Konnichiwa and death threats

July 15, 2013May 11, 2023 Jae-Ha Kim

A while ago, I used to do segments on a local radio station. It was a popular show with a host who was vaguely shock jockish. We got along fine, and it was a good forum to promote the newspaper I worked for. One day, they called me at work and put me on the air live to tell them about some of the music acts coming to town that weekend. They kept me on the line as they began another segment, in which they called a bunch of establishments that were operated by Asian Americans — dry cleaners, Chinese restaurants etc. I would soon find out that the sole purpose of these calls was to make fun of the people speaking accented English.

Brandmeier’s kin aren’t all crazy

June 13, 1997August 19, 2022 Jae-Ha Kim

Michael Brandmeier learned early on that if you want to make it in the music business, you need to adapt to survive. As a student at the University of Wisconsin at Eau Claire, he joined a band called the Changes, which was heavy on cover versions of ballads.

Jonathon Brandmeier conquers the World

June 3, 1991October 21, 2010 Jae-Ha Kim

Jonathon Brandmeier’s concert Saturday evening at Tinley Park’s World Music Theatre started off with a bang as the popular WLUP radio personality crashed through a video screen, wearing a Superman-style costume. Quickly stripped of that outfit to reveal a slightly less flamboyant combination of a colorful flowered shirt, casual black pants and jacket, Brandmeier and his band, the Leisure Suits, launched the World’s summer season with a two-hour show that included satirical music, glib comedy, a little mooning and a marriage proposal.

Richard Marx; Mad-paced camp brands Johnny Brandmeier a hit

February 5, 1990August 30, 2022 Jae-Ha Kim

Starting the show with his current single, “Too Late to Say Goodbye,” Richard Marx seemed a little uncomfortable. But halfway through the song, he got the feel for the cavernous venue. He loosened up and exhibited a bit of fancy footwork he may have picked up from his wife, dancer-actress-singer Cynthia Rhodes.

Jonathon Brandmeier is life of the party in concert

June 5, 1989August 30, 2022 Jae-Ha Kim

There are a lot of disc jockeys that listeners automatically will tune away from. And then there’s Jonathon Brandmeier, the multitalented WLUP radio personality who has fans willing to pay to watch him perform. Saturday night, in the first of two concerts at Poplar Creek, Brandmeier had Chicagoans eating out of his hands.