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Writing About Girl Talk is Like Dancing about Architecture
Posted at 7:55 PM on January 28, 2007
by Jacquie Fuller
(8 Comments)
So I went to the Girl Talk show at the Varsity Friday night, and here's my thoughts. I will say it was fun, and I will say it was quite a spectacle to see fifty+ people shakin' it on the Varsity Theatre stage. All my complaints about low-energy indie shows were answered. Nonetheless, it got me thinking about a whole other issue.
I appreciate what Girl Talk (aka Gregg Gillis) does, but does it make for a good live show? And what about DJs who use computers v. turntablists?
Some might say what follows is a shameless plug ... so be it. My friend Mike Pendon, aka DJ Jester, has been doing Girl Talk-style mash-ups for years ... with turntables. (And technically, that wasn't such a shameless plug. I don't know Gregg Gillis personally, but he's a friend of a friend. Personal loyalties don't factor into this post.)
The last time DJ Jester played in Minneapolis at the Triple Rock over a year ago, on tour with Of Montreal, I saw the guy lay down a 50 Cent a cappella track to a polka beat. It was nothing short of amazing, and downright hilarious. But DJs like Jester never really seem to get their due, while Girl Talk seems to be taking the indie world by storm. Is it Gillis’ rock star posturing? Is it the cool name? The shades? Is it equal parts talent and good marketing?
Don’t get me wrong—the Girl Talk show was fun and his mixes are tight. The guy's definitely got talent. What seemed to be missing--for me anyway--was the sense of humor. Under Gillis’ cool veneer is more cool and more cool still. He's an android from some hip planet where there's an Urban Outfitters on every corner. When he mixes Ce Ce Penniston into a rock song, it seems to carry the same ironic posturing as hipsters wearing thrift-store t-shirts that say “Virginia is for lovers.” It’s funny, but it ain’t funny. Folks at DJ Jester's show were guffawing. If you're going to play with musical kitsch, is a sense of humor requisite?
Another issue: While making mixes like Girl Talk's requires a good ear, does relying on a laptop really require that much skill? (I know, I know—you’re saying, “Let’s see you do that, Jacquie.” And trust me, as soon as I can get my hands on Pro Tools, I’m gonna try to mix Missy Elliot’s “I Can’t Stand the Rain” with “Crush” by OMD.) Of course mixing with a computer takes skill—I’m surrounded at The Current by producers who are nothing short of rock stars in their own right. But does the computer lend a certain safety net to a live performance that turntables don’t? Does a computer allow a DJ that ability to feel the crowd organically and bend to its desires? Or does it suck out the human factor? Is there no room for spontaneity and beautiful error?
Am I partying like it’s 1899? I must sound a lot like folks back then who, in defense of painting, said photography wasn’t art.
I’m on the fence--I don’t what to feel. So I’d really like to hear from you. An ironic t-shirt for your thoughts?
Comments (8)
Did he do his "Scentless Apprentice" cover in Minneapolis? That alone made this something different.
so i'm a little bit late writing but oh well.
i like how this article was written, and i agree girl talk is pretty rad live. the only problem is --- gregg gillis has gone out of his way to tell people he is NOT A DJ. so all this tripe about "where are the turntables" is kind of useless. he's printed t-shirts about not being a DJ.
but the overall problem here is i think you are trying to be cooler than gillis. you want to find something wrong with a good time, so it's easier to lambast him for not doing something he has already said he doesn't want to do.
You've got a good point, Sarah. He has said he's not a DJ, and his aim to just get people moving is definitely admirable. And for god's sake--his music is FUN! I never was good at having fun. My Catholic school upbringing?
I guess Girl Talk just gets me thinking about some larger, philosophical issues about music. He's more a point of departure for this conversation than any object of my criticism. I like to get the ball rollin'--to hear differing viewpoints--and I appreciate yours.
I think DJ Jester is one sexy dude. So dreamy!
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