The 500 - #382 - The Modern Lovers - The Modern Lovers

I was inspired by a podcast called The 500 hosted by Los Angeles-based comedian Josh Adam Meyers. His goal, and mine, is to explore Rolling Stone's 2012 edition of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. 

Album # 382

Album Title: The Modern Lovers
Artist: The Modern Lovers
Genre: Proto-Punk, Punk, Art Rock
Recorded: (1971-1973) - Multiple Studios
Released: August, 1976
My age at release: 11
How familiar was I with it before this week: One song
Song I am putting on my Spotify: Roadrunner (selected by my friend and The Modern Lovers' fan, Claudio)

 The Modern Lovers self-titled debut

The Modern Lovers' debut album of the same name is considered by some to be the first punk album. That said, there is plenty of debate about this claim. Regardless, the legacy of the four-member band from Boston continues to inform contemporary music.

Released in the summer of 1986, the album was actually recorded five years earlier. Three of the band members (Jerry Harrison, David Robinson, Ernie Brooks) had all moved on to other successful projects. 

Harrison was with Talking Heads who were the subject of my blog last week and have records at #345, #291 and #129 on The 500 list. 

The four Talking Heads records on The 500 list

Robinson, a drummer, helped form The Cars -- even giving that band its name. The Cars 1978 debut record appears at #284 on the list.  Meanwhile, bassist Brooks became a highly-regarded session player who performed with several bands, including New York Dolls who have a record at #215

(l to r) Robinson, Harrison, Brooks and Richman

Consequently, the late release of this record created a conundrum for founder Jonathan Richman -- the band no longer existed. Given the album's critical and commercial success, Richman chose to re-establish The Modern Lovers with new musicians. Sometimes dubbed "The New Modern Lovers" or "Jonathan Richman and The Modern Lovers", they recorded and toured for another decade.In 1988, he retired the band name permanently, continuing as a solo artist. 

Interestingly, many will know Richman best from his contribution to the 1998 Farrelly Brothers' movie There's Something About Mary.

Movie Poster: Something About Mary

In it, Richman plays one half of a two-man Greek Chorus who comment on the plot while performing interstitial music throughout.

Richman in the opening credit sequence to
  There's Something About Mary (1998)

Prior to this week, I was unfamiliar with this debut record. I had heard the song Pablo Picasso, but not the original version. Instead, I knew it from the 1984 cult-film Repo Man, performed by short-lived Los Angeles band Burning Sensation.

Theatrical Poster for Repo Man (1984)

As I listened to and researched this record, I connected with the spirit of innovation which is blended into its history and legacy. As an educator, I am regularly encouraging students to embrace the power of remixing. For example, I was recently teaching my students how to code a simple Rock Blaster game. 

When they mastered the basic code I encouraged them work together to remix it and improve on the game's design. This project taps into the Four C's of 21st Century education: Collaboration, Critical Thinking, Creativity and Communication. The results were spectacular. This particular version is entitled "Cheese Puffs: The Attack Of The Hands". You might say that this student went beyond the Four Cs to create a fifth...Comedy!

As I move through The 500 list it has become clear that remixing is frequently evident. I am discovering music on the list that was informed by previous records. For example, a few weeks ago, I wrote about album #393, Kala, by M.I.A. 

Her track, Bamboo Banger, includes lyrics directly lifted (with credit) from Roadrunner, the opening track on the original Modern Lovers' record. 

Interestingly, Richman credits his inspiration for writing Roadrunner to the song Sister Ray, by The Velvet Underground from the 1968 record White Light, White Heat. This album appears on The 500 at position #293.

So, while the jury is still out on whether The Modern Lovers released the first "punk" album, there is no doubt that these four musicians have contributed significantly to modern music -- remixes and all.