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Cover illustration by Keith Williams

This was a real stereo test and demonstration record. It was not “just” a comedy album, it was also a vehicle for one of the magazine’s most profitable advertising segments: The hi-fi industry. It was a sort of side project of publisher Jerry Taylor, and was entirely written by one of NatLamp‘s freelance writers, Ed Subitzky, with apparently no involvement by staff writers or editors. It was recorded at National Lampoon Studios (upstairs from the magazine offices), which had been built for the National Lampoon Radio Hour, and features performers from that show, including John Belushi and Chevy Chase. In addition to the record itself, it included a 32-page “Official National Lampoon Hi-Fi Primer,” also written by Subitzky. About half of the pages are full-page ads for stereo equipment. They never attempted anything like this again, other than a fairly obscure and more bare-bones audio cassette version produced in 1980 called “The Official National Lampoon Car Stereo Test & Demonstration Cassette Tape” that seems to be all-new material, with different, less famous, performers. I’ve never owned it myself and don’t know much about it. That said, the record album is very funny, infused with Subitzky’s usual silly, nerdy sense of humor.

Contents

SIDE ONE

Introduction to Side One

Test: Voice

Test: Balance

Demonstration: Several Parameters

Demonstration: Separation

Demonstration: Frequency Response

Test: Unmodulated Grooves

Special Service

Test: End of Side One

SIDE TWO

Introduction to Side Two

Test: Realism

Test: Resistance Accuracy

Test: Phasing

Test: Exaggeration

Test: Listener

The Punishment Band

Conclusion

ALBUM CREDITS

Conceived and written by Ed Subitsky. Producer: Windy Craig. Sound Engineer: John Hechtman. Narrator: Stan Sawyer. Voices: Ed Subitsky, John Belushi, Chevy Chase, Emily Prager. Sounds: Themselves. Executive Producer: Gerald L. Taylor. Special Thanks To: Van Austin, Polly Bier, Bob Tischler, Christine Montanez, Louise Gikow, Rosi Cassano. Liner Notes: Ed Subitsky. Recorded at National Lampoon Studios.