The Modern Lovers were an American rock band formed in Natick, Massachusetts in 1970 by Jonathan Richman. The original band existed from 1970 to 1974 but their recordings were not released until 1976 or later. It featured Richman and bassist Ernie Brooks with drummer David Robinson (later of the Cars) and keyboardist Jerry Harrison (later of Talking Heads). The sound of the band owed a great deal to the influence of the Velvet Underground and the Stooges, and is now sometimes classified as "proto-punk". It pointed the way towards much of the punk rock, new wave, alternative and indie rock music of later decades. Their debut studio album, the eponymous The Modern Lovers contained idiosyncratic songs about dating awkwardness, growing up in Massachusetts, love of life, and the USA. The band would also release another studio album, The Original Modern Lovers, and three live albums.
Later, between 1976 and 1988, Richman used the name "Modern Lovers" for a variety of backing bands, always billed as "Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers". These bands were quieter and featured more low-key, often near-childlike songs as Richman drew on folk-rock and other genres. This incarnation of the band released 7 studio albums and one live album. Of Richman's original bandmates, only Robinson was part of any of the other Modern Lovers incarnations, and he left the band's second incarnation that same year it formed. Notable members of the second incarnation include producer Andy Paley (who worked with acts such as Brian Wilson with The Beach Boys and Jerry Lee Lewis) and filmmaker Beth Harrington.
The original Modern Lovers, 1970–1974
Richman grew up in Natick, Massachusetts, a suburb of Boston, and began playing guitar and writing songs in his mid-teens, first performing solo in public in 1967. He became enamored of the Velvet Underground while he was still in high school, and after graduating in 1969, he moved to New York City where he became personally acquainted with the band and on one occasion opened the bill for them. Richman spent a couple of weeks sleeping on Velvets’ manager Steve Sesnick's sofa before moving into the Hotel Albert, a residence known for its poor conditions.
After nine months in New York, and a trip to Europe and Israel, Richman moved back to his native Boston. With his childhood friend, guitarist John Felice, he organized a band modeled after the Velvets. They quickly recruited drummer David Robinson and bass player Rolfe Anderson, and christened themselves "the Modern Lovers". They played their first date, supporting Andy Paley’s band the Sidewinders, in September 1970, barely a month after Richman's return. By this time their setlist already included such noted Richman songs as "Roadrunner", "She Cracked" and "Hospital". Richman's unique character was immediately apparent; he wore short hair and often performed wearing a jacket and tie, and frequently improvised new lyrics and monologues. While there, Richman heard and became strongly influenced by the laid-back style of the local musicians, as documented in his later song "Monologue About Bermuda". There were also growing personality clashes among band members.
In 1980 Richman again formed a new Modern Lovers, with Keranen, drummer Michael Guardabascio and backing singers Ellie Marshall and Beth Harrington. They recorded the album Jonathan Sings! in 1981/82, but it was not released until 1983. The group toured to support the album, often regarded as one of Richman's best, but split up after Keranen again left in 1984.
The final incarnation of the Modern Lovers, with Andy Paley, Brennan Totten and (initially) Asa Brebner again, toured and recorded between 1985 and 1988. Richman finally retired the Modern Lovers name after the album Modern Lovers 88.
Richman continues to perform, often solo and preferring acoustic instruments, and currently has no plans to undertake another group like his original band. A tribute album consisting primarily of Modern Lovers songs, If I Were a Richman: a Tribute to the Music of Jonathan Richman, was released by Wampus Multimedia in 2001. Asa Brebner died in 2019, aged 65.
Influence
The Modern Lovers had significant influence on the then-burgeoning punk rock and later new wave and indie musical styles, as viewed in the feature-length 2015 documentary Danny Says.
John Cale, Iggy Pop and David Bowie have all covered "Pablo Picasso"; it was also covered by Los Angeles-area rock band Burning Sensations for the soundtrack of the 1984 Alex Cox film Repo Man; additionally the song was covered by the English post-punk band Television Personalities on their album Don't Cry Baby, It's Only a Movie.
Seminal punk group the Sex Pistols covered "Roadrunner" on The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle. Joan Jett sang "Roadrunner" on her cover album, The Hit List. In 2009 Titus Andronicus covered "Roadrunner" on its EP The Innocents Abroad – Live in London 23/02/09; this recording was subsequently included on the fan compilation Feats of Strength. Additional covers of "Roadrunner" include those by Wire and Richman's labelmates the Greg Kihn Band.
English rock band Echo & the Bunnymen covered "She Cracked" live on Crystal Days in 1985, although with some altered lyrics. Siouxsie and the Banshees released "She Cracked" as the extra b-side of "This Wheel's on Fire" 1987 double-pack 7-inch, collected on Downside Up. Additionally, American grunge band Seaweed covered "She Cracked" on the John Peel Sub-Pop Sessions album, in 1994.
Fellow Boston Indie Band Galaxie 500 covered "Don't Let Our Youth Go to Waste" on their debut album, Today in 1987. The song became a staple of their live performances until they disbanded in 1991.
Line-up
- Jonathan Richman – vocals, guitar (1970–1974, 1976–1988)
- David Robinson – drums, backing vocals (1970–1973, 1976)
- John Felice – guitar (1970–1971)
- Rolfe Anderson – bass (1970–1971)
- Ernie Brooks – bass, backing vocals (1971–1974)
- Jerry Harrison – piano, organ, backing vocals (1971–1974)
- Bob Turner – drums (1973–1974)
- Leroy Radcliffe – guitar, backing vocals (1976–1979)
- Greg 'Curly' Keranen – bass, backing vocals (1976–1977, 1980–1984)
- Denotra 'D' Sharpe – drums, backing vocals (1976–1979)
- Asa Brebner – bass, backing vocals (1977–1979), guitar (1985–1986)
- Andy Paley – guitar, backing vocals (1979, 1985–1986; died 2024), keyboards, drums (1984–1985)
- Steve Tracey – backing vocals (1979)
- Michael Guardabascio – drums (1980–1986)
- Ellie Marshall – backing vocals (1980–1986)
- Beth Harrington – backing vocals (1980–1984)
- Ken Forfia – keyboards (1982–1984)
- Ned Claflin – backing vocals, accordion (1984–1986)
- Brennan Totten – guitar, backing vocals (1986–1988)
- Johnny Avila – drums, backing vocals (1986–1988)
Discography
Studio albums
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+ List of albums, with selected chart positions
! rowspan="2" scope="col" | Title
! rowspan="2" scope="col" | Album details
! colspan="3" scope="col" | Peak chart positions
|-
! scope="col" style="width:2.5em;font-size:90%;" | US<br>Sales<br />
! scope="col" style="width:2.5em;font-size:90%;" | NZ<br />
! scope="col" style="width:2.5em;font-size:90%;" | UK<br />
|-
! colspan="5" |The Modern Lovers
|-
! scope="row" | The Modern Lovers
|
- Released: August 1976
- Label: Beserkley
|—
|—
|—
|-
! scope="row" | The Original Modern Lovers
|
- Released: October 1981
- Label: Mohawk
|—
|—
|—
|-
! colspan="5" |Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers
|-
! scope="row" | Jonathan Richman & The Modern Lovers
|
- Released: July 1976
- Label: Beserkley
|—
|—
|—
|-
! scope="row" | Rock 'n' Roll with the Modern Lovers
|
- Released: August 1977
- Label: Beserkley
|—
|37
|50
|-
! scope="row" | Back in Your Life
|
- Released: February 1979
- Label: Beserkley
|—
|—
|—
|-
! scope="row" | Jonathan Sings!
|
- Released: 1983
- Label: Sire Records
|—
|—
|—
|-
! scope="row" | Rockin' and Romance
|
- Released: 1985
- Label: Twin/Tone
|—
|—
|—
|-
! scope="row" | It's Time For
|
- Released: 1986
- Label: Upside Records
|—
|—
|—
|-
! scope="row" | Modern Lovers 88
|
- Released: 1987
- Label: Rounder Records
|77
|—
|—
|}
Live albums
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+ List of albums, with selected chart positions
! rowspan="2" scope="col" | Title
! rowspan="2" scope="col" | Album details
! scope="col" | Peak chart positions
|-
! scope="col" style="width:2.5em;font-size:90%;" | SWE<br />
|-
! colspan="3" |The Modern Lovers
|-
! scope="row" | Live at the Longbranch Saloon
|
- Released: 1992
- Label: Fan Club
|—
|-
! scope="row" | Precise Modern Lovers Order
|
- Released: 1994
- Label: Rounder Records
|—
|-
! scope="row" | 96 Tears
|
- Released: 2010
- Label: Vinyl Lovers
|—
|-
! colspan="3" |Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers
|-
! scope="row" | Modern Lovers Live
|
- Released: 1977
- Label: Beserkley
|31
|}
Singles
All singles are credited to Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers unless otherwise noted.
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+ List of singles, with selected chart positions
! rowspan="2" scope="col" | Title
! rowspan="2" scope="col" | Year
! colspan="7" scope="col" | Peak chart positions
! rowspan="2" |Label and catalog number
! rowspan="2" |Album
|-
! scope="col" style="width:2.5em;font-size:90%;" | AUT<br />
! scope="col" style="width:2.5em;font-size:90%;" | BEL<br>(Fl.)<br />
! scope="col" style="width:2.5em;font-size:90%;" | GER<br />
! scope="col" style="width:2.5em;font-size:90%;" | NLD<br />
! scope="col" style="width:2.5em;font-size:90%;" | NZ<br />
! scope="col" style="width:2.5em;font-size:90%;" | UK<br />