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Shining so much light on being your true self while not letting go of your purest self. The archives of his life are incredible also.
May 30, 2025
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New Jersey may have Bruce, but Massachusetts has Jonathan- a guy who has always been unapologetically himself whether it was being totally sober in the 70s, writing pleas for tenderness in a genre known for bravado, dancing in lesbian bars, or driving down to NYC every weekend to be Velvet Underground's biggest fan before anyone else was. a guy who despite being a rock legend, spends his days installing pizza ovens around the san fransisco area.
I've seen him live a few times now, and watching him play his sweet silly songs in an unapologetically sincere + sort of autistic way is somehow just as transgressive as the proto-punk he invented with The Modern Lovers over 50 years ago. I can't help but smile ear to ear for his entire set. effortless humor and charm.
Something that's also stood out to me after seeing him live a few times now, is the way he recontextualizes the classics. When he played "Old World" in 2022 he changed the lyrics to recognize how some things should be left in the past rather than simply romanticizing it. And last night he played with the iconic "Pablo Picasso" to focus less on the swagger of Pablo, and more on how that type of guy is actually kind of an arrogant creep. Angel Prost (of Frost Children) wrote a great essay on Jonathan's reinvention for her email-only newsletter a few years ago, if you'd like to read it I'm sure I can dig it up for you.
From last night-
When I was a kid, I wanted to be an oil painter. I was obsessed with colors.
Then I heard Velvet Underground and saw you can paint with a guitar
Anyways...if more people were a bit more like Jonathan the world would be a better place. A huge inspiration to me!
Mar 8, 2024
finally saw this guy last night after buying the tickets months ago, and WOW. genuinely the show of a lifetime. if he is not this generation’s woody guthrie/john prine, then i don’t know who is. dude can go from singing a song about the corruptness of american health insurance to a little tune about turtles, and it all flows together perfectly. he sings all the things that i think the majority of us want to say about the world today, and he does it insanely well with such a simple set up. also one of the best harmonica players i’ve ever witnessed. ok i’m just fangirling now…please go see this man if you get the opportunity.
Mar 9, 2025
i saw him when he opened for mustard service at the subterranean last oct n the edible my little sister gave me legitimately made me believe he was apollo in the flesh, his music is super fun n silly n genuine i feel like he puts a lot of love into everything he makes
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🎰 casino
🌈 john take me with you
🗽 new york
Jul 1, 2024
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Wanting to genuinely get to know someone without an agenda should be the new currency.
Thinking someone is interesting and wanting to know a bit of their story is what makes this experience human.
These types of exchanges are boosting the frequencyyyy.
Listening without biased judgement is the most compelling you can be.
I have learned I can't figure out who I am without other people.
May 30, 2025
May 8, 2025
2d ago