Lenny Kaye Reflects On Memory, Legacy And A Lifetime Of Collecting With “The Things You Leave Behind”

MICHAEL IMPERIOLI TO JOIN KAYE FOR A GRAMMY MUSEUM EVENING AT NYC’S CITY WINERY LOFT ON JUNE 23 - TICKETS HERE

June 16, 2026: “Godfather of garage rock” (NPR Music), Lenny Kaye has shared new track “The Things You Leave Behind,” the final advance offering from his debut solo record Goin’ Local out July 17 via Yep Roc Records. A meditation on collecting, memory and legacy, the song finds Kaye reflecting on what becomes of the objects we accumulate throughout life. "I see ‘The Things You Leave Behind’ as something that resonates with anyone who collects cultural objects and memorabilia. It reflects that instinct to gather things and the question of what to do with them over time," says Kaye. 

Goin’ Local finds the guitarist, author and producer stepping forward with a deeply personal collection written over the course of many years, weaving together a lifetime of experiences and musical explorations into his most personal and fully realized artistic statement yet. “I feel like I’m a new artist,” says Kaye. “I think this album will surprise those who think they know me from what I’ve done previously.”

Listen to “The Things You Leave Behind” here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TJHlOvrrN0 

Pre-save ‘Goin’ Local’ here: https://lennykaye.lnk.to/GoinLocal 

Kaye previously previewed the collection with “Solstice” - which was co-written with Patti Smith and continues an ongoing, multi-decade artistic partnership between them that has encompassed classics from “Free Money” to “Ghost Dance” and “Radio Ethiopia” to “Southern Cross.” Before that, he unveiled title track “Goin’ Local,” which Rolling Stone said “shows off a new side of the legendary musician.” Most recently, Kaye sat down with the legendary David Fricke for a career-spanning interview in MOJO - where he noted that Goin’ Local “affirms [Kaye’s] faith in rock’n’roll and its fundamentals from the robust title track…to the strut and glow of 'Solstice.'" 

For more than half a century, Kaye has remained defiantly uncategorizable. The longest-serving member of the Patti Smith Group, he has also curated the seminal garage rock anthology Nuggets – “one of the most influential compilations ever” (The Guardian) – co-wrote Waylon Jennings’ autobiography, penned music to Allen Ginsberg’s poetry alongside Paul McCartney and Philip Glass - and produced projects for Suzanne Vega, Soul Asylum, Jessi Colter and more. 

On June 23, Kaye will appear in conversation with Emmy-award winning actor, musician and author Michael Imperioli for a special GRAMMY Museum evening at City Winery Loft in NYC, featuring a discussion of Kaye's career, the making of Goin' Local and a performance to follow. Tickets and more info here: https://grammymuseum.org/event/a-new-york-evening-with-lenny-kaye/ 

Later this summer, Kaye will reunite Dave Alvin & Jimmie Dale Gilmore for a series of West Coast dates. He’ll also be performing with the Patti Smith Group at CBGB Festival this September. For more information please visit: https://www.yeproc.com/ 

Lenny Kaye Tour Dates

June 23 - City Winery - New York, NY (GRAMMY Museum event w/ Michael Imperioli)

June 26-27 - Dex Fest - Carrboro, NC

July 11 - Zebulon - Los Angeles, VA (w/ Cindy Lee Berryhill)

July 12 - Lobero Theater - Santa Barbara, CA *

July 14 - The Siren - Morro Bay, CA *

July 15 - Moe's Alley - Santa Cruz, CA *

July 16 - Make-Out Room - San Francisco, CA

July 17 - Harlow's - Sacramento, CA *

July 18 - The Freight - Berkeley, CA *

July 19 - The Ivy Room - Albany, CA (w/ Penelope Houston)

September 18 - Metro - Chicago, IL

September 20 - Riot Fest - Chicago, IL (w/ Patti Smith)

September 26 - CBGB Festival - New York, NY (w/ Patti Smith)

October 3 - Midnight Ramble at Levon Helm Studios - Woodstock, NY

* with Dave Alvin & Jimmie Dale Gilmore

‘Goin Local’ Track List

1. Goin’ Local  

2. This Love  

3. If I Were You

4. Let’s Make a Memory  

5. A Friend Like You  

6. Be That As It May (May Day)  

7. Solstice 

8. World Book Night

9. Pennsylvania Girls

10. Poppy

11. The Things You Leave Behind

12. Yes I Will



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