Original Air Date: June 26, 1996 11:00AM-Noon Original Location: KGO Radio, San Francisco, CA Original Interviewer: Ronn Owens Transcribed by: krbishop@ix.netcom.com (Rick) I received permission from Ronn Owens to transcribe the radio interview and post it to the alt.music.weird-al newsgroup. I apologize for any misspelled names. I've cleaned up some of the word stumbles that occur in everyday conversation. Rick, father of Alex (who had his e-mail read on the show) ----------------------------------------------------------- Song played: "Amish Paradise" Ronn: It's 11:12..."Weird Al", that's your best. Al: Ronn: I mean that is the best of all you've ever done. Al: Ahhhh, thank you, thank you. Ronn: All right. "Weird Al" Yankovic is here. What do you want me to say about "Weird Al" Yankovic? All right, do you want the actual bio? Here we go. Rock & Roll's super parodyist, 2 grammy awards, 8 nominations, 14 gold and platinum awards in the U.S. and Canada, a 4-CD boxed-set retrospective, his own feature film, 3 best selling home videos, his own Showtime and MTV specials. He's "Weird Al" Yankovic. Al: Ronn: "Weird Al" is back and it's fun to have you back here. That is just...I mean that is so clever and so well done it's amazing. Al: Oh, thanks, and so far no backlash from the Amish. Ronn: Yeah, but what about backlash from Coolio? I got this article here from the Philadelphia Inquirer and apparently in the beginning Coolio was a little ticked off about this thing. Al: Well, actually in the beginning, well I don't know exactly what happened to tell you the honest truth. I was told now that Coolio had given his permission for me to do the parody. My record company talked to his people ah my posse did lunch with his posse - that whole thing and I was told that he was fine with it and it wasn't until after the song had come out that I heard some kind of sound bite where he was talking about how he thought it was disrespectful and he didn't appreciate me making fun of "Gangsta Paradise" which was a very serious song. So I don't know if he changed his mind or if I got some really bad misinformation or what but I wrote him a very humble and sincere letter of apology and explained that I didn't mean to hurt his feelings and you know in my own defense I don't think that "Amish Paradise" detracts in anyway.. Ronn: Yeah. Al: ...from "Gangsta Paradise.: It's just something else. Ronn: It's something different. Maybe he just didn't like the picture on the album cover. Al: Ronn: Maybe that had something (to do with it.) The album is called "Bad Hair Day" and, of course, here's "Weird Al" with his hair like Coolio. Al: Well yeah, my record label wanted me to look sort of like Coolio on the album cover and the name "Bad Hair Day" was something that I was playing around with for a few years and I thought: well, that would kind of work with a Coolio reference. So I hope that he's a little bit more thick skinned than that. Ronn: How does it work now? Are you free to pretty much parody any song that you want or do you have to go get permission? Do you do it generally? How do you do this thing? Al: Well, legally it's a very gray area. I don't want to really step on anybody's toes. We live in a very litigious society where anybody can sue anybody for anything whether or not they have a legal basis for it so I just kind of like to keep by bases covered. Ethically I just think it's the right thing to do. I don't want to make fun of somebody's music if they're completely humorless or if they feel extremely sensitive about their material. I respect them as song writers and I want them to be on my side basically. Ronn: Anybody ever sue you? Al: Nope. Nope. Ronn: So, I mean that kind of answers it all. How many different parodies have you done so far? Al: Oh gee, I don't know. It depends on how many you're counting. I've got between 10 and 14 albums so I've got quite a few. Ronn: A hundred at least? Al: Something like that. Ronn: Like a hundred or something along that line? Al: Perhaps, yeah. Ronn: The other key and I think people tend to forget that and I don't know why I was thinking about that when I was driving into work. I was thinking about that when I was driving into work, I can remember the old so called novelty records, and you do not do novelty records, we've got to talk a little bit about that too. Al: Ok. Ronn: I remember the things. They weren't well done. Not only do you do the parody and the words and all that stuff, they're WELL DONE. I mean, they can stand on their own musically and that's the key to it. Al: Oh, thank you. That's very nice. Ronn: I mean, look at that last song. That wasn't schlock. That was well done. Al: We take out time, you know. There's a lot of comedy in the detail so we try to mastch the original sound of the records and the original look of the videos and that's very important to me. Ronn: Talk a little about the video. Now that video has been on high rotation on MTV. Al: "Amish Paradise?" Ronn: Oh yeah, that's been all over. Of course having Florence Henderson in it is kind of... Al: Ah, ah... Ronn: ...cool too. Al: She's so great. Ronn: But there are a lot of people in that. Al: Quite a few. In have I put a lot of my own relatives in that video. Got some cheap labor out of them. My Mom and Dad and aunts and uncles are all playing Amish people in the community. It's pretty funny, my Dad has got really gray hair and I told him "well we're going to have you be Amish in the video" so he shows up on the set and he's got his hair all blacked out 'cuz he's going to be in a big rock video and want's to look good and we had to have him die it back gray. Ronn: Oh, geez. Al: 'Cuz we had the beard already made for him and it was a gray beard. Ronn: You directed that didn't you? Al: Yeah, yeah. I've been directing my own for a while. Ronn: How many? No, I didn't think you were doing it that long. Al: Ummmm. Ronn: I thought it was kind of a new thing for you. Al: For the last few years. Ronn: Really? Al: Yeah. Ronn: Do you like doing that? Al: It is fun. I mean the videos have always been my concept and I've always had creative control in the videos but it's always a little difficult when you're in front of the camera and behind the camera at the same time. You can't like say immediately "that was a great take" 'cuz you have to watch the video play back and it's more time consuming that way but as I get older I become more of a control freak and it's just some kind of a natural progression for me. Ronn: See. It's that kind of honesty folks that makes us love "Weird Al." Al: Ronn: All right "Weird Al" is in the studio. It's as simple as that. 8080810 is our telephone number. Anything you want to ask this guy feel free. He's been on before and he's just a genuinely nice guy. 8080810. He'll be performing tomorrow night at the Fillmore. He's here on the "Bad Hair Day" tour...talk a bit about that too. 8080810. You want to fax in a question, 362-5827...e-mail, kgoam810@aol.com...or just hit my web site, www.ronn.com. Hit the e-mail icon there. Either way we'll take your questions, be they by paper or...yeah, paper, you know we're doing it the old fashioned way...kind of an Amish way...or if you're not Amish and you'd like to phone us, 8080810 is our telephone number. 11:17 our KGO radio time. song played: portion of "Alternative Polka" Ronn: That's the "Alternative Polka." Now we're not talking parody there. Al: Actually that's a medley of about a dozen alternative songs all done polka style. Ronn: Right. Of course you're the accordionist guy. Al: Ronn: That's hard to picture, you know. I know you obviously do the accordion to get chicks but aside from that... Al: Aside from that... Ronn: Do you find that people are really into that or are people just waiting for the next parody of a song. I get the impression it's the latter. Al: Well, it depends. I mean the hard-core fans actually even prefer the originals over the parodies so, I mean parts of the album appeal to different people and it's all stuff that comes out of my sick head so I like it all. Ronn: Do you prefer to come up with your own stuff or do you prefer to do the parody thing? Al: I wouldn't do one over the other. Again, I wouldn't do an album of all originals the same way I wouldn't do an album of all parodies. They both appeal to different parts of me. The parodies are actually easier for me to write because obviously the music's already written. It's just kind of a matter of coming up with gags and plugging them into certain parameters. But the originals are more a part of me in a way so I enjoy doing both. Ronn: One quick thing. I was down in LA about a month ago and I'm driving down and I was listening to Rick Dees do a countdown and there was a parody of "Killing Me Softly" by the Fugees that was like a classic Al Yankovic. Al: They probably wouldn't call it a parody though. See, a lot of rap artists do that. They, I mean, that's why a lot of people understand what I'm doing more these days when I call to ask for permission. Ronn: So that wasn't you? Al: No, no. Ronn: That wasn't one of your things? Al: No, no, although I don't know, are you talking...the Fugees do a version of "Killing Me Softly." Ronn: The Fugees do a version of "Killing Me Softly." Al: Right. Ronn: Then it sounded like the Fugees doing it and it had to do with eating a lot of stuff. Al: Oh. Then it was a parody. I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Ronn: That was a real parody. Al: Ah, OK. Ronn: It was like "Killing Me Softly with Donuts" and stuff like that. Al: Oh, I got it, got it, got it. Ronn: It was very, very well done and I thought "was that Weird Al?". It wasn't you? Al: No. No, what I was saying was that a lot of rap artists do that, do exactly what I do except in a non humorous way. Ronn: Oh, I see. Al: Right. They're familiar with, you know, when I call up and say "We want to take your basic song and play around with it." They know what I'm talking about and then "yeah, we've done that many times before." Ronn: OK. A caller says "How would the Amish know about him anyway?" Good point there. All right, the lines are jammed, let's get to them. Colette in Alamo. Good morning. "Weird Al" and Ronn. Colette: Hi. You're like my idol since I was a kid. Ronn: Yeah, but what about "Weird Al." Colette: Not you. Ronn: Ohhhh, OK, yeah. Al: Colette: Ummm, I just wanted to ask...ummmm...growing up as a kid, well I don't know...maybe a teenager. Did you have another type of career goal like going to school to say be something else besides a great "Weird Al?" Al: Yeah, I couldn't major in "Weird Al" in college so I majored in architecture and I actually got my degree in it which I use all the time as a drink coaster or a book mark. It comes in handy. Colette: Yeah, well...ah..it's funny because the other day...ummmm...my fiancee, he totally loves you too and we were talking about my favorite one was "Beat It"...er "Eat It", excuse me. Al: Uh huh. Colette: That was my favorite one. But we were talking about it and I was wondering if he ever got his degree or he just, you know, became just a success just doing this and it's great. Al: Yeah, as soon as the "Weird Al" thing blows over I'm back to designing buildings. That's it. Colette: and it's funny too because, you know, some of the songs that you do makeover we hate and once you make them we go out and buy the CD and it's so much better. Al: Oh, thanks. Ronn: See that; you help the artists. That the key to the whole thing. Dave: from a car in Hayward. Good morning. Welcome to KGO. "Weird Al" and Ronn. Dave: Good Morning Ronn. I enjoy your show and listen to you while I commute and Good Morning Al. I enjoy your music for a long time. Al: Thanks. Dave: Great background musicians. I'd like to know who they are and who're you're touring with and I can take my answer on the air. Ronn: All right, I mean, do you tour with the people that are on the album? Al: Yes, I do. I've been with the same band for many, many years. I met my drummer in 1980, my guitar and bass player in 1982. We've had the same tour keyboardist for about 4 years. He's like the new kid on the block. But it's the same guys. I mean, we've been together for a long time. Same guys on the road, same guys on the record. Ronn: There you go. We'll get more answers to your "Weird Al" questions as we continue. 8080810 the number. There's just one line available. While you're grabbing it we'll pause for this. --- commercial break --- song played: "Syndicated Inc." Ronn: Of course that's a takeoff on "Misery" by Soul Asylum. You have some certain areas you love. You love television, you love food. Al: Right. Ronn: Those are areas you love to parody, don't you? Al: Yeah. I've kind of stopped writing songs about food because I wrote so much about that in the 80's and television is another one I've written so much about and I'm trying to slowly wean myself away from it but they keep cropping up. Ronn: I keep thinking of "I Lost on Jeopardy." Al: Oh yeah. Ronn: That was the one I love. And I have this one from Michael in Walnut Creek: "'Amish Paradise' is very funny but would you think it was just as funny if he made fun of Jews. "Yiddish Paradise" sounds as though it would be a very fertile ground for a similar parody." I'd love it. Why don't you do "Yiddish Paradise?" Al: OK. I'll get right to work on it. Ronn: Go to work on it. Al: Ronn begins singing in accent: di-dah di-dah Yiddish Paradise yes. You eat your blintzes and I'll eat my.... Al: Ronn: No...all right...anyway. Chris in San Jose, you're 13. Good Morning and welcome to KGO. "Weird Al" and Ronn. Chris: Hi...uh...Al? Al: Yeah??? Chris: I was just wondering...are you going to do a video for "Phony Calls." Al: Hmmm. I...probably not at this point. I'm in the middle of a national tour so it's kind of hard to do a video while you're on the road, so they're probably aren't going to be any more new videos for "Bad Hair Day" but if there is I'll let you know. Chris: OK and ah... Ronn: By the way, one other thing I'm going to be playing that song right after the news and for those that haven't hear "Phony Calls" you're going to love it because it's a takeoff on "Waterfalls." Chris: Yeah, that was cool. You're like...the...the...THE PARODY PERSON. Al: I AM the parody person. Ronn: He IS the parody person. Of course he is. Al: Chris: You're really funny and like you're really creative if...I have another question also. Al: Ronn: Sure, go ahead. What's your other question. Chris: If I was to start a band, or make a single, um, would you like, be able to be on it...is there rights to that or anything? Al: Would I...Would I be on your single? I might have to have that cleared through the record company. Chris: If I...if I did a song could...do a parody on the single? Al: Well, if it got big enough I'd love to. Ronn: Yeah, what you got to do is you get the song BIG enough, then "Weird Al" will go ahead and just trash you. That's the way it usually works isn't it? Al: That's the way it works. Ronn: Chris: work on the song, make it big and we'll turn it over to "Weird Al" OK? Al: Thanks for calling Chris. Ronn: KGO, the radio time is 11:31. Yes, we are going to be doing "Phony Calls." If you heard "Waterfalls" you're going to like this one. Anyway...all of that right after the news. --- news break --- song played: "Phony Calls" Ronn: All right. Takeoff on "Waterfalls." Here he is "Weird Al" Yankovic. Let's see...some e-mails here. This one comes from Patrick who says "Come on Coolio. Just like a Rolls Royce emblem on a Honda Civic or a Beluga caviar label on a can of Starkist, a "Weird Al" parody is the ultimate of status symbols. I enjoy your work Al. Keep it up." Al: That's great. Ronn: And Debbie says "I can't believe Coolio voiced one bit of disapproval since he ripped off his song from Stevie Wonder." Al: Ronn: What do we have here? This from Timothy in San Jose. "Weird Al - love your stuff - got a question though. There was song many years ago that was about what a guy would do rather than seeing a girl again and I only remember bits and pieces like 'and I'd burn down the malt shop where we used to go just because it reminds me of you.'." Al: It's called "One More Minute." It's from the "Dare to be Stupid" album. In fact it's one of the songs that we're doing on the road. Ronn: There you go. On the road? Tomorrow at the Fillmore. Al: At the Fillmore. Ronn: There you go. We're going to give away 2 pairs of tickets by-the-way sometime during this hour. Patty, I don't even want to do a contest kind of thing. I'm just going to pick a couple of people that call in just like that. Simple as that. Ah um...we've got Rick, the father of Alex...who says "Al, thank you for bringing meaning to our boring, miserable lives." Al: It's about time. Ronn: I kind of like that. And Nick from Vacaville says "I've been a fan since '83...I think "Eat It" is one of the all-time great videos. When are you going to be back on either MTV or VH1 with AL TV?" Al: Actually MTV has been airing AL TV the last few weeks and they're supposed to be airing it all summer long so check your local listings. Ronn: James in Martinez. Go to it - "Weird Al" and Ronn. James? Are you there? James: Yes. Ronn: Go ahead. James: Hi. I listen to your songs all the time on KidsStar. Can I ask you some questions? Ronn: Sure. James: I think your songs are real funny. Can I have 4 tickets to your concert? Al & Ronn: Ronn: Was that...now how old are you James? James: Nine years old. Ronn: What made you think of the idea of asking for the tickets...because I just mentioned that? James: Uhhhh, no. Because my mom told me to ask. Ronn: Oh, your mom told you to ask, huh? You mom's going to take you? What do you think...should we...not 4...you get a pair of tickets. Two tickets. Want to go with your mom? James: Yeah. Ronn: You got it. How about that? Now, you got another question for him? James: Excuse me? Ronn: Nahhh...you don't have another question. You want the tickets you got them, then go ahead. Give him the tickets. Why not. Him and his mom. James will ask you tomorrow. Al: OK Ronn: That's just about you want to do during the show. David in Mountain View. Good morning and welcome. David: Hey, just wanted to say "hi" to Al there. Al: Hey, David. David: Hey, I've got 2 quick questions. One is when you made "UHF", it was a great movie. When are you going to make it again, or make another one? Al: Like a sequel? Well, it remains to be seen. I get offers now and then. I was in the "Spy Hard" movie with Leslie Nielson and I've got a few other things I'm considering so I'll let you know. Ronn: All right now by-the-way, you mentioned the "Spy Hard" thing. I got to tell you I walked out of that movie after 25 minutes. I have not walked out of a movie in years. The best part was the opening... Al: Ronn: ...where you were doing...that was truly the best part of the whole movie. I really hated it. Al: Ohhhhhh. Ronn: I thought it was such a cheap rip-off of all the "Naked Gun" stuff but your opening when you're singing there, and then you're swimming and doing all that, it was fabulous. Al: Thank you, thank you. Ronn: It was very, very good. Now you got to admit. You didn't like the rest of the movie yourself. Al: I thought it had it's moments. Ronn: Yeah, like 2 in the first 25 minutes. Maybe that's it. Michael in Napa. You're eleven. Hello there, Michael. Good morning. Michael: Good morning. I was wondering when, Al, if you're going to come out with any new albums. When would they come out and what are some of the songs they might be on the CD? Ronn: Boy, that's a very good question because of course, you got to be working already now for coming up with new parody ideas. Al: Well, actually not. I've kind of unplugged my brain totally. I'm in my touring mode which means, you know, I'm completely brainless. So I probably won't be even starting to write until we get off the road. If fact if I wrote any parodies now they'd probably be kind of stale by the time the next album came out. Ronn: Take us through the process. You're ready to sit down and do an album. That's when you start listening to the new music. Is that the idea? Al: Well, actually the first thing I would do is do the originals on the album because half of my songs are originals and those tend to age better in the can. Whereas... Ronn: You record them in the bathroom? Al: Some of them. Ronn: Oh, all right. Al: I mean they just age a little bit better because sometimes the originals are a year or two old before the albums come out. Ronn: In the studio is "Weird Al" Yankovic. Oh, I have to tell you this. You keep telling me I should tell you this story because I didn't tell you. Ellinore Clift was on yesterday. Al: Uh huh. Ronn: It's great. Now, I think the world of Ellinore Clift. She is one of the brighter people when it comes to politics...she writes for Newsweek, she's on McLaughlin Group and all that kind of stuff and I plugged "Weird Al" is going to be on tomorrow. Yes, "Weird Al" Yankovic is going to be on and we go to the spots (commercials) and Ellinore looks at me says "he's the guy that does the polling, right?" Al: --- break --- song played: "Theme from Spy Hard" Ronn: (voice over during music) I told you this was the best one, folks. The best part of the movie. Ronn: You got to see the video that goes with all of this. You just said you directed that, I didn't know that. Al: The opening sequence of the movie. Yeah, the opening title sequence, right. Ronn: You didn't want to direct the whole movie, believe me. Al: Ronn: But you did the whole opening thing yourself. That was fun. Al: Thank you. Ronn: I think the joy of it was not knowing that you were going to be doing the opening to that. You see, I like Leslie Nielson and I thought: OK "Naked Gun" and all that kind of stuff, but come on Al, we both know the movie sucked. Al: It was a great thrill doing the song because that's an actual 80 piece orchestra there that you hear on that song and it was the weirdest thing in the world for me to one week be sitting at a toy piano in my underwear clunking out some notes and the next week I'm going into a whole sound stage and they're all tuning up like this full orchestra and they all have the sheet music "Spy Hard" by "Weird Al" Yankovic, you know, it's such a thrill, such an adrenaline rush. Ronn: Mike (unintelligible) asks "Weird is your given name, right?" Al: Well, I'm not on a first adjective basis with hardly anybody. You can call me Al. Ronn: Ah-kay, we'll do it that way. Jason, who's 14, giving us a call from San Jose. Good morning and welcome. Jason are you there? Jason: Yeah, I'm here. Ronn: Go ahead, what's your question. Jason: Ok, I have a question. My question is um, how did, um, you think of the song "Harvey the Wonder Hamster?" Al: Oh, 'cuz Harvey the Wonder Hamster is my best friend in the whole world and I wanted to write a nice, little 20 second ode to him. Ronn: That was the whole reason? Al: Uh-huh. Ronn: OK. Honest answer. Simple enough. A caller, by-the-way, is very angry with you saying "why is it you don't parody country music songs?" Al: Well, I have actually. I generally don't parody country songs unless they cross over to the pop charts. But I did do a parody of "Achy Breaky Heart" by Billy Ray Cyrus a couple albums ago called "Achy Breaky Song" which is about as mean spirited as I get. It was kind of a put down of the song because people frankly were kind of sick of hearing him on the radio so that's what I did. Ronn: Yeah, you don't get mean and you don't use bad words, I mean it's that clean, wholesome put-down that people like. Al: Yeah, it's the warm, fuzzy kind of comedy. Ronn: Warm, fuzzy put-down, I kind of like that, yes. Dan in San Rafael good morning and welcome. Dan: Hi Al, what's up? I love your music man. Al: Oh, Thank you. Dan: I just wanted to let you know I'm a high school student, I do lots of drama and theater and I've gone to this competition the last two years and get totally worked, you know, don't get anywhere. This year I went and I did a monologue from "UHF" and I won first place in this competition doing the mop monologue. Al: Oh, congratulations, that's great. You know, I used to do those kind of...sounds like a forensics competition? Dan: It was a monologue competition. Al: Oh, that's terrific man, I'm really flattered, thank you. Ronn: Hey, if you did that you ought to go to the concert. Do you want to go to the concert tomorrow night? Dan: Yes I do. Ronn: You got it. We'll put you on hold. Patty, he's on line one, let's go do it. It makes sense to me. Ah, we've got Fester. Fester is 15 from San Francisco. Fester? Boy, I remember you from the "Addam's Family." Good morning. Al: Fester: yeah, I'm Fester Stickles. I was just wondering... Al: You haven't heard that before I'm sure. Sorry, Fester. Fester: What do you think your favorite song was. What are you most proud of? Al: Oh, boy. That's a tough question. Well...it's like...it's like picking children, you know, you just can't do that. Among the parodies I like "Fat" and "Smells like Nirvana" and "Amish Paradise" I guess. But I do feel closer to the originals so probably one of the twisted love ballads like "One More Minute" or "You Don't Love Me Anymore" or something like that. Ronn: Really? It wouldn't be like "Eat It" I would think would come to mind. Al: Well, I don't know, "Eat It"'s been probably the most popular but it's kind of like, I'm a little tired of hearing it at this point. Like "Hey, you're the Eat It guy aren't you? Eat it, eat it, eat it." You know, it kind of wears on you. Ronn: Well, you're now the Amish guy. Well you don't wear your hair like that so people don't automatically recognize you for that. Maybe that's it. Al: That could be. Ronn: Of course then , I should tell the truth: you are wearing your hair like Coolio's right now. Al: Ronn: He's wearing his hair like Coolio. He's answering your questions. We continue with "Weird Al" right after this. song played: "Gump" Ronn: That's from "Lump", the Presidents of the United States of America song and by-the-way, all of the songs you heard are from his album "Bad Hair Day." David in Oaktown's got a point. He says Al and Ronn, "Ronn, I can't believe you said IF you ever heard "Waterfalls" you'll love the takeoff. I hate that song because I heard it so many times." Al, do you pick songs to parody simply because of their overexposure? Al: Well, they don't necessarily have to be overexposed to the point of being irritating but I, of course, like to pick popular songs and songs that people are familiar with because it just makes more sense that you'll appreciate the parody and the fine nuances if you're more familiar with the song. Ronn: So who did grow up enjoying, what, Allan Sherman? Al: Oh yeah, I grew up on the Doctor Demento show so of course people like Allan Sherman and Spike Jones, and Tom Leher and Stan Freeburg were my heroes. Ronn: Freeburg I could easily see. Al: Oh yeah. Ronn: There's a lot of Freeburg in you. Al: Oh, thanks, that's very nice. Ronn: Yeah, yeah. Jim in San Leandro. Good morning. "Weird Al" and Ronn. Jim: Hello, Ronn, how're you doing? Thanks for taking my call. Hey, um...I've been listening to you for years and it takes a chance of getting a couple of "Weird Al" tickets to finally call in. Ronn: Yeah, the only problem is I gave them away already. Jim: Aw, dang it. Ronn: Yeah. That's OK you can ask him anything anyway. Jim: OK, good. I wanted to ask you...um...I heard rumors a few years ago that you had played with a lot of famous musicians. Is this true? I heard like, Mark Knopfler. Have you played with other famous musicians? Al: Well, Mark Knopfler actually, I wasn't in the same room with him at the time but he actually played guitar on my Dire Straits parody on the "UHF" soundtrack. So what happened was we asked him permission to like do a parody of "Money for Nothing" and he said "Well, I'll let you do it but you have to let me play guitar on it" and I said "Well, Ok, if you have to, sure, why not." So we actually took the multi track tape and mailed it to him in London and he recorded the guitar part and mailed it back to LA so he played guitar on it. Jim: How about other famous musicians? Al: Boy, I'm trying to think offhand. Who else did you hear? Jim: Oh, geez...I...actually Mark Knopfler was the only one but... Al: Ronn: Well, the answer to that one is a real simple "Yeah, he did." Al: Ronn: Of all the groups um, we talked about the fact that Coolio may or may not have liked "Amish Paradise" or whatever. There are other groups that just absolutely love it, I mean, have groups come to you and said "hey, come on, do a parody of us, do a parody of us." Al: Well, not begging but offhanded conversation I'll run into people at awards shows and whatnot and they'll say "hey, how come you haven't gotten around to me yet?" uh, in fact in 1984 I ran into Paul McCartney and I was just starting to make a name for myself and I was meeting a Beatle, you know this was like a big moment in my life and I didn't think he'd even know who I was and I went up him very shyly and said "Hi Mr. McCartney, my name is Al and I just wanted to say..." and goes "Oh, Weird Al, how you doing?" and he turns to Linda and says "Look Honey, it's Weird Al" and he wondered when I am going to do a parody of him. So I don't know what I stammered at that point but I was pretty incoherent for about a minute or two. Ronn: Have you ever done a parody of a Beatles song or Paul McCartney? Al: Oh, I'm trying to think. No, Oh, I think "Hey Jude" was in a polka medley many years ago that was about it though. Ronn: When I think "Hey Jude" I do think polka. Al: Ronn: "Weird Al" Yankovic, "Bad Hair Day" is the brand new CD. You can get that anywhere of course you can see it all over in the videos. Most importantly if you want to see him in person it's tomorrow night at the Fillmore. Al: Uh-huh. Ronn: We're not sure, it's like 7:30, 8 o'clock, something like that. Al: Just go there right now and wait I'll show up eventually. Ronn: Just go there, he'll sign autographs and just be real happy. You're just a great guy. Al: Ronn: I'm very delighted to have you on because you're just as unaffected as any performer I've ever seen. Al: Ronn: You really are. Nice to see you. Al: Thanks, Ronn. Al then apparently does something. Ronn: All right, in the studio with us, well so much for unaffected, no...here's the news. END