Posted: Sun Aug 03, 2003 7:00 am
Here is a nice little article.
Now I feel honoured to be the person who got this topic to 27 pages.
Now I feel honoured to be the person who got this topic to 27 pages.
World of Weird Al Yankovic
The biggest forum about Weird Al Yankovic
https://www.weirdalforum.com/
Hanging 27: Taco Surfing
Page 40 of 395
Posted: Sun Aug 03, 2003 7:35 am
Nice article, Grom.
Posted: Sun Aug 03, 2003 10:08 am
More WAY surfing...
Nice review of Poodle Hat. Rubén gets dissed though...
Another interview.
A discussion of PH and AL-TV.
Another one. With apologies.
"Polka doesn't get any more provocative than that." Indeed. :biggrin:
And another one.
Nice review of Poodle Hat. Rubén gets dissed though...
Another interview.
A discussion of PH and AL-TV.
Another one. With apologies.
"Polka doesn't get any more provocative than that." Indeed. :biggrin:
And another one.
Posted: Sun Aug 03, 2003 10:29 am
More WAY surfing...
Nice review of Poodle Hat. Rubén gets dissed though...
Another interview.
A discussion of PH and AL-TV.
Another one. With apologies.
"Polka doesn't get any more provocative than that." Indeed. :biggrin:
And another one.
A brief mention of Al's Ebay appearance.
Yay! I finally found this online... Now I don't have to type it. There was a free newspaper on the SLO campus and other places that had a great interview with Al.
More Poodle Hat discussion, on a WWE board. :eh:
Nice review of Poodle Hat. Rubén gets dissed though...
Another interview.
A discussion of PH and AL-TV.
Another one. With apologies.
"Polka doesn't get any more provocative than that." Indeed. :biggrin:
And another one.
A brief mention of Al's Ebay appearance.
Yay! I finally found this online... Now I don't have to type it. There was a free newspaper on the SLO campus and other places that had a great interview with Al.
More Poodle Hat discussion, on a WWE board. :eh:
Posted: Sun Aug 03, 2003 5:14 pm
Can we hope that all this truly fine websurfing means that your pup is better?
QUOTE Rubén gets dissed though...
That's how these rumors get started.
When the reviewer wrote QUOTE Al's never really had a good piano rocker in his repertoire, until now. he meant the SONG (WDTAHTM), not the KEYBOARDIST. Rubén is in Al's band, not in his repertoire. Big difference.
QUOTE suburban goober angst :biggrin: That phrase alone was worth the price of admission.
QUOTE AL and I had a good 30 minute conversation before his show, and he also gave me a backstage pass. So, yeah, Al is a great person!
*envyisasinenvyisasinenvyisanawfulsin* Ok, I feel better now.
QUOTE Rubén gets dissed though...
That's how these rumors get started.
When the reviewer wrote QUOTE Al's never really had a good piano rocker in his repertoire, until now. he meant the SONG (WDTAHTM), not the KEYBOARDIST. Rubén is in Al's band, not in his repertoire. Big difference. QUOTE suburban goober angst :biggrin: That phrase alone was worth the price of admission.
QUOTE AL and I had a good 30 minute conversation before his show, and he also gave me a backstage pass. So, yeah, Al is a great person!
*envyisasinenvyisasinenvyisanawfulsin* Ok, I feel better now.
Posted: Sun Aug 03, 2003 7:38 pm
QUOTE Can we hope that all this truly fine websurfing means that your pup is better?
Dunno yet.
QUOTE he meant the SONG (WDTAHTM), not the KEYBOARDIST. Rubén is in Al's band, not in his repertoire. Big difference.
What can I say? Mama Bear doesn't pay attention to the fine details, she just gets ready to clean house when someone disses one of her cubs.
Dunno yet.
QUOTE he meant the SONG (WDTAHTM), not the KEYBOARDIST. Rubén is in Al's band, not in his repertoire. Big difference.
What can I say? Mama Bear doesn't pay attention to the fine details, she just gets ready to clean house when someone disses one of her cubs.
Another newspaper article/interview
Posted: Sat Aug 09, 2003 12:21 am
Found at:
http://www.sunherald.com/mld/sunherald/6459370.htm
The Prince of Parody
'Weird Al' Yankovic stands hair and shoulders above the rest
By SALLY PEARSALL
THE SUN HERALD
Oh, those serious rock stars and their pretentious hit songs. Who hasn't yearned for a little levity?
Enter "Weird Al" Yankovic. Every few years, the master parodist, armed only with an accordion, a sharp sense of satire and naturally curly hair (a lot of it these days; Entertainment Weekly asked him if his wavy locks were a parody of Kenny G's), fearlessly plunges into the angst-ridden airwaves to wring out and rework the hits.
Yankovic has been at it for nearly 25 years, having broken out in 1979 with a live performance of "Another One Rides the Bus" on the "Dr. Demento Show." He's since become a popular presence on MTV and VH1, won two Grammys and made a movie (1989's "UHF," a cult fave on cable). Along the way the hits have kept coming - among them, "Like A Surgeon," "Eat It," "Fat," "Smells Like Nirvana," "Bedrock Anthem," "Amish Paradise" and "The Saga Begins."
Yankovic always gets permission to record his parodies; no one has really sorted out the Coolio conundrum over "Amish Paradise" in 1996, but according to Yankovic's Web site, the flap resulted from a misunderstanding between Al's people and Coolio's people. The Web site also contends that very few artists ever turn Yankovic down: "Even though most recording artists really do have a pretty good sense of humor, on a few very rare occasions Al has been denied permission to do a parody. Actually, the only artist to turn Al down consistently over the years has been the Artist Formerly Known As The Artist Formerly Known As Prince. Go figure."
Yankovic has cranked out 11 studio albums; his first, "
'Weird Al' Yankovic," came out in 1983. His latest, "Poodle Hat," came out in May. The newest stars to say yes to Yankovic include Avril Lavigne, Nelly and Eminem.
Sure, lots of wise guys make parodies out there; many offerings even make it on the air with the morning talk shows. But what makes Yankovic's work rise to the level of satirical genius is his ear for the music, his skills as a vocalist and mimic, and his smart, subversive sense of humor. Add a dash of social commentary and you've got a winning mix.
We caught up with Yankovic for a few stupid questions while he was between gigs on the "Poodle Hat" tour, which stops at the Grand Casino Gulfport Friday night.
(One pressing question got cleared up quickly: Yankovic, who got married in 2001 and is now a new dad, says he's not going to rework any children's songs on his next album. "I make up my own lullabies for my daughter and they're private." Awwww.)
Q: It's admirable the way you've moved so seamlessly from '80s pop to modern-day hip-hop and rap. Which genre is easiest? Which is hardest?
A: I wouldn't say it's a case of easier or harder to work with. With rap, there are a lot more lyrics for me to work with... in the '80s the songs didn't have as many syllables. With rap there are so many lyrics, so there are more lines for me to fill; it's more work for me but easier to develop a comedic premise.
Q: We fans determine if a rock star is cool or not based on whether he gives you permission to parody his work (and whether his work is worth parodying). Tell us about meeting some cool rock stars.
A: Some (rock stars) get into it and want to be involved. Mark Knopfler (of Dire Straits) wanted to do the guitar part of "Money for Nothing" (the "Beverly Hillbillies" parody from "UHF," 1989), which was a huge thrill; we sent him a master tape and he recorded it in London and sent it back. It's always nice when artists come up to me and say they appreciate my work. I met Paul McCartney in 1984. I'm a huge Beatles fan and I weaseled my way up to him at a party and introduced myself: "Excuse me, Mr. McCartney? My name is Al Yankovic and... " and he said, "Oh! It's Weird Al!" and introduced me to Linda, and I'm like, "I'm talking to Paul McCartney." And I said the stupidest thing I have ever said in my life. He said, "I really like your stuff!" and I said, "Uh, I like it too."
Q: Eminem wouldn't let you do a video of "Couch Potato." Can you still dress up like him onstage, or will that put the Real Slim Shady in a snit?
A(Laughs) I have to assume I can perform it live... . I get away with a lot of stuff onstage.
Q: What can we expect from your show at the Grand?
A: You can expect the Live Weird Al Experience. It's a two-hour, high energy rock 'n' roll show. We'll do a lot of material from "Poodle Hat," most of the greatest hits and some semi-obscure originals, a lot of costume changes - I'm told I have more costume changes than Cher - a lot of film clips... . It's a very family friendly show.
Q: Will you do any gambling while you're here?
A: I'm not much of a gambler. I mainly do quarter blackjack. I don't have the gambler's mentality. I'll win $20 and I'm fine, but if I lose $20 I'm like (screaming), "I LOST $20?!"
Q: How can you pick out the serious Weird Al fans in the audience?
A: I do have fans that follow my shows... I feel like the Grateful Dead. The hard-core fans will follow me from city to city and even though the show doesn't change very much night after night, they'll plan their summer vacations around my tour. They wear the Hawaiian shirts... . There are doppelgangers with curly hair and the glasses and mustache, the look from the '80s. And there's a lady who dresses up in surgeon's scrubs.
Q: Speaking of - did Madonna give you lessons on how to roll around on a gurney for the "Like a Surgeon" video?
A(Laughs) It would have been nice, but no... . But I've been writhing around on the floor my whole life.
Q: Won't fans of your original, acerbic love songs be startled by your latest, "Wanna B Ur Lovr?" (Sample lyrics: "You're absolutely perfect/don't speak now, you might spoil it/Your eyes are even bluer/than the water in my toilet.")
A: I think now that I'm married and have a baby daughter, people thought, "Al's gonna get soft and wimpy" and "Wanna B Ur Lovr" was a knee-jerk reaction to that. "Al's gonna get soft? I'll show them!"
Q: How did "Piano Man" become a "Spider-Man" anthem? (Chorus: "Sling us a web, you're the Spider-Man/ Sling us a web tonight/'Cause we're all in the mood for a hero now/And there's evil-doers to fight.") And how did "I want it that way" become "(What I bought on) eBay"?
A: Well, "Spider-Man" was the biggest movie of 2002, so I wanted to comment on it in some way. And I had about 20 songs that would work... but "Piano Man" was always at the top of the list. The structure lends itself well to the characters. Thankfully, Billy Joel was into it. Same deal with "eBay"; I wanted to write a song about eBay and there were a lot of songs I could have attached that to, (but) I wanted one boy band song. It's a little old, but my albums are time capsules in a way.
Q"UHF" was great. Have you ruled out making other movies, or is it just that videos are more fun?
A: It's a battle to get back into making feature films. "UHF" didn't do well at the box office and the critics killed it, but it's become a cult classic in a way - but when the DVD came out it was a top seller and it was praised, they were saying things like, "This is really well done," and I was like, "Where were you guys 13 years ago?"
Q: Are your parents still hoping you'll get a real job?
A: I told my parents I'm an architect, so they're happy for me. My dad shows pictures of me from high school to strangers and says, "That's my son, 'Weird Al.' You heard of him?"
Q: You hired Cheech Marin to do a Spanish rap on your "Taco Grande" parody (of "Rico Suave," 1992) but found out he couldn't really speak Spanish. What was up with that?
A: With Cheech Marin I just assumed he was fluent in Spanish. I'd written out the lyrics in English... so I had to find somebody at my record label who was fluent in Spanish. But it was great to work with Cheech.
Q: Will you teach your daughter the accordion?
A: I'll teach her the accordion if she really wants to learn, but I'm sure she'll have other interests.
http://www.sunherald.com/mld/sunherald/6459370.htm
The Prince of Parody
'Weird Al' Yankovic stands hair and shoulders above the rest
By SALLY PEARSALL
THE SUN HERALD
Oh, those serious rock stars and their pretentious hit songs. Who hasn't yearned for a little levity?
Enter "Weird Al" Yankovic. Every few years, the master parodist, armed only with an accordion, a sharp sense of satire and naturally curly hair (a lot of it these days; Entertainment Weekly asked him if his wavy locks were a parody of Kenny G's), fearlessly plunges into the angst-ridden airwaves to wring out and rework the hits.
Yankovic has been at it for nearly 25 years, having broken out in 1979 with a live performance of "Another One Rides the Bus" on the "Dr. Demento Show." He's since become a popular presence on MTV and VH1, won two Grammys and made a movie (1989's "UHF," a cult fave on cable). Along the way the hits have kept coming - among them, "Like A Surgeon," "Eat It," "Fat," "Smells Like Nirvana," "Bedrock Anthem," "Amish Paradise" and "The Saga Begins."
Yankovic always gets permission to record his parodies; no one has really sorted out the Coolio conundrum over "Amish Paradise" in 1996, but according to Yankovic's Web site, the flap resulted from a misunderstanding between Al's people and Coolio's people. The Web site also contends that very few artists ever turn Yankovic down: "Even though most recording artists really do have a pretty good sense of humor, on a few very rare occasions Al has been denied permission to do a parody. Actually, the only artist to turn Al down consistently over the years has been the Artist Formerly Known As The Artist Formerly Known As Prince. Go figure."
Yankovic has cranked out 11 studio albums; his first, "
'Weird Al' Yankovic," came out in 1983. His latest, "Poodle Hat," came out in May. The newest stars to say yes to Yankovic include Avril Lavigne, Nelly and Eminem.
Sure, lots of wise guys make parodies out there; many offerings even make it on the air with the morning talk shows. But what makes Yankovic's work rise to the level of satirical genius is his ear for the music, his skills as a vocalist and mimic, and his smart, subversive sense of humor. Add a dash of social commentary and you've got a winning mix.
We caught up with Yankovic for a few stupid questions while he was between gigs on the "Poodle Hat" tour, which stops at the Grand Casino Gulfport Friday night.
(One pressing question got cleared up quickly: Yankovic, who got married in 2001 and is now a new dad, says he's not going to rework any children's songs on his next album. "I make up my own lullabies for my daughter and they're private." Awwww.)
Q: It's admirable the way you've moved so seamlessly from '80s pop to modern-day hip-hop and rap. Which genre is easiest? Which is hardest?
A: I wouldn't say it's a case of easier or harder to work with. With rap, there are a lot more lyrics for me to work with... in the '80s the songs didn't have as many syllables. With rap there are so many lyrics, so there are more lines for me to fill; it's more work for me but easier to develop a comedic premise.
Q: We fans determine if a rock star is cool or not based on whether he gives you permission to parody his work (and whether his work is worth parodying). Tell us about meeting some cool rock stars.
A: Some (rock stars) get into it and want to be involved. Mark Knopfler (of Dire Straits) wanted to do the guitar part of "Money for Nothing" (the "Beverly Hillbillies" parody from "UHF," 1989), which was a huge thrill; we sent him a master tape and he recorded it in London and sent it back. It's always nice when artists come up to me and say they appreciate my work. I met Paul McCartney in 1984. I'm a huge Beatles fan and I weaseled my way up to him at a party and introduced myself: "Excuse me, Mr. McCartney? My name is Al Yankovic and... " and he said, "Oh! It's Weird Al!" and introduced me to Linda, and I'm like, "I'm talking to Paul McCartney." And I said the stupidest thing I have ever said in my life. He said, "I really like your stuff!" and I said, "Uh, I like it too."
Q: Eminem wouldn't let you do a video of "Couch Potato." Can you still dress up like him onstage, or will that put the Real Slim Shady in a snit?
A(Laughs) I have to assume I can perform it live... . I get away with a lot of stuff onstage.
Q: What can we expect from your show at the Grand?
A: You can expect the Live Weird Al Experience. It's a two-hour, high energy rock 'n' roll show. We'll do a lot of material from "Poodle Hat," most of the greatest hits and some semi-obscure originals, a lot of costume changes - I'm told I have more costume changes than Cher - a lot of film clips... . It's a very family friendly show.
Q: Will you do any gambling while you're here?
A: I'm not much of a gambler. I mainly do quarter blackjack. I don't have the gambler's mentality. I'll win $20 and I'm fine, but if I lose $20 I'm like (screaming), "I LOST $20?!"
Q: How can you pick out the serious Weird Al fans in the audience?
A: I do have fans that follow my shows... I feel like the Grateful Dead. The hard-core fans will follow me from city to city and even though the show doesn't change very much night after night, they'll plan their summer vacations around my tour. They wear the Hawaiian shirts... . There are doppelgangers with curly hair and the glasses and mustache, the look from the '80s. And there's a lady who dresses up in surgeon's scrubs.
Q: Speaking of - did Madonna give you lessons on how to roll around on a gurney for the "Like a Surgeon" video?
A(Laughs) It would have been nice, but no... . But I've been writhing around on the floor my whole life.
Q: Won't fans of your original, acerbic love songs be startled by your latest, "Wanna B Ur Lovr?" (Sample lyrics: "You're absolutely perfect/don't speak now, you might spoil it/Your eyes are even bluer/than the water in my toilet.")
A: I think now that I'm married and have a baby daughter, people thought, "Al's gonna get soft and wimpy" and "Wanna B Ur Lovr" was a knee-jerk reaction to that. "Al's gonna get soft? I'll show them!"
Q: How did "Piano Man" become a "Spider-Man" anthem? (Chorus: "Sling us a web, you're the Spider-Man/ Sling us a web tonight/'Cause we're all in the mood for a hero now/And there's evil-doers to fight.") And how did "I want it that way" become "(What I bought on) eBay"?
A: Well, "Spider-Man" was the biggest movie of 2002, so I wanted to comment on it in some way. And I had about 20 songs that would work... but "Piano Man" was always at the top of the list. The structure lends itself well to the characters. Thankfully, Billy Joel was into it. Same deal with "eBay"; I wanted to write a song about eBay and there were a lot of songs I could have attached that to, (but) I wanted one boy band song. It's a little old, but my albums are time capsules in a way.
Q"UHF" was great. Have you ruled out making other movies, or is it just that videos are more fun?
A: It's a battle to get back into making feature films. "UHF" didn't do well at the box office and the critics killed it, but it's become a cult classic in a way - but when the DVD came out it was a top seller and it was praised, they were saying things like, "This is really well done," and I was like, "Where were you guys 13 years ago?"
Q: Are your parents still hoping you'll get a real job?
A: I told my parents I'm an architect, so they're happy for me. My dad shows pictures of me from high school to strangers and says, "That's my son, 'Weird Al.' You heard of him?"
Q: You hired Cheech Marin to do a Spanish rap on your "Taco Grande" parody (of "Rico Suave," 1992) but found out he couldn't really speak Spanish. What was up with that?
A: With Cheech Marin I just assumed he was fluent in Spanish. I'd written out the lyrics in English... so I had to find somebody at my record label who was fluent in Spanish. But it was great to work with Cheech.
Q: Will you teach your daughter the accordion?
A: I'll teach her the accordion if she really wants to learn, but I'm sure she'll have other interests.
Re: Another newspaper article/interview
Posted: Sat Aug 09, 2003 1:11 am
What a cool article. You can tell the ones written by fans, can't you? And this one is WAY perceptive.
*OE picks up a subtle innuendo and then puts it down again ASAP*
Thanks for posting this, El!
Sure, lots of wise guys make parodies out there; many offerings even make it on the air with the morning talk shows. But what makes Yankovic's work rise to the level of satirical genius is his ear for the music, his skills as a vocalist and mimic, and his smart, subversive sense of humor. Add a dash of social commentary and you've got a winning mix.
I wonder if that was an aww of disappointment or an "oh how sweet!"(One pressing question got cleared up quickly: Yankovic, who got married in 2001 and is now a new dad, says he's not going to rework any children's songs on his next album. "I make up my own lullabies for my daughter and they're private." Awwww.)
Only with a healthier liver.I do have fans that follow my shows... I feel like the Grateful Dead.
Hello WOWAY! :biggrin:The hard-core fans will follow me from city to city and even though the show doesn't change very much night after night, they'll plan their summer vacations around my tour. They wear the Hawaiian shirts... . There are doppelgangers with curly hair and the glasses and mustache, the look from the '80s. And there's a lady who dresses up in surgeon's scrubs.
So if Al didn't get soft, then he got....I think now that I'm married and have a baby daughter, people thought, "Al's gonna get soft and wimpy" and "Wanna B Ur Lovr" was a knee-jerk reaction to that. "Al's gonna get soft? I'll show them!"
*OE picks up a subtle innuendo and then puts it down again ASAP*
Awwww.....My dad shows pictures of me from high school to strangers and says, "That's my son, 'Weird Al.' You heard of him?"
Thanks for posting this, El!
Posted: Sat Aug 09, 2003 2:08 am
I promised myself, I wasn't going to comment on the subtle innuendo. I'm glad you did, OE.
Nice article. That Nina is one lucky kid. She gets her own private songs.
I just noticed: We are on page 27 of the Hangin' 27 Thread!
Nice article. That Nina is one lucky kid. She gets her own private songs.
I just noticed: We are on page 27 of the Hangin' 27 Thread!
Posted: Sat Aug 09, 2003 2:12 am
The thing that shocked me in the New Times interveiw is that he cant read music :shocked: All this time I thought he could.