2010 Tour

[Killingsworth]

I'd say it's pretty likely that Al could have this album out by May or early June (before the tour starts) since he seems to like recording the last few tracks for the album in the spring. Hell, he recorded the better part of "Leaks" in April and parodies for PH, RWS, Polkarama and YP in March/April. Again, that all depends on what big top 40 songs he can actually work with.

Also, the real question is when do you think AL is gonna start to put together the next AL-TV special? Maybe he'll want fresher interviews to show on the next tour. Other than that, he has more than enough videos material with IL and SOL combined (as well as sycning up his WYL to TI's video...that should buy some time...) and all he really has to do is shoot some inbetween bits on the roof. What do you guys think?

[amzo39]

as well as sycning up his WYL to TI's video...

I would enjoy that very much.

[Kristine]

He's probably already started on Al-TV stuff (if there will be any new ones). It takes a long time to get the footage, get permission (that's the real tough part), shoot, and edit.

[spmahn]

No way is he filming anything for TV yet, the albums not even done and out yet, let alone music videos for them.

[minnick27]

The album doesnt have to be done for him to start AlTV. Comedy bits unrelated to the album can be done, interviews can be done. As far as a video, he didnt have one for PH. Yes, I know Bob is a video, but its not considered one by some people He could use any of the ones that are out.

[Killingsworth]

He's probably already started on Al-TV stuff (if there will be any new ones). It takes a long time to get the footage, get permission (that's the real tough part), shoot, and edit.

hmm...i read somewhere on Ask Al about him having to get "sync Rights" to certain parody videos or something...I'm guessing he has to do that with the polkas as well...does anyone know if he has to seriously get permission form the orignal artists for the fake interviews here in the states? I mean, we all know that was what caused the slow death of Al Music by the late '90s.

[FredHuggins]

Al pretty much NEEDS a cable channel involved in order to make new interviews. The way it works, legally, is that the artists record interviews for promotional purposes, and in return these cable channels air those interviews whenever they want, in any context they want - usually as part of a documentary special about the artist or genre or something. When Al wants to use the footage for AL-TV, the network people tell the artists' people that the footage will be used for "a new special," and they don't get any more specific than that. It's ONLY through this loophole that Al can get away with making these interviews without asking for the artists' permission. Then, I presume Al makes a separate deal with the network to show these clips in concert and on YouTube.

So the upshot is, there's pretty much NO chance of any new interviews until the new album, and thus the new AL-TV special, comes out. And I don't think Al even starts THINKING about the AL-TV special until the album is at least in the can - he can actually produce an AL-TV special pretty fast.

So unless he's back in the studio to record ALL four additional parodies AND the polka in the next few months, I think he'll be showing classic interviews in concert in 2010, and new interviews in 2011. That's how it was on the Running With Scissors tour, when the AL-TV special didn't air until December '99.

[Kristine]

Keep in mind that Al keeps saying the tour is the priority, not the album. So it's quite possible he's at least started gathering things for Al-TV since it's such a big part of the set.

[TMBJon]

No way, I'm with Huggins. It'll be recycled interview segments. I wouldn't be surprised if that was the reason these suddenly resurfaced.

[CatraDhtem]

Well, to echo what Fred (and Jon in the last few minutes) is saying, I think it's pretty obvious that the reason we're seeing all of the older "Al-TV" interviews show up on Al's YouTube account is because he's transferring them to HD video for potential use on the tour in case he doesn't have any brand new material at the ready.

But honestly, I'm not sure where all this hand-wringing is coming from concerning the new album. Dates have been booked and announced before an album's completion in the past...heck, the "Tour of the Universe" started before the release of "In 3-D." Back around the time of "Poodle Hat," IIRC dates were set before the album was announced...and for that matter, the album was announced for release before any of the parodies were even recorded.

The point is I have no reason to believe that Al is not focusing on finishing the album soon (a quick check of his Twitter in recent days shows that he's looking at very current pop music). I imagine that barring some major writer's block or catastrophic Blunt-sized delay, we're going to see a release situation very much like what we saw with "Poodle Hat," where it will get announced as soon as Al gets the parody/polka permissions locked down and will be released around late May/June...or really, a mid-summer release would be awesome just to give the early concertgoers some sneak peeks. What I'm saying is, let's wait a month or so before we start fretting about the setlist or the video screen or what will or won't get done.