Jonathan Richman, one of the most singular voices and artists of his generation will be at the Woodward Theater this week.
Richman is sort of incomparable. His work is uninhibited, endlessly inventive and, at times, touching on spirituality — part classic era infectious pop songwriting, part origin of punk freewheeling rebellion and as distinctive as a lost Smithsonian field recording.
From the raw, pre-punk energy of the influential first Modern Lovers recordings blending his distinct delivery with a love of The Stooges and Velvet Underground, to the stripped-down, childlike freedom of approach on later Modern Lovers records, up to work under his own name that continues that same abandon and freedom into a childlike mysticism.
He doesn’t refer to what he does as songwriting but as making things up. It could be compared to line-blurring visual artists like Saul Steinberg or Alexander Calder, whose work is powerful and wildly expressive but also playful, detached from convention and full of fun. Or, like Pablo Picasso, who Richman sang about in the early 1970s in The Modern Lovers, who aimed to paint like a child, it is free.
His recent work is as expressive and expansive as ever. It maintains a rawness and Richman’s seemingly unending sense of wonder while continuing to explore and broaden with influences from Indian music on projects like SA! (referring to the root note in Indian ragas and, ultimately, behind all things) from 2018 to songs written to early 20th century Neapolitan poetry like “Pianefforte ‘e Notte” featured on the 2020 Just a Spark, On Journey From the Dark series of releases that features songs and poetry in installments. His most recent release, the 2023 EP Yatasamaroun, is inspired by an Arabic word for lovers talking in the moonlight that features former Modern Lovers bandmate and Talking Heads member Jerry Harrison.
Jonathan Richman's performances, like him and his work, are full of energy; with touches of humor, at times poetic or spiritual and ridiculously fun.
Richman appears with longtime collaborator, drummer Tommy Larkins, who he began performing with in the early ‘90s (also the drummer featured with him throughout the Farrelly Brothers’ 1998 cult classic comedy There’s Something About Mary).
Richman does most interviews as written Q&As through the mail. These are the questions sent to him through his record label and his responses that were sent back:
CityBeat: What kinds of things got you interested in music and made you connect with it as a kid, early on?
Jonathan Richman: Early rock and roll on the radio when I was 5 or 6, also “Carmen” by Bizet when I was 2 or 3, also Zorro on TV when I was 7 because of the score music. Later, The Lovin’ Spoonful, The Mothers of Invention, The Doors; and then the Velvet Underground and The Stooges…after those two I started to play guitar.
CB: How did you first come across bands like the Velvet Underground and The Stooges and how did that affect you?
JR: Both those bands changed me very much. Both had a drone, you notice. Early rock and roll had a sort of drone when it was any good, no?
CB: The experience of seeing your last local performance seemed like what it maybe felt like to see a rock and roll band in 1956 or something. Even though it’s pared down to basics and natural, it seemed extremely fresh and exciting and engaging, maybe more powerful because of its simplicity. You play acoustic, sometimes even off microphone and seem to let the room play a part instead of filling it with noise. I've heard you talk about how loud concerts can be — how do you feel about the role of sound level at concerts?
JR: I don’t like things that hurt your ears. Why sit still for such a thing? Why do such a thing? Good comment, incidentally, you make about the room itself playing a part in a show.
CB: How do you feel about performing and connecting with audiences?
JR: Well, if you’re going to play “live”, then connect, no?
CB: You’ve talked about using color to describe sound and music, do you bring other influences that are outside of music (maybe art, objects) into songwriting?
JR: I see myself more as a singer and less as a songwriter. I just make up songs so I’ll have something I want to sing. Oh…are you sure that color is outside of music?
CB: People talk a lot about an element of humor in rock and roll, though it can be the opposite of sincerity and power, while a total lack of it can take the fun out of things. What do you think the line or relationship between humor and sincerity is in rock and roll or art in general?
JR: Funny stuff is ok.
CB: What kinds of things are you interested in and connecting with most recently?
JR: I really like to play all around the U.S. and Canada now. Much fascinating communication and change is happening right now, no?
Jonathan Richman and Tommy Larkins perform at the Woodward Theater on Oct. 3 at 8 p.m. Info: woodwardtheater.com.
