Patrick Mathé
I ask French President Macron to grant Patrick Mathé an official day of recognition, honoring his good taste, appreciation, and proliferation of obscure American music, ca. 1981 - 1992.
The world has benefited and ultimately owes this french John Lomax and intrepid record pioneer's record label, New Rose Records, recognition for a legacy which already exists forever in the hearts and minds of music lovers around the world, but which now should be celebrated by those who have not yet heard his name.
Please help me start this petition by first liking this initial application and official statement on Facebook.
April 22, 2018
en francais
Je demande au président français Macron d'accorder à Patrick Mathé une journée officielle de reconnaissance, honorant son bon goût, son appréciation et la prolifération de la musique américaine obscure, ca. 1981 - 1992.
Le monde a profité et doit finalement à ce français John Lomax et à l'étiquette de pionnier du disque intrépide, New Rose Records, la reconnaissance d'un héritage qui existe déjà dans le cœur et l'esprit des mélomanes du monde entier, mais qui devrait maintenant être célébré par ceux qui n'a pas encore entendu son nom.
S'il vous plaît aidez-moi à commencer cette pétition en appréciant d'abord cette demande initiale et cette déclaration officielle sur Facebook.
(originally 7 rue Pierre Sarrazin, Paris 6è)
New Rose Records was THE french label of the Eighties. Created by Patrick Mathé and Louis Thevenon, New Rose had some 10 years (1981/1992) of magnificence and worldwide fame.
It was one of the worldwide most important independent label.
Among new bands and french bands, Patrick Mathé also re-discovered or gave a new opportunity to many legends of Rock'n'Roll (Willie Alexander, Alex Chilton, Sky Saxon, Roky Erickson, Tav Falco, Our Favorite Band...).
It was sometimes like a big family (just see the "Play New Rose for Me" compilation to see what I mean).
The Parisian New Rose record shop was also really the center of the then independent scene (while other labels - some distributed by New Rose - filled the same role in other towns in France).[photos available through the Misc.page]
From 1990 to 1994 New Rose Records & Distribution moved to 25, rue du Général Leclerc 94270 Le Kremlin Bicètre.
| ROSE 120 | O.F.B. - Saturday Nights
and Sunday Morning
(jun.1987) - LP (Our Favorite Band)
Our Favorite Band is Maury O'Rourk (Vocals, Washboard, guitar oslo on "Dreamin", percussion) / Donald W.Spicer (all guitars except where noted, slide and smith mel-o-bar, steel guitars, synthesizers, vocals on "Tennessee", bass on "Girl made in Japan" produced by Donald Q. Spicer / Basic recordings done at Real to Reel Sudios, Baton Rouge, Louisiana / "Drownin" recorded live at Easley Recording Studio, Memphis, Tennessee |
|
In 1992, the label was sold to the FNAC (actually Fnac Music), but due to Fnac enormous European chain & reorganization, New Rose disappeared early in 1994.
Patrick Mathé initiated another label, Last Call Records with the initial New Rose records' spirit, issuing some of the bands already with New Rose records.
New Rose Records
New Rose Records was created by Patrick Mathé and Louis Thévenon in 1981. They converted in the biggest indie label in Europe, and also promoted numerous smallest labels through their distribution activity.
In 1992 the label was sold to the FNAC (actually Fnac Music), but disappeared early in 1994.
After that, Patrick Mathé created Last Call Records, taking most part of the New Rose catalog of artists, and also reissued some records among new releases.
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Our Favorite Band Saturday Nights...Sunday Mornings (LP, Album) ROSE 120 1987
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Three characters from the New Rose galaxy seen by Patrick Mathé:
Friday, December 22, 2000
Tav Falco's Panther Burns: one of the best representatives of a rockabilly, dark, rockabilly blues, Memphis underground
(The World We Knew at New Rose)
(Shadow Dancer and Love's Last Warning at Last Call)
"It was one of my very first trips to the US. I was hesitant to rent a car so he took care of me from start to finish, so I was addicted. A wooden hut in a suburb of Memphis with neighbors who seemed straight out of Délivrance, nice freaks just like everything but torn apart, but being at Tav's was a test of the ordeal - you had to stuff yourself for four to five hours a night on his 'art films'.
He never ate, he was broke, he was always out of a car, and he lived in his world, convinced that he was the Frank Sinatra of the year 2000.
It was great, but it's the last time I've been dependent on someone in the United States."
Roky Erickson: The legend of the 13th Floor Elevators, the cream of the American psyche of the sixties. Unfortunately decreased after massive drug intake and HP stays
(Clear Night for Love at New Rose)
"One of my friends, Sir Douglas Quintet's bass player, had taken me to his mother's house where he lived at the time, I knew Roky was a little lit, but when I saw the house, I thought it was was the whole family that had to be, it was a permanent construction site, a shack started 15-20 years ago and never finished, stuffed with plaster bags and other materials, quite surrealist, when I saw the mother I just said,
'I'm going to get Roky but don't worry, he's just set fire to his room.'
His musical genius was intact but humanly it was already diminished. That said, he was an extraordinary character, incredibly lucid at times, we had to make a new album, I sent him an advance that got a little lost on the way. "
Charlie Feathers: another legend, from Memphis. A precursor of rockabilly of the big time Sun, praised by Elvis.
(Honky Tonk Man at New Rose)
"He was close to sixty when we met Tav Falco, who lived with his ninety-year-old wife and mother in a house built in the fifties. A kind of time machine, Charlie had completely rejected the traditional record circuit at the time, so he had created his own label, forty-five towers that were only available at his home. checks, post office and record stores!
"The only solution was to ring the doorbell and pay in cash, which limited the market a bit, but we ended up making two records together."
(Interviewed by Didier Rochet)
Patrick Mathé is the man behind New Rose records and now Last Call records. He has got perfect taste in music, and it is why he has had France's best indie label for the last twenty years. In the 80's, his eponymous record shop located in the Latin Quarter in Paris was the headquarters of all students interested in trendy new sounds coming from abroad, and specially from Boston as Patrick had signed lots of bands from that area,
from the Real Kids to the Classic ruins, the Lyres and of course Willie Loco Alexander.
I was in his shop every Saturday afternoon looking for new releases and imports. Patrick has also given a second chance to misfits or cult musicians like Alex Chilton, Elliott Murphy or Roky Erickson.
Roky Erickson and Patrick M.
More on Last Call and New Rose at http://www.lastcall.com
But he essentially released "live at Longbranch saloon" by the Modern Lovers and I asked him my set of questions about Jonathan.
- What is the first Jonathan Richman song you ever heard
Roadrunner
- First Jonathan show ?
In 76, at Cantone's a small club in Boston. It was awesome and very friendly atmosphere. After the show, Jonathan drove me back to my hotel in his van.
- Are you pleased with Jonathan's evolution in style or do you prefer the original Modern Lovers ?
Obviously, I love the first albums and I must admit that I am not familiar with the most recent of his production but in any case everything he has done has always been good. Nothing to throw away, never.
- How did happen the release of Modern Lovers live at Long Branch saloon, can you tell us about it ?
It was Ernie Brooks who took care of everything. Ernie did the remastering with the help of Jerry Harrison and it went quite fast if I remember well.
- Is there any chance that one day we will get the missing songs from those concerts like "Cambridge clown" for instance ? Will there be a third Longbranch CD ?
It is not foreseen for the moment, I will talk with Ernie about it, he must have the tapes.
- As an acknowledged expert of the Boston scene (There are people there who still remember you and your cigars) what influence do you think Jonathan had on the local scene ?
I think Jonathan was on his own in a way, he was not infesting the clubs as the Real Kids, Willie Loco or the Lyres did.
His style being so unique and unforgetable, I do not see him as having been a big influence on other bands.
- What about the rumour which said, at that time that you were trying to sign Jonathan on the New Rose label ?
This never existed, and I was not aware of the rumour.
- An anecdote related to Jonathan ?
I remember that during a concert of the Count (Joe Viglone), in a small Boston venue, Jonathan was there practising trunk and abdominal gym exercises during the whole concert. It was rather surrealistic.
- What cover of someone of the New Rose/ Last call catalogue could you imagine Jonathan singing ?
Maybe "the singing grandfather" from Roky Erickson.