Janitor Joe – Behind The Scenes (ft. Natalie Palumbo)
A Conversation With Natalie Palumbo
Last week we posted the video for our song “Janitor Joe” here in the MLT Club for Early Access. If you haven’t seen it yet click here to watch it first. Otherwise, today’s video/interview won’t make much sense to you!
It’s the first time in MLT history that we had someone else create a music video for us! Despite our passion for video-making we recognised that we don’t always have to do EVERYTHING ourselves, especially when others with talent can and want to get involved!
In today’s video we talk to Natalie Palumbo, the lovely person that animated “Janitor Joe” for us. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation and collaboration! 🙂
Check out her website HERE ♥
Stay groovy,
Mona & Lisa
Great BTS – I love the freshness and originality of Natalie Palumbo’s animation yet it seems to me the type of video the Beatles would do if they were making a video for this song!
And personally I can’t see how you could do a video for this great song other than using animation given the subject matter!
I love the immense diversity and creativity across the videos. From the fabulous graphic art animation wizardry of Janitor Joe, to the captivating studio work performance in Raise Your Head, to a New York play stage theatrics of Make Show, enchanting and sweet comedy/drama play of Questionable and I Bought Myself A Politician, and amazing soaring imagery and imagination of Songbird, and simple and heartwarming story of Pretty Little Thing. Your videos are absolutely brilliant and remarkable, every single one of them. Keep surprising us with you amazing craft! 🎈🧡🚀🎶
And how can I not mention the heart string pulling and enchanting Any Other Day set on a beautiful lovely day going for a walk along the canals and seeing pigeons. A perfect setting for a Date with someone special. Video captures the magic romance of Any Other Day with perfection.
Hi Natalie,
I’ve been meaning to tell you about something we have in common. I love the story about your grandfather working for the Space Program because that’s what my father did!
In 1965 (when I was two) we moved to Houston because my young 24 year old dad helped program the simulators for the Gemini astronauts.
He was asked to stay on for the Apollo program but declined. My parents were too homesick and we moved back to Utah.
I love your work!
Diana
Natalie is no doubt a very talented person with many creative ideas, but I still would rather see the actual artists playing the actual music as in a duo session, no need to always have a huge production, some of the simplest are the best because I see you actually performing, it’s the next best thing to seeing perform live.
I just can’t agree with you there Rex. See my post above.
It’s neat how much time Natalie took to get details right that the normal person would not notice.
Donald “Deke” Slayton was one of the original 7 Mercury astronauts. He was born and raised on a farm just outside of my town in Wisconsin. He graduated from Sparta High School (same as me). Unfortunately Deke was grounded because of a heart murmur. He worked for NASA for many years and finally got to fly on the Apollo Soyez mission in 1975. Also helped develop the Shuttle program. He visited our High School in 1976 including my science class where we got to meet him and ask questions. We have a small museum in town dedicated to him. He has quite an interesting bio on Wikipedia.
Astronaut Mark Lee who flew on several Shuttle missions was from Viroqua WI about 25 miles south of me. His wife Jan was also an astronaut and they did fly a mission together. There was some question afterward about if they were the first couple to have sex in outer space. It was never clearly answered as they always kind of dodged the question during interviews. My view is that it was probably unlikely with all the other astronauts on board but not impossible.
What a great video and a great conversation. Now, I know the backstory.
I think the stars are aligning for this release of Janitor Joe.
Last month the JWST space telescope spotted an orange “Why?” question mark out there in space.
That’s a great omen, I think, and I’m guessing that’s where where Joe was heading for.
https://media.npr.org/assets/img/2023/08/16/weic2319a_crop_sq-7ff1fff66377100c4beed156190089c21dcd901b-s1100-c50.jpg
http://media.npr.org/assets/img/2023/08/16/weic2319a_crop_sq-7ff1fff66377100c4beed156190089c21dcd901b-s800-c85.webp
Chris, Wow, that is fascinating! From NPR “People are freaking out over a question mark seen in space …” Scientists explain it as the merger of two galaxies, but still what a great coincidence, an Orange question mark in space. And James Webb was launched in 2021, the same year MLT released Janitor Joe at the MLT Club.
“WHY?”
I’ve had an unusually busy last several days and only had time to watch the first few minutes so far, but my initial impression is this: maybe consider making Natalie an honorary MonaLisaTriplet? If the idea stuck, you could still call this the MLT Club. 😸 Not trying to be disrespectful to you two originals by any means; just stating the obvious that it seems like her outlook and spirit gel very well with team MLT. Maybe a “sister from another mister(and missus)”?😉
Great interview Mona and Lisa. Natalie is Brilliant! As a young 7 year old I followed the 60’s space race and have been a fan of anything space since. Hearing Natalie know how of space and NASA was so interesting. Also as I have been a Beatle fan since the mid 60’s great to hear younger fans keeping them alive. Again great job,song and video.
It’s great hearing about & seeing the background story to the making of this video! Natalie’s story is very interesting, & it’s different, in how she came to be a computer motion artist, & getting a Degree in Visual Art. (I hope I’m saying that correctly!) She learned to bond & communicate with her autistic brother because of their common interest in the Beatles. She found ways to communicate with him through drawing, which shows a lot of caring in their relationship! I hope she does another video for Mona & Lisa using some cartoon images of the Twins. I see she’s already done that years ago, thru her drawings of M & L for Fan Art!
Every early life decision she made led her in a roundabout way to all the cool things she’s doing today! I’m very interesting also in seeing the work she did for Paul McCartney & the Beatles Special Project that the MLT’s are involved in too!
This was a very well-done interview, Lisa & Mona! Thanks to you & Natalie for sharing this with all of us!
Natalie is great! She did a fantastic job. It’s interesting that her grandpa worked for NASA, my late uncle Charlie helped build the lunar modules. He helped wire them and install their optical systems. He worked at a company called Singer-Link who was sub contracted by Northrop Grumman. Natalie did a lot of work on that video, many kudos to her!
I also worked for Singer-Link on the space shuttle simulator. It was a great opportunity to work on that project, but a few very bad managers poisoned the environment and many of us left for better working environments. The best remembrance I have from the job was getting to “fly” the simulator once (I crashed).
I worked with computers since I was just out of high school. We could make even some of the earlier computers play “music”, but video automation has always been tough, and some artistic talent is often needed, limiting who can do a good job in that field. It looks like Natalie has a great career ahead of her.
I worked for a while for a NASA contractor on the space shuttle simulator. A room full of computers and special purpose hardware were used to do less than a cell phone can do today – it’s pretty amazing how far we’ve come in my life. I wonder what will things be like when the Twins are my age?
I wonder if Janitor Joe has run into Laika out there somewhere in the stars?
Cool
It’s like some sort of cosmological constant… good vibes always attract other good vibes. Natalie seems to have much in common with the two of you. She’s extremely talented, upbeat and passionate about her work. The music and story of Janitor Joe is truly out of this world. In any other universe, when it’s released to YouTube it would instantly blast off with 100 million views. You’re the best. Thank you for keeping us in the groove.
You two could host a talk show. This interview is so smooth, it feels like three old souls talking shop.
It is so kool how Natalie can connect this song with her NASA legacy. And now she has a new legacy. This is the first non-MLT-MLT video. Nice!
Natalie, the video is awesome. The timing is impeccable. Love all the Why? references. Having learned more about your background and your connection to Janitor Joe we will watch this in a little different light. There will always be a Natalie connection. Congratulations on this amazing collaboration. The video is awesome!
Thank you for sharing your brother’s Beatle connection with us. We have two family members who have autism. We can relate to some of your challenges. God bless you for finding his way of communicating.
Hope everyone is having a great weekend!
Marlo & JP
What a great “interview”! It’s so much fun to see that it’s all within the MLT Club.
When something is good, no matter how close you look, you never see all the details that go into it.
I used to love watching Science Theater 3000 back in the 90’s, so funny.
Of course it would be someone as sweet and talented as Natalie teaming up with the Twins.
Dale, I’m surprised all the time too!
You keep surprising us (or perhaps only me) with new and different content. Natalie is 100% sweetheart and mightily talented as well, not unlike these twins…oh what are their names? Anyway, you know who I mean. Good call on getting her to create the Janitor Joe video!
Wow! I didn’t realize how much detail went into the video. But then you guys create your music with an equal amount of detail and creativity. I hope you work with Natalie again. She seems to be a very lovely person. Stay groovy. Peace be
Wonderful collaboration between three very talented woman!
What a wonderful story of talented young women who work on what they really love, and bring joy to other people. No wonder all three of you were smiling throughout.
And music, software development, and astronomy, 3 things I’ve followed for a long time.
2 months is a lot of work. That’s a big project. I know what you mean Natalie — the science fiction crowd will love your attention to detail with getting the planets, etc., right.
I’m wearing my standard Friday smile. Thanks so much Natalie, Mona and Lisa. That was great.
That was a great interview…Natalie is obviously a very talented individual and a lot of interest and knowledge of NASA…she might be the first woman to walk on the moon 🌙….she definitely has a very imaginative and creative mind….I’ve seen those little comic girls tv things and no idea that it was her that did that…with MLT creativity and Natalie creativity we might someday see another collaboration….I enjoyed it …Thank You Mona and Lisa for introducing Natalie to us.❤️🧡
Really enjoyed watching this video and following how Natalie put this together (with an assist from Lisa’s storyboard)was really inciteful. The story of her brother is very heartwarming. I will watch this again after watching the Janitor Joe video again. Thx once again for the Friday smiles!!
“Something to be adjusted, nothing to be dismantled”…liked Natalie’s quote.
Thank You Mona and Lisa for this nice interview. What a friendly and nice person Natalie is!!
Loved to hear her thoughts and i certainly am amazed by the research she did. Most of the techniques are jibberish to me , but i do undetstand
that she thinks a lot of how to mKe this great video
I am so thankfull tjat besides all the mysteries in this world there are so many talented young people that dare to create a better world, just like the two of You do. Like many others in this club, I look forward to everything you create .On fridays the two of you can turn a miserable week into a great week and bring hope for the next weeks to come!!!!
Mona and Lisa what a lovely conversation with Natalie! She is amazing and so talented and up on her Nasa stories!! I truley enjoyed this segment and thank you for sharing with us.
Hugs and Love from Me and Maddie.
Wow , Natalie is a very talented young lady !
I love the Apollo 13 reference. One of my favorite movies.
Yes I think all 3 of you could be best friends !
Very enjoyable to watch your interview !
Thanks girls, Natalie seems like such a sweet positive person and amazing artist. It’s easy to see that she loved working on the video project. I had no idea that so much thought, research and creativity went into making a 3 minute video. It’s also so amazing how music can bridge many gaps like it does for Natalie and her brother. I had 4 brothers and a few other relatives who sometimes couldn’t get along but they could sit in the yard and play guitars with each other all afternoon, and then leave without hardly speaking.
All these super creative people! I feel so inadequate and humbled by them, not in a bad way, just realizing that this level of creativity requires talent and vision at levels beyond my means. You are gifted and deserve the recognition for being so.
Wow, that was most interesting, and quite enjoyable interview to watch, listen to . I learned much, impressed, and it was a perfect collaboration effort to take upon with Natalie, yourselves, andcI hope future collaboration 0s will emerge abd be bestowed upon in the future …
Natalie has a vast creative pallette of sorts and captivating visually, to/for me Natalie is Poetically Creative In Visual Conceptualization and it reminds me of one of my cousins who went onto college to study graphic arts, even taught a few classes after graduation at the college before she embarked her current career of being a creative graphic artistic director for a few Clean Eating Magazines, also Natalie’s mentioning of family involved in NASA- Space stuff, etc, reminded me of the bass player from Glass Tiger band who has his own Astronomy Portable Observatories Business ( Skyshed Observatories ) that he is currently focusing on and is on indefinite hiatus from band to do so.
In watching the clips of “Janitor Joe ” shown here and when I watched it last week, I also noticed how the rocket flame resembles a flower (cosmic flower power )
I learned many things, a few things, I don’t quite fully understand as I’m not a math/science smart person , but took a keen interest in how the breakdown of the visuals were created, etc.
Definitely Going to checkout Natalie’s website and it ‘s awesome to visually now have matched face/voice with Natalie . My hope is that a definite personal meetup will transpire with Natalie and MLT gang in the future …
Indeed, thoroughly immensely, much enjoyed this , and my Thankyou going out to Team MLT, Natalie for having embarked upon this creative collaboration journey, hoping perhaps more collaborations will occur, creative twinning intertwining going on here, you all compliment each other’s creativity, Kudos to you all, well done …. 😊🤘👌👍👏💜💛❤
Greetings,
Wow Natalie, you are awesome. Great job, I love your work and your story. I felt exceptionally close to you because I live in NY and was born and raised in NYC (Manhattan). I was smiling the entire time I watched this very exciting and interesting video with the Twins. Thank you Mona & Lisa for sharing,
I hope to see more of Natalie’s projects in the future, now that I have discovered her.
Take good care everyone and have a fantastic weekend.
Cheers,
Bobby S. 😎 🧛♂️ 😍
What a great in-depth and informative interview, that was so enjoyable. That is such a beautiful and inspiring story of her brother and how Natalie’s relationship and trying to connect with him inspired her getting into animation and the Beatles music.
I love how much thought went into the creation of the animation, and all the research to get the accuracy of the space scenes and planet movements and everything. It is right in the same thoughtful philosophy you both follow when making your videos with so much attention to detail. The quality shines.
Her past link to space travel through her grand father’s association with NASA, and the astronomy course she took I think really gave her the passion to create such an amazing Janitor Joe video for you. You made an awesome choice to collaborate with Natalie on this. I also loved your video outline Lisa that served as a guideline for Natalie’s work on this.
Natalie’s “The Truth Is Out There” vision when looking out into space, so resonates with me when I look out into the stars. The truth is out there indeed, and Janitor Joe captures that awe and amazement in the song and this video. I look out for Janitor Joe whenever I gaze up at the night sky these days. This is why I love your album WHY? so much, it is all so thought provoking and endlessly captivating and imaginative. A true masterpiece.
Again, an awesome interview, in your tradition of AWESOMENESS in everything you both do. Thank you so much for this. 💛❤🚀🎈
Natalie is really sweet and super talented. Love the amount of background detail that went into the design especially the rocket and the planets, great dedication to accuracy! So many details you’d not notice without knowing the background. Great interview and really interesting about the Beatles work that she’s been involved in.
Hello Ladies,
What a fun and interesting video today.
Natalie is extremely talented. What a background she has. You never know how and when paths will cross. What I found most interesting was the vast amount of time Natalie spent researching little details. It can make the difference between good and extraordinary. She certainly made an impact. I believe we will be seeing more of her collaborating with You both in the near future. Thanks so much for sharing this interview with us.
Best Always
Rick Ross
Natalie is a very impressive young lady! I have a small connection with her. My father worked on the guidance systems for the Appolo program. I hope you guys can get together in the near future.
Natalie is a beautiful person! Her passion and her attention to detail are exceptional. I was very moved to hear her speak about her relationship with her brother and the ways in which she uses art and music to communicate. I found those communication channels very successful with my students with autism. I bonded with one little boy in kindergarten by chanting Dr. Seuss rhymes. We carried on lengthy exchanges, each of us continuing where the other left off. It was his only form of verbal communication but it created a connection between the two of us. One day he drew an intricate diagram of the solar system, complete with labels as a gift for me – not bad for a 5-year-old who couldn’t communicate in a neurotypical fashion!
As an astronomy teacher, and a big MST3K fan, I’m thrilled to learn about some of the influences on this video. Kudos, Natalie! I’d say more, but… aaaaargh, we’ve got movie sign!
Very talented creative lady and and a superb video it is too. Well done!
I really loved that. She is a very talented young lady. There are so many people and young people that are really engaged in listening to the Beatles and MonaLisa. You can tell she really worked hard on the animation!!! Way to go Natalie!!! The Black Ties are really good also. She does not look her age but her passion for the Arts and her work show that she has been doing this a long time, Stay Groovy everyone and good luck Natalie on your future projects.
WOW!! What an Amazing young woman! As I said in the comments last week,the combination of Mona,Lisa,and Natalie is Truly Amazing.The world needs more of the magic you 3 Beautiful,Creative,Joyous ladies bring into it. I have watched thhis video chat 3 times already,and the Janitor Joe video at least twice a day since last week.
Love & Hugs to Mona,Lisa & Natalie
💛 💓
Really enjoyed that. She’s such a nice person and I really admire her creativity