[Hoffer]

I've got a Roku in a drawer somewhere in my house. I'll have to break that thing out and update the software on it, so that I can watch this.

My friend Jon introduced me to Weird Al. His older brother had his debut cassette and we listened to it one day. I just had to buy it and I've bought a lot of his stuff since. Even saw him in concert for his 'Dare to be Stupid' album.

 

[gchance]

I've got a Roku in a drawer somewhere in my house. I'll have to break that thing out and update the software on it, so that I can watch this.

My friend Jon introduced me to Weird Al. His older brother had his debut cassette and we listened to it one day. I just had to buy it and I've bought a lot of his stuff since. Even saw him in concert for his 'Dare to be Stupid' album.

You can just install the app on whatever your preferred device.

 

[jsmeeker]

Dare to be stupid
Dare to be stupid

 

[hummingbird_206]

Thanks @stevel ! I love Weird Al. Saw him live once when I was in college. It was such a fun show.

 

[eddyj]

Only seen him live once, but I will definitely be watching this.

 

[Worf]

Never saw Weird Al in person, but I always loved the music. Sometimes it seems that his music is even more iconic than the original song.

And I always secretly delight when you actually hear his version of a song played. It was how I got started - I was just listening to the radio and heard this song that was familiar, but different, and neat. I noted what the DJ said and bought the CD when I could.

I have to go and see what devices I have to stream this, I really want to watch it.

A local radio station did their own take by putting music to some of the biggest local headlines in the area which was so hilarious, and somehow I found they actually released a box set of all their songs. (They called them "Twisted Tunes" and played them mixed in with the regular playlist) and got those as well. It's a bit dated, but still funny take.

Even though I have many of his albums, I didn't object and pre-ordered the Squeeze Box complete set of all his albums. I honestly love the set. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squeeze_Box:_The_Complete_Works_of_"Weird_Al"_Yankovic

My favorite songs are Headline News (because I actually was there for the first event when it happened - I was at the school when Michael Fay was arrested and it was huge news when Clinton got involved), and Dare to be Stupid.

Of course, I have ripped all those CDs and have it all on a huge playlist that I simply enjoy looping over and over again.

 

[stevel]

When I saw him in Hampton Beach, he had a video of him (supposedly) approaching Michael Jackson for permission to do a takeoff on Beat It (Eat It). That, and his frequent costume changes, make the shows worthwhile.

 

[Saturn_V]

Sometimes it seems that his music is even more iconic than the original song.

I still think everyone's going to remember his version of "I Lost on Jeopardy" in the next 50 years, rather than The Greg Kihn Band's original. I would even bet good money that Kihn's getting paid more royalties on the parody than the original work.

I'm a bigger fan of Yankovic's original songs; his style pastiches which aren't direct lyrical parodies. I vaguely knew what Talking Heads was when I first heard "Dog Eat Dog", it was a door into Heads' music that I wouldn't have normally entered.

 

[Tony_T]

Never saw him play live and just missed seeing him in CT, but I’ll catch him next time.
Recently read a story how Beck regrets not allowing him to parody “Loser”:

Beck Says He Regrets Not Letting ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic Record a ‘Loser’ Parody

“It was going to be called ‘Schmoozer,'” the singer reveals on his upcoming Audible ‘Words + Music’ recording, out Friday.

www.billboard.com

 

[stevel]

FWIW, Yankovic explains that while he isn't obligated to get permission from an artist to parody their works, he insists on doing so, and if they refuse, he'll move on to something else.

 

[asssvvvvxc]

I hope this is good It should be GREAT Weird Al deserves it to be great

 

[gchance]

Never saw Weird Al in person, but I always loved the music. Sometimes it seems that his music is even more iconic than the original song.

And I always secretly delight when you actually hear his version of a song played. It was how I got started - I was just listening to the radio and heard this song that was familiar, but different, and neat. I noted what the DJ said and bought the CD when I could.

I have to go and see what devices I have to stream this, I really want to watch it.

A local radio station did their own take by putting music to some of the biggest local headlines in the area which was so hilarious, and somehow I found they actually released a box set of all their songs. (They called them "Twisted Tunes" and played them mixed in with the regular playlist) and got those as well. It's a bit dated, but still funny take.

Even though I have many of his albums, I didn't object and pre-ordered the Squeeze Box complete set of all his albums. I honestly love the set. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squeeze_Box:_The_Complete_Works_of_"Weird_Al"_Yankovic

My favorite songs are Headline News (because I actually was there for the first event when it happened - I was at the school when Michael Fay was arrested and it was huge news when Clinton got involved), and Dare to be Stupid.

Of course, I have ripped all those CDs and have it all on a huge playlist that I simply enjoy looping over and over again.

Bob Rivers released so many tunes before retiring. They used to be on a single webpage to stream, but once he retired the site went down. They all got quite a bit of Dr. Demento airplay, in particular I remember Hand In A Light Socket.

That said, his songs were pretty typical of radio morning show songs, badly played and produced, and low hanging fruit that wasn't all that funny. Weird Al is in a much different league than that.

Here's a YT playlist of quite a few of them.

 

[Saturn_V]

FWIW, Yankovic explains that while he isn't obligated to get permission from an artist to parody their works, he insists on doing so, and if they refuse, he'll move on to something else.

It's a Fair Use defense. I've always read Yankovic's insistence on the artist blessing as a "consent on content"- the actual lyrics that Al's replacing. e.g. Al approaches James Blunt on parodying "You're Beautiful", and Blunt signs off on Al's lyrics. (Atlantic Records eventually revoked permission for "You're Pitiful")

It's a classy thing to do, and I think it keeps the work "above board" and at an Al-standard. I've heard some pop-music parodies that were crass, obnoxious and pretty awful.

 

[Hank]

At our college radio station (where I was the Station Manager), and we'd play two hours of Dr. Demento every Sunday night.

They sent us the latest show on two LPs a couple of days before airing.

 

[DancnDude]

I love Weird Al. Such a nice guy, fun songs, very entertaining shows. I grew up watching his music videos.

This movie could be really fun, or really bad. We'll see

 

[stevel]

I just learned today that there is an identically-named 2010 film, starring Aaron Paul. Weird: The Al Yankovic Story (Video 2010) - IMDb

 

[jsmeeker]

Yeah *****!

 

[LoadStar]

I just learned today that there is an identically-named 2010 film, starring Aaron Paul. Weird: The Al Yankovic Story (Video 2010) - IMDb

It was a Funny or Die internet short, depicting a fake trailer for (at that time) a non-existent movie.

This Roku movie is making that non-existent movie real.

 

[DevdogAZ]

It was a Funny or Die internet short, depicting a fake trailer for (at that time) a non-existent movie.

This Roku movie is making that non-existent movie real.

Here's the link to it on the Funny Or Die page:

“Weird: The Al Yankovic Story”

Trailer for the upcoming Weird Al Yankovic biopic. This film is sure to sweep next year’s Academy Awards.

funnyordie.com

In fact, the "fake" FOD movie is written and directed by Eric Appel. And so is the Roku version. So it sounds like the same guy who came up with the idea for the fake trailer ended up getting funding to make the real thing.

 

[InvaderZim]

I've seen Weird Al in concert four times, including with a symphony orchestra the last time -- always take the family. He's touring now and I have tickets for an October show. Weird Al is definitely worth seeing live in a mid-sized venue if possible -- when I tell friends how good he and his band are, they always respond with "really?". They are actual musicians.