Save your money on Valentine’s Day. If you really want to impress him/her, you’ll go out the night after. Jonathan Richman, who plays The Grey Eagle Feb. 15, isn’t quite a household name—but, for the past 35-plus years, he’s been chronicling the romantic life of the lonesome geek better than anyone.
Introverted, abashed and childish, Richman’s songs have a way of thawing the crustiest of hearts.
Back in his Modern Lovers days (the mid-‘70s), Richman, with just one album, laid both the foundation for his career and for punk rock itself.
That groundbreaking record was never even meant to be released.
But, as produced by The Velvet Underground’s John Cale, the Modern Lovers’ self-titled debut picked up where VU left off, bringing rock back to its urgent, three-chord roots.
Following the breakup of the Lovers, Richman meandered down his own path, stripping his music to the bare essentials—acoustic guitar, drums and his wholly original, simultaneously-singing-and-speaking voice. While his music became simpler, Richman used it as a platform to experiment with other styles (most notably country, kids’ music and Latin-influenced pop).
And despite his chronic low profile (Richman rarely agrees to interviews and has, according to his record company’s Web site, “no Internet presence”), in 1998, he appeared as one half of the two-man Greek chorus that sung the story in the Farrelly Brothers film There’s Something About Mary.
The movie’s success helped introduce Richman to yet another new generation. And though his hair may be graying, the singer live still exudes that same remarkable balance of spontaneous, childlike charm and wry adult insight. His dancing skills (which he often displays in lieu of guitar playing) might also make an appearance.
So save the roses one more day, buy that box of chocolates on deep discount, and leave the wooing to the master. Because you’re not going to do it better than Richman.
[Freelance writer Jason Bugg is based in Asheville.]
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