explain my latest
predicament way that might
provoke sympathy
Who hasn’t watched the end of the movie A Christmas Story as Ralph works out how he will explain to his parents that he did not almost shoot his eye with is BB Gun and not thought of a time when they worked out an explanation of their latest predicament in a way that might provoke sympathy?
I came across the line, I wasn’t troubled by this in the least. As I sat in my parents’ driveway, trying to figure out how to explain my latest predicament to them in a way that might provoke some sympathy … in an interview with Scott Bradlee as he explained how performing with his band live, at the paint counter in a Walmart, where he worked, got him fired from his job at the paint counter at Walmert.
From this humble beginning, according to wikipedia, Mr. Bradlee went on to start “Postmodern Jukebox, originally known as Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox, is a rotating musical collective founded by New York based pianist Scott Bradlee in 2011. Postmodern Jukebox is known for reworking popular modern music into different vintage genres, especially early 20th century forms such as swing and jazz. They have toured North America, Europe, and Australia; often simultaneously due to the extensive discography and the numerous artists and performers involved in the project. Postmodern Jukebox has amassed over 1.9 billion YouTube views and 5.8 million YouTube subscribers since its introduction in 2011.
Each week, Postmodern Jukebox, or PMJ, releases a new video on YouTube. Although originally most were filmed casually in Bradlee’s apartment living room, sets became more elaborate over time. The band has covered songs by artists ranging from Lady Gaga and the Strokes to Katy Perry and the White Stripes. Since their beginnings as a small group of friends making music in a basement in Queens, New York, Postmodern Jukebox has gone on to feature 70 different performers and tour six continents.”
If you have never heard or seen any of these videos, I have to ask you to click over to PMJ and listen to some of their productions.
The music, the voices, the voice of Morgan James, the productions, and the video are just incredible bits of sunshine on the musical landscape of the internet.
I have no musical ability.
Can’t sing.
Can’t play an instrument.
But I can listen with the best of them and the music of the PMJ is some the best music out that is there just for the fun of listening to.
I was searching for something else about PMJ when I can across the Billboard interview with Mr. Bradlee when he said the above quote and the idea that he got his start by being fired by Walmart … well, it just made it all that much better.
Here is the link to You Tube video page and here are two of my favorite production pieces.
No Haiku For You 