Outside the jukebox : how I turned my vintage music obsession into my dream gig

The author shares the story of how his experiments in applying his passion for jazz, ragtime, and doo-wop music to contemporary popular hits ultimately led to his project, Postmodern Jukebox, becoming a global sensation. From the creator of the sensation Postmodern Jukebox -- with millions of fans globally -- comes an inspirational memoir about discovering what you love and turning it into a creative movement. With student loan debt piling up and no lucrative gigs around the corner, Scott Bradlee found himself in a situation all too familiar to struggling musicians and creative professionals, unsure whether he should use the little income he had to pay his rent or to avoid defaulting on his loans. It was under these desperate circumstances that Bradlee began experimenting, applying his passion for jazz, ragtime, and doo wop styles to contemporary hits by singers like Macklemore and Miley Cyrus--and suddenly an idea was born. Today, Postmodern Jukebox -- the rotating supergroup devoted to period covers of pop songs, which Bradlee created in a basement apartment in Queens, New York--is a bona fide global sensation, having collected more than three million subscribers on YouTube while selling out major venues around the world and developing previously unknown talent into superstar singers. From its Etta James-inspired rendition of Radiohead's'Creep'to its New Orleans jazz interpretation of Meghan Trainor's'All About That Bass,'the group has established a sound like no other, crafting hits as exquisitely sublime as they are humorously absurd. But it wasn't always as easy as the YouTube videos make it look. As he worked to establish Postmodern Jukebox, Bradlee struggled through the obstacles that every self-employed artist or entrepreneur with a vision faces: how to collaborate successfully on teams with divergent visions, how to outrun the naysayers, how to chase the next innovation when your reputation makes others start to pigeonhole you, and so many of the other challenges lining the path to success. Taking readers through the false starts, hilarious backstage antics, and unexpected breakthroughs of Bradlee's journey from a lost musician to a musical kingmaker -- and presenting all the entrepreneurial insights he learned along the way -- Outside the Jukebox is an inspiring memoir about how one musician found his rhythm and launched a movement that would forever change our relationships to our favorite songs. From the creator of the sensation Postmodern Jukebox -- with millions of fans globally -- comes an inspirational memoir about discovering what you love and turning it into a creative movement. With student loan debt piling up and no lucrative gigs around the corner, Scott Bradlee found himself in a situation all too familiar to struggling musicians and creative professionals, unsure whether he should use the little income he had to pay his rent or to avoid defaulting on his loans. It was under these desperate circumstances that Bradlee began experimenting, applying his passion for jazz, ragtime, and doo wop styles to contemporary hits by singers like Macklemore and Miley Cyrus--and suddenly an idea was born. Today, Postmodern Jukebox -- the rotating supergroup devoted to period covers of pop songs, which Bradlee created in a basement apartment in Queens, New York--is a bona fide global sensation, having collected more than three million subscribers on YouTube while selling out major venues around the world and developing previously unknown talent into superstar singers. From its Etta James-inspired rendition of Radiohead's "Creep" to its New Orleans jazz interpretation of Meghan Trainor's "All About That Bass," the group has established a sound like no other, crafting hits as exquisitely sublime as they are humorously absurd. But it wasn't always as easy as the YouTube videos make it look. As he worked to establish Postmodern Jukebox, Bradlee struggled through the obstacles that every self-employed artist or entrepreneur with a vision how to collaborate successfully on teams with divergent visions, how to outrun the naysayers, how to chase the next innovation when your reputation makes others start to pigeonhole you, and so many of the other challenges lining the path to success. Taking readers through the false starts, hilarious backstage antics, and unexpected breakthroughs of Bradlee's journey from a lost musician to a musical kingmaker -- and presenting all the entrepreneurial insights he learned along the way -- Outside the Jukebox is an inspiring memoir about how one musician found his rhythm and launched a movement that would forever change our relationships to our favorite songs. My first gig, or How I got fired from Walmart -- How to skip your lessons and still become a musician -- Falling in love with the process -- Creating the future by embracing the past -- An underachiever's guide to fumbling through higher education -- Finding my niche -- How to pay your bills doing something you kind of enjoy -- Dealing with failure -- Finding a new way forward -- Hey now, you're a YouTube star -- -- The monster called perfectionism -- Embracing changing technology -- From pianist to producer -- Finding inspiration in the most unlikely places -- the quiet birth of postmodern jukebox -- Getting the band back together -- How I earned to stop worrying and love my YouTube trolls -- The internet as amplifier -- Making it on a budget -- How to go mainstream--with the help of Miley Cyrus -- Building the right team -- Constructing a dream factory -- the power of absurdity -- Taking the plunge -- How getting kicked out landed us on Hollywood's map -- Things fall apart -- Uncovering the awesome power of collaboration -- Tapping the authentic self -- Success (and its discontents) -- Making it without a record deal -- Setting up shop -- Making a great impression -- The advantages of an entourage -- The search for freedom -- Thinking outside the jukebox -- The show must go on -- A community thrives -- Returning home -- Epilogue. My first gig, or How I got fired from Walmart How to skip your lessons and still become a musician Falling in love with the process Creating the future by embracing the past An underachiever's guide to fumbling through higher education Finding my niche How to pay your bills doing something you kind of enjoy Dealing with failure Finding a new way forward Hey now, you're a YouTube star The monster called perfectionism Embracing changing technology From pianist to producer Finding inspiration in the most unlikely places the quiet birth of postmodern jukebox Getting the band back together How I earned to stop worrying and love my YouTube trolls The internet as amplifier Making it on a budget How to go mainstream with the help of Miley Cyrus Building the right team Constructing a dream factory the power of absurdity Taking the plunge How getting kicked out landed us on Hollywood's map Things fall apart Uncovering the awesome power of collaboration Tapping the authentic self Success (and its discontents) Making it without a record deal Setting up shop Making a great impression The advantages of an entourage The search for freedom Thinking outside the jukebox The show must go on A community thrives Returning home Epilogue.