By Brett Peruzzi
Managing Editor
NATICK – One of this MetroWest town’s most famous residents may be a guy you’ve never heard of. Musician Jonathan Richman grew up in Natick, began singing and playing guitar in his teens, and after graduating from Natick High School, he moved to New York City. Inspired by the New York City band and his personal heroes, the Velvet Underground, he hoped to pursue a career in music. After failing to make a go of it in the Big Apple (initially resorting to sleeping on the couch of the Velvet Underground’s manager), Richman returned to the Boston area.
Photo/Wikimedia Commons
Underground favorite
New York’s loss was Massachusetts’ gain. In 1970, the 19-year-old Richman formed the band The Modern Lovers, which also featured keyboardist Jerry Harrison, later of the New York band Talking Heads, and drummer David Robinson, who stayed local and later joined what would become one of Boston’s most famous bands, The Cars.
The Modern Lovers, who played a stripped-down, lyrically quirky brand of rock, broke up before they could release an album. But demo recordings were later compiled into the eponymous 1976 album “The Modern Lovers,” which was critically acclaimed and said to inspire many early punk and alternative rock bands. One song from the album in particular, “Roadrunner,” is particularly beloved, and was covered by everyone from the Sex Pistols to Joan Jett. It has been proposed to be the official state rock song by the state legislature several times, although it has yet to voted in.
An ode to suburban Massachusetts
With its refrain of being in love with Massachusetts, and name drops of driving past the Stop & Shop (the still-existent supermarket location on Route 9 in Natick) and cruising Route 128 with the car radio on, it’s easy to see how it’s become an unofficial anthem for Richman’s home state.
After the breakup of the Modern Lovers, Richman launched a solo musical career, and reused the name The Modern Lovers for several incarnations of his band. He moved away from the raw and minimalist rock sound that marked his debut album in favor of a more acoustic and whimsical style, with a sometimes child-like sense of innocence. Richman has released over 20 albums in his career, including the most recent one, “Only Frozen Sky Anyway,” which comes out this year, indicating the 74-year-old hasn’t hung up his guitar quite yet. He is based in California, his home for many years now, and has a North American tour scheduled for this year, including three nights in October at the Somerville Theatre.
Beyond music
Outside of the music world, Richman also runs a business in Chico, California called Arcane Masonry, which specializes in building bread ovens.
Richman has also dabbled in acting, appearing in minor roles in several movies. His most notable performance was in the 1998 Farrelly Brothers film “There’s Something About Mary,” in which he plays the part of a Greek chorus-style narrator who musically comments on the film’s events.
In what may be the most enduring local tribute to Richman and his most famous song, a nightclub opened in 2022 in Boston’s Brighton neighborhood called Roadrunner. With a capacity of 3,500 people, it is the largest general admission concert venue in New England.
Listen to the original recording of “Roadrunner” by The Modern Lovers:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZWoJ8_75Mo
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