MOG

Happy New Year everyone!

Hey, ever wonder why Jonathan Richman ran for the hills after recording great songs like "she cracked" and "hospital" and "pablo picasso"? Me too! That first album has such great stuff on it and it arguably was a driving force in the earliest of punk days: my old buddy Chuck Vaughan called it "proto-punk" when he first turned me on to it many years ago. The biting sarcasm and wit certainly gives Elvis Costello's same talents a run for his money! But after those recordings the story was always told that Jonathan decided not to play those songs anymore, fired his band, or at least left them behind and went on to sing songs about the ice cream man, taking out all the hard-edge instincts, both lyrically and musically.

i think this has bummed out a lot of people, including me. i like Jonathan solo. I do. But he's straight. He's never stoned. :-) I've seen him a bunch in the last few years and he's totally entertaining and funny. but why did he do such a complete turn around all those years ago?

wonder no longer, my friends! wonder no longer! someone recently sent me this song, called "Monologue About Bermuda" where he explains the WHOLE thing. you won't believe it. listen. AND it's funny.