The Bad Penny (beta)

To enter the genteel, childlike and joyous world of Jonathan Richman is, in many ways, to embrace the essence of the music-listening experience: true escapism in a world crafted by a master creator of art and fantasy. Formerly of Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers, the singer/songwriter returns to Boise tonight after gracing Treefort Music Fest with a buoyant and jovial set on a sunny afternoon in March 2017.

Richman returns to the City of Trees tonight to perform at Shrine Social Club to embark upon a fall tour in support of his album Only Frozen Sky Anyway, released July 4 via Blue Arrow Records. The Bad Penny recently caught up with the legend to talk about why he “votes yes” on Boise, the favorite concerts he’s ever attended – and why, surprisingly, he doesn’t think now is the right time for hope.

Dear Jonathan, it’s an honor to have the privilege to interview you. As a lover of pop music and native of Northborough, Massachusetts, thank you for all the contributions you’ve made to the music world over the decades (and happy 55th!). What about Only Frozen Sky Anyway makes you most proud and/of highlights your adept or explorative skills that your previous works did not?

Thank you for the nice words. Only Frozen Sky Anyway might be my favorite LP so far. It was very much an apparition of songs, as we stood there with our instruments. I’m not necessarily proud of it but I do love it. And it wasn’t so much skill either.

You played a splendid and joyful afternoon set at Treefort Music Fest here in Boise a few years back. What do you recall about the performance if anything, and what do you like about Boise if anything?

Boise is a nice size. Got a great health food store and is surrounded by much silence and sky. I vote yes.

What can attendees of your upcoming show here expect, aside from surprises?

We never play very loud.

Best and worst shows ever, that you’ve performed and/or attended, are…

Best: Van Morrison, Santa Monica Civic Auditorium 1973. Another best: The Lovin’ Spoonful at a theatre in downtown Boston, March 1966.

Given the current political climate in the U.S., do you feel more compelled or invigorated than ever to bring joy to your fans and those who are new to your music – or are you psychologically divorced altogether from current events while performing ?

We just play. Incidentally, in some way the climate is not really so different from previous climates, I’d say. But, yah, in other ways very different.

How much time do you spend following what’s happening, how do you manage to break away from it and what gives you hope in the future of our nation?

Many loving and honest people live here, and no side has a monopoly on villains or heroes. I’m not sure hope is the thing we need now, incidentally. I think we just need to look at things as they are, and help where we can.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received from another musician?

You never need to compromise. Another musician told me that when I was 17.

What’s the most common piece of advice you’ve imparted to another person, musician or otherwise?

If you don’t feel it, don’t sing it.

From one Luddite to another, thank you for carrying the torch for those of us who refrain from social media, resist app updates and miss the dulcet sounds of typewriters and stationary phones. Do you find any drawbacks in resisting?

I’m not even resisting. I just don’t want that stuff and mostly don’t need to use it.

Love your fashion sense. Where do you shop? Do your Luddite tendencies carry over to monastic living, i.e. not buying new garb with regularity?

Thrift and vintage stores, and surplus stores usually. But there are no rules to this.

Richman performs tonight at Shrine Social Club with Tommy Larkin on drums. Doors are at 7 p.m. Get more info and tickets for about $40 here.

This entry was posted on 10/03/2025 at 9:45 am and is filed under Interviews with tags Jonathan Richman. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.