User:CapSuper/Just Havin' Fun - album

Just Havin' Fun
Studio album by Jonathon Brandmeier
Released	September 1982
Recorded	March 1981– August 1982 Chatôn Studios Scottsdale, AZ.
Genre	Comedy
Length	39:50
Label	Loon
Producer	Jonathon Brandmeier
Jonathon Brandmeier chronology
Just Havin' Fun (1982) Almost Live (1984)
Singles from Just Havin' Fun
"Johnny in the Morning (Just Havin' Fun)" b/w "Mick Jagger (What Makes Your Lips So Big?)" Released: 25 September 1981 "The Snowbird Song" b/w "Did The Stones Show Up?" Released: December 1981

This article is about the Jonathon Brandmeier album Just Havin' Fun (sometimes referred to as Memories of a Loon.)

This is the first album released by radio personality Jonathon Brandmeier. The album is a compilation of selected songs from Brandmeier's band Johnny & The Leisure Suits, and bits from Brandmeier's show during his time at KZZP from 1981 and 1982. Just Havin' Fun was released in Phoenix, and its surrounding cities, in late September 1982. Songs were produced by Jonathon Brandmeier at Chatôn Studios in Scottsdale Arizona on the Loon label.

Brandmeier's listeners identified themselves as "Loons."

Cover

The cover of the album features references to Brandmeier's time at KZZP.

The rabbits (real and plush) refer to Brandmeier's song "Red Snow in Idaho," which is about farmers in Mudlake, Idaho controlling bunny over-population by clubbing them to death.

The bum in the fountain was also used in a TV commercial for his show in late 1981. At a show promotion in June 1982, Brandmeier jumped in that fountain at Patriot's Park in downtown Phoenix. He quickly learned that the homeless bathe and go to the bathroom in that fountain. This led to him calling his doctor, on the air, to find out if he needed shots to prevent hepatitis.

Brandmeier was raised on Spam, and he asked listeners to bring cans of it to Leisure Suits shows to build a wall of Spam à la Pink Floyd's The Wall.

The coffee cup next to the "Memories of a Loon" book was a 7-11 promotion in late 1981.

The Arabic phrase book in Brandmeier's pocket refers to his episode with billionaire deadbeat Sheik Mohammed al-Fassi. Brandmeier convinced al-Fassi to let him do a radio show from his vast estate in Miami, Florida. al-Fassi liked Brandmeier so much that he visited Phoenix. When the mayors and police did not great al-Fassi at the airport, he had a fit, trashed his hotel rooms, and left town without paying his bills.

Sister Esther, mentioned on the tattered National Enquirer, was a phone psychic Brandmeier exposed as a fraud.

Drum sticks, Brandmeier plays drums.

The front cover had a scratch-n-sniff sticker that said, "WARNING! THIS ALBUM STINKS." When scratched it produced the aroma of rotting garbage.

The inside photo spread of this gatefold cover featured pictures from the last two years scattered on a table from out of the Memories of a Loon scrapbook, with an open can of beer, half eaten Spam sandwich, and a dead cricket. Celebrities in these pictures who were on Brandmeier's show include Father Guido Sarducci, Mr. T, Jerry Mathers, Martin Mull, "Weird Al" Yankovic, and Dr. Demento.

The inner sleeve featured lyrics, band credits, special thanks, and a sloppily handwritten note from Brandmeier:

"Dear Loon:

I was so touched by your unselfish effort of purchasing my humble album, that I just had to sit down and write to you personally - Yes, I'm taking my personal time to write each and every one of the thousands who have bought this collection of wit, charm, and musical memories. Knowing that you spent your hard earned money foolishly in this time of economic recession, only makes it that much more enjoyable for me... And whenever I make a deposit at the little drive-thru window, you can rest assured that I will be thinking of you. I love you deeply,

Johnny"

Side One

The Snowbird Calls

Winter visitors, called "snowbirds," are a particular bane to Arizona natives. Brandmeier poked fun at the snowbirds, this included hunting them. One snowbird did not take kindly to the joshing.

The Snowbird Song

One of the many regular call-in characters to Brandmeier's radio show was Willy de Loon. Every time he called he had a fresh parody. He hit pay dirt with this parody of the Little River Band's "The Night Owls." Brandmeier made him a member of The Leisure Suits, and the song was recorded with Willy singing lead.

Among the most annoying traits of snowbirds, the majority of which are senior citizens, are their deteriorating driving skills.

Horse With No Legs

One day four severed horse legs were found in a circle in the desert with one leg pointing north. Nobody knew where they came from, or why they were there. This inspired Brandmeier to parody America's "A Horse With No Name."

Did the Stones Show Up?

This Brandmeier parody of the Rolling Stones' "Start Me Up" asks if the band, fast approaching, or already in their 40s, were too old to do another tour.

Celebrity Loon Line

Bits of interviews with celebrities who called into, or visited Brandmeier in-studio. Included are Steve Martin, Mr. Rogers, Slim Whitman, Mr. T, and Jerry Mathers...as The Beaver.

Party Animals

Brandmeier's party anthem featuring the line "We are not human, we are Party Animals!"

Side Two

Red Snow in Idaho

Rabbits in Mudlake, Idaho were destroying the crops of farmers. So, to solve the overpopulation problem, the farmers took to beating the rabbits to death with bats. This included a game called "bunny baseball." Played like baseball, however, the ball was replaced with a...yeah, you get the idea.

This inspired this Brandmeier original.

Mick Jagger (What Makes Your Lips So Big?)

Brandmeier's parody of "Brown Sugar" by the Rolling Stones begging the band to play in Phoenix when they go on tour.

Dead Donkeys

Brandmeier's parody of Louden Wainwright III's "Dead Skunk." Burro's were wandering onto the runway at a desert military base. So they tried to solve the problem by shooting the animals to death. The song mocks the military's problem solving skills of either killing something, or blowing it up.

This is the second version of "Dead Donkeys." It's more like a Pop Rock song, where as the first one closely mimicked the original Wainright song.

Loon Line Hall of Fame

A collection of some of the calls from Loons into Brandmeier's radio show. Included are George From Boliva, Mr. Hollywood, and the Ukelele Loon.

Just Havin' Fun

This Brandmeier original was his theme song. It has been reworked over the years.

Personnel

Jonathon Brandmeier:Lead vocals, background vocals, percussion, screaming, puking, voice of the sergeant, clapping

Michael Brandmeier:Bass

Dave Cook:Keyboards, synthesizer, clapping

Steve Goddard:Guitar, background vocals, voice of Wilbur, voice of the private, clapping

Ted Goddard:12-string guitar, background vocals

Brian Page:Guitar, background vocals, background puking, clapping

Brad Patrick:Drums, background puking

Gary Stafford:Background vocals, bass, background puking, background screaming, clapping

Ben Taylor:Bass

Willy de Loon:Lead vocals, saxophone

Marketing

The album was sold in selected record stores around Phoenix, and its surrounding cities.

Just Havin' Fun was sold out of a trash can. A cardboard cutout of Brandmeier, with a display tray for the albums to rest in, was placed inside a metal trash can in the record stores. It was in stores from late September 1982 to late January 1983, and sold well.

The album was also sold at Johnny & The Leisure Suits shows, and given away as prizes in radio contests.

References

loonnews.com "Brandmeier: King of the Loons"

External links

• 20 Years of Jonathon Brandmeier
• Memories of a Loon Audio archives
• The Jonathon Brandmeier 30th Anniversary Memories of a Loon Retrospective Internet radio show
• Just Havin' Fun album in its entirety.