Editing Jonathan Richman (section)

===Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers===
In 1975, Richman moved to California to record as a solo [[singer-songwriter]] with the independent [[Beserkley Records]] label. His first released recordings appeared on 1975's ''Beserkley Chartbusters'' compilation, where he was backed by members of [[Earth Quake (band)|Earth Quake]] and the Rubinoos. The four songs on the compilation also appeared on singles released by Beserkley.

In January 1976, Richman put together a new version of the Modern Lovers, which included original Modern Lovers drummer [[David Robinson (musician)|David Robinson]], former [[Rubinoos]] bassist [[Greg 'Curly' Keranen]] and Leroy Radcliffe on guitar. The new group, now billed as Jonathan Richman and The Modern Lovers, found Richman turning away from the harder, Velvet Underground-influenced electric rock of the original Modern Lovers, toward a gentler sound mixing pop with 1950s rock and roll, and including a bigger emphasis on harmony vocals. During this period Richman recorded a mix of original songs and material by other writers, including [[Chuck Berry]]'s "Back in the USA", the traditional spiritual songs "Amazing Grace" and "Angels Watching Over Me", and older pop songs like "Emaline", "Buzz, Buzz, Buzz", and "Lydia".

Richman's own songs continued to mix straightforward love themes with more whimsical themes like [[Martian]]s ("Here Come the Martian Martians"), [[Leprechaun]]s ("Rockin' Rockin' Leprechauns"), the [[Yeti|Abominable Snowman]] ("Abominable Snowman in the Market"), and mosquitoes ("I'm Nature's Mosquito"). Richman's 1977 recording of the [[children's music]] standard "[[The Wheels on the Bus]]" made explicit his interest in making music for listeners of all ages.

The album ''Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers'' was released in May 1976, three months before the older ''[[The Modern Lovers (album)|The Modern Lovers]]'' sessions were finally released. Drummer David Robinson left the group soon thereafter, due to frustration with Richman's quest for lower volume levels, and joined with [[Ric Ocasek]] in forming the band [[the Cars]].

After several months as a trio, Richman found a new drummer, D. Sharpe, an avant-garde jazz player on the Boston scene, who later went on to become a member of pianist [[Carla Bley]]'s band.

''Rock and Roll with the Modern Lovers'' was released in 1977 and, just as this record began to climb the charts in Europe, Keranen left the group to attend college. A subsequent live album, ''Modern Lovers Live'', was released in 1978, with Asa Brebner on bass.<ref name="The Great Rock Discography"/>

[[File:Jonathan-richman.png|240px|thumb|right|Jonathan Richman, live at the Soft Rock Cafe, [[Kitsilano]], Vancouver, [[British Columbia]], Canada (1984)]]
In the United Kingdom, Richman was recognised as a progenitor of the [[punk rock]] scene, and several of his singles became hits. "Roadrunner" reached number 11 in the [[UK Singles Chart]], and its follow-up, the instrumental "Egyptian Reggae", made number 5 in late 1977.<ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums">{{cite book
| first= David
| last= Roberts
| year= 2006
| title= British Hit Singles & Albums
| edition= 19th
| publisher= Guinness World Records Limited
| location= London
| isbn= 1-904994-10-5
| page= 462}}</ref> "Egyptian Reggae" was a version of Jamaican musician [[Earl Zero]]'s [[reggae]] song "None Shall Escape the Judgment"; Zero was credited as co-writer on Richman's later versions of the track.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.originals.be/nl/originals.php?id=8639 |title=The Originals by Arnold Rypens |publisher=Originals.be |access-date=September 4, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120314045115/http://www.originals.be/nl/originals.php?id=8639 |archive-date=March 14, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bloodandfire.co.uk/db/viewtopic.php?p=126185&sid=5a89b91624e3b6f1a614ced7ae9571e3 |title=View topic – Egyptian Reggae – Jonathan Richman video clip ! |website=Bloodandfire.co.uk |date=May 16, 2006 |access-date=September 4, 2012 |archive-date=February 7, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120207192354/http://www.bloodandfire.co.uk/db/viewtopic.php?p=126185&sid=5a89b91624e3b6f1a614ced7ae9571e3 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

''[[Back in Your Life (Jonathan Richman album)|Back in Your Life]]'' was released in 1979 under the "Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers" moniker, but only about half the disc featured a backup band. The balance of the album was Richman playing solo. Following this version of The Modern Lovers' final breakup, Richman went on sabbatical for a few years, staying in [[Appleton, Maine]], and playing at local bars in [[Belfast, Maine]].

By 1981, Richman was recording and touring once again with various combinations of musicians under the band name Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers. The touring band was as large as five backup musicians during parts of 1981, when the group had bassist Curly Keranen once again, along with drummer Michael Guardabascio, keyboard player Ken Forfia, vocalist and guitarist Ellie Marshall, and vocalist [[Beth Harrington]] for a gig at New York's [[The Bottom Line (venue)|Bottom Line]]. This expanded Modern Lovers group would go on to record much of the music on the ''Jonathan Sings'' (1983), ''Rockin' & Romance'' (1985), and  ''It's Time for Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers'' (1986) albums.

From 1981 to 1984, Richman most often played live in a trio with Keranen and Marshall. In 1985, the group was reconfigured, and consisted of bassist Asa Brebner and drummer [[Andy Paley]]. From 1986 to 1988, most of Richman's concerts were played with guitarist Brennan Totten and drummer Johnny Avila. Signing with [[Rounder Records]] in 1987, Richman recorded his final album using the "Modern Lovers" group name (''[[Modern Lovers 88]]''). After this, the "Modern Lovers" moniker was retired.