Allan Tannenbaum Photos... (including the Modern Lovers at Town Hall, NY)

Quite a few interesting photos viewable via the following link, including one of The Modern Lovers at Town Hall, New York (probably from 1976).

Allan Tannenbaum Photos

This page links off a site by Allan Tannenbaum photographer for the Soho Weekly News between 1973 & 1982 - the main website is well worth having a look at too.

Sohoblues Website


Bob.

first time

I want to know from you all when was the first time you heard Jonathan and had that summer feeling ....

Mine was freshman year at The Evergreen State College in Olympia Washington. I was horribly depressed and surrounded by a bunch of pothead hippies (god bless their evergreen hearts, I was a hair farmer too) and trying to write papers about things I didn't understand because I was a stupid 17 year old freshman. Jonathan shined a little joy onto those days and I been hooked since then (1987 it was).

-- good nurse

Jojoblog FAQ

Go backstage to read the updated Jojoblog FAQ.

If you wish to post to the blog and you are not yet on the team, ask an admin to send you a Jojoblog team invite. If you have an old invitation that was never used, you will need another one, because the old ones are expired. Everyone is welcome to join.

Remember, you do not have to be a team member to use the Comments boxes under the posts.

-- RB

JR Instore in SF

As my membership is still pending over with the rockin' Leps - thought i'd let everyone know that if you're in San Francisco Sunday afternoon Jonathan is going to do an instore show at a super tiny record store called Aquarius at 4pm. This seems to be a warm up for the week of shows he's doing around the corner at the Makeout Room. Will I see anyone there?

Announcement: New Jonathan Richman Forum

 I've been working on a new website for a while now - it's an offshoot from the Jonathan discography site that most of you will be familiar with.  Most of the Jonathan info has been migrated already but the full service is still being programmed and is probably about a month away.  Part of the plan was the provision of a forum.

I've also closed the rather sleepy forum at http://www.sjrp.org/ and imported all the users and messages from that board to this new one.  So, in response to the sudden closing of the JoJo mailing list I have brought the launching of the forum forward a month or so and I hereby turn it over to the ex-mailing list members for you use and abuse. It's not a mailing list but I hope that it's somewhere where a large number of people can meet peacefully without the need for moderation.

If anyone wants an email list just for Jonathan stuff then I would suggest the Rocking Leprechauns over at Yahoo. It's already running and is established - however, try to limit the discussions just to Jonathan related topics.

If enough of us feel to set up another email list then why not use http://topica.com/ - it seems to work fine for the Ben Folds list that I'm also subscribed to. I'm happy to organise this but is this what is wanted.  If we do decide to go down this path can I suggest that at least 3 people are nominated as administrators, and that our little community decide who they are rather than having one person who can turn us off and on at will.  Well that's my 2 cents worth - feel free to come to the forums and make them your own. If they become our new home then great - if not we can discuss what to do next.

Cheers,
Simon

Jonathan Richman Forum at Discography Network

The Walkmen

Yo. I think this is my first post for this blog, so thanks for the invitation to join, and sorry I haven't been more of a participant.

I don't have much to say at this time, except this: I went to see The Walkmen last night, a great little indie rock band with one of the best drummers I've ever seen. In addition to putting on a great (if short) show, they showed their impeccably good tast by ending the evening with a wonderful cover of "Fly into a Mystery."

That is all.

so near and yet

erick of the sleepyheads - cool philippines group i've mentioned is letting me have a copy of the band's cdep. good stuff. but.
he and they are jonathan inspired though no mere copyists. i told him i was seeing our man at the london jazz cafe and he's asking if i can present the cd....
i've no trouble with talking to jojo - have before - but the location may not lend itself to it. if i can't, any idea what i _might_ do?

Hello Moon Lovers!!!

Yes, it's Malary Moon, your celestial guide through the months. Thought you were retaining water? Getting a little snippy at little yippee? Well ... chances are, it was the TIDES of this special BLUE MOON MONTH (to later be elaborated on ... Blue Moon's the NEXT one in July!)

BUT ... THIS full moon is on Friday, July 2nd at 7:09 am ET. And it's the moon where buck deer start growing Antlers! How kewl is that? And if you've ever seen two buck deer with antlers go at it, like head to head, (antlers to antlers) it is not really a pretty sight. So ... it's time for the BUCKS to do their thing! Don't get in the way ... (ouch) but let them do their thing, and well, tell me AWL about it!! And oh yes, IF the spirit hits ya, and the neighbors won't call the police, run around a bit BUCK naked in the full moon. Good for your overall body complexion! :) HOWLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!

LOVE,
Malary Moon ...

Who will be talking to you BEFORE next month when ... "there's a Blue Moon on the rise!"

I've seen babies dancing in the midnight sun ...
... but I never seen nothin' like you!

Not so much to be loved as to love/ Pas tellement d'être aimé que d'aimer

This is a great CD ! I like it a lot and am going to point out some songs which did catch my attention and which I have listened again and again already when I have only heard the title track once for the moment.

- Not that it is not a good song but "Not so much to be loved as to love" is the unmistakable Jonathan song, meaning also it is a predictable song, nothing new. I am also preferring the second version of this song which appears as the last hidden track in its naked simplicity.. Jonathan wanders in Boston nearby the reservoir.. (Is this why there are dogs on the booklet?)
- "Sunday afternoon", I considered as a filler until I heard some chords which reminded me of a song by the Velvet Underground, "Sunday Morning". There are other references to the Velvets on this CD, no coincidence !
- "Vincent van Gogh" revamped version is energetic and lively.. I nearly prefer this version to the original.
- "Salvador Dali" is my favourite song ! It starts like "19 in Naples" as Jonathan tells us that when he was 14 he was depressed and that Dali's paintings were the guide to the world of dreams, and the opening key to freedom. When the instruments start to play, I noticed a powerful bass line knitting a neat groove which extends itself like a mantra to climax in a perfect chorus at the end of the song. I look at the booklet, the bass player is no one else but Greg "Curly" Keranen, from the Modern Lovers #2.
- "Behold the lilies of the field" sounds like Lou Reed singing a lost song from the Velvet's Loaded album. I love this kind of Jonathan song where he uses the influences of his youth to express a mature man's feelings.
- With "Abu Jamal" Jonathan has written his classic-to-be protest song. Do you remember Dylan's "Hurricane", well "Abu Jamal" ranks at the same level. And what flabbergasted me, was to hear this Indian organ, the same as the one Nico was using .. delivering this monochromatic sad sound..
- "Les etoiles" and "On a du soleil" are merry songs a la Charles Trenet, they have become popular when played live.
- The two hidden tracks are very good. The first one is about the sea asking Jonathan to come home and he gets scared and feels like dying , again the Nico organ is the only instrument heard and Jonathan sounds gloomy, The other hidden track is the aforementionned title track with a live in studio only treatment.

Jonathan remains the eternal troubadour, the Bostonian wanderer, the prince of dorkness.