Mandatory Fun (Album 14) Speculation :3

[joseyklein]

FREEDOM!!!!!

[ludovica64]

Obviously, one I'd like to see, but will never happen, ever, would be an album chock full of classic rock parodies. Likely targets being along the lines of Bruce Springsteen, David Bowie, Beatles, Led Zeppelin, etc.

But since that won't happen (maybe one of them, as their songs do have staying power, but not holding breath), still a bit early to speculate on anything. Really hard to do given today's radio environment and where it'll be at 3-5 years down the line.

I used to think this, but now I have reconsidered . I think it would possibly be rather a bad thing for Al to start being too retrospective. I have suddenly realized that one of the big positives of Al Fandom is that no matter how square you are, personally, or resistant to novelty and change, it does you GOOD to be "forced" to listen to current music you would normally dismiss. Its that little touch of discomfort that gives Al an edge. It would be so EASY for him to write funny lyrics to songs our mothers once danced to. But EASY is NOT what Al is about. He likes shaking us up, and god knows, a lot of us need it (I include myself happily) It's very much in line with that whole New Wave ethic Al describes when he is interviewed. He's on record saying that what attracted him most to Devo, and other New Wave music was because all the dimwit jocks who were mean to him hated it so much. Al has that stubborn contrary streak so much in his character that he has been kicking the ass of lazy complacency ever since (Never more so than with Genius in France which a lot of people find "difficult" to listen to.

This is probably hugely pretentious of me to say, but I think its sort of innovative and visionary to recycle the sacred cows of popular music into something seemingly ridiculous..

Its sort of Dadaist

We aren't supposed to feel comfortable with it.. just one way to look at it

[HappyGilmore]

Obviously, one I'd like to see, but will never happen, ever, would be an album chock full of classic rock parodies. Likely targets being along the lines of Bruce Springsteen, David Bowie, Beatles, Led Zeppelin, etc.

But since that won't happen (maybe one of them, as their songs do have staying power, but not holding breath), still a bit early to speculate on anything. Really hard to do given today's radio environment and where it'll be at 3-5 years down the line.

I used to think this, but now I have reconsidered . I think it would possibly be rather a bad thing for Al to start being too retrospective. I have suddenly realized that one of the big positives of Al Fandom is that no matter how square you are, personally, or resistant to novelty and change, it does you GOOD to be "forced" to listen to current music you would normally dismiss. Its that little touch of discomfort that gives Al an edge. It would be so EASY for him to write funny lyrics to songs our mothers once danced to. But EASY is NOT what Al is about. He likes shaking us up, and god knows, a lot of us need it (I include myself happily) It's very much in line with that whole New Wave ethic Al describes when he is interviewed. He's on record saying that what attracted him most to Devo, and other New Wave music was because all the dimwit jocks who were mean to him hated it so much. Al has that stubborn contrary streak so much in his character that he has been kicking the ass of lazy complacency ever since (Never more so than with Genius in France which a lot of people find "difficult" to listen to.

This is probably hugely pretentious of me to say, but I think its sort of innovative and visionary to recycle the sacred cows of popular music into something seemingly ridiculous..

Its sort of Dadaist

We aren't supposed to feel comfortable with it.. just one way to look at it

I like most of the current stuff on the radio. Don't necessarily 'love' it, but I don't immediately think it sucks either. In fact, I'm a big fan of the likes of Lady Gaga, B.o.B., Bruno Mars, Katy Perry, etc. But, as a kid growing up, my first loves were the like of David Bowie, Elvis Costello, The Beatles, MC5, etc., and occasionally get that little feeling when I re-listen to them thinking "Wonder what Al could do with this?". So I love that he sticks to the current stuff for the reasons you mentioned.

Just something I think about now and then.

[minnick27]

I think music has gotten better lately. I don't know if Radio Disney has tricked me into liking pop, but we've been listening to alot more of the top 40 stations lately, and I don't hate it

[HappyGilmore]

I think music has gotten better lately. I don't know if Radio Disney has tricked me into liking pop, but we've been listening to alot more of the top 40 stations lately, and I don't hate it

It has gotten much better. I had a two year period or so where I stuck pretty closely to the classic rock station and Howard Stern. Lately I've been liking what's on that stupid Seacrest show.

[Teh Dingo]

Seriously...for all the times I've been accused of "hating" pop music, the truth is, I find a lot of it these days to be quite good, it's just not my cup of tea and I don't listen to it.

[ludovica64]

LOL Q.E.D!

[Bruce the Duck]

Pop music is definitely getting better now that the boy bands and Disney pop stars are starting to fade away.

[weirdojace]

Glad Al got to target one of the Disney pop stars before it was too late, though.

[JCM]

Is there the possibility of a Justin Bieber parody on this album? He's only getting bigger.