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Biography
Infobox musical artist | name =Jonathan Richman| image =JonathanRichman.jpg| alt =| caption =Live at the Blind Pig, Ann Arbor| image_size =| background =solo_singer| birth_name =| alias =| birth_date =birth date and age|mf=yes|1951|5|16| origin = Natick, Massachusetts , United States | instrument = Guitarist , Singer|vocalist , saxophonist | genre = Rock music|Rock , New wave music|New wave , proto-punk , singer-songwriter | occupation = Musician , songwriter | years_active =1970 – present| label = Beserkley Records | associated_acts = The Modern Lovers | website =| notable_instruments = Jonathan Michael Richman http://www.ascap.com/ACE/search.cfm? requesttimeout=300& mode=results& searchstr=7849275& search_in=c& search_type=exact& search_det=t,s,w,p,b,v& results_pp=20& start=1 ASCAP records for Jonathan Richman (born May 16, 1951) is an United States|American singer , songwriter and guitarist . In 1970 he founded The Modern Lovers , an influential proto-punk band. Since the mid-1970s, Richman 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 at Popmatters.com unaffected and child-like outlook, and music that, while rooted in rock and roll , often draws on influences from around the world.
Biography
Early life
Born in Natick, Massachusetts , Richman began playing music and writing his own songs in the mid-1960s. He became infatuated with The Velvet Underground , and in 1969 he moved to New York City , lived on the couch of their manager, Steve Sesnick , worked odd jobs and tried to break in as a professional musician. Failing at this, he returned to Boston .
The Modern Lovers
main|The Modern LoversWhile in Boston, Richman 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 (musician)|David Robinson , who later joined Talking Heads and The Cars , respectively. Many of the group's songs feature List of songs about Boston|Boston-based topics.
In 1972 they recorded a series of demos with producer John Cale (formerly of the Velvet Underground ). Among these songs were the seminal " Roadrunner (Jonathan Richman song)|Roadrunner " and " Pablo Picasso (song)|Pablo Picasso " which were eventually released on the group's post-breakup album, The Modern Lovers (album)|The Modern Lovers (August, 1976). The album was unique for its time, featuring Velvets-influenced basic three-chord rock ("Roadrunner" — based on just two chords — is an homage to " Sister Ray ") at a time when glam rock|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 recording contract . By late 1973, Richman wanted to scrap the recorded tracks and start again 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.
Jonathan Richman and The Modern Lovers
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 (band)|Earth Quake and the Rubinoos; these four songs also appeared on singles on the independent Beserkley label.
In January 1976, Richman put together a new version of the Modern Lovers, which included original Modern Lovers drummer, David Robinson (musician)|David Robinson , along with former Rubinoos bassist, http://www.dilberto.com Greg 'Curly' Keranen and Leroy Radcliffe, on guitar. The albums produced by the new group found Richman turning away from electric rock music towards gentler acoustic textures, with a strong rooting in 1950s rock and roll ( Chuck Berry 's "Back in the USA" was part of his repertoire).
The album, Jonathan Richman and The Modern Lovers , was released in May, 1976 (three months before the earlier The Modern Lovers (album)|The Modern Lovers sessions were finally released) but David Robinson left the group soon thereafter, due to frustration with Richman's quest for lower volume levels, and joined with Ric Ocasek in forming the band The Cars .
After several months as a trio, Richman found a new drummer, D. Sharpe (aka David) - an accomplished avant garde jazz player on the Boston scene, who later went on to become a member of pianist Carla Bley 's band.
Drawing inspiration from such artists as the Art Ensemble of Chicago , Paul Motian and Anthony Braxton , D. Sharpe replaced the traditional rock and roll drum kit with an eclectic assortment of percussion instruments, including a large African three-legged drum covered in zebra skin; a 1947 De Soto automobile hub-cap (cum snare drum); a rack full of various pot lids and bells hanging on strings; exotic cymbals with many tonal 'imperfections'; frequent use of mallets instead of drumsticks, and brushes with which he would sometimes simply 'play the air' (i.e., without hitting anything else), as could be felt more than heardCitation needed|date=June 2009, especially in live performances, of the song "Afternoon." http://jojofiles2.blogspot.com/2007/05/interview-15-greg-curly-keranen.html Jojofiles2.blogspot.com
Rock and Roll with the Modern Lovers was released in 1977 and, just as this record began to climb the charts in Europe, Keranen left the group (to attend college). A subsequent live album , Modern Lovers Live was released in 1978, featuring Asa Brebner on bass.
Back in Your Life was released in 1979 under the "Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers" moniker, but only about half the disc featured a backup band. The rest was solo work.
Solo
Following the Modern Lovers' final breakup, 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 brace of pop efforts (''It's Time for Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers , and Modern Lovers 88'' from 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 a variety of musical genres: country music with 1990's Jonathan Goes Country , and Spanish translations of his earlier work (as well as traditional Spanish language songs) with Jonathan, Te Vas a Emocionar! (1993).
In 1993, he contributed the track "Hot Nights" to the AIDS-Benefit Album No Alternative produced by the Red Hot Organization .
Always possessing an ardent cult following , Richman has become better known in recent years thanks to a series of appearances on '' Late Night with Conan O'Brien .
Another major profile boost was a key part in the Farrelly Brothers ' 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. He also appeared briefly in a bar scene in a previous Farrelly Brothers film, Kingpin (film)|Kingpin . He also performed a song called "As We Walk to Fenway Park" for the 2005 Farrelly-directed comedy Fever Pitch (2005 film)|Fever Pitch .
Richman 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 Not So Much to Be Loved as to Love (2004). 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.
Personal life
His first marriage was to Gail Clook of Vermont, in 1983. This ended in divorce sometime shortly before the release of Surrender to Jonathan (1996).
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).
He has a daughter, Jenny Rae, from his first marriage. She was a backing vocalist on 2004's Not So Much To Be Loved As To Love .
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 cover version|covered "Roadrunner". Boston ska-punk band, Big D and the Kids Table , have covered "New England" live and on their Gypsy Hill Extended play|EP . A version of "Pablo Picasso" performed by Burning Sensations was included in the 1984 cult film, Repo Man (film)|Repo Man . David Bowie covered "Pablo Picasso" on his album Reality (David Bowie album)|Reality . Velvet Underground founding member John Cale has a version of the song on his 1975 album, Helen of Troy (album)|Helen of Troy , and continues to include the song in his live shows. Iggy Pop has performed "Pablo Picasso" live and wrote an extra verse for it. Echo and the Bunnymen covered "She Cracked" in concert in 1984 and 1985 and Siouxsie and the Banshees have a version of the song on Downside Up .
Richman's music has set the tone for many alternative rock bands, such as Violent Femmes , Galaxie 500 , 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"), Brandon Flowers , Art Brut (band)|Art Brut , Craig Finn of The Hold Steady & Lifter Puller and Nerf Herder who composed a song about him, titled "Jonathan", which appeared on the band's second album How To Meet Girls . British country rock band, The Rockingbirds released the single "Jonathan, Jonathan" in tribute to Richman in 1992.
As a producer himself, Richman and drummer Tommy Larkin produced Vic Chesnutt 's final album Skitter on Take-Off in 2009 which appeared on Vapor Records. Chesnutt opened for Richman at concerts many times during his later years.
"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
Studio albums
The Modern Lovers (album)|The Modern Lovers (1976)
(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)
Compilations
Beserkley Chartbusters Vol. 1 (Compilation, four songs) (1975)
"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)
"I Like Gumby"; On the Gumby compilation album - Jonathan Richman
1993, contributed "Hot Nights" (live) to the AIDS-Benefit Album No Alternative produced by the Red Hot Organization .
Performs "Stop Your Sobbing" on the 2002 The Kinks|Kinks tribute album This Is Where I Belong .
Action Packed: The Best Of Jonathan Richman (2002)
"The Origin of Love" on Wig in a Box (2003)
"Our Dog Is Getting Older Now"; on the charity album Colours Are Brighter (October 2006)
Singles
US issues except where stated
"Roadrunner" / "It Will Stand" (United Artists UP36006, 1975)
" Roadrunner (Jonathan Richman song)|Roadrunner " / (" Friday On My Mind " by Earth Quake (band)|Earth Quake ) (Beserkley B-4701, 1976)
"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)cite book
| first= Martin C. | last= Strong | year= 2000 | title= The Great Rock Discography | edition= 5th | publisher= Mojo Books | location= Edinburgh | pages= 814–815 | isbn= 1-84195-017-3
References
Reflist
Further reading
Tim Mitchell, ''There's Something About Jonathan , London: Peter Owen Publishers, 1999, ISBN 0-7206-1076-1
External links
http://www.sjrp.org Simes' Jonathan Richman pages - a comprehensive Jonathan Richman discography
http://madridmusic.com/jonathan-richman/ Jonathan Richman - (in Spanish)
http://music.guardian.co.uk/pop/story/0,,2277684,00.html The Bostonians - article by Keith Gessen
http://www.crawdaddyarchive.com/index.php/2007/05/23/oh-you-re-so-silent-jonathan-richman/ Oh You're So Silent Jonathan Richman - article by Tony DuShane
Persondata | NAME =Richman, Jonathan | ALTERNATIVE NAMES = | SHORT DESCRIPTION = | DATE OF BIRTH =May 16, 1951 | PLACE OF BIRTH = | DATE OF DEATH = | PLACE OF DEATH = DEFAULTSORT:Richman, Jonathan Category:1951 births Category:Living people Category:People from Natick, Massachusetts Category:American rock singers Category:American male singers Category:Songwriters from Massachusetts Category:American rock guitarists Category:Musicians from Massachusetts Category:The Modern Lovers members Category:Protopunk musicians Category:Jewish American musicians
