the nogoodforme.com interview: Girl Talk

Girl Talk makes me equally and giddily nostalgic for my middle-school days of taping Bell Biv Devoe off the Top 40 station and my early high-school days of taping Nirvana off the local college station. Which is maybe why I've been playing his third record Night Ripper at least thrice weekly ever since first hearing it last winter: Those hundreds of samples of everything from Positive K and Paula Abdul to Smashing Pumpkins and Sonic Youth - plus the classic rock, the hip-hop, the M.I.A. and the X-Ray Spex - feel like someone's unburied every mixtape I ever made/received, tossed them all in a blender, and somehow ended up with the best party album you've ever heard. (And if you've yet to experience Night Ripper for yourself, get thee to Illegal Art and download the two available mp3s ahora.)

Having just quit his dayjob in biomedical engineering last month, Girl Talk (aka Gregg Gillis, a 25-year-old Pittsburghian) had some free time to inform us of his undying Kid 'n Play love, the essentialness of basketball shorts to tour wardrobe, and his going-out plans for last Saturday night.

What was your first experience in making music? I played saxophone in 3rd grade. I don't know how I got involved with that particular instrument, but unfortunately, I never really learned how to rock out with it.

Who are your favorite bands? I guess my all-time favorites would have to Nirvana, Dr. Dre, Hall & Oates, and Merzbow.

Name one record you loved when you were a little kid that you still listen to today. The House Party 2 soundtrack

Do you remember the first time you heard Nirvana? I heard "Smells Like Teen Spirit" on MTV News, and with the excitement over that song, I could sense that something amazing was happening. It was just like, "Wow, those guys don't even seem like they care!" I think many people my age were hit with the same exact idea simultaneously: "I can do that." The music seemed so weird to me.

Favorite Nirvana song? "Drain You."

When you were a kid, how did you go about discovering new music? I attended Lollapalooza '95 the summer before 8th grade. At that show, I met a Pittsburgh promoter by the name of Manny Theiner. He was handing out pamphlets about local music. Through that pamphlet, I discovered college radio. I started obsessively listening to Carnegie Mellon's and Pitt's stations. Along with that, I started attending shows and reading zines. The Internet was also started to boom around that period, so that helped out a bit.

What have you been listening to lately? Smashmouth, Justice, UGK, Genesis, Midnite Snake, Wiz Khalifa

Favorite makeout music? Air, Moon Safari; T-Pain; Soul for Real

Who's your number-one all-time music crush? L7 [below], the whole band

What do you like to wear onstage? This year, I've been doing a 3-piece suit at festivals and some potentially disposable athletic gear for normal shows.

Name one clothing item you always take on tour with you. Basketball shorts - for sleeping, swimming, performing, and hooping

What's the craziest show you've ever played? In 2004, I played in Nagasaki, Japan, at a rented-out karaoke room with some wild punk bands. There were about 40 people there crammed in the room, everyone was in their socks, and people were jumping all over the furniture.

We hear that you used to have a synchronized dance squad for your live shows. What was that like? Yeah, we had between 5 and 10 members, depending on the show. I never officially got rid of them, it just kind of faded out. When the audiences started dancing and partying more at my shows, there was less of a need to entertain. Anyway, it seems like an official dance squad would just hold back the party. People like to jump on stage. I like it to be as unorganized as possible.

You've described Girl Talk as "party-oriented music." What are the main ingredients for an insane party? Sweat, nudity, law-breaking, strobe lights, keg stands, loud music, dancing, friends, lovers, booze, talking, yelling, fireworks, pools, bathrooms with working locks, no books.

What's next for Girl Talk? I'm going over my friend Richard's house in about 30 minutes. We'll probably drink some IC Lights and then go to a psychedelic rock concert.

Posted by Liz in Interviews
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