Is Al finally "here to stay"?

He who's tired of Weird Al is tired of life.

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Teh Dingo
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Is Al finally "here to stay"?

Post by Teh Dingo »

I was rewatching the Colbert episode today and a thought occurred to me. It's been nearly two years since Mandatory Fun and Al's.....still relevant. This may not seem like a big deal to newer fans (and maybe even a bit insulting), but for us veterans, this is shocking.

The old joke is that every album Al does is a comeback album. And outside of Dare to be Stupid (when the mainstream music scene was still in it's honeymoon phase with Al), it's been true. Anytime Al has had a good sized hit, his next album has been an afterthought. Even Worse was followed by the UHF soundtrack. Off the Deep End was followed by Alapalooza. Straight Outta Lynwood was followed by Alpocalypse (I'm not counting Bad Hair Day to Running With Scissors, since RWS was more of a slow burn success rather than driven by any one single).

Now obviously there hasn't been a follow-up to MF yet (and who knows what that will be), but here we are two years later. Al's coming off of two major talk show appearances, a guest appearance on a hit sitcom, and is co-starring in Comedy Bang Bang. And that doesn't even begin to mention his cartoon, the second leg of the tour, the movie cameo, and other things I'm sure I'm forgetting.

Whatever Al does next musically is bound to have some kind of drop off (what goes up must come down), but whatever happens, it certainly feels like the "comeback" is finally complete.
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Re: Is Al finally "here to stay"?

Post by Sappho »

I've been wondering on this topic myself. I've only been around a short time but I've learned the history and I'm well aware that, traditionally, Al would pretty much vanish from the "mainstream" consciousness whenever he didn't have an album out, to resurface only upon release of the next.

And it's lead me to wonder what will happen in the future. With his plans to move away from traditional albums, he will be able to release his parodies in a more timely manner. But he will also no longer make a big splash by dropping a whole collection of songs all at once. No more albums would mean no more "comeback" albums, and I have wondered if that might not lead to his vanishment once again.

But if he really has managed to, finally, firmly entrench himself in mainstream consciousness, then it wouldn't matter. People would not forget him.

And it really does seem that he has. Making the rounds on the big time talk shows on not much more than touring with a two year old album? That's a pretty neat accomplishment.
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Re: Is Al finally "here to stay"?

Post by mellow weasel »

Sappho wrote:No more albums would mean no more "comeback" albums, and I have wondered if that might not lead to his vanishment once again.

But if he really has managed to, finally, firmly entrench himself in mainstream consciousness, then it wouldn't matter. People would not forget him.
Considering what a strategic thinker he is, I wouldn't be surprised if he anticipated this risk and it was his conscious decision to find a way to establish himself in a more stable manner.
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Re: Is Al finally "here to stay"?

Post by Sappho »

mellow weasel wrote:
Sappho wrote:No more albums would mean no more "comeback" albums, and I have wondered if that might not lead to his vanishment once again.

But if he really has managed to, finally, firmly entrench himself in mainstream consciousness, then it wouldn't matter. People would not forget him.
Considering what a strategic thinker he is, I wouldn't be surprised if he anticipated this risk and it was his conscious decision to find a way to establish himself in a more stable manner.
You're probably right. He's been at this a while, I'm sure he knows what he's doing.
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Re: Is Al finally "here to stay"?

Post by minnick27 »

A good part of Al being so prevalent right now is due to the fact that people who have been fans of Als their whole life are in a position of power to give him work.

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Re: Is Al finally "here to stay"?

Post by Heds »

With everything happening I'm sure Al will be obliged to come out of album retirement (I'd most likely say it'll be digital as Al currently doesn't have a contract) but with all the YouTube parodies and more artists who'll turn down parodies [due to them being offended or feeling they'll have their reputation ruined] it could seem rather eerie.

Maybe continuing on how everything's doing right now AND possibly releasing a single every few months or so to keep the fans happy would be a good prediction. ;)
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Re: Is Al finally "here to stay"?

Post by anthontherun »

I think Sappho and Mike both hit on important points--that Al has maintained a greater level of activity (besides touring) than he did between albums in the past, and the generation that grew up listening to Al in the 80s have now become influential comedians themselves and want him involved in their own projects.

I really hope Al reconsiders the no more albums mentality, because even though the music landscape has obviously changed a lot in the past few years, album releases are usually still pretty big events and he's got more momentum on his side than ever before. I don't think he'd have any trouble hitting #1 again (unless he went head to head with, like, Beyonce or Adele or Taylor Swift, but I'm sure he'd be strategic in choosing a release date).
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Re: Is Al finally "here to stay"?

Post by chickadee »

Rather than staying relevant with a new album, it would be so wonderful if Al fulfilled his dream of a broadway musical.
Lin-Manuel Miranda said in his Katy Couric interview that he wants to collaborate with Al.
Good God!! What a dream come true that would be.
However, I saw Al interviewed a few years back about UHF and he said that he really didn't like collaborating.
But, with Lin!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh Please!!!!!! :please:

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Re: Is Al finally "here to stay"?

Post by TMBJon »

My own theory is that we will have much less frequent musical output, though Al will stay relevant through other projects such as TV shows like CBB and -- maybe!! please!!!! -- the rumored Lin-Manuel Miranda theatrical collaboration.
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Re: Is Al finally "here to stay"?

Post by Sappho »

I think we will have more frequent musical output - with the albums we really only had musical output once every few years, but now that he's no longer bound to an album deal he can put stuff out there more often in singles. However, since there will be fewer songs in each single release the net effect may very well be less music in total.

And yes I'm totally up for that potential Lin-Manuel collabo! :tacky:
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