Songwriting punk rocker blends variety of genres

To qualify as a "cult" musician requires a few nebulous qualities or attitudes -- at a minimum, avoiding interviews and interaction with the Internet. So singer-songwriter and punk rocker Jonathan Richman certainly can be found on the short roster of "cult" heroes in the rock 'n' roll world.

While Richman has made four recent albums for Vapor Records, the label's website explains at the end of its entry on him: "Please note that Jonathan Richman does not have any direct involvement with the Vapor Records website and does not participate in the Internet on any level."

So what to make of Richman? Brennan Totten, who produced five of Richman's albums and co-produced a sixth, has variously called him "the godfather of punk rock," "a primal architect of the new wave" and "the last innocent in rock and roll."

Richman, 63, has made nearly 40 albums and his most recent one -- O Moon, Queen of Night on Earth -- came out in 2010.

From his beginnings in Boston as a member of The Modern Lovers to the time he sat in a tree singing "True Love Is Not Nice" in the Cameron Diaz film There's Something About Mary, Richman has followed a meandering path that has taken him to the far corners of the world. He has written, recorded and sung not just in English, but also in Spanish, Italian and French.

Many of Richman's songs sound as if they were written for the younger set, although he has yet to create what might be called a children's album. As he explains in the part of the liner notes that he wrote for a 2002 Rounder Records retrospective, Action Packed: The Best of Jonathan Richman: The "idea was not to make songs aimed specifically at children but ones they could enjoy along with the rest of the audience." Some of those songs include "Here Come the Martian Martians," "Abominable Snowman in the Market," "Ice Cream Man" and "I'm a Little Dinosaur."

While the kids might not relate to his noted "I Was Dancing in the Lesbian Bar," they surely could enjoy "Pablo Picasso" and his other odes to his inspirations, such as "Vincent Van Gogh" and "Salvador Dali." His "Roadrunner" is one of his most loved songs, by old and young alike, and recently a Massachusetts legislator proposed it be named the state rock song -- a move opposed by Richman.

And then there are his emotionally revealing tunes, not always love songs, including "That Summer Feeling," "Important in Your Life," "Give Paris One More Chance," "The Girl Stands Up to Me Now" and "She Doesn't Laugh at My Jokes."

Richman's previous Little Rock visits consist of a 1993 show at the now-defunct Blue Mesa Grill and a 2007 show at Stickyz. His show from the previous century was marred by a contingent of obviously nonmusic-loving people who were (loudly) celebrating a birthday. Richman, performing solo with his electric guitar, maintained his composure throughout the show, having no doubt endured similar surroundings in his lengthy career.

As the old saying goes, the show must go on. And it did. And the next day, someone tipped off Arkansas Democrat-Gazette photographer John Sykes Jr. that Richman was on his way out of town -- at the Greyhound bus station.

Like the fun-loving guy he is, he was smiling while he waited.

Weekend on 02/26/2015