Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers

JONATHAN RICHMAN AND THE MODERN LOVERS
 
 
Jonathan Richman  is an American singer, songwriter and guitarist.  In January 1976, Richman put together a new version of the Modern Lovers – under the name Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers – which included original Modern Lovers drummer, David Robinson, along with former Rubinoos bassist Greg ‘Curly’ Keranen and Leroy Radcliffe on guitar.  The albums produced by the new group found Richman turning away from electric rock music towards gentler acoustic textures, with a strong rooting in 1950s rock and roll (Chuck Berry’s “Back in the USA” was part of his repertoire).  (More from Wikipedia)
 
 
Getting their unique sound on record proved to be difficult, however, with John Cale, Kim Fowley and Allan Mason trying in various sessions to get some usable songs on tape in the early 1970’s. No recordings had been released until after the Modern Lovers broke up in December 1973; by the time Beserkley Records put out an album of their early recordings called simply The Modern Lovers (1976), Jonathan Richman had softened his sound and assembled a different band with a different style called Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers. Their debut album, Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers came out in the same year on the same label, so it is not surprising that the original proto-punk band has largely dropped from sight.
 
(December 2016)