| The Coral Sea | |
| Type: | live |
| Artist: | Patti Smith and Kevin Shields |
| Cover: | The Coral Sea - Patti Smith and Kevin Shields.jpg |
| Recorded: | June 22, 2005 (CD1) September 12, 2006 (CD2) |
| Venue: | Queen Elizabeth Hall, London |
| Genre: | Spoken word |
| Length: | 64:39 (CD1), 54:43 (CD2), 119:22 (Total) |
| Label: | PASK |
| Producer: | Patti Smith, Kevin Shields |
| Chronology: | Patti Smith live albums |
| Prev Title: | Horses/Horses |
| Prev Year: | 2005 |
| Next Title: | Outside Society |
| Next Year: | 2011 |
The Coral Sea is a live recording of two performances by Patti Smith and Kevin Shields from 2005 and 2006.[1] The set consists of Smith's homage to the photographer, her friend and former lover Robert Mapplethorpe, and consists of the text of her epic 1996 poem of the same title. Shields accompanies in an improvisational manner on guitar.
The performances were recorded on June 22, 2005 and September 12, 2006 (with a third, unreleased performance the previous night) at Queen Elizabeth Hall on London's South Bank. In terms of music the two performances are stylistically different, but the words remain the same. The poem tells the story of M (Mapplethorpe) on a final voyage to see the stars of the Southern Cross before he dies.
See main article: The Coral Sea (book).
All personnel credits adapted from The Coral Seas liner notes.[2]
| Region | Date | Format | Label | Catalog |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom[3] | July 7, 2008 | 2xCD | Cargo | |
| United States[4] | July 8, 2008 | PASK | 001 |