I was listening to a recent Jonathan Richman album tonight and it struck me how his simplicity cut through the thick complexity of life. I was also reminded of the time Stoner and I saw Jojo in Pontiac (I forgot the name of the place and my adjunct memory is no longer here to help me). I think Stoner was a fan of Jonathan Richman but I suspect because of Stoner's hard-scrabbled life, he couldn't completely buy into the easy-going romanticism of Jonathan Richman. Anyway, listening to him tonight brought back a surge of feelings, including "that summer feeling".
The first song of the video could be about the satellite members of the Clock. The second song of could be about, well, all of us.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
Thanks, rocky. ツ
I saw Jojo w/ Stoner, as well; this happened in a small club somewhere on the western outskirts of Detroit - was there a Melvin's? - and it was likely during the late '80s, after I finished college.
He played alone, and I remember him stomping on the stage for rhythm - it was very loud, like a pro wrestler landing piledrivers in 4/4 time.
Later, Jojo and I used adjacent urinals while he struggled to be cordial in response to overly-familiar questions from another fan. He seemed melancholy, perhaps feeling the weight of a life consumed by endless touring, as he explained that he's not a kid anymore, cruising in his parents' car around the suburbs.
That was a highlight of my life - at least at the time - and the show was great, too.
But I think I was introduced to Jojo's oeuvre via "Those Conga Drums", on Jonathan Sings! [1983]. Check it out at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFyB8EWfcjU
Post a Comment