The Modern Lovers

Boston's Modern Lovers revolved around the inspired observational songcrafting of Jonathan Richman. With an attitude somehow encompassing both jaded anger and innocent naivete, Richman swirled together the spirit of 1950s rock & roll, garage bands, girl groups, and (of course) the Velvet Underground for a fresh proto-punk sound. They would become a local live sensation, but nothing was released during their existence, not even demos produced by ex-V.U. member John Cale. And it was not until after the band broke up in 1974 that a debut record was released. Upon its critical feting, Richman formed an entirely new incarnation of Modern Lovers and continued to record until 1988 when he officially decided to ride solo. The Modern Lovers' frantic "Roadrunner" is regularly cited among the most important early punk singles ever.