World of Weird Al Yankovic

Dumb n00b for Al @ Sep 8 2006, 12:36 AM wrote: Why do I hear the word "has-been" every time someone mentions his age? He hasn't even aged in 25+ years, and his music has just gotten better. Also, I'm sick of these topics. This is, what, the third one since we knew about SOL?
I'm sorry I'm being so irritable about it, but I can't see a single thing about Al that makes him look like he's about to fade away.

Just look at this ALbum.

He doesn't get a vid for PH, his parents die, the CD does badly, and he gets his lead single denied at the last minute.

SOL is all over the internet now. People are saying it's the only CD they'll buy all year. It's going to be a hit, as far as I can see.

If Al wanted to just give up and fade away, the time to do that would have been after PH. Or after PP.

Well, he didn't take no for an answer, and, judging from MySpace and most of the rest of the web, he's going to do pretty well. Why stop now?

Thank you. ♥ I agree with this whole post, oh yes.

I think the main reason the time between albums was shorter at the start of Al's career was because he needed to put out new material quickly to keep his name in the public spotlight. Now that's he proven he has staying power, it's not so important that there's a new album every year or every other year.

Dave

If Al wants to, he can make more albums. He'll probably slow down with age, but what artist doesn't? Besides, Bob Dylan, Bob Segar, Paul McCartney, Neil Young and The Rolling Stones all recently have had new albums, and they are all well into their sixties. But, I'm not Al, and Bob Segar isn't Al, so we don't know. But, who knows? Maybe he will have more albums.

ducttapeearth @ Sep 7 2006, 08:27 PM wrote: Bob Segar isn't Al

WHAT???

Darn, I guess I lost THAT bet.

Dumb n00b for Al @ Sep 7 2006, 11:36 PM wrote: Why do I hear the word "has-been" every time someone mentions his age? He hasn't even aged in 25+ years, and his music has just gotten better.

It's no reflection on Al, who is as appealing and energetic a performer as ever and whose songwriting is as good or better than it ever was, but a reflection on the stupid way that music is MARKETED at present: the slicing and dicing into niche markets, and the packaging of performers as figures of, ahem, sexual fantasy. (which is another reason I'm glad that Bob Dylan cleaned Jessica Simpson's album-sales clock )

Al has never been particularly packageable that way... when he was just a lad, he was effectively camouflaged by the glasses and the 'stache and the goofy "Weird" persona. When he appeared from behind that disguise and was revealed as a very nice-looking man indeed, he was already coming up on forty and not far away from marriage and fatherhood. And I don't think he'd ever have been comfortable with being packaged that way. Nobody is going to be totally offended by being considered attractive, of course, but Al's instinct is to lampoon that image (for which I am grateful, since I believe it brought us those priceless concert performances of WBUL).

What the "suits" who make programming decisions don't understand is that it's Al's mindset, his way of seeing through things, and his personality that ensure his continued appeal to fans, including the new, younger ones he pulls in with each new album. They (we) know perfectly well that he's an adult, and for some of his fans he's as old as their parents, but his outlook, his humor and his refusal to condescend set him outside the usual age categories and let fans of all ages feel an affinity to him. There is no one like Al, and that makes him hard to market.

Or at least so sez I.

Orthography Enthusiast @ Sep 8 2006, 05:47 AM wrote: What the "suits" who make programming decisions don't understand is that it's Al's mindset, his way of seeing through things, and his personality that ensure his continued appeal to fans, including the new, younger ones he pulls in with each new album. They (we) know perfectly well that he's an adult, and for some of his fans he's as old as their parents, but his outlook, his humor and his refusal to condescend set him outside the usual age categories and let fans of all ages feel an affinity to him. There is no one like Al, and that makes him hard to market.

I could not agree more with the statement that Al entertains groups from all ages. When I was a teen I went to BHD concert (my second concert) I was truly amazed by how much of a wide variety of people come to his concerts. He is truly one of the few family acts out there. If I was a parent I would have no probelm with my kids going to his concerts. And maybe if I was lucky they would want me to come along too.

I can hardly wait until the album comes out to truly enjoy it yet again.

Weird Al Rocks!!!!!!!!!

krackerjack121

I'm with ya, OE! (And, for the record, Al and my mom were born only five months apart! )

I think al might speed up because he will start writing song on the tour so he might get it recorded in 2008 and get album 13 realsed in late 2008. But the last few years al has had big events in his life.

Al doesnt write while on tour. He likes to concentrate on the songs he has and not worry about new ones.

minnick27 @ Sep 9 2006, 05:26 PM wrote: Al doesnt write while on tour. He likes to concentrate on the songs he has and not worry about new ones.

Actually Al said he wrote some of the originals for SOL will on the road during the PH tour.