Original Artists' Response

[algonacchick]

Slightly disappointed that it's just a mention in an article, and not a link to him actually singing the song. Cool find, anyway. I'd like to hear that, too.

[Big Spoon]

I'd love to hear that.

[Kevbo1987]

Very interesting indeed.

[alexis_adams27]

Also, was it Kurt Cobain himself or Krist Noveselic who said that they felt Nirvana finally "made it" when Al parodied Smells Like Teen Spirit, and does anyone have any context for this quote?

I Believe It was Kurt Cobain who said he had felt like they finally made it.

[minnick27]

He's said both, but Kurt Cobain has been the main one he's said

[anthontherun]

I wrote St. Petersburg and asked if there was any chance of seeing video of Billy Joel's Q&A and they replied:

billy's folks own the video and it may appear on his website. We are hoping to get it up on You Tube and the College site, but don't know if we'll get permission.

Cross your fingers...

[TMBJon]

Wow, oddly enough, the author of that article about Billy Joel, Jay Cridlin, once interviewed me about my former blog, Marmaduke Can Vote, and included a couple of my posts in the paper.

[JohnnyLurg]

I had a feeling they've probably changed their minds since 1996. Good to know!

I can't imagine how they could not like it.

[ludovica64]

Re I Love Rocky Road.

You can find out a great deal more about the original song I Love Rock'n'Roll here
http://www.iloverocknroll.org/RnR1.html
a somewhat choleric,peppery but factually correct fan-made site where you will learn, among other things that the song is solely the property of Alan Merrill, the principal writer of I Love Rock 'n' Roll; RAK-EMI Music Publishing, and the Music Sales Group. The latter of these purchased their share from Jake Hooker, who was credited as a co-writer, but is now uninvolved.

We know the part Jake played in Weird Al's story already, but what of Alan Merrill?
In an interview that has just come to my attention, he said

"I Love Rocky Road" was funny. It's always flattering when he parodies a song."

And the remarks below were made to me personally.
Alan Merrill
"I met Weird Al once in the Paramount Hotel lobby in New York by accident. A really nice man. I thanked him for making me money!".. then later he said.. "Kinks Ray's a genius. So is Weird Al! Al is brilliant. "

I'm certain he won't mind me sharing that with the forum

[anthontherun]

Dave Pirner of Soul Asylum:

Songfacts: The song "Misery" was one that Weird Al had parodied. And I'm assuming that you have a good sense of humor and you probably thought it was a bit of an honor to be parodied by Weird Al.

Dave: Yeah. I heard Coolio got pissed off. But I also heard that you had to give Al permission. I don't know why I'm not calling him Weird Al. Now I'm just calling him Al. But I don't ever remember being asked.

When we got signed to Twin Tone Records, the local label in Minneapolis, I was like, "This is it, I've made it. It's the big time, baby. You've done it." And I never had that feeling again until Weird Al covered my song. It felt like, Wow, I have arrived. It's the perfect way of describing my sense of humor. Yes, I was very honored.

Pirner is the only writer credited, so I wonder who Al contacted about permission if it wasn't him.