World of Weird Al Yankovic

Hey! I just found this board, hehe. yeah, well, anyway, I was just wondering, how long have you all been fans of Al? I've been a fan since '96, when I was 10. I've seen 4 Al concerts and attended one alcon (I was too young for Alcon 98, But I got to go to Alcon 2k, Now I can't go to Alcon '02, because of my grades )

I've been a fan since the very end of 1999/very beginning of 2000. That's when my pal stuck some headphones on my head and made me listen to the Truck Drivin' Song. And then I went to a concert.



Then I was hooked for life.



Smegabyte *it was Dare to Be Stupid that got me hooked*

Well, I've liked Al for over 20 years because I enjoy listening to the Dr Demento Show every week. I liked Another One Rides The Bus a lot when it first came out, but I got a greater appreciation for Al when I started hearing his original songs like I'll Be Mellow When I'm Dead or One More Minute.



I finally got the opportunity to see Al live in February 2000, and he won me over in a big way. I went out and bought all his CDs, videos -- and eventually, the DVDs, and went to 3 more shows on the RWS tour. At the end of the month I'll be attending my first Alcon (woo!).



In July, I'm making the grand trek out to California for the full week of shows at the OC Fair.



El

I first became a fan in 1993. I had started getting in to Al a little before the release of Alapalooza, but afterthe release is when I "officially" became a fan. I went to my first concert at the Ohio State Fair (Aug. 14, 1994), and had a blast!



Soon after, I purchased Greatest Hits Vol. II, I got Polka Partyfor Christmas that year, and the following summer I bought In 3-Dand the debut ALbum. I bought Bad Hair Day shortly after it's release, but unfortunately didn't attend any concert on the Bad Hair Tour.



In Christmas '98, I bought the UHF soundtrack, and of course, on the morning of June 29, 1999... I purchased Running with Scissors, the ALbum that made me the hardcore fan I am today! I purchased Dare to be Stupid, Even Worse, and Off the Deep End the following month. I went to two more concerts after that (it would've been 3, but one got cancelled); in Toledo, OH (Nov. 6, 1999) and King's Island (May 29, 2000).



And I can't wait for the next tour!! I wish I could go to the Orange County shows, but due to expenses, I can not. But, there's always the next official tour!! Also, in the meantime, there's AlCon III, which will be my first AlCon.



Cdude

I became an Al fan in 1998, when my ex boyfriend gave me a cassette of Alapalooza. I missed a lot of school in the first semester of that year, and when I went back the next semester, I was harassed by the local idiot. Alapalooza and the BHD CD I had borrowed from a friend helped me cope with reality at that time and made me laugh. If I hadn't heard of Al, I probably would have jumped off the deep end.



Oh, and as for concerts, I've gone to four, and I hope to go to the last Orange County show this summer. I'm also going to AlCon this year for the first time.



Karen

I've been a fan from the begining, someone gave me a Dr. D tape that had My Bologna on it and I loved it! I've been a fan ever since but didn't become a "rabid" fan until I saw Al in concert toward the begining of the RWS tour, now I'm crazed!

Heather

I've actually only been a fan since of about June of 2000. I was pulled from the computer screen by my sister of all people and she made me watch two videos because she thought they were funny.



And what music videos were they? Amish Paradise and the Saga Begins! I couldn't turn back. The music stayed in my head, I couldn't get the tunes or words out of my head. Luckily, when I saw the videos, the guy said Al's name, so I knew who he was.



I then searched weirdal.com and learned stuff about this man. I begged my mom for Al cds to buy.



I've only been to one concert sadly and I was 12 rows back! :evil: But I still had the best time of my life...



I was stuck. I couldn't leave the world of Al. This will be my first AlCon coming up. I can't wait!!!



-CindyBob

OK, it looks as if I'm going to post the first 'old geezer' response here. Warning: this is long but I've been around a lot longer than most everyone else here and so have more history to explain.



I first found out about Al in the early 1980's, maybe about 1983 or 84. I'd probably heard AORTB or My Bologna before that since I was still listening to Dr. D. then. MTV was in its infancy then and played mostly ( ) music videos. Videos mostly sucked raw eggs in those days. The usual video was by some hair band with images of stiletto heels grinding heart-shaped lockets into the pavement.



If you ever wondered why Michael Jackson was so popular: the recording industry was dying in the early 1980s as record sales nosedived for a couple of years. Thriller sold so well that they were happy to give him every Grammy in sight. His videos, unlike many, were well-done and imaginative. Madonna also was just starting to become prominent and was still into her 'dance in my undies' persona. Her videos, like Jackson's, were pretty original. [Imagine a day when the 'Material Girl' video would stir nationwide controversy-sheesh. But I digress.] The videos for "Beat it" and "Like a Virgin" got shown all the time.



I was talking with some friends in graduate school and someone mentioned seeing this hilarious video by this guy named "Weird Al" that was a takeoff of "Beat It" but all about food, and that he's also heard that this guy had a Madonna video takeoff too. It caught my demented attention. When I was watching some broadcast video show, [maybe 'Friday Night Videos'? Jeez, I really am getting ancient.] they showed "Eat It" and I was absolutely howling. I had the same reaction to the "Like A Surgeon" video. They were so tightly done in the manner of the originals, and the sight gags were inserted perfectly, and I knew this guy had something special.



When I was in medical school and swamped with so much stuff to learn that I couldn't possibly get it all, I needed a way to keep up my spirits when I didn't know something on rounds. The general approach that worked for people was to go ahead and not be afraid to be factually wrong when quizzed. I adopted "Dare To Be Stupid" as my motto and theme song, and it caught on among some of my classmates.



I became as intense as I am now with the advent of the WWW and the ability to find out easily about concerts, facts, events and the like. I heard about RWS and saw the BTM. That BTM reminded me of what I'd always liked about Al-intelligence tempered with goofiness. I found out about the OC Fair show in July 1999 as well a couple of others in the LA area. The wait in line was several hours and I didn't actually get into the arena until the second show. I could see the stage through a fence from the line. The second Al strode out on the stage for "Gump"-it was as if someone had flipped a switch inside me. I was hooked.



The rest is history



Cheers, Diva

the Griot of fandom

Hey, Diva! don't worry, you're not the only one who has been a fan for a long time. I started listening to Dr Demento when I was in high school, around 1978, I believe. I would stay up late to hear either "My Bologna or "Another One rides the Bus". *I know, those two songs came out later than '78, but I listened for about 3 years to Dr D until they stopped carrying the show* I think in '78, my fav song was "Fishheads" by Barnes & Barnes. LOL! I followed Al's career on and off whenever I could watch cable or the show you mentioned "Friday Night Videos". For about 3 years, I didn't have cable, so I didn't see many videos for a while. In '99, I saw "Fairway to Heaven" and that peaked my interest in Al again. I saw the Vh-1 modified WAY Live concert, and was hooked! I got a computer in 2000, and found several clubs and was able to learn so much more about Al! I am so glad I joined these clubs and was also glad to find weirdal.com. I am very happy to say that I, too, will be attending my first AlCon and will hopefully meet Al there, also a first for me!

Patti

I also first heard Al's music through Dr. Demento. My older brother had the radio on in his room and called me in to listen. He told me, it's The Dr. Demento Show. I said"Dr. Who? That was about 17 years ago. I've been demented and weird ever since.