Jonathan Richman (born 16 May 1951) is an American proto-punk musician. He is known for his wide-eyed, near-childlike lyrical outlook, and music that, while rooted in 1950s rock and roll structures, can be wildly eclectic. Biography Born in Natick, Massachusetts, Richman began playing music and writing his own songs in the mid-1960s. Richman became infatuated with the Velvet Underground, and in 1969 he moved to New York City, living on the couch of their manager, Steve Sesnick, while working odd jobs and trying to break in as a professional musician. Failing at this, he returned to Boston. In the Greater Boston area he formed The Modern Lovers, a proto-punk garage rock band. Other notable members of the group were keyboard player Jerry Harrison and drummer David Robinson, who later joined Talking Heads and The Cars, respectively. In 1972 they recorded a series of demos with producer John Cale (for