The Modern Lovers

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The First Punk Record?

The first nine songs of this supercharged album were recorded in 1972 and 1973, but not released until 1976. That's significant, because in the intervening years, the sound that songwriter/guitarist Jonathan Richman and his Boston-based band developed—a wiry, stretchedtight, three-chord rock with emphasis on guileless lyrics—resembled the music later known as punk. "Roadrunner," the rampaging chant that opens this record, is often cited as the "first" punk song; it's been covered by the Sex Pistols and Joan Jett, among others.

The delay can be attributed to typical music-business machinations—and Richman's artistic evolution. According to the liner notes of this reissue, once the record was finished, the songwriter told his label, Warner Bros., that he'd grown sick of the songs and wouldn't perform them live. The label then refused to release the album, and the band, which included future Talking Head Jerry Harrison and future Car David Robinson, broke up. The Modern Lovers was rescued by an enterprising small label, Beserkley, which reportedly bought the masters for $2,300 and put the recordings out, to considerable critical acclaim, in the heated punk explosion of 1976. By then, however, Richman had renounced rock, focusing on the insightful pop that has distinguished his subsequent career.

He might have changed horses too soon. The Modern Lovers is a thrilling slice of rock and roll, informed by equal parts suburban-kid anxiety and three-chord cool. Regardless of its place in the history of punk, this set of deliberately blunt songs produced by John Cale (The Velvet Underground was a huge influence on Richman) remains a delightful listening experience—too smart for its own good sometimes, and just dumb enough to describe raging hormones in heroic terms. Among Richman's great gifts is the ability to deliver wry appraisals of human nature while sounding like a kid who's just looking for the next thrill: When he sings "Some people try to pick up girls and get called asshole, this never happened to Pablo Picasso," there's admiration in his voice, and a little bit of wonder too.

Genre: Rock
Released: 1976, Bezerkely (Reissued 2003, Castle)
Key Tracks: "Pablo Picasso," "Road Runner"
Catalog Choice: Rock and Roll with the Modern Lovers
Next Stop: Talking Heads: Talking Heads 77
Book Page: 510

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Comments:

#1 from dsl, Boston, MA - 11/26/2008 2:03

I’ve been listening to this record for over thirty years now, long before I move to Boston, and I’ll never tire of it.

Jonathan Richman has long since moved away from this material, and Boston, and you’ll rarely hear him play any of these songs today. But this recording is a truly special mix of teen emotion, nervous rock energy and Jerry Harrison’s organ. The love and mysticism of the late 60s meets the disillusioned urban pre-punk of the early 70s, articulated as only Jonathan Richman could.

Those interested in seeing where Jonathan headed to since The Modern Lovers should check out Jonathan Sings, Rockin’ & Romance, I Jonathan, You Musk Ask the Heart. They are all a lot of fun. But to paraphase “She Cracked,” Jonathan may have moved on, I’m sad, but I won’t.

#2 from Adam Herbst, New Jersey - 11/27/2008 1:04

It really is the DNA of so much music that has followed. And it is loving.

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