set July 11 as the release date for their double-disc live performance of "The Coral Sea," Smith's homage to her friend photographer Robert Mapplethorpe, who died in 1989.
"The Coral Sea" also is the title of Smith's 1996 book which features the meditation on Mapplethorpe--as well as being illustrated by his photos, according to a press release.
The spoken word requiem, with Shields accompanying Smith on guitars and effects, was recorded in June 2005 and September 2006 at sold-out performances at the QEH in London.