Richard considered calling this album "Studio" (that is to say, not recorded in a living room), but opted instead for the phonetics lesson of "Hey Man!". He recorded the album at Ocean Way Studios in Los Angeles, in the very room where the Beach Boys used to work, and indeed, where they recorded "Pet Sounds". The album was co-produced with Andy Paley, and engineered by Mark Linett, who had also worked on the CD releases of early Beach Boys albums.

"Hey Man!" was a pick-of-the-month in Stereo Review, and got strong press and radio airplay nationwide. Richard and his band The Owls toured with the Smithereens in support of the album in the fall of 1991.