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Roadrunner (Jonathan Richman Song)
"Roadrunner" is a song written by Jonathan Richman and recorded in various versions by Richman and his band, in most cases credited as the Modern Lovers. Richman has described it as an ode to Massachusetts Route 128. Critic Greil Marcus described it as "the most obvious song in the world, and the strangest". ''Rolling Stone'' ranked it No. 269 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time in 2004 and No. 77 in 2021. Origins of the song As a teenager Richman saw the Velvet Underground perform many times, and the format of "Roadrunner" is derived directly from the Velvets' song "Sister Ray". "Roadrunner" mainly uses two chords (D and A, and only two brief uses of E) rather than "Sister Ray"'s three (which are G, F, and C), but they share the same persistent throbbing rhythm, and lyrics which in performance were largely improvised around a central theme. However, in contrast to Lou Reed's morally detached saga of debauchery and decay, Richman's lyrics are passionate and can ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Modern Lovers
The Modern Lovers were an American rock band led by Jonathan Richman in the 1970s and 1980s. The original band existed from 1970 to 1974 but their recordings were not released until 1976 or later. It featured Richman and bassist Ernie Brooks with drummer David Robinson (later of The Cars) and keyboardist Jerry Harrison (later of Talking Heads). The sound of the band owed a great deal to the influence of the Velvet Underground, and is now sometimes classified as "proto-punk". It pointed the way towards much of the punk rock, new wave, alternative and indie rock music of later decades. Their only album, the eponymous ''The Modern Lovers'', contained idiosyncratic songs about dating awkwardness, growing up in Massachusetts, love of life, and the USA. Later, between 1976 and 1988, Richman used the name Modern Lovers for a variety of backing bands, always billed as "Jonathan Richman and The Modern Lovers". These bands were quieter and featured more low-key, often near-childlike so ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Key (music)
In music theory, the key of a piece is the group of pitches, or scale, that forms the basis of a musical composition in classical, Western art, and Western pop music. The group features a '' tonic note'' and its corresponding ''chords'', also called a ''tonic'' or ''tonic chord'', which provides a subjective sense of arrival and rest, and also has a unique relationship to the other pitches of the same group, their corresponding chords, and pitches and chords outside the group. Notes and chords other than the tonic in a piece create varying degrees of tension, resolved when the tonic note or chord returns. The key may be in the major or minor mode, though musicians assume major when this is not specified, e.g., "This piece is in C" implies that the key of the song is C major. Popular songs are usually in a key, and so is classical music during the common practice period, around 1650–1900. Longer pieces in the classical repertoire may have sections in contrasting keys. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Johnny B
Johnny B may refer to: * "Johnny B" (song), song by The Hooters * Jonathon Brandmeier (born 1956), American radio personality and musician known as Johnny B See also * ''Johnny Be Good ''Johnny Be Good'' is a 1988 American comedy film directed by Bud S. Smith, starring Anthony Michael Hall as the main character, Johnny Walker. The film also features Robert Downey Jr., Paul Gleason, Steve James, Jennifer Tilly and Uma Thurman. ...'', 1988 American comedy film directed by Bud Smith * " Johnny B. Goode", 1958 rock-and-roll song written and first recorded by Chuck Berry and covered intensively {{disambiguation ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chuck Berry
Charles Edward Anderson Berry (October 18, 1926 – March 18, 2017) was an American singer, songwriter and guitarist who pioneered rock and roll. Nicknamed the " Father of Rock and Roll", he refined and developed rhythm and blues into the major elements that made rock and roll distinctive with songs such as " Maybellene" (1955), "Roll Over Beethoven" (1956), "Rock and Roll Music" (1957) and " Johnny B. Goode" (1958). Writing lyrics that focused on teen life and consumerism, and developing a music style that included guitar solos and showmanship, Berry was a major influence on subsequent rock music.Campbell, M. (ed.) (2008). ''Popular Music in America: And the Beat Goes On''. 3rd ed. Cengage Learning. pp. 168–169. Born into a middle-class black family in St. Louis, Berry had an interest in music from an early age and gave his first public performance at Sumner High School. While still a high school student, he was convicted of armed robbery and was sent to a reformator ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sex Pistols
The Sex Pistols were an English punk rock band formed in London in 1975. Although their initial career lasted just two and a half years, they were one of the most groundbreaking acts in the history of popular music. They were responsible for initiating the Punk subculture, punk movement in the United Kingdom and inspiring many later punk and alternative rock musicians. Their fashion and hairstyles were a significant influence on punk fashion, punk image, and they are often associated with anarchism within music. The Sex Pistols originally comprised vocalist Johnny Rotten (John Lydon), guitarist Steve Jones (musician), Steve Jones, drummer Paul Cook, and bassist Glen Matlock; Matlock was replaced by Sid Vicious in early 1977. Under the management of Malcolm McLaren, the band attracted some controversies that both captivated and appalled Britain. Through an obscenity-laced television interview in December 1976 and their May 1977 single "God Save the Queen (Sex Pistols song), God ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Earth Quake (band)
Earth Quake is an American power pop band, formed in the San Francisco area in 1966, who released several albums in the 1970s, mostly on Beserkley Records, a company which they were involved in setting up. Band members *John Doukas - lead vocals *Robbie Dunbar - guitar, piano, vocals *Stan Miller - bass, vocals *Steve Nelson - percussion, vocals * Gary Phillips - guitar, vocals, lead vocals Career Originally Purple Earthquake, the band drew its influences from rock and blues bands of the 1950s and 1960s, such as The Kinks, Muddy Waters and the Yardbirds, and played clubs and ballrooms in California in the late 1960s. They were managed by Matthew King Kaufman, who got a recording contract for them with A&M Records, where they released two albums, ''Earth Quake'' (1971) and ''Why Don't You Try Me?'' (1972), but with little commercial success. After experiencing frustration at what he saw as A&M's incompetence in handling the band, and winning some compensation for the unauthor ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Greg Kihn Band
The Greg Kihn Band is an American band that was started by frontman Greg Kihn and bassist Steve Wright. Their most successful singles include "The Breakup Song (They Don't Write 'Em)" ( ''Billboard'' Hot 100 #15) and "Jeopardy" (''Billboard'' Hot 100 #2). The band's musical style and genres comprise rock, pop rock and power pop. History Greg Kihn began his career as a singer-songwriter in his hometown of Baltimore, Maryland. He started writing songs and playing coffee houses while still in high school in the Baltimore area. When he was 17 his mother submitted a tape of one of his original songs to the talent contest of local Top 40 radio station WCAO, in which he took first prize and won a typewriter, a stack of records, and a Vox electric guitar. He moved to San Francisco in 1972 and worked painting houses, singing in the streets, and working behind the counter at a Berkeley record store with future bandmate and Earth Quake keyboardist Gary Phillips. The following year, h ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Matthew King Kaufman
Matthew "King" Kaufman (born May 19, 1946) is an American record producer who was the owner of leading independent label Beserkley Records in Berkeley, California from the mid-1970s through the mid-1980s, successfully producing records by Jonathan Richman, Greg Kihn and others. Biography Born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland, Kaufman graduated from law school but never took the bar. Instead, convinced they were to be the next Beatles, Kaufman went to California to co-manage the San Francisco rock band Earth Quake. He helped the band get a two-record deal with A&M Records in 1970, and picked up production tips from Lou Adler and Glyn Johns. Also while at A&M, Kaufman helped organize the series of demos recorded by The Modern Lovers. These recordings were unreleased at the time, but would later form the basis of their acclaimed debut album. The Beserkley Years (1973-1984) After becoming frustrated with A&M, Kaufman decided to set up his own label in 1973. Beserkley Records (h ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Beserkley Records
Beserkley Records was an American independent record label based in Berkeley, California, from 1973 to 1984. Beserkley is usually regarded as a power pop and rock and roll label. During the 1970s, the label released albums by Earth Quake, Greg Kihn, Jonathan Richman, and The Modern Lovers, the Rubinoos, and the Tyla Gang. Several other artists appeared on singles, or on compilation albums. From 1980 to its dissolution in 1984, Beserkley was a one-artist label, the artist being Greg Kihn. History The label was founded by Matthew King Kaufman, along with members of the Bay Area band Earth Quake. Kaufman was a law graduate who became co-manager of Earth Quake, and helped them sign with A&M Records in 1970. After experiencing frustration at what he saw as A&M's incompetence in handling the band, and winning some compensation for the unauthorized use of Earth Quake's music in the movie '' The Getaway'', he set up Beserkley Records, in 1973. Kaufman produced virtually all of Bese ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kim Fowley
Kim Vincent Fowley (July 21, 1939 – January 15, 2015) was the American record producer, songwriter and musician who was behind a string of novelty and cult pop rock singles in the 1960s, and managed The Runaways in the 1970s. He has been described as "one of the most colorful characters in the annals of rock & roll", as well as "a shadowy cult figure well outside the margins of the mainstream". Early life Born in Los Angeles, California, Fowley was the son of character actor Douglas Fowley and actress Shelby Payne. His parents later divorced and Payne married William Friml, son of composer Rudolf Friml. Fowley attended University High School at the same time as singers Jan Berry and Dean Torrence (later of Jan and Dean fame), Bruce Johnston (later of the Beach Boys), and Nancy Sinatra, as well as actors Ryan O'Neal, James Brolin, and Sandra Dee. Career In 1957, he was hospitalized with polio and, on his release, became manager and publicist for local band the Sleepwalker ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
