PHOTO BY DENNIS KEELE

`HI Were A

tchman'

GARY GRAFF SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS

ooking for a singer-songwriter who will spend a lot of time pro-
viding deep insights into his material?
Jonathan Richman's definitely not your man.
"I just like to do it because I like to do it," the 45-year-old rock vet-
eran says. "I have a hard time talking about songs ... I just sing 'em."
He's been doing that since the early '70s, when the Boston-born Rich-
man — who describes his Jewish upbringing as "medium" — emerged
with his band the Modern Lovers, a New Wave forebear that included
future members of the Talking Heads (Jerry Harrison) and the Cars
(David Robinson). The Lovers was one of those low-selling, high-influ-
ence bands, and its barn-burner Roadrunner has been covered by Joan
Jett, Greg Kihn and many others.
By 1978, Richman disbanded the group and went out on his own,
making a series of quirky and distinctive records for a small but in-
tensely devoted cult of fans. He's appeared on "Sesame Street" and has
scored music for other TV shows, and he remains popular in Europe,
where his 1977 instrumental, "Egyptian Reggae" (the title is descrip-
tive enough) was a major dance hit.
Richman has resurrected and rearranged that song for his new al-
bum, Surrender to Jonathan. The album also includes a new version of
the witty, and instantly catchy, "I Was Dancing in the Lesbian Bar,"
which he originally released in 1992.
"For one thing, I didn't have enough new songs for a whole new record,"
he quips. "Also, some people didn't get to hear some of these songs the
other times, so I figured why not put them on again?"
Surrender to Jonathan also gives Richman another shot at the pop
mainstream, since it's released by Vapor Records, a new, high-profile
label owned by Neil Young. But Richman learned long ago not to let
sales dictate his satisfaction.
"I always think of Joe Garagiola," Richman says. "[Garagiola] said,
`When I was catching the major leagues, they just said I was a catcher.
Then I quit, and a year later, I was former baseball great Joe Garagi-
ola. Five years after that, they called me Hall of Famer former catch-
er Joe Garagiola. Then I realized the worst break I had was actually
playing.' __
"If we use the Joe Garagiola model, I suppose they'll be saying great
things about me one day." D

Jonathan Richman performs 8 p.m. Saturday,
Oct. 5, at 7th House, 7 N. Saginaw St., Pontiac.
Tickets are $10. Call (810) 335-8100.

Jonathan Richman: The Joe Garagiola of music?

TH E DETRO IT JEW

This Week's Best Bets

Jacques Brel in
Greektown

Steve Lawrence
and Eydie Gorme

Phil Marcus Esser and Bar-
bara Bredius, the team who
first brought Brel to Detroit in
1973, perform the songs from
the classic show at the Attic
Theatre, in Trapper's Alley,
Detroit. (313) 963-9339.

Spend an evening with the
"first couple" of American pop-
ular music. Macomb Center
for the Performing Arts. (810)
286-2222.

Fri.-Sun., 8 p.m.

.

Sun., 7 p.m.

A Lasting Vision

"The Legacy of Frank Lloyd
Wright" is an exhibition featur-
ing the architect's designs from
furniture to fabrics. Meadow
Brook Hall, Rochester. (810)
370-3140.

Tours offered

Mon.-Fri.,
1:30 p.m.

Yair Dalai and the
Al 01 Ensemble

The performers of the 1994 No-
bel Peace Prize Concert bring
their musical meeting of Jewish
and Arabic heritage to The Ark,
- Ann Arbor. (313) 763-TKTS.

Thurs., 8 p.m.

The Thirst

Donna Blue Lachman
weaves words and klezmer
music with a "New Work for
Jew and Clarinet." Congre-
gation Beth Abraham Hillel
Moses, West Bloomfield.
(810) 851-6880.

Thurs • 9 7 . 30 p.m.