Rufus Wainwright

Other:. He has also appeared in cartoons such as EEK! The Cat, The Simpsons, The Brak Show, Johnny Bravo and The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy, lending his voice to that of the Squid Hat, a parody of the Sorting Hat in the Harry Potter series. Genie Awards:. He currently plays a role in the "Haunted Lighthouse 4-D" Show at the Busch Gardens Williamsburg theme park. Juno Awards:. Al has also made a number of cameo film appearances, including all three Naked Gun films. He made his motion picture debut in The Aviator and will also appear in the upcoming film, Heights. He and his wife, Suzanne, recently had a daughter, Nina.

His latest, a live iTunes Sessions EP entitled Alright Already is due for release in March 2005. However, since the taping, Al has married. It is a companion to the 2003 release Want One. (Also, the commercial failures of UHF and Polka Party). Wainwright's newest album, Want Two, of which four songs were released as the EP Waiting for a Want, was released from DreamWorks/Geffen on November 16, 2004. Al is so clean-cut that the producers couldn't find any of the typical angst-laced problems that make many rock stars' stories compelling (as Al noted in an interview with BTM), so their angle was on Al's life as a bachelor and (what they presumed was) his loneliness. Wainwright is an avid opera fan, and the influences on his music are evident; his music has been described as "Popera" (Pop Opera) or "Baroque Pop." His lyrics are filled with allusions to opera, literature, pop culture, and, more recently, politics (in songs such as "Gay Messiah" and "Waiting for a Dream"). VH1 produced a Behind the Music episode on Al.

While some of his most moving songs feature just Wainwright with his piano, many of his songs display complex layering and harmonies, occasionally comprising hundreds of individual parts. The most popular part of AL-TV is Al manipulating interviews especially commissioned for AL-TV by the network for comic effect. In addition to being a pianist, Wainwright is a guitarist, often switching between the two instruments when performing live; however, his mastery of the guitar does not approach his talent with the piano. For Poodle Hat, however, AL-TV appeared on VH1. He still often performs with his sister Martha Wainwright (now herself an emerging artist) on backup vocals. Al has hosted AL-TV on MTV many years, generally coinciding with the release of each new album. He has frequently toured as the opener for Sting and co-headlined with Ben Folds and Guster in the summer of 2004. Though the show appeared to be geared at children, the humor was really more for adult fans of Al.

He garnered great praise for his performance and began touring as a main act shortly afterwards. Weird Al had a short-lived TV series called The Weird Al Show, which aired from September 1997 to January 1998 on CBS. Wainwright's first main exposure to the American public came as an opener to singer Tori Amos in 2001 and 2002. Originals such as "Melanie" and "Albuquerque" are favorites of many of his fans. Wainwright's sophomore album, Poses (2001), brought similar acclaim. In addition to parodies such as these, most of Al's albums include a medley of popular songs played in polka style, as well as original songs with his own lyrics and words. This album landed much critical acclaim in Canada, and was even recognized by Rolling Stone magazine as one of the best albums of the year. The following is a comprehensive list of his albums to 2003:.

The label signed him and he relased an album in the spring of 1998. Since Al got a record contract in 1983, he has released many albums and parodies. After having been a fixture on the Montreal club circuit, Wainwright cut a series of demo tapes, one of which found itself in the hands of DreamWorks executive Lenny Waronker. It has been argued that this not only deprives the real artists involved of credit for their creations, but sometimes associates Al's name with types of music he would never produce and would not want to be known for. He also became an enthusiast of such performers as Edith Piaf, Al Jolson and Judy Garland. One major victim of this seems to be Bob Rivers, but so many wrongly attributed tracks exist that several fans have set up websites attempting to list such tracks along with their real artists. Coming out as a homosexual while still a teen, Wainwright found solace through opera throughout his adolescent years (His track Barcelona features lyrics of Guiseppi Verdi). The popularity of Al's music among users of Internet file sharing networks has led to many parody or comedy songs shared in this manner being identified as "Weird Al" tracks which in fact have no connection to him.

Additionally, some of his songs feature his mastery of French. The article also referred to one real-life indication of Yankovic's status: Kurt Cobain, the lead singer for Nirvana stated that he felt that he had "made it" after Yankovic recorded "Smells Like Nirvana" (parodying Cobain's "Smells Like Teen Spirit"). He lived in Montreal with his mother for most of his childhood and briefly attended McGill University, where he studied both classical and 'rock' piano. Yankovic has been called a "cultural barometer" by The Onion's recurring fictitious dweeb character Larry Groznic (10 November 2004), who called Weird Al's music "the consummate pastiche of popular songwriting styles for our times". Despite being born in the United States, Wainwright strongly identifies with Canada and still maintains a residence there. Yankovic has received three Grammy Awards and became eligible for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004, although he says, "I think my chances of ever making it into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame are about as good as Milli Vanilli's.". He began to play the piano at age six, and by age thirteen he was touring with his sister Martha, mother Kate (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kate_McGarrigle), and aunt Anna as the "McGarrigle Sisters and Family." His song "I'm Running," which he performed in the movie Tommy Tricker and the Stamp Traveller, was nominated for the 1989 Genie Award for Best Original Song and earned him a nomination for the 1990 Juno Award for Most Promising Male Vocalist. He also directed the title sequence to Spy Hard, in which he sang the title song.

Wainwright was born in Rhinebeck, New York to folk singers Loudon Wainwright III and Kate McGarrigle (they later divorced while he was a child). Weird Al has directed many of his own music videos, as well as several by such artists as Hanson, The Black Crowes, Ben Folds, and The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion. Rufus Wainwright (born 22 July 1973) is a Canadian-American singer-songwriter. He also contributed the song "Dare to Be Stupid" to Transformers: The Movie. 2004 - Nominated, Shortlist Music Prize. He has contributed songs to several films, including the original song "This Is The Life", featured on the soundtrack for Johnny Dangerously; the title track to his own movie, UHF; and a parody of the James Bond title sequences in "Spy Hard", the title track to a 1996 Leslie Nielsen movie directed by Rick Friedberg. 1999 - Won, Debut Album of the Year, Gay/Lesbian American Music Awards. Examples include "Alternative Polka", "Angry White Boy Polka" and "Polka Power.".

1999 - Won, Oustanding Music Album, GLAAD Media Awards. In addition to his parodies, Al also includes a medley of various songs on most albums, each one reinterpreted as a polka, with the choruses of various songs juxtaposed for humourous effect. 1989 - Won, Best Original Song, "I'm A Runnin'". Popeil"), Talking Heads ("Dog Eat Dog"), Nine Inch Nails ("Germs"), The Beach Boys ("Trigger Happy"), Oingo Boingo ("You Make Me"), The Police ("Velvet Elvis"), James Taylor ("The Good Old Days"), The Beastie Boys ("Twister"), and They Might Be Giants ("Everything You Know is Wrong"). 2002 - Won, Best Alternative Album, Poses. Some of his original songs are pastiches or "style parodies," where he chooses a band's entire body of work to honor/parody rather than any single hit by that band; some bands so honored have been Devo ("Dare to Be Stupid"), The B-52's ("Mr. 2000 - Nominated, Best Songwriter; "Poses," "Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk," and "Grey Gardens". Yankovic's humor lies more in creating unexpected incongruity between an artist's image and the topic of the song, contrasting the style of the song with its content, or in pointing out trends or works which have become pop culture cliches.

1999 - Won, Best Alternative Album, Rufus Wainwright. Although many of his songs are parodies of contemporary radio hits, it is rare that the song's primary topic of lampooning is that artist. 1990 - Nominated, Most Promising Male Vocalist of the Year. Yankovic's work depends largely on the satirizing of popular culture, including television, movies, food, popular music, and sometimes issues in contemporary news. "I'll Build A Stairway To Paradise" - Soundtrack to the Motion Picture The Aviator (2004, Sony). Though he is best known for his song parodies, Yankovic has recorded a greater number of original humorous songs, such as "Why Does This Always Happen to Me?" and "Hardware Store". "I Eat Dinner" (with Dido) - Soundtrack to the Motion Picture Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason (2004, Geffen Records). The night after their bodies were found, Al went on with his concert in Mankato, Minnesota, saying that since his music had helped many of his fans through tough times, maybe it would work for him as well.

"It's Only a Paper Moon" and "I Wonder What Became of Me" - Stormy Weather: The Music of Harold Arlen (2003, Sony). On April 9, 2004, Al's parents, Nick Louis Yankovic, 86, and Mary, 81, were found dead in their Fallbrook, California home, apparently the victims of carbon monoxide poisoning. "When, in disgrace with fortune and men's eyes" - When Love Speaks (2002, EMI Classics). In January 1998, Yankovic had LASIK eye surgery and shaved off his mustache, radically changing his trademark look. "Across the Universe" - Soundtrack to the Motion Picture I Am Sam (2002, V2/BMG). Since the mid-1990s, Al has performed annually at the Minnesota State Fair. "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" - Soundtrack to the Motion Picture Zoolander (2001, Hollywood Records). Al claims to have been inspired by Allan Sherman, whose portrait in miniature (with name) can be found by the observant on the cover of Al's first album.

"Hallelujah" - Soundtrack to the Motion Picture Shrek (2001, Dreamworks). The movie was co-directed by Jay Levey, who would direct UHF (see below) three years later. "Complainte de la Butte" - Soundtrack to the Motion Picture Moulin Rouge! (2001, Interscope). In 1985, Al co-wrote and starred in a mockumentary of his own life entitled The Compleat Al that intertwined fact and fiction of his life up to that point. "Instant Pleasure" - Soundtrack to the Motion Picture Big Daddy (1999, Sony). The live version of "School Cafeteria" is also to be found on Dr. Demento's Basement Tapes. - The McGarrigle Hour (1998). Yankovic's vaults, such as "Pacman", "It's Still Billy Joel To Me", or the demos for "I Love Rocky Road".

"Shooldays", "What'll I Do?", "Heartburn", "Talk to Me of Mendocino", "Goodnight Sweetheart" and background vocals on various other tracks. Demento Society, which issues yearly Christmas re-releases of material from Dr. Demento's Basement Tapes, often includes among these unreleased tracks from Mr. "Le Roi D'Ys" and "On the Banks of the Wabash" - Soundtrack to the Motion Picture The Myth of Fingerprints (1997). The Dr. "I'm Running" - Soundtrack to the Motion Picture Tommy Tricker and the Stamp Traveller (1989). With Jon "Bermuda" Schwartz on drums, the band was complete. Alright Already (EP; 2005, DreamWorks/Geffen) - available only on iTunes. Steve Jay became Al's bass player, and Jim West the lead guitarist.

Want Two (2004, DreamWorks/Geffen). Jay insisted that the act would sound better if Al had a full band, so he held auditions. Waiting for a Want (EP; 2004, DreamWorks) - available only on iTunes. His stage act caught the eye of manager Jay Levey, who loved it and became Al's manager. Want One (2003, DreamWorks). His performances were particularly interesting as few, if any, people at the time were doing parodies of rock and roll songs on accordion. Poses (2001, DreamWorks). Demento's act.

Rufus Wainwright (1998, DreamWorks). 1981 brought Al on tour for the first time as part of Dr. The rare 1981 Placebo EP release of this song has as its B-Side the subtle track "Happy Birthday.". The resulting performance of "Another One Rides the Bus" was a parody of a Queen hit, "Another One Bites the Dust". Jon Schwartz was also there, and he was a percussionist, so he was recruited to bang on Al's accordion case.

Demento's radio network at the time, when he announced he had another parody. In 1980, Al was working the mail room at Westwood One, Dr. Demento's listeners put this track atop his "Funny Five" list. Dr.

Since "My Sharona" by The Knack was on the charts and The Knack was going to play at Cal Poly, Al took his accordion into the bathroom across from the listening booth and recorded a parody entitled "My Bologna", with a B-side called "School Cafeteria". The Knack thought it was funny, and arranged for the song to be released on their label, Capitol Records, which gave Al a six-month contract. Three years later, Al was an architecture student at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and a disc jockey at the university's radio station (KCPR). Al was a senior at Lynwood High School in Lynwood, California at the time, but that tape was the start of his eventual career. Demento's radio show (a comedy radio program featuring humorous music), Al sent the Doctor a tape of a song entitled "Belvedere Cruising" in 1976.

After hearing Dr. Alfred Matthew "Weird Al" Yankovic, the son of Nick & Mary Yankovic, first started playing the accordion one day before his seventh birthday, mastering the instrument by age ten. His works include four gold and four platinum records. He is known in particular for humorous songs which satirize popular culture and/or parody specific songs by contemporary musical acts.

Alfred Matthew "Weird Al" Yankovic (born October 23, 1959) is an American musician, parodist and accordion player. Because of the potentially crippling amount of royalties requred for this, Weird Al's record labels have had to engage in endless negotiation and diplomacy. Because of his polka-medleys, Wierd Al can wind up performing works by dozens of artists on a single album. Licensing issues for Weird Al's works are some of the most complicated in the music industry.

He only asks for permission to maintain good relationships and avoid nuissance law suits. Because parody is recognized as fair use by copyright laws, Wierd Al is actually free to make fun of any artist's work without permision. Interestingly, Weird Al has only backed down from artists like Prince and Eminem out of courtesy and convenience. Says Al: "Last year, Eminem forced me to halt production on the video for my 'Lose Yourself' parody because he somehow thought that it would be harmful to his image or career ...".

Al was also requested to change the video for his remake of Eminem's "Lose yourself". Also, Prince has refused to allow parodies, though Weird Al has stated that he continues to "check back with him to see if he has developed a sense of humor" in interviews. Al apologized for the misunderstanding. Coolio was very displeased since his management told Weird Al to go ahead with the parody without consulting him.

While artists are generally pleased with Weird Al, there are three notable exceptions. On November 10, 2004, The Onion published an editorial titled "I Must Take Issue With The Wikipedia Entry For Weird Al Yankovic.". Examples are Al wearing a 27 on the cover of the Running With Scissors album and including 27 photos in the photo gallery on the "Weird Al Yankovic Live!" DVD. Al often hides the number 27 somewhere in his songs, album art, and memorabilia.

Al has put two backwards messages into his songs: the first, in Nature Trail to Hell, said "Satan Eats Cheez Whiz"; the second, in I Remember Larry, said "Wow, you must have an awful lot of free time on your hands." [1] (http://www.al-oholicsanonymous.com/faq/#secret). Side two of the album is "Carnival of the Animals, Part II" which is a sort of homage to The Carnival of the Animals by Camille Saint-Saens, with Weird Al taking the role of Edward Lear in writing humorous poems about the slug, the shark, etc. Don Ameche! What? He can't make it?", while the music features various innovations by Wendy Carlos over the original by Sergei Prokofiev. Weird Al's text modifies the original story considerably: "The Grandfather will be played by..

Peter and the Wolf - 1988: "This warped classical children's record featuring narration and poems written by "Weird Al" Yankovic and music arranged, composed and performed by synthesizer whiz Wendy Carlos" - WeirdAl.com (http://weirdal.com/). Babalu Music - 1991: A collection of I Love Lucy music. UHF- 1989: A commercially unsuccessful movie satirizing the television industry, starring Yankovic, Michael Richards, Fran Drescher and Victoria Jackson. "It's All About the Pentiums" (Parody of Puff Daddy's "It's All About The Benjamins").

"Amish Paradise" (Parody of Coolio's "Gangsta's Paradise"). "Living with a Hernia" (Parody of James Brown's "Living In America"). "Fat" (Parody of the title track from Michael Jackson's Bad album). "Grapefruit Diet" (Parody of Cherry Poppin' Daddies' "Zoot Suit Riot").

"Like A Surgeon" (Parody of Madonna's "Like a Virgin"). "Phony Calls" (Parody of TLC's "Waterfalls"). "Bedrock Anthem" (Parodies of Red Hot Chili Peppers' "Under The Bridge" and "Give It Away"). "Gump" (Parody of the Presidents of the United States of America's "Lump").

"Theme from Rocky XIII" (Parody of Survivor's "Eye of the Tiger"). "Jerry Springer" (Parody of Barenaked Ladies' "One Week"). "Cavity Search" (Parody of U2's "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me"). "Smells Like Nirvana" (Parody of Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit").

"Pretty Fly for a Rabbi" (Parody of The Offspring's "Pretty Fly (For A White Guy)"). "I Love Rocky Road" (Parody of Joan Jett's "I Love Rock N' Roll"). "Eat It" (Parody of Michael Jackson's "Beat It"). "The Saga Begins" (Parody of Don McLean's "American Pie"; tells the story of Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace).

"Couch Potato" (Eminem's "Lose Yourself" from the movie 8 Mile). "Ricky" (a parody of "Mickey" by Toni Basil, humorous lyrics themed from I Love Lucy; a parody of and tribute to the series). "Albuquerque" an extremely funny, but long, song, about Al's weird ventures into the city of Albuquerque - it's 11 and a half minutes long!. "Headline News" (Parody of "Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm" by Crash Test Dummies) - 1994.

Theme from "Spy Hard" (Spy Hard soundtrack - 1996). "Polkamon" (Pokémon The Movie 2000 (soundtrack) - 2000). The Saga Begins - 1999. The TV Album - 1995.

Greatest Hits - Volume II - 1994. Permanent Record - Al in the Box - 1994. The Food Album - 1993. The Best Of Yankovic - 1992 (Korean LP).

Greatest Hits - 1988. Poodle Hat - 2003. Running With Scissors - 1999. Bad Hair Day - 1996.

Alapalooza - 1994. Off the Deep End - 1992. UHF (movie soundtrack) - 1989. Even Worse - 1988.

Polka Party - 1986. Dare to Be Stupid - 1985. "Weird Al" Yankovic in 3-D - 1984. Weird Al Yankovic - 1983.