yeah he's got a lot of gems strewn across his career. he probably needs a well-chosen box set or something (i know he 's got several "best ofs") ...
― tylerw, Friday, 8 May 2009 20:30 (fourteen years ago) link
The gf was doing some travel for him and she asked him, in passing, if he'd write an autograph for a fan she knew. He said yes but she thought, 'He'll never remember, whatevs.' Two weeks later she got the autograph. He'd forgotten or misplaced the name but it was an original and sincere sentiment written down, not just a signature nor boilerplate.
I saw him in '84 in London, opening for Orange Juice. Good show.
― Le présent se dégrade, d'abord en histoire, puis en (Michael White), Friday, 8 May 2009 20:49 (fourteen years ago) link
Gah that's awesome. So jealous.
― a sweet ballet dancer (ENBB), Saturday, 9 May 2009 04:41 (fourteen years ago) link
Every once in a while I like to pop on Roadrunner when I am heading to Stop and Shop. It's like having my own personal narrator.
― a sweet ballet dancer (ENBB), Saturday, 9 May 2009 04:42 (fourteen years ago) link
maybe one day i'll be dignified
― Admin Lolg (PappaWheelie V), Saturday, 9 May 2009 04:51 (fourteen years ago) link
^^^nice
― that's not my post, Saturday, 9 May 2009 05:33 (fourteen years ago) link
He even asked for the AC to be turned off because it was too loud.Ha! When I saw him a couple weeks ago, he asked that the fans be turned off for the same reason. We were on the third floor of a converted clothing mill (The Narrows in Fall River, Mass.) on a steamy night and he apologized profusely for making us sweat. Then he complained about the bad vibes in the room because there seemed to be a "moat" between him and the audience. He asked everyone to move their seats closer and then, when informed they were church pews that couldn't be budged, told everyone to sit down in front of him like it was a campfire performance. It was a pretty memorable night. Lots of kids came with their parents. One of them — he couldn't have been more than 3 — kept yelling out for "New England." Finally, his dad brought him right up to the stage between songs to ask Jonathan directly. Jonathan leaned over and politely thanked the little boy for coming. He never did play the song.
― Jazzbo, Monday, 29 June 2009 17:10 (fourteen years ago) link
i need to see him again, it's been four or five years. has anyone heard any of these somewhat newly discovered modern lovers live boots? http://jojofiles.blogspot.com/2007/11/more-unreleased-modern-lovers-from-1971.html http://jojofiles.blogspot.com/2007/10/great-71-recordings-found.html
― tylerw, Monday, 29 June 2009 17:27 (fourteen years ago) link
Seeing him next week in a small club in Providence. Hope he sings "My Affected Accent," which is probably my favorite JR song now. BTW, this might be the worst concert review I've ever read:Jonathan Richman: More charismatic than musical, but that’s fine with me
― Jazzbo, Friday, 12 February 2010 19:04 (fourteen years ago) link
Here is what really blew my mind: there were roughly 70 people at the show. There were no opening bands to pre-sell tickets, this show was all Richman. This guy isn’t local or well known, or even all that good. As far as I could tell, people where drawn to him by his sheer charisma.
― Jazzbo, Friday, 12 February 2010 19:06 (fourteen years ago) link
jesus christ
― tylerw, Friday, 12 February 2010 19:08 (fourteen years ago) link
there's really no excuse for reading local-paper concert reviews
― by another name (amateurist), Friday, 12 February 2010 19:10 (fourteen years ago) link
http://jacksonville.com/files/imagecache/avatar/pictures/picture-16475.jpg
― tylerw, Friday, 12 February 2010 19:11 (fourteen years ago) link
I wonder what his band sounds like
― Wrinkles, I'll see you on the other side (Shakey Mo Collier), Friday, 12 February 2010 19:15 (fourteen years ago) link
probably sounds a little bit like his hair
― tylerw, Friday, 12 February 2010 19:16 (fourteen years ago) link
Kid looks like he was born right before "There's Something About Mary" came out, but still. He could have at least Googled Jonathan's name.
― Jazzbo, Friday, 12 February 2010 19:17 (fourteen years ago) link
Richman was by no means a great guitar player
??? He's an excellent guitarist!
― Ork Alarm (Matt #2), Friday, 12 February 2010 19:57 (fourteen years ago) link
yeah his schtick is charming/cutesy but if you watch what he's doing on the guitar its pretty flabbergasting. dude knows his chords inside and out
― Wrinkles, I'll see you on the other side (Shakey Mo Collier), Friday, 12 February 2010 19:58 (fourteen years ago) link
He can play lead and rhythm at the same time, always impresses me that
― Ork Alarm (Matt #2), Friday, 12 February 2010 19:59 (fourteen years ago) link
yeah he's an awesome guitar player.
― tylerw, Friday, 12 February 2010 20:00 (fourteen years ago) link
does he mainly play acoustic these days? I remember seeing him in the 90s, and he kinda shredded on electric a few times, in his own way.
Here you go: Clayton Bush's myspace:
http://www.myspace.com/claytonbush
― Such A Hilbily (Dan Peterson), Friday, 12 February 2010 20:33 (fourteen years ago) link
that is the most idiotic review of all time
we have a winner
― Lee Dorrian Gray (J0hn D.), Friday, 12 February 2010 20:38 (fourteen years ago) link
If I put on what I perceive to be a mediocre show with my own band, it eats at me for weeks. Maybe I’m overly self-conscious and resort to tearing other people down to make myself feel better. Or, maybe I’ve been taking the wrong approach by agonizing over tight harmonies and solid grooves. One thing I learned from Richman is that musical excellence doesn’t equal audience entertainment.
Musicianship can and does take a back stage to showmanship. Concert goers are music lovers, but today anybody can hear anything they want anywhere they want any time they want.
― Mr. Que, Friday, 12 February 2010 20:39 (fourteen years ago) link
would like to subscribe to yr newsletter intresting ideas
― tylerw, Friday, 12 February 2010 20:40 (fourteen years ago) link
taking the wrong approach by agonizing over tight harmonies and solid grooves.
GOP slogan for the '08 election IIRC
― Lee Dorrian Gray (J0hn D.), Friday, 12 February 2010 20:40 (fourteen years ago) link
concert goers=music lovers
FYI
― Mr. Que, Friday, 12 February 2010 20:41 (fourteen years ago) link
http://www.claytonbush.com/fr_index.cfm
― El GarBage (M@tt He1ges0n), Friday, 12 February 2010 20:42 (fourteen years ago) link
Or, maybe I’ve been taking the wrong approach by agonizing over tight harmonies and solid grooves.seems like this concert made Clayton look deep into his douchey soul
― tylerw, Friday, 12 February 2010 20:42 (fourteen years ago) link
in other words, what the writer seems to be saying (and it sounds like he has a plethora of anecdotal evidence to back him up) is that people who go to concerts--and these can be art punks, hippie types, electroclash nerds and Viking drinking chant aficionados, you know, it takes all types: these people who go to concerts actually like to listen to music. this shouldn't come as a surprise, actually: like all people, really, who enjoy things, these music people enjoy the things they enjoy by experiencing them in real life, as it's happening. it's a remarkable observation.
― Mr. Que, Friday, 12 February 2010 20:44 (fourteen years ago) link
With emphasis added:
If *I* put on what *I* perceive to be a mediocre show with *my* own band, it eats at *me* for weeks. Maybe *I’m* overly self-conscious and resort to tearing other people down to make *myself* feel better. Or, maybe *I’ve* been taking the wrong approach...
― Such A Hilbily (Dan Peterson), Friday, 12 February 2010 20:47 (fourteen years ago) link
clayton bush: is this guy a class fucking act or what?
― tylerw, Friday, 12 February 2010 20:48 (fourteen years ago) link
(he's seriously probably 18 years old, isn't he?)
― tylerw, Friday, 12 February 2010 20:49 (fourteen years ago) link
somebody get this kid a job at pfork
― Wrinkles, I'll see you on the other side (Shakey Mo Collier), Friday, 12 February 2010 20:52 (fourteen years ago) link
it's true that there is something beyond musicianship that makes richman's concerts great experiences, and he does have a certain kind of (anti-?) showmanship. but these aren't bad things. and they don't imply a LACK of musicianship or great music full stop.
― by another name (amateurist), Friday, 12 February 2010 22:24 (fourteen years ago) link
he's a consummate showman imho
― Wrinkles, I'll see you on the other side (Shakey Mo Collier), Friday, 12 February 2010 22:25 (fourteen years ago) link
also in a weird way what this clayton mcbush guy is saying is not worlds away from what dan perry says about richman (upthread?)--that it seems like a cult who uncritically adores everything he does and is incomprehensible to the uninitiated. i don't agree obviously. i took my girlfriend--not a big jonathan richman man--and she adored him. and read jess's post that started this whole thread.
― by another name (amateurist), Friday, 12 February 2010 22:25 (fourteen years ago) link
also i would seriously see j. richman in concert every few months if such a thing were possible. can't imagine getting tired of this dude.
― by another name (amateurist), Friday, 12 February 2010 22:26 (fourteen years ago) link
I can't think of that many musicians who can captivate an audience by just dancing around and clapping - James Brown. Michael Jackson. Its a pretty narrow list.
― Wrinkles, I'll see you on the other side (Shakey Mo Collier), Friday, 12 February 2010 22:26 (fourteen years ago) link
my gf doesn't give two shits about Jonathan Richman or his legacy or anything but she loves his live show
― Wrinkles, I'll see you on the other side (Shakey Mo Collier), Friday, 12 February 2010 22:27 (fourteen years ago) link
gf? wtf we've been married for 5 years
hahaha
― Mr. Que, Friday, 12 February 2010 22:28 (fourteen years ago) link
my mistress doesn't give two shits about Jonathan Richman or his legacy or anything but she loves his live show ... my wife, on the other hand ....
― tylerw, Friday, 12 February 2010 22:28 (fourteen years ago) link
she's still yr gfriend
that's ok, amateurist's girlfriend is apparently a man?
― congratulations (n/a), Friday, 12 February 2010 22:30 (fourteen years ago) link
aw that's sort of sweet--thinking your wife is still your girlfriend. bodes well for the marriage (honestly).
xpost
shit, cat's out of the bag.
― by another name (amateurist), Friday, 12 February 2010 22:31 (fourteen years ago) link
(i meant to type "fan," not "man." yeah. that's what i meant to type.)
also i would seriously see j. richman in concert every few months if such a thing were possible. can't imagine getting tired of this dude.THIS
― Jazzbo, Friday, 12 February 2010 22:47 (fourteen years ago) link
Really kicking myself for missing him @ teh Continental a couple weeks back. Also not happy about sharing a real-life first name w/that douche "critic."
― Roomful of Moogs (C. Grisso/McCain), Friday, 12 February 2010 22:53 (fourteen years ago) link
My Jonathan Richman collection consists of just the first Modern Lovers album. It took me a while to love it but now I do especially Dignified & Old and Hospital.
Any recommendations for where to go next? I checked him out on amazon, his albums could do with being reissued especially the second and third Modern Lovers albums which are going for quite a lot.
I've always wanted to get some more of his albums as Eddie from Art Brut names him as a major influence and I'm kind of obsessed with them.
― Kitchen Person, Friday, 12 February 2010 23:22 (fourteen years ago) link