Jonathan Richman

Infobox musical artist 2
Name = Jonathan Richman
Background = solo_singer

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Img_capt = Jonathan Richman, Live 1983
Birth_name =
Born = birth date and age|1951|5|16
Origin = Natick, Massachusetts
Genre = Rock
Occupation = Singer, Songwriter, Guitarist
Years_active = 1970 – present

Jonathan Richman (born 16 May 1951) is an American singer, songwriter and guitarist. In 1970 he founded The Modern Lovers, an influential proto-punk band, but since the mid-1970s has worked either solo or with low-key, generally acoustic backing. He is known for his wide-eyed [http://www.popmatters.com/music/concerts/r/richman-jonathan-030624.shtml Concert review] , unaffected (and occasionally near-childlike) lyrical outlook, and music that, while rooted in rock and roll, often draws on influences from around the world.

Biography

Born in Natick, Massachusetts, Richman began playing music and writing his own songs in the mid-1960s. Richman became infatuated with the Velvet Underground, and in 1969 he moved to New York City, living on the couch of their manager, Steve Sesnick, while working odd jobs and trying to break in as a professional musician. Failing at this, he returned to Boston.

In the Greater Boston area he formed "The Modern Lovers", a proto-punk garage rock band. Other notable members of the group were keyboard player Jerry Harrison and drummer David Robinson, who later joined "Talking Heads" and "The Cars", respectively. In 1972 they recorded a series of demos with producer John Cale (formerly of Velvet Underground).

Among these songs were the seminal "Roadrunner" and "Pablo Picasso" which were eventually released on the group's post-breakup album, "Modern Lovers" (1976). The album was unique for its time, featuring Velvets-influenced basic three-chord rock ("Roadrunner" - based on just two chords - is a clear homage to "Sister Ray") at a time when glam and progressive rock were the norm.

Later in 1972 the group also recorded with producer Kim Fowley; these demos were eventually released in 1981 as "The Original Modern Lovers". Despite playing live regularly, the Modern Lovers had a difficult time securing a record deal. By late 1973, Richman wanted to scrap the recorded tracks and start over with a mellower, more lyrical sound, influenced by the laid-back local music he had heard when the band had a residency at the Inverurie Hotel in Bermuda earlier in the year. This stymied efforts to complete a debut album, and led to the breakup of the original Modern Lovers in February 1974.

In 1975, Richman moved to California to record as a solo singer/songwriter with Beserkley Records. His first released recordings appeared on 1975's "Beserkley Chartbusters" compilation, where he was backed by members of Earth Quake and the Rubinoos; these four songs also appeared on singles on the independent Beserkley label.

In early 1976, Richman put together a new version of the Modern Lovers, but all the members were different. The new incarnation were essentially his backing band, and were billed as Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers. The albums produced by the new group found Jonathan turning away from electric rock music towards gentler acoustic textures, with a strong rooting in 50s rock and roll (Chuck Berry's "Back in the USA" was part of his repertoire at this time), while his lyrical focus became more self-consciously childlike and naive. The album, "Jonathan Richman and The Modern Lovers", was released in January 1977, "Rock and Roll with the Modern Lovers" followed a month later, and "Modern Lovers Live" in 1978.

In Great Britain, Richman was recognised as a progenitor of the punk rock scene, and several of his singles became hits - "Roadrunner" reached Number 11 in the UK pop charts, and its follow-up, the instrumental "Egyptian Reggae", made Number 5 in late 1977. "Egyptian Reggae" was a version of Jamaican musician Earl Zero's reggae song "None Shall Escape the Judgment"; Zero was credited as co-writer on Richman's later versions of the track. [ [http://www.originals.be/eng/main.cfm?c=t_new_show&id=8639 The Originals© by Arnold Rypens ] ] [ [http://www.bloodandfire.co.uk/db/viewtopic.php?p=126185&sid=5a89b91624e3b6f1a614ced7ae9571e3 Blood and Fire :: View topic - Egyptian Reggae - Jonathan Richman videoclip ! ] ]

1979's "Back in Your Life" was released under the "Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers" moniker, but only about half the disc featured a backup band — the rest was solo work. This album was probably the most extreme detour by Richman into eclecticism; after the traditional acoustic rock of the previous albums, this one's solo tracks showed off a string bass and glockenspiel as main instruments.

Richman went on sabbatical for a few years staying in Appleton, Maine and playing at a local diner in Belfast,Maine, called Barb's Place. He returned in 1983 with "Jonathan Sings!", followed by "Rockin' and Romance" (produced by Andy Paley and engineered by Daniel Levitin). These were followed up with a series of pop efforts ("It's Time for Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers", and "Modern Lovers 88" from 1985, 1986 and 1988 respectively). After the latter release, the "Modern Lovers" moniker was finally retired, and having begun a true "solo" career, he returned to swooping madly around the musical landscape: country music with 1990's "Jonathan Goes Country", and Spanish translations of his earlier work (as well as traditional Spanish songs) with "Jonathan, Te Vas a Emocionar!" (1993)

In 1994 a cameo in the SNL spin-off film "It's Pat" was left on the cutting-room floor.

Always possessing an ardent cult following, Richman has become better known in recent years thanks to a series of appearances on fan Conan O'Brien's show.

Another major profile boost was a key part in the Farrelly Brothers hugely successful 1998 film, "There's Something About Mary", where he played half of a two-man Greek chorus that commented on the plot while performing in the framed action itself - Jonathan is shot at the end of the movie. He also appeared briefly in a bar scene in a previous Farrelly Brothers film, "Kingpin".

He has continued his release schedule all along, with "You Must Ask the Heart" (1995), "Surrender to Jonathan" (1996), "I'm So Confused" (1998), "Her Mystery Not of High Heels and Eye Shadow" (2001), and. In 1998 a live album of Modern Lovers recordings from the early 1970s was released, "Live at the Long Branch & More". There is also a DVD of a live performance "Take me to the Plaza" (2002).

In live 'solo' shows, he frequently tours with drummer Tommy Larkins, the other part of the two-man chorus mentioned above. Richman makes use of the flexibility allowed by the two-man format to keep his shows loose and spontaneous, frequently punctuating his songs with extemporaneous ruminations on life and love, on-the-spot transpositions of songs into any of five languages (English, Spanish, French, Italian and Hebrew), and unaccompanied dancing.

In 2003, Richman married Nicole Montalbano of Chico, California. [ [http://www.montalbano.org/Family_Tree/aqwg03.htm Descendants of Peter Montalbano - aqw03.htm ] ] [ [http://www.newsreview.com/chico/Content?oid=oid%3A25206 CN&R > Music > '2 big sets, 2 big nights' > 01.30.03 ] ] She contributed backing vocals to the album "Not So Much To Be Loved As To Love" (2004).

Influence

Richman's work with the first incarnation of Modern Lovers is a major influence on punk rock. One critic called him the "Godfather of Punk". [ [http://archive.salon.com/people/bc/2001/09/04/richman/index.html "Brilliant Careers: Jonathan Richman"] , "Salon", September 4, 2001.] Artists as diverse as the Sex Pistols and Joan Jett have covered "Roadrunner". Simple Minds' early work contains a track called "Pablo Picasso" with similar chorus lyrics. A version of "Pablo Picasso" performed by Burning Sensations was included in the 1984 cult film, "Repo Man". David Bowie covered "Pablo Picasso" on his album "Reality". Velvet Underground founder member John Cale has a version of the song on his 1975 album, "Helen of Troy", and continues to include the song in his live shows.

Richman's music has set the tone for many quirky college rock acts like Violent Femmes, They Might Be Giants ("Roadrunner" reportedly inspired John Flansburgh to become a musician), Weezer, Tullycraft, Jens Lekman, singer Frank Black (who composed the tribute song "The Man Who Was Too Loud"), Art Brut, and Nerf Herder who composed a song about him, titled "Jonathan". It appeared on the band's second album "How To Meet Girls".

"Roadrunner" is on the soundtrack of "School of Rock". In the commentary, director Richard Linklater mentions it is often called "the first punk song" and wanted to include it for that reason, along with all the other seminal rock songs in that film.

A tribute album, "If I Were a Richman: a Tribute to the Music of Jonathan Richman", was released by Wampus Multimedia in 2001.

Discography

The Modern Lovers

* "The Modern Lovers" (1976)
* "The Original Modern Lovers" (1981)

Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers

* "Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers" (1976)
* "Rock 'n' Roll with the Modern Lovers" (1977)
* "Modern Lovers 'Live"' (1977)
* "Back in Your Life" (1979)
* "Jonathan Sings!" (1983)
* "Rockin' & Romance" (1985)
* "It's Time For" (1986)
* "Modern Lovers 88" (1988)

Jonathan Richman

* "Beserkley Chartbusters Vol. 1" (Compilation, 4 songs) (1975)
* "Jonathan Richman" (1989)
* "Jonathan Goes Country" (1990)
* "Having a Party with Jonathan Richman" (1991)
* "I, Jonathan" (1992)
* "¡Jonathan, Te Vas a Emocionar!" (1994)
* "You Must Ask the Heart" (1995)
* "Surrender to Jonathan" (1996)
* "I'm So Confused" (1998)
* "Her Mystery Not of High Heels and Eye Shadow" (2001)
* "Not So Much to Be Loved as to Love" (2004)
* "Because Her Beauty Is Raw and Wild" (2008)
* "¿ A qué venimos sino a caer ?" (2008)

Compilations

* "I'm Straight" and "Government Center", from the Modern Lovers' Kim Fowley-produced Beserkley sessions, first appeared on the Warner Bros. Records compilation, "Troublemakers" (1980)
* "Our Dog Is Getting Older Now"; on the charity album "Colours Are Brighter" (October 2006)
* "Original Soundtrack to the Film Revolution Summer" (2007)
* "I Like Gumby"; On the "Gumby" compilation album - Jonathan Richman
* performs "Stop Your Sobbing" on the 2002 Kinks tribute album "This Is Where I Belong".
* "The Origin of Love" on "Wig in a Box" (2003)

Live albums

* "Live at the Longbranch Saloon" (1992)
* "Precise Modern Lovers Order" (1994)
* "Live at the Longbranch and More" (1998)(These three live albums are from the same three 1971-3 performances, but add and subtract a few different songs. The last two, combined, contain all the songs).

ingles

US issues except where stated
* "Roadrunner" / ("Friday On My Mind" by Earth Quake) (Beserkley B-4701, 1975)
* "Roadrunner" / "It Will Stand" (United Artists UP36006, 1975)
* "Roadrunner (Once)" / "Roadrunner (Twice)" (Beserkley BZZ 1, UK, 1976)
* "Roadrunner" / "Pablo Picasso" (Beserkley PA-205, 1976)
* "New England" / "Here Come The Martian Martians" (Beserkley B-5743, 1976)
* "Egyptian Reggae" / "Ice Cream Man" (Beserkley 6.12 217, 1977)
* "Egyptian Reggae" / "Rollercoaster By The Sea" (Beserkley BZZ 2, UK, 1977)
* "The Morning Of Our Lives (Live)" / "Roadrunner (Thrice) (Live)" (Beserkley BZZ 7, UK, 1977)
* "New England (Live)" / "Astral Plane (Live)" (Beserkley BZZ 14, UK, 1978)
* "Abdul and Cleopatra" / "Astral Plane (Live)" (Beserkley 11813, 1978)
* "Abdul and Cleopatra" / "Oh Carol" (Beserkley BZZ 19, UK, 1978)
* "Buzz, Buzz, Buzz" / "Abdul and Cleopatra" (Beserkley 6.12 311, 1978)
* "Buzz, Buzz, Buzz" / "Hospital (Live)" (BZZ 25, UK, 1978)
* "My Little Kookenhaken" / "Roadrunner (Thrice) (Live)" (Beserkley 11819, 1978)
* "South American Folk Song (Live)" / "Ice Cream Man (Live)" (1978)
* "Lydia" / "Important In Your Life" (BZZ 28, UK, 1979)
* "That Summer Feeling" / "This Kind Of Music" (1984)
* "That Summer Feeling" / "This Kind Of Music" / "Tag Game" (Rough Trade RTT 152, UK, 1984)
* "I'm Just Beginning To Live" / "Circle I" (1985)
* "I'm Just Beginning To Live" / "Circle I" / "Shirin and Fahrad" (Rough Trade RTT 154, UK, 1985)
* "California Desert Party" / "When Harpo Played His Harp" (DRD 1D474, Spain, 1988)
* "Egyptian Reggae" / "Roadrunner" (1989)

References

Further reading

* Tim Mitchell, "There's Something About Jonathan", London: Peter Owen Publishers, 1999, ISBN 0-7206-1076-1

External links

* [http://www.rockinboston.com Boston Rock Storybook] - Interviews with Jonathan and articles on the Modern Lovers and JR by Jonathan's friend, author and songwriter Joe Harvard
* [http://www.sjrp.org Simes' Jonathan Richman pages] - a comprehensive Jonathan Richman discography
* [http://jojofiles.blogspot.com/ jojoblog - Unofficial Jonathan Richman fan blog]
* [http://www.modernlovers.com modernlovers.com]
* [http://homepage.mac.com/ramonrempel/JoJo/index.html The (unofficial) Jonathan Richman chords & lyrics site]
* [http://www.frankwu.com/JRlyrics.html Another Jonathan Richman lyrics site, with corrections and annotations]
* [http://freespace.virgin.net/daniel.howard1/tml/lb.htm Comparison of contents of original Modern Lovers' live albums]
* [http://www.vaporrecords.com Vapor Records] Jonathan Richman's current (2007) label
* [http://madridmusic.com/jonathan-richman/ Jonathan Richman (web en español)]
* [http://music.guardian.co.uk/pop/story/0,,2277684,00.html The Bostonians - article by Keith Gessen]
* [http://crawdaddy.wolfgangsvault.com/Article.aspx?id=1185 Oh You're So Silent Jonathan Richman] - article by Tony DuShane