Jonathan Richman
Encyclopedia
Jonathan Michael Richman (born May 16, 1951) is an 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, unaffected and child-like outlook, and music that, while rooted in rock and roll
, often draws on influences from around the world.
, 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
.
, 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. Many of the group's songs feature 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
" and "Pablo Picasso
" which were eventually released on the group's post-breakup 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
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.
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 January 1976, Richman put together a new version of the Modern Lovers, which included original Modern Lovers drummer, David Robinson
, along with former Rubinoos bassist, 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
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 heard, especially in live performances, of the song "Afternoon."
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.
In the United Kingdom
, 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 Singles Chart
, and its follow-up, the instrumental "Egyptian Reggae", made Number 5 in late 1977. "Egyptian Reggae" was a version of Jamaica
n 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.
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.
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
. He also performed a song called "As We Walk to Fenway Park" for the 2005 Farrelly-directed comedy 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.
In 2003, Richman married Nicole Montalbano of Chico, California
. 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.
and Joan Jett
have covered
"Roadrunner". Boston ska-punk band, Big D and the Kids Table
, have covered "New England" live and on their Gypsy Hill EP
. 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 founding 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. 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.
Richman's music has set the tone for many alternative rock
bands, such as 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"), Brandon Flowers
, 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.
(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)
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singer, songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
and guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
. In 1970 he founded The Modern Lovers
The Modern Lovers
The Modern Lovers were an American rock band led by Jonathan Richman in the 1970s and 1980s. The original band existed from 1970–74 but their recordings were not released until 1976 or later. It featured Richman and bassist Ernie Brooks with drummer David Robinson and keyboardist Jerry Harrison...
, 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, unaffected and child-like outlook, and music that, while rooted in rock and roll
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
, often draws on influences from around the world.
Early life
Born in Natick, MassachusettsNatick, Massachusetts
Natick is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. Natick is located near the center of the MetroWest region of Massachusetts, with a population of 33,006 at the 2010 census. Only west from Boston, Natick is considered part of the Greater Boston area...
, Richman began playing music and writing his own songs in the mid-1960s. He became infatuated with The Velvet Underground
The Velvet Underground
The Velvet Underground was an American rock band formed in New York City. First active from 1964 to 1973, their best-known members were Lou Reed and John Cale, who both went on to find success as solo artists. Although experiencing little commercial success while together, the band is often cited...
, and in 1969 he moved to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, lived on the couch of their manager, Steve Sesnick
Steve Sesnick
Stephen Sesnick was a club owner who served as manager of The Velvet Underground after the band ended their association with Andy Warhol in 1967....
, worked odd jobs and tried to break in as a professional musician. Failing at this, he returned to Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
.
The Modern Lovers
While in Boston, Richman formed The Modern LoversThe Modern Lovers
The Modern Lovers were an American rock band led by Jonathan Richman in the 1970s and 1980s. The original band existed from 1970–74 but their recordings were not released until 1976 or later. It featured Richman and bassist Ernie Brooks with drummer David Robinson and keyboardist Jerry Harrison...
, a proto-punk garage rock
Garage rock
Garage rock is a raw form of rock and roll that was first popular in the United States and Canada from about 1963 to 1967. During the 1960s, it was not recognized as a separate music genre and had no specific name...
band. Other notable members of the group were keyboard player Jerry Harrison
Jerry Harrison
Jerry Harrison is an American songwriter, musician and producer...
and drummer David Robinson
David Robinson (musician)
David Robinson is an American rock drummer. He has performed with many rock bands including The Modern Lovers, DMZ and The Cars.He attended Woburn Memorial High School....
, who later joined Talking Heads
Talking Heads
Talking Heads were an American New Wave and avant-garde band formed in 1975 in New York City and active until 1991. The band comprised David Byrne, Chris Frantz, Tina Weymouth and Jerry Harrison...
and The Cars
The Cars
The Cars are an American rock band that emerged from the early New Wave music scene in the late 1970s. The band consisted of lead singer and rhythm guitarist Ric Ocasek, lead singer and bassist Benjamin Orr, guitarist Elliot Easton, keyboardist Greg Hawkes and drummer David Robinson...
, respectively. Many of the group's songs feature Boston-based topics.
In 1972 they recorded a series of demos with producer John Cale
John Cale
John Davies Cale, OBE is a Welsh musician, composer, singer-songwriter and record producer who was a founding member of the experimental rock band The Velvet Underground....
(formerly of the Velvet Underground). Among these songs were the seminal "Roadrunner
Roadrunner (Jonathan Richman song)
"Roadrunner" is a song written by Jonathan Richman and recorded in various versions by Richman and his band, in most cases credited as The Modern Lovers.Critic Greil Marcus described it as "the most obvious song in the world, and the strangest"...
" and "Pablo Picasso
Pablo Picasso (song)
"Pablo Picasso" is a song written by Jonathan Richman for the proto punk group The Modern Lovers. The song was recorded in 1972 at Whitney Studios in Los Angeles, and produced by John Cale, but was not released until 1976, on the Modern Lovers' self-titled debut album...
" which were eventually released on the group's post-breakup album, The Modern Lovers
The Modern Lovers (album)
The Modern Lovers is the first album recorded by the Boston-based band The Modern Lovers. It was released on Beserkley Records in 1976, although the original nine tracks had been recorded in 1972 . Six of the original tracks were produced by John Cale...
(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
Sister Ray
Sister Ray may mean one of the following:* "Sister Ray", 1968 song by The Velvet Underground* A fictional enormous laser cannon in the video game Final Fantasy VII* Sister Ray , a punk rock band from Youngstown, Ohio...
") at a time when glam
Glam rock
Glam rock is a style of rock and pop music that developed in the UK in the early 1970s, which was performed by singers and musicians who wore outrageous clothes, makeup and hairstyles, particularly platform-soled boots and glitter...
and progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
were the norm.
Later in 1972, the group also recorded with producer Kim Fowley
Kim Fowley
Kim Vincent Fowley is an American record producer, impresario, songwriter, musician, film maker, and radio actor. He is best known for his role behind a string of novelty and cult rock pop singles in the 1960s, and for managing The Runaways in the 1970s...
; 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
Recording contract
A recording contract is a legal agreement between a record label and a recording artist , where the artist makes a record for the label to sell and promote...
. 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
Bermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
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 CaliforniaCalifornia
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
to record as a solo singer/songwriter with Beserkley Records
Beserkley Records
Beserkley Records was an independent record label based in Berkeley, California, from 1973 to 1984. Beserkely is usually regarded as a powerpop & rock and roll label; during the seventies, the band released albums by Earth Quake, Greg Kihn, Jonathan Richman and The Modern Lovers, The Rubinoos, and...
. His first released recordings appeared on 1975's Beserkley Chartbusters compilation, where he was backed by members of Earth Quake
Earth Quake (band)
Earth Quake was an American rock and power pop band, formed in the San Francisco area in 1966, who released several albums in the 1970s, mostly on Beserkley Records, a company which they were involved in setting up.-Band members:*John Doukas...
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
David Robinson (musician)
David Robinson is an American rock drummer. He has performed with many rock bands including The Modern Lovers, DMZ and The Cars.He attended Woburn Memorial High School....
, along with former Rubinoos bassist, 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
Chuck Berry
Charles Edward Anderson "Chuck" Berry is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter, and one of the pioneers of rock and roll music. With songs such as "Maybellene" , "Roll Over Beethoven" , "Rock and Roll Music" and "Johnny B...
'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
The Modern Lovers (album)
The Modern Lovers is the first album recorded by the Boston-based band The Modern Lovers. It was released on Beserkley Records in 1976, although the original nine tracks had been recorded in 1972 . Six of the original tracks were produced by John Cale...
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
Ric Ocasek
Ric Ocasek is an American musician and music producer. He is best known as lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist for the rock band, The Cars....
in forming the band The Cars
The Cars
The Cars are an American rock band that emerged from the early New Wave music scene in the late 1970s. The band consisted of lead singer and rhythm guitarist Ric Ocasek, lead singer and bassist Benjamin Orr, guitarist Elliot Easton, keyboardist Greg Hawkes and drummer David Robinson...
.
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
Carla Bley
Carla Bley, née Borg, is an American jazz composer, pianist, organist and band leader. An important figure in the Free Jazz movement of the 1960s, she is perhaps best known for her jazz opera Escalator Over The Hill , as well as a book of compositions that have been performed by many other...
's band.
Drawing inspiration from such artists as the Art Ensemble of Chicago
Art Ensemble of Chicago
The Art Ensemble of Chicago is an avant-garde jazz ensemble that grew out of Chicago's AACM in the late 1960s. The group continues to tour and record through 2006, despite the deaths of two of the founding members....
, Paul Motian
Paul Motian
Stephen Paul Motian was an American jazz drummer, percussionist and composer of Armenian extraction.He first came to prominence in the late 1950s in the piano trio of Bill Evans, and later led several groups...
and Anthony Braxton
Anthony Braxton
Anthony Braxton is an American composer, saxophonist, clarinettist, flautist, pianist, and philosopher. Braxton has released well over 100 albums since the 1960s...
, 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 heard, especially in live performances, of the song "Afternoon."
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
Live album
A live album is a recording consisting of material recorded during stage performances using remote recording techniques, commonly contrasted with a studio album...
, Modern Lovers Live was released in 1978, featuring Asa Brebner on bass.
In the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, Richman was recognised as a progenitor of the punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
scene, and several of his singles became hits. "Roadrunner" reached Number 11 in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
, and its follow-up, the instrumental "Egyptian Reggae", made Number 5 in late 1977. "Egyptian Reggae" was a version of Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
n musician Earl Zero
Earl Zero
Earl Anthony Johnson , better known as Earl Zero, is a Jamaican reggae singer whose career began in the 1970s.-History:Born 1953 in the Greenwich Town area of Kingston, Johnson was the eldest of ten children, his father a fisherman and his mother a fishmonger...
's reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
song "None Shall Escape the Judgment"; Zero was credited as co-writer on Richman's later versions of the track.
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, MaineAppleton, Maine
Appleton is a town in Knox County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,271 at the 2000 census.-History:The town was named for Samuel Appleton, father-in-law of Amos Lawrence, founder of Lawrence University.-Geography:...
and playing at a local diner in Belfast, Maine
Belfast, Maine
Belfast is a city in Waldo County, Maine, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 6,668. Located at the mouth of the Passagassawakeag River on Penobscot Bay, Belfast is the county seat of Waldo County...
, called Barb's Place. He returned in 1983 with Jonathan Sings!, followed by "Rockin' and Romance" (produced by Andy Paley
Andy Paley
Andy Paley is a noted record producer and musician who has been active since the late 1960s. His work includes stints as a producer for such noted musicians as Madonna, the Ramones, Jonathan Richman, Debbie Harry, Brian Wilson and Jerry Lee Lewis....
and engineered by Daniel Levitin
Daniel Levitin
Professor Daniel J. Levitin, Ph.D. is a prominent American cognitive psychologist, neuroscientist, record producer, musician, and writer...
). 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
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk 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
No Alternative
-Home video track listing:# Matthew Sweet "Superdeformed"#*directed by Kevin Kerslake# Neneh Cherry "Athens, Georgia 1993"#*directed by Jim McKay & Michael Stipe# Urge Overkill "Take a Walk"#*directed by Matt Mahurin...
produced by the Red Hot Organization
Red Hot Organization
Red Hot Organization is a not-for-profit, 501 3, international organization dedicated to fighting AIDS through pop culture.Since its inception in 1989, over 400 artists, producers and directors have contributed to over 15 compilation albums, related television programs and media events to raise...
.
Always possessing an ardent cult following
Cult following
A cult following is a group of fans who are highly dedicated to a specific area of pop culture. A film, book, band, or video game, among other things, will be said to have a cult following when it has a small but very passionate fan base...
, Richman has become better known in recent years thanks to a series of appearances on Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Late Night with Conan O'Brien is an American late-night talk show hosted by Conan O'Brien that aired 2,725 episodes on NBC between 1993 and 2009. The show featured varied comedic material, celebrity interviews, and musical and comedy performances. Late Night aired weeknights at 12:37 am...
.
Another major profile boost was a key part in the Farrelly Brothers
Farrelly brothers
Peter John Farrelly and Robert Leo "Bobby" Farrelly, Jr. , professionally known as the Farrelly Brothers are screenwriters and directors of ten comedy films, including There's Something About Mary; Dumb and Dumber; Kingpin; Hall Pass; Me, Myself & Irene; Shallow Hal; Stuck on You; Osmosis Jones;...
' 1998 film, There's Something About Mary
There's Something About Mary
There's Something About Mary is a 1998 American comedy film, directed by the Farrelly brothers, Bobby and Peter. It stars Cameron Diaz, Matt Dillon and Ben Stiller, and it is a combination of romantic comedy and gross-out film....
, where he played half of a two-man Greek chorus
Greek chorus
A Greek chorus is a homogenous, non-individualised group of performers in the plays of classical Greece, who comment with a collective voice on the dramatic action....
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
Farrelly brothers
Peter John Farrelly and Robert Leo "Bobby" Farrelly, Jr. , professionally known as the Farrelly Brothers are screenwriters and directors of ten comedy films, including There's Something About Mary; Dumb and Dumber; Kingpin; Hall Pass; Me, Myself & Irene; Shallow Hal; Stuck on You; Osmosis Jones;...
film, Kingpin
Kingpin (film)
Kingpin is a 1996 slapstick comedy film directed by the Farrelly brothers and starring Woody Harrelson, Randy Quaid, Vanessa Angel, and Bill Murray...
. He also performed a song called "As We Walk to Fenway Park" for the 2005 Farrelly-directed comedy Fever Pitch
Fever Pitch (2005 film)
Fever Pitch, which was released as The Perfect Catch outside of the United States and Canada, is a 2005 Farrelly brothers romantic comedy film. It is a remake of a 1997 British film of the same name. Both films are loosely based on the Nick Hornby book of the same name, a best-selling memoir in...
.
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
Not So Much to Be Loved as to Love
Not So Much to Be Loved as to Love is an album by Jonathan Richman, released in 2004.-Track listing:#"Not So Much to Be Loved as to Love" – 2:53#"Sunday Afternoon" – 1:18#"Vincent Van Gogh" – 3:05#"Cos veloce" – 3:31...
(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
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
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
Chico, California
Chico is the most populous city in Butte County, California, United States. The population was 86,187 at the 2010 census, up from 59,954 at the time of the 2000 census...
. She contributed backing vocals to the album Not So Much to Be Loved as to Love
Not So Much to Be Loved as to Love
Not So Much to Be Loved as to Love is an album by Jonathan Richman, released in 2004.-Track listing:#"Not So Much to Be Loved as to Love" – 2:53#"Sunday Afternoon" – 1:18#"Vincent Van Gogh" – 3:05#"Cos veloce" – 3:31...
(2004).
He has a daughter, Jenny Rae, from his first marriage. She was a backing vocalist
Backing vocalist
A backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
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". Artists as diverse as the Sex PistolsSex Pistols
The Sex Pistols were an English punk rock band that formed in London in 1975. They were responsible for initiating the punk movement in the United Kingdom and inspiring many later punk and alternative rock musicians...
and Joan Jett
Joan Jett
Joan Jett is an American rock guitarist, singer, songwriter, producer and actress.She is best known for her work with Joan Jett & the Blackhearts including their hit cover "I Love Rock 'n' Roll", which was #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 from March 20 to May 1, 1982, as well as for their other popular...
have covered
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
"Roadrunner". Boston ska-punk band, Big D and the Kids Table
Big D and the Kids Table
Big D and the Kids Table is a ska punk band formed in October 1995 in Allston, Massachusetts when its members converged in college. Their first release was on their own Fork In Hand Records label, but have since teamed with Springman Records and SideOneDummy...
, have covered "New England" live and on their Gypsy Hill EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
. A version of "Pablo Picasso" performed by Burning Sensations
Burning Sensations
Burning Sensations was a short-lived Los Angeles area rock band. The group is best known for its MTV hit "Belly of the Whale", the music for which blends a rather unique fusion of rock and calypso styles, and for covering the Jonathan Richman song "Pablo Picasso", which was included in both the...
was included in the 1984 cult film, Repo Man. David Bowie
David Bowie
David Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
covered "Pablo Picasso" on his album Reality. Velvet Underground founding member John Cale
John Cale
John Davies Cale, OBE is a Welsh musician, composer, singer-songwriter and record producer who was a founding member of the experimental rock band The Velvet Underground....
has a version of the song on his 1975 album, Helen of Troy
Helen of Troy (album)
Helen of Troy is an album by John Cale, the last of three albums for Island Records.This album came out without the consent of Cale, who considered that the tapes were not finished...
, and continues to include the song in his live shows. Iggy Pop
Iggy Pop
Iggy Pop is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Though considered an innovator of punk rock, Pop's music has encompassed a number of styles over the years, including pop, metal, jazz and blues...
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.
Richman's music has set the tone for many alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
bands, such as Violent Femmes
Violent Femmes
Violent Femmes were an American alternative rock band from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, initially active between 1980 and 1987 and again from 1988 to 2009...
, They Might Be Giants
They Might Be Giants
They Might Be Giants is an American alternative rock band formed in 1982 by John Flansburgh and John Linnell. During TMBG's early years Flansburgh and Linnell were frequently accompanied by a drum machine. In the early 1990s, TMBG became a full band. Currently, the members of TMBG are...
("Roadrunner" reportedly inspired John Flansburgh
John Flansburgh
John Conant Flansburgh is an American musician. He is half of the longstanding Brooklyn, New York-based alternative rock duo They Might Be Giants, for which he writes, sings and plays rhythm guitar...
to become a musician), Weezer
Weezer
Weezer is an American alternative rock band. The band currently consists of Rivers Cuomo , Patrick Wilson , Brian Bell , and Scott Shriner . The band has changed lineups three times since its formation in 1992...
, Tullycraft
Tullycraft
Tullycraft is an indie pop band from Seattle, Washington who formed in 1995. They have been associated with the genre of twee, in fact, they are considered to be one of the forefathers of the American twee pop movement alongside Black Tambourine, Tiger Trap, Lois, Honeybunch, and Beat Happening...
, Jens Lekman
Jens Lekman
Jens Martin Lekman is a Swedish musician. His music is guitar-based pop with heavy use of samples and strings, with lyrics that are often witty, romantic, and melancholic. The English lyrics reflect an advanced knowledge of the language and its idioms...
, singer Frank Black
Frank Black
Black Francis is an American singer, songwriter and guitarist. He is best known as the frontman of the influential alternative rock band Pixies, with whom he performs under the stage name Black Francis. Following the band's breakup in 1993, he embarked on a solo career under the name Frank Black...
(who composed the tribute song "The Man Who Was Too Loud"), Brandon Flowers
Brandon Flowers
Brandon Richard Flowers is an American musician, best known as the frontman of the Las Vegas-based rock band The Killers. He has also released a solo album titled Flamingo.-Early life:...
, Art Brut
Art Brut (band)
Art Brut are a Berlin-based English and German indie rock band. Their debut album, Bang Bang Rock & Roll, was released on 30 May 2005, with its follow up, It's a Bit Complicated, released on 25 June 2007...
, Craig Finn
Craig Finn
Craig Finn is an American singer and guitarist. He is best known as the front man for bands Lifter Puller and The Hold Steady. He currently lives in New York City...
of The Hold Steady
The Hold Steady
The Hold Steady is an American indie rock band from Brooklyn, New York, formed in 2004. The band consists of Craig Finn , Tad Kubler , Galen Polivka , Bobby Drake , and Steve Selvidge...
& Lifter Puller
Lifter Puller
Lifter Puller, or LFTR PLLR, was an American indie rock band from the Twin Cities and the Boston area between 1994 and 2000. Their music is considered innovative, with its angular riffs and a synth-infused sound that predated the 80's revival fads of the early 2000s...
and Nerf Herder
Nerf Herder
Nerf Herder is a punk rock band from Santa Barbara formed in 1994 by Parry Gripp , Charlie Dennis and Steve Sherlock . They describe themselves as a "geek rock" band, and are known for simplistic modern punk-style songs with frequently humorous, juvenile and pop-culture-referencing lyrics...
who composed a song about him, titled "Jonathan", which appeared on the band's second album How To Meet Girls
How to Meet Girls
How to Meet Girls is the follow-up to Nerf Herder's self-titled release. The album was released in 2000 on Honest Don's Records. The track Courtney was written about Courtney Love, containing humorous references to her life...
. British country rock band, The Rockingbirds
The Rockingbirds
The Rockingbirds were a British country-rock band, formed in London in 1990. They disbanded in 1995, but reformed in 2008 for the Heavenly Records 18th Anniversary shows...
released the single "Jonathan, Jonathan" in tribute to Richman in 1992.
As a producer himself, Richman and drummer Tommy Larkin produced Vic Chesnutt
Vic Chesnutt
James Victor "Vic" Chesnutt was an American singer-songwriter from Athens, Georgia. His first album, Little, was released in 1990, but his breakthrough to commercial success didn't come until 1996 with the release of Sweet Relief II: Gravity of the Situation, a tribute album of mainstream artists...
's final album Skitter on Take-Off
Skitter on Take-Off
Skitter on Take-Off is an album by Vic Chesnutt, released posthumously in 2010 on Vapor Records.-Track listing:#"Feast in the Time of Plague" – 3:53#"Unpacking My Suitcase" – 3:20#"Dimples" – 4:09#"Rips in the Fabric" – 6:00...
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
School of Rock
School of Rock, also called The School of Rock, is a 2003 American musical comedy film directed by Richard Linklater, written by Mike White, and starring Jack Black...
. In the commentary, director Richard Linklater
Richard Linklater
-Early life:Linklater was born in Houston, Texas. He studied at Sam Houston State University and left midway through his stint in college to work on an off-shore oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico. While working on the rig he read a lot of literature, but on land he developed a love of film through...
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.
Studio albums
- The Modern LoversThe Modern Lovers (album)The Modern Lovers is the first album recorded by the Boston-based band The Modern Lovers. It was released on Beserkley Records in 1976, although the original nine tracks had been recorded in 1972 . Six of the original tracks were produced by John Cale...
(1976) - Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers (1976)
- Rock 'n' Roll with the Modern Lovers (1977)
- Modern Lovers 'Live (1977)
- Back in Your Life (1979)
- The Original Modern Lovers (1981)
- Jonathan Sings!Jonathan Sings!Jonathan Sings! is an album by Jonathan Richman, released by the Sire Records label in 1983. Previously only released in the UK, the track "The Tag Game" was included on the 1993 CD reissue.-Track listing:#"That Summer Feeling" - 3:56...
(1983) - Rockin' & RomanceRockin' & RomanceRockin' & Romance was released in 1985 as part of a two album deal for prolific songwriter Jonathan Richman with Geoff Travis' Rough Trade label. Originally planned for release on Sire, it came out on Twin/Tone Records in the U.S.-Track listing:...
(1985) - It's Time For (1986)
- Modern Lovers 88 (1988)
- Jonathan RichmanJonathan Richman (album)Jonathan Richman is a solo album by Jonathan Richman, released by the Rounder Records label in 1989 and comprising both original material and cover songs. With the exception of "Blue Moon" and "Sleepwalk", the songs were recorded as vocal and guitar solos by Jonathan Richman, who provided...
(1989) - Jonathan Goes Country (1990)
- Having a Party with Jonathan Richman (1991)
- I, JonathanI, JonathanI, Jonathan is an album by Jonathan Richman, released by the Rounder Records label in 1992.-Track listing:#"Parties in the USA" - 4:42#"Tandem Jump" - 2:10#"You Can't Talk To The Dude" - 2:49...
(1992) - ¡Jonathan, Te Vas a Emocionar! (1994)
- You Must Ask the Heart (1995)
- Surrender to Jonathan (1996)
- I'm So Confused (1998)
- Radio On/Stop And Shop With The Modern Lovers (2 on 1) (1998)
- Her Mystery Not of High Heels and Eye Shadow (2001)
- Not So Much to Be Loved as to LoveNot So Much to Be Loved as to LoveNot So Much to Be Loved as to Love is an album by Jonathan Richman, released in 2004.-Track listing:#"Not So Much to Be Loved as to Love" – 2:53#"Sunday Afternoon" – 1:18#"Vincent Van Gogh" – 3:05#"Cos veloce" – 3:31...
(2004) - Revolution SummerRevolution Summer (Soundtrack album)Revolution Summer is a soundtrack album by Jonathan Richman, released by the Vapor Records label in 2007. The music was composed for the film Revolution Summer, directed by Miles Matthew Montalbano...
(2007) - Because Her Beauty Is Raw and WildBecause Her Beauty Is Raw and WildBecause Her Beauty Is Raw and Wild is an album by Jonathan Richman, released in 2008 on Vapor Records.-Track listing:All tracks composed by Jonathan Richman; except where indicated#"Because Her Beauty Is Raw and Wild" – 2:29...
(2008) - ¿ A qué venimos sino a caer ? (2008)
- O Moon, Queen of Night on Earth (2010)
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)
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. RecordsWarner Bros. RecordsWarner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies...
compilation, Troublemakers (1980) - "I Like Gumby"; On the GumbyGumbyGumby is a green clay humanoid character created and modeled by Art Clokey, who also created Davey and Goliath. Gumby has been the subject of a 233-episode series of American television as well as a feature-length film and other media...
compilation album - Jonathan Richman - 1993, contributed "Hot Nights" (live) to the AIDS-Benefit Album No AlternativeNo Alternative-Home video track listing:# Matthew Sweet "Superdeformed"#*directed by Kevin Kerslake# Neneh Cherry "Athens, Georgia 1993"#*directed by Jim McKay & Michael Stipe# Urge Overkill "Take a Walk"#*directed by Matt Mahurin...
produced by the Red Hot OrganizationRed Hot OrganizationRed Hot Organization is a not-for-profit, 501 3, international organization dedicated to fighting AIDS through pop culture.Since its inception in 1989, over 400 artists, producers and directors have contributed to over 15 compilation albums, related television programs and media events to raise...
. - Performs "Stop Your Sobbing" on the 2002 KinksThe KinksThe Kinks were an English rock band formed in Muswell Hill, North London, by brothers Ray and Dave Davies in 1964. Categorised in the United States as a British Invasion band, The Kinks are recognised as one of the most important and influential rock acts of the era. Their music was influenced by a...
tribute album This Is Where I Belong. - Action Packed: The Best Of Jonathan Richman (2002)
- "The Origin of Love" on Wig in a BoxWig in a BoxWig In A Box: Songs from & Inspired by Hedwig and the Angry Inch is a charity tribute album featuring versions of songs from the musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch...
(2003) - "Our Dog Is Getting Older Now"; on the charity album Colours Are BrighterColours Are BrighterColours Are Brighter is a charity record which was released on Rough Trade Records on 16 October 2006, all proceeds going to Save the Children...
(October 2006)
Singles
US issues except where stated- "Roadrunner" / "It Will Stand" (United Artists UP36006, 1975)
- "RoadrunnerRoadrunner (Jonathan Richman song)"Roadrunner" is a song written by Jonathan Richman and recorded in various versions by Richman and his band, in most cases credited as The Modern Lovers.Critic Greil Marcus described it as "the most obvious song in the world, and the strangest"...
" / ("Friday On My MindFriday on My Mind"Friday on My Mind" is a 1966 song by Australian rock group The Easybeats. Written by band members George Young and Harry Vanda, the track became a worldwide hit, reaching #16 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in May 1967 in the US, #1 in Australia and #6 in the UK, as well as charting in several...
" by Earth QuakeEarth Quake (band)Earth Quake was an American rock and power pop band, formed in the San Francisco area in 1966, who released several albums in the 1970s, mostly on Beserkley Records, a company which they were involved in setting up.-Band members:*John Doukas...
) (Beserkley B-4701, 1976) - "Roadrunner (Once)" / "Roadrunner (Twice)" (Beserkley BZZ 1, UK, 1976)
- "Roadrunner" / "Pablo PicassoPablo Picasso (song)"Pablo Picasso" is a song written by Jonathan Richman for the proto punk group The Modern Lovers. The song was recorded in 1972 at Whitney Studios in Los Angeles, and produced by John Cale, but was not released until 1976, on the Modern Lovers' self-titled debut album...
" (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)
Further reading
- Tim Mitchell, There's Something About Jonathan, London: Peter Owen Publishers, 1999, ISBN 0-7206-1076-1
External links
- Simes' Jonathan Richman pages - a comprehensive Jonathan Richman discography
- Jonathan Richman - (in Spanish)
- The Bostonians - article by Keith Gessen
- Oh You're So Silent Jonathan Richman - article by Tony DuShane