What is the PMT Triangle?
The PMT Triangle is a reference to (and label for) the creator-trio of Patti Smith, Makell Bird, and Taylor Russell McKenzie. The letters PMT are an acronym, and can also be spelled as P.M.T., whereas the P stands for Patti Smith, the M stands for Makell Bird, and the T stands for Taylor Russell.
Connecting the Dots: How The PMT Triangle Came Into Fruition
Part 1: Taylor Russell Mentioning Patti Smith In Interviews
The earliest documented public mention by Taylor Russell of Patti Smith appears in a November 15, 2019, interview with ELLE magazine, tied to the promotion of her film Waves.
In the piece titled "Everyone Is Talking About Taylor Russell", she discusses Just Kids (Patti Smith's 2010 memoir) as a favorite book she's read about 10 times, notes having a lightning bolt tattoo (inspired by Patti's famous one on her knee, as later confirmed in other interviews), and calls Patti "one of my heroes." She also mentions excitedly heading to see Patti perform live that evening, linked to the promotion of Smith's memoir Year of the Monkey (released earlier that year).
This seems to be the first widely published instance where Taylor explicitly references Patti Smith, her writing, and personal influence. Earlier interviews from 2019 (e.g., a September 2019 Coveteur chat promoting Waves) mention Just Kids briefly in passing as a favorite alongside other books, but without naming Patti Smith directly or elaborating—making the ELLE piece the clearest "first" deep mention.
No earlier public interviews (pre-2019) surface in searches where Taylor names or discusses Patti Smith. Her fandom appears to have crystallized around that time, coinciding with her rising profile post-Waves breakout.
In this interview, from the Dazed Winter 2022 issue, Taylor Russell talks about living by the words of Patti Smith, copying Patti Smith's tattoo, and more.
Part 2: Makell Bird Creates The Taylor Russell MixTape
- On December 17, 2022, Makell Bird mentions Taylor Russell for the first time on his Twitter / X page, right after seeing the movie Bones and All, which was released as a Wide Theatrical Release in the US on November 23, 2022.
- On December 19, 2022, Makell Bird starts creating The Taylor Russell MixTape / PlayList. Making it available on Apple Music, Spotify, and YouTube Music. The playlist features songs that Taylor Russell has stated she likes, in interviews, and on her social media. All other songs on the mixtape / playlist were selected by Makell Bird to "match a certain vibe".
- On January 22, 2023, a press release video drops, announcing that Makell Bird has written a film script with a character / part specifically written for Taylor Russell to perform. The film would have been called "Max Delusion", but it only exists now, in a state of limbo (i.e. yet to be produced).
Part 3: Makell Bird Promotes Patti Smith's Book "Bread of Angels: A Memoir"
Notable Connections
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| Makell Bird mentioning Taylor Russell, on his X page, for the first time |
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Taylor Russell mentioning Patti Smith, in an interview, for the first time
 | | Makell Bird mentioning Patti Smith, on the Maktown Medis subreddit, for the first time |
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