From School Library Journal
YA Yankovic, the clown prince of rock-and-roll, pokes fun at the whole genre of rock biographies and at himself. This tongue-in-cheek examination of the life and music of this "superstar" covers from his birth to his rise to stardom. The Authorized Al is actually based on the mock rocumentary HBO special and video The Complete Al (CBS/Fox, 1984), and the two items work well as a complementary package. The video includes such items as his rock videos, concocted interviews with family and friends and concert footage. The book provides such gems as "Weird Al's" Six-Minute Work Out, bogus newspaper and magazine clippings and The Complete Al Songbook, with all of his song lyrics to date. The book's major shortcoming is the inability to translate some of the atmosphere and humor of Al's work to the printed page. However the popularity of the entertainer plus the rock-and-roll subject matter should attract a large YA audience. John Lawson, Fairfax County Public Library, Va.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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