THERE'S a first time for everything, and it's Newcastle's moment to be initiated into the twisted and hilarious world of WEIRD AL YANKOVIC , at the CIVIC THEATRE on Saturday.
October 18.
He is visiting the city as part of his 11-date POODLE HAT TOUR to coincide with the release of his first album in four years Poodle Hat .
Starting by recording songs on his own and having them played on radio, the ``Prince of Parodies'' has risen to the top of the comedy music business.
On his new album he includes parodies of EMINEM, NELLY, AVRIL LAVIGNE, THE BACKSTREET BOYS and BILLY JOEL, THE VINES, LIMP BIZKIT, KID ROCK and BOB DYLAN .
Yankovic reached wide public attention with his song Eat It a parody of MICHAEL JACKSON'S popular hit Beat It .
Yankovic's video of the song amusingly parodied the visuals of the Jackson video, earning it a good deal of play on MTV.
Eat It earned Yankovic his first GRAMMY AWARD , and the album, Weird Al Yankovic in 3-D , reached the Top 15.
His 1992 video Smells Like Nirvana pushed the original Nirvana video a step too far while lampooning the unintelligibility of its lyrics, and earned a place on ROLLING STONE'S TOP 100 VIDEOS of all time.
Nirvana members commented that they knew they had made it when Yankovic parodied their song.
Yankovic's videos are some of the best in the business and have been compiled in two collections.
One of his biggest successes was the album Bad Hair Day (1996), which featured a parody of COOLIO'S Gangsta's Paradise as Amish Paradise .
He tried his hand at directing, starred in his own television show, and appeared in several films.
Born Alfred Matthew Yankovic on October 23, 1959, in Los Angeles, he first took up the accordion when a salesman came around to solicit business for a music school.
``I don't really fit neatly into any one category,'' says the singer- songwriter-director-producer- comedian-musician.
``I'm just thrilled that I'm able to do exactly what I want to do for a living.
It never ceases to amaze me that I get to be Weird Al full time.
'' Tickets are now on sale.
(www.ticketek.com.au). Book on Civic Phonecharge 4929 1977.
( Poodle Hat in stores now on BMG.)
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