Or to be more precise for the purposes of this website Jonathan Richman & The Modern Lovers who were unlikely punk rock influences but. However like Television or their initial heroes The Velvet Underground they presented a stripped down and  pared down vision of music. They also had a massive stroke of luck. Their first album if you see it in this way wasn't released for 5 years and when it was it found itself in tune with the New Wave and an appreciative audience. But we are getting ahead of ourselves here.

The next album in 1977 Rock'n'roll With The Modern Lovers found a whimsical almost childlike tunes like Hey There Little Insect and  Abominable Snowman In The Supermarket along with doo wop and Chuck Berry riffs.

The punks were confused but the answer was simple. That first classic album was demos recorded in 1972 and never released by Warners until Beserkley picked up the rights and released it in 1976. To put it in perspective imagine Rattus Norvegicus being followed by Aural Sculpture. You get the picture... Jonathan had moved on!

Without a shadow of a doubt Jonathan Richman is an immensely talented (and slightly off the wall) singer songwriter, and who has never really had the recognition he deserved. For the purposes of this site though we salute the man who gave us Roadrunner and The Modern Lovers album and who unwittingly whether he liked it or not helped contribute to the rich and varied seam of punk.

 Click to hear clip of 'Pablo Picasso'