stabbim wrote:
Similar experience here: I first saw AL in 1996, after having been a fan since his Dr Demento days, and I honestly didn't expect much. Thought he'd come out with the accordion, play a few songs, tell a few jokes, and that would be that. But it was a true rock show, fantastic on every possible level. High energy, great sound, immensely talented band, inventive and hilarious theatrics, and most importantly, the guy can flat-out sing. Sounds bizarre to say it, but he's one of the best rock frontmen I have ever witnessed. The fact that someone with that much talent chooses deliberately to express it in a silly, whimsical fashion instead of taking himself (or the world at large) too seriously puts a lot of other artists to shame.
And you know what's ironic, if not sad? If went out as a straight-up serious rock act, he may or may not have had his time in the sun. And today, he may be a nostalia act (or dare I say it, have a thread on medocicrock.com?) and we'd all be bicking about the old days. But somehow, his voice, talent, and veratility has kept him reinventing himself over the years, and the novelty-act approach has kept him from just comin' and going. And his music has matured a lot over the years. Not all the way, but it has gotten a little smarter. It's not all songs about boogers anymore. LOL
I love the video clips between songs... like his "interview" with Celine Dion, when he mentions that her parents were eaten by cannibals, and it cuts to a shot of her responding , "I can still remember the smell of mother cooking..."