Art Paul Schlosser | |
|---|---|
| Born | Arthur Paul Schlosser January 4, 1960 |
| Occupation(s) | Artist, cartoonist, comedian, journalist, musician, poet, singer-songwriter |
Arthur Paul Schlosser (born January 4, 1960) is an American artist, cartoonist, comedian, journalist, musician, poet, singer, and songwriter based in Madison, Wisconsin. He plays humorous novelty, gospel, and political songs and draws cartoons currently for the Madison Street Pulse newspaper, where he also submits poems and interviews people. Schlosser also paints and has participated in various art projects.
Schlosser was named Arthur after his father and grandfather but his grandfather might have originally been named Otto but because of his German accent when he said his name they thought he said Arthur.[citation needed]
Schlosser was born in Chicago and grew up listening to novelty musicians like Allen Sherman and Tiny Tim, as well as funny songs by The Beatles and The Monkees. When he was 11, he, his mother, and his sisters moved to Madison, Wisconsin, after his parents got a divorce. As a child in Madison, his mother continued to play weird and funny songs for him, sometimes playing strange sound effects on one recorded player to go with the songs. As a teenager, Schlosser joined a work experience play group that encouraged him to be creative. In this group, there were a couple of fans of The Beatles, one of whom encouraged Schlosser to write lyrics. It was from that time on that Schlosser started to write. He would listen to the Dr Demento radio show as well as other strange records that he discovered at the local library, and then try to write some lyrics he was inspired to write after listening to the songs. Also as a child he was encouraged to draw cartoons by his sister Mary.[citation needed]
Upon discovering that it is legal to busk on State Street, Schlosser tried it out on a warm day late in February 1986 and received a couple of dollars for his effort. Since then Schlosser has been a street musician and busker as well as an outsider artist on State Street in Madison, Wisconsin.[1]
He usually performs his original songs or parodies on an acoustic guitar and kazoo. He also sometimes plays electronic keyboard or ukulele.[2]
He is best known for his comedy music, especially "Have A Peanut Butter Sandwich", which made the Funny Five of the Dr Demento radio show four times in 2001,[3][4][5][6] and "Vote for Me/It's a Joke" which was on the Funny Five of the Dr Demento radio in 2003. While he sings mostly humorous songs, Schlosser has also written on the topics of politics and religion.[7]
In 2007, Schlosser received a Madison Area Music Award (MAMA) for best compilation for his CD Art Paul Schlosser. In 2009, he won two more Madison Area Music Awards for Unique Song ("Have A Peanut Butter Sandwich," the remix version, which was remixed by Animalien) and for Unique Album (Leftovers).[8]
His music has been played on oddball radio programs, including Greasy Kid Stuff, The Mad Music Hour, Dave's Gone By and the Dr. Demento Show, and he has appeared on his own public-access television show[1] as well as WGN-TV news.