KZZP PHOENIX
|
Beginning in 1982, Mark Jonathan Davis began contributing parody songs, call-in character voices, and other comedy material to the Jonathon Brandmeier morning show at KZZP-FM in Phoenix.
In 1986, he became morning show producer on KZZP's new Kelly & Co. show, producing jingles, voicing commercial spoofs and comedy skits, and creating elaborate parody songs. Many of these parodies are included on the Mark Jonathan Davis albums "The Parody Songs That Destroyed Earth" (2020) and "Parody Songs For A Better Tomorrow" (2021), available now at markjonathandavis.bandcamp.com. [MORE VIDEO CLIPS WILL BE ADDED SOON] |
From 1986 to 1990, Davis and his frequent collaborator Rob "Iceman" Izenberg -- together known as IceMark Industries -- recorded parodies and comedy bits for KZZP on a daily basis. They wrote, performed, and produced satirical songs and skits about local events, state politics, and pop culture. Indeed, Phoenix in the late 1980's was a hotbed of major news events, political controversies, and subsequent IceMark parodies:
|
|
SUNS, SUNS, SUNS
"The Gorilla's an ape now, Gorilla's an ape" "SUNS, SUNS, SUNS" was one of several parodies about the Phoenix Suns' sizzling 1987 NBA season. With a home-made music track featuring Dave Olson on guitar, Davis on tambourine, and Iceman on everything else, this spoof of the Beach Boys "Fun, Fun, Fun" became a huge local hit. The vocals and harmonies were provided by the aforementioned trio, plus Greg Schumacher and Kevin Ryder. Listen for cameos by Phoenix play-by-play announcing legend Al McCoy, Suns head coach Cotton Fitzsimmons, and dingbat pop songstress Tiffany! |
|
|
POPE ON 45
"He's a little ol' Pontiff named Carl Wotija" The 1987 papal visit to Arizona inspired Iceman to sing "POPE ON 45," an epic parody medley of holy hits about Pope John Paul II. The music track was provided by Wayne Vlcan (producer of NuShooz), the rap was provided by a Pope John Paul II vinyl record, and the song was mixed and produced by Davis, who also provided background vocals. |
|
|
PAPAGO
"We'll be changing our lanes to the rhythm of KZZP." Phoenicians were serenaded about their traffic troubles in the lovely parody "PAPAGO," a 1988 take-off on the Beach Boys hit "Kokomo." This song about the newly opened I-10 Papago Freeway features a home-made music track with Iceman on synthesized steel drum, Iceman on lead vocals, Davis on flat lead vocals, and a chorus including backup singers Davis, Paul Talbot, and Kevin Ryder. |
|
|
SANTA BOG
"Peace on Earth, good WHEELS toward men!" When they weren't producing parody songs, Davis and Iceman often created spoof spots and parody commercials like "SANTA BOG." In this bit, the holiday season meets a monster truck rally. |
|
|
THE GRAVEL GANG
"Honey I'm home! Home! Home! Home!" KZZP Production Director Bud Latour (the voice behind the hit 1990 single "People Are Still Having Sex") did such a great impression of local drag-racing commercial announcers that IceMark created a sitcom spoof around his voice. "THE GRAVEL GANG" features Bud as Johnny, Iceman as Jenny, and Davis as Junior. |
|
|
LEAVE IT TO BONO
"Ward, I'm worried about the Bono!" U2's frequent concerts in Arizona made Bono and the band local heroes, prompting a sitcom spoof called "LEAVE IT TO BONO." Davis does the voices of Bono and Wally Cleaver, Paul Talbot plays Ward Cleaver, Iceman plays June Cleaver, and KZZP engineer Robert Reymont plays Eddie Haskell in the uncued "next time" tag. |
|
|
THE TWITTIES
"Oh, isn't life grand!" Hal and Joni, the ever-perky spokescouple for Arizona grocery chain Smitty's, were lampooned/skewered in a series of Kelly & Co. spoof skits. The debut episode of "THE TWITTIES" features Davis, KASR alumna Julie Terracciano, and a spectacular G.E. Telephone sound effect. |
|
|
POPE BOG '87
"The prince of peace has the papal pedal pushed to the floor!" Another bog bit? Another pope bit? IceMark wrote and Davis produced "POPE BOG '87," which includes incidental background music from Robert Plant's "Lighten Up Baby" and "Big Money" by Rush! Note the alliteration and blasphemy. |
|
|
THE MONSTERS OF VEGAS
"Doobie, doobie, dude looks like a broad!" KZZP Morning show host Bruce Kelly came up with the idea of juxtaposing a recent "Monsters Of Rock" concert event with an upcoming "Rat Pack" reunion tour, and "THE MONSTERS OF VEGAS" was born. Davis and Iceman wrote the script and produced the songs, with Davis as the announcer and as Frank Sinatra, and Kelly as Sammy Davis, Jr. This 1988 bit was the illegitimate child of Joe Piscopo's 1982 "I Love Rock And Roll" single -- and for Davis, one of many mileposts on the road to creating the Richard Cheese & Lounge Against The Machine concept. |
|
|
EV WARS
"Ow! My toupee!" The comedy skit "EV WARS" was inspired by then-Governor Ev Mecham's claim that laser beams were being used to bug his office, which he thought could be thwarted by turning on a radio. This "Star Wars" spoof aired on narrator Bruce Kelly's morning show in 1987, and features Davis as the voices of Darth Mecham, Attorney Jedi Obi-Bob-Wan Corbin, Carolyn SkyWarner, William Solo French, and Ed2-Buck2. Iceman did the voice of Princess Mofford. To create the light sabre SFX in the production studio, Davis scraped aluminum shelf brackets across an electric deGausser magnet. |
|
|
I WANT YOUR SOX
"They're darnable." Iceman delivered a searing vocal performance about footwear on 1987's "I WANT YOUR SOX," a parody of George Michael's "I Want Your Sex." Davis created the music track using a 12" instrumental dance mix EP, and provided backup vocals and stereo barks. This song became a big request on The Dr. Demento Show. |
|
|
LA ISLA GILLIGAN
"Marianne Had Great Coconuts" Madonna's "La Isla Bonita" is spoofed in the name of "Gilligan's Island" in the smash hit parody song "LA ISLA GILLIGAN." The music came from an instrumental 12" with Iceman's DX7 on bass and theme song pennywhistle. The dialogue soundbites from the TV show were razor-edited into place by producer Davis on an analog 4-track reel-to-reel tape machine without the use of samplers. Iceman sang this song live for Bob Denver at a KZZP event in 1988. This version is a 1997 remake, with actress Melissa Fahn replacing Iceman on lead vocals (Iceman does sing the chorale backups, though). In a 1997 letter to Davis, "Gilligan's Island" series creator Sherwood Schwartz wrote: "I receive parodies on the Gilligan theme with some regularity, about every 3 or 4 months. Your use of Madonna's hit song in this parody is by far the best Gilligan parody I have received. The concept, the production and the singer are all terrific. You've done a helluva good job. Thanks for sending the tape." |
|
|
WE LOVE BARNEY FIFE
"Book 'em Barney, Murder One" "WE LOVE BARNEY FIFE," a 1989 IceMark parody of Billy Joel's "We Didn't Start The Fire," is an homage to The Andy Griffith Show's beloved Deputy Barney Fife. The music track was created by musician Greg Horn, Davis provided the lead vocals, and Iceman and Dave Olson provided backup vocals. Sound bites and sound effects (including a syncopated scissor) were razor-bladed into the mix on the fly by Davis on a 4-track reel-to-reel tape machine. This video is the 2021 remaster version. |
|
|
7-ELEVEN
"Oooh, Make my Slurpee." IceMark's 1990 "Stairway To Heaven" parody "7-ELEVEN" had its origins as a song about the Phoenix Open Golf Tournament ("Fairway To Heaven"), but the more nationally-appealing topic of convenience stores emerged victorious. The lyrics were written by Iceman and Davis at the Pizza Hut near Arizona State University, and the recording features Greg Horn's music, Davis's lead vocal, and actual doorbell SFX recorded at the 7-Eleven convenience store on Thomas & Scottsdale in Arizona. The vocals were recorded at KZZP, Horn's NoiseLab Studio, and Y-95 (three different studios!). The parody was a huge hit on the Dr. Demento show, and was featured (along with Iceman's senior prom photo) in a 1991 Esquire magazine article. |
|
|
THEY DRIVE ME BRADY
"Alice Got Her Meat From Butcher Sam" In the 1990 parody "THEY DRIVE ME BRADY," the Brady Bunch is honored with a spoof of the Fine Young Cannibals' song "She Drives Me Crazy." Iceman and Davis trade vocals over a music track created by Greg Horn. The audio soundbites were pulled from only two episodes of the sitcom. Eve "Jan" Plumb, upon hearing the song played during a radio interview with Jonathon Brandmeier at WLUP/Chicago, would exclaim, "Groovy!" |
|
|
EAT TOO MUCH
"Are you gonna finish that?" "EAT TOO MUCH," a 1990 parody of Janet Jackson's hit "Miss U Much," features Nola Enge on lead vocals, and Davis and Iceman on harmony vocals. The music came from an instrumental 12" EP, and the Porky Pig voice came from a Porky Pig cartoon. |
|
|
HEY-O
"One guest, two guest, three guest, couch!" During the heyday of Johnny Carson's popularity, IceMark paid tribute to Ed McMahon with "HEY-O," a bizarre take-off on the resurgently popular song "Day-O." Former KDKB-FM deejay Bill Andres provided the voice of Ed McMahon, with Davis and Iceman on backups. Note the still-funny clips from The Tonight Show. |
Many of these parody songs are included on the Mark Jonathan Davis albums "The Parody Songs That Destroyed Earth" (2020) and "Parody Songs For A Better Tomorrow" (2021), available now at markjonathandavis.bandcamp.com.
