I think it is totally safe to say that there is no other artist out there like Jonathan Richman. While a great deal of his songs about dancing, UFOs, martians, or the old corner store can seem embarrassing or just plain goofy, he is considered by many to be an absolute genius. His music is simply impossible to listen to without breaking into a smile, and in concert his sweet presence and heartfelt performances are sure to nudge sensitivity and sheer joy out of even the most hardened, cynical punk or hipster. Everyone needs a bit of that in their life, don’t they?
Massachusetts-bred Richman has been making music since the early ’70s. Co-founder of the legendary Modern Lovers (1970-74), a band credited with creating the sounds that led to a great deal of the punk rock, new wave, alternative and indie rock music of later decades (during the Sex Pistols first rehearsal they played a Modern Lovers’ song, Road Runner), Richman has an impressive 22 full-length records to his credit (not to mention his treetop musical interludes in There’s Something About Mary). He’s a magical being who sings in five languages, dances without shame, and is determined to make music quiet enough to never “hurt a baby’s ears.” He was a geek who reveled in his geekness long before it became cool to do so.
Is he crazy? You be the judge. But what does it really matter anyway …
