Andy Kaufman changed the worlds of comedy and performance in the 1970s, showing fans and friends alike a determination to follow put-ons into territory no one had ever even considered ‘comic’ before. His fervour was so intense that when he passed away suddenly in 1984, it seemed as if the ultimate disappearing act had been staged; one that some people believe is still ongoing, with the reveal soon to come. This makes him the quintessential entertainer of our generation, a man ahead of his time and ours, and a force that has yet to be matched – even in the megasaturated media world of the 21st century.

Among the many things that Andy achieved in his lifetime (and in the years following), a phonograph album release (the staple of standup comedians in his time) never happened – until now. ‘Andy And His Grandmother’ is material never heard before, a skimming from 82 hours of micro-cassette tapes that Andy recorded during 1977–79. Andy regarded the microtape recorder as a fantastic new way of capturing his hoaxing, and carried it with him everywhere, for use at any given moment. Real life was the ultimate frontier for him, and these tapes demonstrate the heart of Andy’s comedy. With gusto, he involves those closest to him, as well as total strangers, in put-ons, falsehoods and other provocations, pushing the limit on logic and emotional investment in everyday situations from the trivial to the deeply personal until any suspension of disbelief is out of the question for all involved, and everyone becomes fully immersed in whatever scenario Andy is suggesting as the new reality.

With so much material on hand, Drag City turned to a writer, producer and comedian whose resume indicated to us that he was a true child of Kaufman’s twisted talent. Since the late 90s, Vernon Chatman’s work has been experienced by television viewers and aficionados of ‘South Park’, ‘Wonder Showzen’, ‘Xavier: Renegade Angel’, ‘The Heart She Holler’, and ‘Doggie Fizzle Televizzle’, as well as fans of the Drag City DVD release ‘Final Flesh’. Vernon dug deeply into the tapes, coming up with a concept for a single album that would include several dozen excerpts. Slowly and carefully, the final sequence was shaped. Along the way, Vernon produced several tracks, adding effects to pieces that were clearly unfinished (in particular, ‘Sleep Comedy’) and drafting ‘Saturday Night Live’s Bill Hader to provide narration for the journey. The finished album, with liner notes from Vernon and Kaufman cohort Bob Zmuda, is a work of comedy for our times. One that was performed over thirty years ago.

Perhaps the best thing about ‘Andy And His Grandmother’ is that it extends the body of work that Andy Kaufman pursued relentlessly between 1971 and 1984 with ‘routines’ never before seen or heard in any of his known performances. This is no recap or greatest hits collection derived from material meant to be seen as well as heard. Andy created these tapes to format his incredible approach on a purely sonic level. The funny to be found in the unfunny, the comedy of everyday existence, the comedy of tragedy, these things are the legacy of Andy Kaufman – and all are vividly on display throughout ‘Andy And His Grandmother’.

“It is fun when you tell a good lie that gets taken for the truth. It is more fun when you tell a lousy lie that gets taken for the truth.” – Vernon Chatman, producer of ‘Andy And His Grandmother’