Allegedly, Lady Gaga, a popular vocalist, refused Al permission to include a parody of her song "Born This Way" on his album. Specifically, her manager asked Al to actually write, record and submit the parody, a series of hoops that no artist had ever requested. After doing so, Gaga's manager, Troy Carter, told Al that she had decided against the song being included.
After a moment of frustration, Al did what he did when Atlantic Records vetoed the James Blunt parody "You're Pitiful" (even after Blunt himself gave permission, but feared he didn't have the clout to overrule the label): he posted it on the Internet for free.
The reaction was quick, overwhelming, and rife with vituperatives. The Lady Gaga was immediately declared the internet's Special Friend and was driven into the dirt. Already riding a wave of negative pulicity over her latest release, Al's misadventure synced up PERfectly with the action line of articles casting her in a negative light, so it got picked up by websites and periodicals all across the spectrum.
And it was glorious.
But Team Gaga had another club in their bag. The Bemeated One came out claiming that she had never even HEARD the song - Media mastermind Troy Carter had taken it on himself to turn down the song. Gaga heard the song (how could she not), LOVED it, and immediately approved it for inclusion on the Al-bum.
Now, there are two possible scenarios at play here...
- What we have been told is true - Troy Carter decided that the song wouldn't be in Gags's best interest and turned it down, and the ensuing imbroglio was his fault, and his alone.
- Gaga DID hear and turn down the song, and once the backlast started, realized she'd shit the bed, and when she couldn't figure out how to turn it into a new outfit, asked Troy to take a bullet for the team and say he'd made the choice on her own.
The bright side of the whole mishegas was that with the song approved, Al now had a full set of songs ready to go for the new record, and was able to go ahead with plans to announce a release date.
And announce one he did.
ALPOCALYPSE drops June 21st.
Those who know me know my love for Al's work is deep and profound. So as a tribute to the man, and a way to keep from having to come up with anything to write about for the next two months or so, I'll be recapping and reviewing all his albums to date. I may well cram in a recap of his TV show, which by God deserves one.
Stick with us as we tear through a twenty-year career in a little under eight weeks, and go into more detail than anything the Biography channel ever could.
On another note, now that Doctor Who has started up again, I'm doing my recaps for Newsarama. The first one is up for The Impossible Astronaut, and if you enjoy the show, there's a passing chance you'll enjoy my analysis. Share and Enjoy.
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