Something happened in the SpinTunes 23 R1 LP chat last night that got me thinking and was a head slapping the forehead moment, and I'll clear the air.
Boffo Yux Dudes don't usually use AI in their songs unless it's for fun or a dramatic effect.
Last night, I said something to the effect 'Tom writes the lyrics and Al does the rest of the music'.
That's AL - Allan Morgan, my partner in crime for music since 2008 as BYD, and I'd occasionally contribute to his Pop Machine collective band in the 80's and 90's in LA with Scott Sookman, Scott Hewitt and Michael Lawrence.
BYD started in the mid-80's as a comedy troupe with Pat Montello and Scott Sookman. We got a little notoriety on Dr. Demento back then for skits and bits.
Pat was the voice guy - think Billy West on steroids. Amazing mimic and could do thousands of voices and dialects. I haunted him until he joined me to produce a radio morning show in '85, and we created syndicated radio spots nationwide on hundreds of stations for most of that decade. If you heard a DJ doing a bit with a celebrity, odds are it was him on the other side of the mic.
We lost him in 2022 because of a nasty respiratory issue.
Scott Sookman was a writer and vocalist I met back at Syracuse on a TV comedy show, and he was the other OG of the BYD. We produced a college radio morning show for WJPZ, sold radio bits, and eventually got him a gig for Z-100 in New York writing and producing bits.
We'd raid their NJ studios and cause mayhem and leave a reel for their morning show in our wake. It's good to know someone with keys to the studio.
We lost Scott in May 2024. That leaves me as the sole survivor. (cue commercial from the 70's)
I know some folks were wondering what the hell the 40+ year history was of BYD - we've had a lot of adjacent friends and lovers who have put up with our brand of chicanery. I'm happy to see Allan is still up for more songs and fun after all this time.
So, I guess the TL:DR is
AI - bad if not used for good
Al(lan) - good guy who actually exists and creates fine music.
Now I feel old. Get off of my lawn!