Noah Counte

This is the third in a series of responses to a tag. It's taken me a full week to get here, and you can read more about my meanderings and why I chose the three artists that I did at the bottom of this post.

• Part One - Michael Franti and Spearhead (read the rules, and get a link to Scott, who tagged me).
• Part Two - The Old 97's

Jonathan Richman, both with and without and the Modern Lovers

Three Albums:

• The Modern Lovers (1976)
• Jonathan Richamn & the Modern Lovers (1977)
• Jonatahn Richman - Back in Your Life (1979)

Three Songs:

This was a very difficult choice, and you will see that I added some bonus tracks towards the end, just because. These songs represent the proto-punk Jonathan Richman, and the abrupt change in his phiosophy just one year ofter his seminal albume (The Modern Lovers) was released in 1976.

• "Roadrunner": from the first album, this is one of the most covered songs ever - from the Sex Pistols to Joan Jett, and a lot of people in between.
• "Pablo Picasso": the first of several songs Richaman did about artists, "Pablo Picasso" has been used in a couple of films, notably "Repo Man". Because it's on his first album, it's more hard-edged than later songs. His ode to Jan Vermeer is touching and sensitive.
• "Abominable Snowman in the Market": I address the change in Richman's sensitivities below, but this demonstrates the change pretty clearly, when juxtaposed against the two earlier offerrings.

Jonathan Richman comes from Boston (and lives there today). When he graduated from high school, he ran off to New York City, where he spent time in The Factory with Andy Warhol and people like Lou Reed, whom he wanted to emulate, having been a huge fan of the Velvet Underground through high school..

When he returned to Boston, after a trip to Isreal and Europe, he put together a little band called the Modern Lovers. It's really one of the most influential rock bands you've never heard of (unless you've heard of it...). They fit into what is now called the proto-punk genre, and songs from their first album have been covered by punk bands for 30 years, and have shown up in countless movies. They weren't proto-punks for long, though. Here's some history.

The original Modern lovers lasted a short while, before the classic lineup was settled upon.

Recognize anyone?

The classic lineup included:

Jonathan Richman
David Robinson, drummer
Ernie Brooks, Bass
Jerry Harrison, keyboard

We'll come back to the famous members of this group in a moment.

The First two songs on my list come from the first album. "Roadrunner" is anthemic, and punks (and others) responded to it, even though it isn't a punk song. It underscores a theme that will follow throughout his albums over time - he loves New England, and he loves childhood. I think he's still living in his childhood. As should we all.

"Pablo Picasso" is what it is. Genius, in the sense that it is a song about a famous artist, and it never mentions art. It's really not about the artist, though. It's about you. Or me. Mostly you, though.

The Modern Lovers - "Roadrunner"

The Modern Lovers - "Pablo Picasso"

The two songs above come from the first album. The song that follows comes from the second. Which brings me back to the make up of the band, because it changed here (and changes again frequently hereafter). After the first album, Jonathan had an epiphany of sorts. One day (the story goes), he woke up and said to himself, "I no longer want to make music that might offend the ears of babies," so he told the boys in the band that he wanted to go accoustic, and to do more playful lyrics. His band mates were, understandably, not prepared for this change. Jerry Harrison moved to New York and became the keyboardist for a little band called the Talking Heads (and the Tom Tom Club), and David Robinson joined a local Boston band called The Cars.

From the second album on, the songs were accoustic, child centered (or at least child-friendly), and playful. They explore music and lyric, youth and love, hope and reaction. It's one man's life, and it's very accessible.

Jonathan Richman - Abominable Snowman in the Market

So there you have it, the end of my tag, which took three posts, and a lot of thinking. My choices were:

• Michael Franti & Spearhead
• The Old 97's
• Jonathan Richman

• New Order
• Sex Pistols
• New York Dolls
• Lucinda Williams
• Erykah Badu
• John Hiatt
• Tom Waits
• Buddy Holly
• Peggy Lee
• Miles Davis
• Louis Jordan
• Dave Brubeck

Finally, just because I love him and want to share some more, here are a few more of my favorites:

Jonathan Richman - "Ice Cream Man" (live)

Jonathan Richman - "New England"

Jonathan Richman - "Stop this Car, I'm Getting Out"

• Name 5 jobs / professions what you would never ever do / practice with explanation
  
• Refer back to the person / ppl who tagged you
  
• Name 5 victims - also make a link to their blog!
  

• Septic Tank Cleaner. I could manage pumping them, I think, but having to get inside one would be more than I could deal with. Bleah. I have tender sensibilities!
  
  
• Attorney. I've done it, and I couldn't do it again. Don't get me wrong, it was nice to help people, but the people I was interested in helping couldn't pay, and that meant I couldn't eat. It's a lot of work worrying about whether someone's life will be improved or ruined based on your ability - especially when you are hungry. I find that kind of worry exhausting, and I'm too old to exhaust myself for reasons that don't have to do with immediate physical gratification.
  
  
• Sex trade. That's pretty generic, I suppose. I enjoy porn as much as the next guy, but I have represented enough strippers and hookers to know that the industry is rife with people who are in incredible pain. Unfortunately, many of them are medicating through addiction (sexual, drug and alcohol, or other - or some combination). Being around that kind of pain would kill me, eventually. Too bad, because a guy could make some serious blizzing with a stable of cam girls - and this town is full of tealent.
  
  
• Proctology nurse. I could deal with being a proctologist. It's medical. You use cool tools. You excise cancers and such... As a nurse, you have to give enemas, and I don't feel any need to be up to my ankles in other people's soupy poo.
  
  
• Public school administrator. We put unreasonable demands on the school system. Parents abdicate their responsibility to the schools, then sue when the school has to deal with the problems family problems create. It would depress me - and I want to be excited about the future of our kids.
  

• I'm a good procrastinator. I'm lazy, too. Sundays, though, really bring out the best in me. If I didn't need groceries, I woudn't get dressed at all.
  
• I love film noir and old private eye and private detective movies.
  
• I still listen to my old punk records. And I still enjoy them. I love me some Peter and the Test Tube Babies!
  
• When I see a commercial with music in it, I am compelled to figure out who is the artist, and to see if I can find the song online. Even if I think it sucks.
  
• I like Sebelius. Maybe it's because there was a Finn or two climbing around in my family tree. Maybe it's because I was depressed for many years. Maybe it's just because I like the way his thunder makes my chest vibrate when I see his work performed.
  
• If I was a llama, I wouldn't need a sweater when cold weather rolled in.