The Stereotypical Al Fan

jerAL · Post by **jerAL** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 1:07 am

I like it too.

It would be a good letter to send to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

CatraDhtem · Post by **CatraDhtem** » Thu Mar 30, 2006 3:42 am

jerAL @ Mar 28 2006, 06:07 PM wrote: It would be a good letter to send to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

What an excellent idea. If only there was an address one can write to...

Oh, here's one!

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation
Attn: Suzan Evans
1290 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10104

DrDecay · Post by **DrDecay** » Thu Mar 30, 2006 4:11 am

Man I would write a 10 page essay to them!!! Al deserves it! I mean, he has not had the steriotypical rock-star lifestye of drugs, booze and jail time. So that alone should be honored. Also where is Al's star on the hollywood walk of fame? Ryan Seacrest from American Idol has one and he sucks. I am sorry that makes me so angry!!!! Al is a Million times better than Ryan Freaking Seacrest!!!! I know I am supposed to watch my lingo on this board so I am gonna stop here!! However, I am sure I am not alone in my frustrations!!!

Demented Dustin · Post by **Demented Dustin** » Fri Apr 07, 2006 10:29 pm

Well I am a hardcore fan by some people's definition. I heard Al back when his in 3-D album was new. I saw the Eat It video at a skating party in the 6th grade. I was hooked. I found the Dr. D show about the same time.
I bought his entire catalog and joined CPFOA. This was long before website and the internet so the way I found a new album was in stores was to go into the store and see it there! That is how I found Polka Party. I supposed there may have been news on MTV but we did not have cable yet.
I have bought his stuff ever since and have been an active fan. I do not post much and am more of a lurker but I am a fan from childhood and well into my 30's now.
Dustin

psi_scraper · Post by **psi_scraper** » Tue Apr 11, 2006 7:53 am

I think that the "ultimate Al Fan" is not merely someone who enjoys his music, but someone who really takes to heart his take on life. I've seen so many people through the course of my life who have a quite rigid, shallow criteria of who to befriend, what to listen to, what to wear, etc., and they're rarely happy. So much structure!

As a lifelong nonconformist and enemy of too much organization, Al's music has resonated with me since I first heard Amish Paradise in '96; a simple love of his humor (and the escape from mundane life it provided) has since developed into a practical philosophy on life. This way of thinking embraces, above all else, the ability to relax, be yourself, and concentrate on things other than impressing people you don't really like anyway; there's a reason why socialites tend to dislike him!

Al makes clear the value of absurdity, uninhibited goof, and a general unpretentious openness not found in so many other sub cultures. This is why, as a few other posters have pointed out, most of the fans tend to be intelligent and tolerant; if someone's practices aren't hurting anyone, why should I care? Al's music, for me, has always symbolized freedom from arbitrary ettiquete rules, and indeed unnecessary rules in general for that matter. Freedom without chaos.

He's the voice of every non-psychotic loner, geek, and person who simply does not fit. My status as these things has waned since my exit from high school (what a difference a mere 5 years can make...), but the mindset remains. We know that it's "normal" people who are really the absurd ones. Not that they're bad, I'm not saying that at all; I'm not misanthropic in any way, I just prefer being among people aren't uptight.

I'm tired, so this post probably doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Oh well. Yankovism is real, I'll leave it at that.

CatraDhtem · Post by **CatraDhtem** » Tue Apr 11, 2006 6:08 pm

psi_scraper @ Apr 11 2006, 01:53 AM wrote: I'm tired, so this post probably doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

Actually, that was nicely put.

jerAL · Post by **jerAL** » Tue Apr 11, 2006 6:37 pm

Made perfect sense to me. Thank you for saying it.

Tue Apr 11, 2006 8:12 pm

psi_scraper @ Apr 11 2006, 05:53 AM wrote: This way of thinking embraces, above all else, the ability to relax, be yourself, and concentrate on things other than impressing people you don't really like anyway

Now there's a crucial element to increasing one's joy in living! Well put!

Post by **Squirrelygirl** » Tue Apr 11, 2006 8:36 pm

My hubby & I share a funny favorite story:

Michael and I went to Reno for a show a few Septembers ago. The tour bus happened to be parked right by the sidewalk and Steve was standing right outside the bus, smoking, and apparently just waking up from a nap. Michael recognized him, went over and introduced himself as "Mr. Squirrely". Steve, still half asleep smiled, shook his hand and said "Hi, Mr. Squirrely...are you her dad?"

(In fairness to Steve, I think he was supposed to be meeting some young girl there to sign something for her. And in fairness to Michael, he is only 1 year older than me.)

I wonder what funny, fun and nice stories we'll be able to tell about this next upcoming tour-chasing season?

sg

Thu Apr 13, 2006 12:27 am

That's a funny story... and it also speaks to what a nice guy Steve is; even half asleep he makes the effort.