Art Paul Schlosser


Art Paul Schlosser as Arthur P. Schlosser is an artist, cartoonist, comedian, journalist, musician, poet, singer, songwriter, and peanut butter sandwich 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.

Childhood

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 Art 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, Art Paul joined a work experience play group that encouraged Art to be creative. In this group, there were a couple of fans of The Beatles, one of whom encouraged Art Paul to write lyrics. It was from that time on that Art started to write. Art 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.

State Street

Upon discovering that it is legal to busk on State Street, Art Paul tried it out on a warm day late in February 1986 and received a couple of dollars for his effort. Since then Art Paul has been a street musician and busker as well as an outsider artist on State Street in Madison, Wisconsin.
He usually performs his original songs or parodies on an acoustic guitar and kazoo. He also sometimes plays electronic keyboard or ukulele.
He is best known for his funny music, especially "Have A Peanut Butter Sandwich", which made the Funny Five of the Dr Demento radio show four times in 2001 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, Art Paul has also written on the topics of politics and religion.
In 2007, Art Paul Schlosser received a Madison Area Music Award for best compilation for his CD Art Paul Schlosser. In 2009, he won two more Madison Area Music Awards for Unique Song and for Unique Album.

Appearances

Art Paul's 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 as well as WGN-TV news.