Fuck fair use.
We want free use.
-Lawrence Lessig

Within the contemporary battleground that is intellectual property, wars rage over the merits of un/limited use of cultural artifacts. Whatever position one currently holds, no one can deny the original intentions of copyright law. Briefly (for a more in depth and entertaining look into this discussion, see Kembrew McLeod’s Freedom of Expression), the concept of copyright acted as an encouragement for potential authors to assist in creating innovative cultural artifacts. During the nascent stages of the United States, framers and founders desperately sought to differentiate themselves culturally from European nations. According to Thomas Jefferson, “ideas should freely spread from one to another over the globe.” Law should not inhibit this distribution of ideas and his conception of copyright is essential “as an encouragement to [all] to pursue ideas which may produce utility.” This was duly noted in the Constitution so that individuals would not be able to have permanent monopolies over culture as a whole.

Since the early 1980s, the notion of copyright as a balanced model has transformed into a private property model through an economic analysis of copyright law. Forget Thomas Jefferson, culture is something to be bought and sold and its protection from dirty little pirates and vandals should be enforced by law. Regardless, plenty of pirates and vandals have come and gone since the emergence of the 20th century’s version of copyright law and now Gregg Gillis (aka Girl Talk) wants to have a go at destroying all notions of cultural property.

With his third release on Illegal Art, Gillis creates an aural experience for the copyright cynics to devour. On Night Ripper, he manages to sample from over a hundred and sixty songs that range in genre from Top 40, hip-hop, soft rock, party classics, grunge, R&B, dance to rock anthems. One could suffer a catastrophic seizure from trying to piece together every sample used including the Ying-Tang Twins, Wings, Better Than Ezra, Pavement, G-Unit, Fleetwood Mac, Jermaine Dupri, DJ Assault, Britney Spears, Junior Mafia, Sonic Youth, and Mobb Deep. The 41-minute sonic-lashing sounds like it would fall apart as a disorganized mess. Instead, it is quite the success as the incredibly dense layers manage to cause more of a shock and awe than a train wreck. This record, by far, is the most fun I’ve had this year due to the amount of ass shaking I’ve caught myself taking part in (trust me, that’s the best way to take accurate scientific measurements of “fun” records).

My favorite experiment on the record has got to be “Smash Your Head.” In under three minutes, you are thrown from X-Ray Spex to Young Jeezy to Nirvana’s “Scentless Apprentice” to Notorious B.I.G. to (the cherry on top) Elton John’s “Tiny Dancer” (list of samples on the record at the bottom). With what could be considered the Negitivland of dance, Girl Talk manages to seem as if copyright is but a dream. Props to him, since I truly believe this is a true testament to the power of the balanced model of copyright law. The ability to record and distribute media content such as this is essential for the growth of a healthy democracy. Even though the notion of “fair use” is waived in front of artists as the way out of the current copyright mess, artifacts such as Night Ripper just would not be possible under fair use guidelines (or restrictions), which is a colossal ignominy for contemporary US culture. Jefferson would simply shake his head in disgust over the current issues surrounding copyright law. Soon after, he would put on Girl Talk and be shaking his booty along with everyone else.

-Alex Ingersoll

The historical bit at the beginning:
Patterson, L.R. 1968. Copyright in historical perspective. Nashville, TN: Vanderbilt University Press.

Links:
Girl Talk (http://www.girl-talk.net/)
Illegal Art (http://www.illegal-art.org/)

Upcoming Shows:
Oct 20 2006 8:00P Spin Gallery Toronto
Oct 21 2006 8:00P Lambi Montreal
Oct 27 2006 8:00P Appel Commons Ithaca, NY
Oct 28 2006 8:00P Black Cat Backstage Washington, DC
Nov 1 2006 8:00P Mercury Lounge - CMJ Fanatic Event New York, NY
Nov 3 2006 8:00P Yale University (Open to Students Only) New Haven
Nov 10 2006 8:00P Holocene Portland, OR
Nov 11 2006 8:00P Bill Graham Civic Auditorium San Francisco, CA
Nov 20 2006 9:00P WRCT Pittsburgh 88.3 FM, PA
Nov 24 2006 8:00P Belvedere’s (with the Modey Lemon and Centipede E’est) Pittsburgh, PA
Dec 1 2006 8:00P 123 Pleasant Street Morgantown, WV
Dec 2 2006 8:00P Local 506 Chapel Hill, NC
Dec 7 2006 8:00P Bar Broadway Sydney - Australia
Dec 8 2006 8:00P Revolver Upstairs Prahran, Melbourne VIC - Australia
Dec 10 2006 8:00P The Bakery Northbridge - Australia
Jan 12 2007 8:00P The Indepedent San Francisco, CA
Jan 13 2007 8:00P Echo Los Angeles, CA
Jan 19 2007 8:00P Johnny Brendas Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Jan 20 2007 9:00P Middle East Upstairs Boston, Massachusetts
Jan 26 2007 8:00P Varsity Theater Minneapolis
Jan 27 2007 9:00P Chop Suey Seattle, Washington

An Incomplete List of Samples Used:

1) “Once Again” – 2:40
– 0:00 Ciara - “Goodies”
– 0:09 Boston - “Foreplay/Long Time”
– 0:12 Ludacris - “Pimpin’ All Over The World”
– 0:32 Fabolous - “Breathe”
– 1:16 Ying Yang Twins - “Wait”
– 1:21 The Verve - “Bittersweet Symphony”
– 1:44 Slim Thug - “I Ain’t Heard Of That”
– 1:57 Oasis - “Wonderwall”
– 2:06 Arrested Development - “Tennessee”
– 2:08 Webbie - “Give Me That”
– 2:08 Young Jeezy ft. Mannie Fresh - “And Then What”
– 2:19 Genesis - “Follow You Follow Me”
– 2:19 Ratatat - “Bustelo”
– 2:19 Boredoms - “Acid Police”
– 2:30 The Five Stairsteps - “O-o-h Child”
– 2:38 Eminem - “Ass Like That”
2) “That’s My DJ” – 2:08
– 0:01 George Benson - “Breezin’”
– 0:10 Slim Thug - “3 Kings”
– 0:32 Eve (rapper) – “Irresistible Chick”
– 0:39 T.I. - “Bring Em Out”
– 0:43 Lil’ Wayne - “Go DJ”
– 0:43 Chicago - “25 Or 6 To 4″
– 0:54 Crime Mob - “Knuck If You Buck”
– 1:14 Three 6 Mafia - “Stay Fly”
– 1:36 Manfred Mann - “Blinded by the Light”
– 1:37 Bow Wow ft. Ciara - “Like You”
– 2:06 Paula Abdul - “Straight Up”
3) “Hold Up” – 2:50
– 0:00 Mariah Carey - “It’s Like That”
– 0:00 James Taylor - “Your Smiling Face”
– 0:12 Ludacris - “Number One Spot”
– 0:21 50 Cent - “In Da Club”
– 0:24 Timbaland - “Indian Flute”
– 0:32 Pixies - “Where Is My Mind?”
– 0:39 Young Gunz - “Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop”
– 0:43 Nas, Puff Daddy - “Hate Me Now”
– 1:46 D4L - “Laffy Taffy”
– 2:08 Buckwheat Boys - “Peanut Butter Jelly Time”
– 2:28 Weezer - “Say It Ain’t So”
4) “Too Deep” – 2:29
– 0:00 Dem Franchize Boyz - “I Think They Like Me”
– 0:00 Dr. Dre - “Deep Cover”
– 0:07 Positive K - “I Got a Man”
– 0:10 Paul McCartney and Wings - “Jet”
– 0:35 Mariah Carey - “We Belong Together”
– 0:40 Juelz Santana - “Dipset (Santana’s Town)”
– 0:53 KRS-One - “Sound of da Police”
– 1:04 Aerosmith - “Come Together” (Beatles cover)
– 1:14 Nelly, Paul Wall, Ali, Big Gipp - “Grillz”
– 1:25 The Smashing Pumpkins - “Today”
– 1:35 The Main Ingredient - “Everybody Plays The Fool”
– 1:47 Paul Wall ft. Big Pokey - “Sittin’ Sidewayz”
– 1:55 Alicia Keys - “Unbreakable”
– 1:57 Phantom Planet - “California”
– 2:18 The Clipse - “Grindin”
5) “Smash Your Head” – 3:01
– 0:00 X-Ray Spex - “Oh Bondage Up Yours”
– 0:02 Fall Out Boy - “Sugar, We’re Going Down”
– 0:02 Trina - “Don’t Trip”
– 0:07 SWV - “I’m So Into You”
– 0:24 Public Enemy - “Rebel Without A Pause” / James Brown - “Get Up Offa That Thing”
– 0:27 Lil Wayne - “Fireman”
– 0:27 Young Jeezy - “Over Here”
– 0:33 Nirvana - “Scentless Apprentice”
– 0:59 Young Jeezy - “Soul Survivor”
– 1:25 The Pharcyde - “Passing Me By”
– 1:28 Elton John - “Tiny Dancer”
– 1:39 The Notorious B.I.G. - “Juicy”
– 2:29 Beyonce Knowles - “Check on It”
– 2:42 Juelz Santana - “Clockwork”
6) “Minute By Minute” – 3:12
– 0:10 Ying Yang Twins ft. Mike Jones and Mr. Collipark - “Badd”
– 0:28 LL Cool J - “Around the Way Girl”
– 0:44 Michael McDonald - “I Keep Forgettin”
– 0:47 Warren G ft. Nate Dogg - “Regulate”
– 0:56 Missy Elliott - “On & On”
– 1:04 Neutral Milk Hotel - “Holland, 1945″
– 1:14 Jefferson Airplane - “White Rabbit”
– 1:14 Juelz Santana - “There It Go (The Whistle Song)”
– 1:32 Steely Dan - “Black Cow”
– 1:46 Lord Tariq and Peter Gunz - “Déjà Vu (Uptown Baby)”
– 2:06 Bruce Hornsby - “The Way It Is”
– 2:18 Sophie B. Hawkins - “Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover”
– 2:18 Panjabi MC - “Mundian To Bach Ke”
– 2:29 The Game, 50 Cent - “Hate It or Love It”
– 2:45 Better Than Ezra - “Good”
7) “Ask About Me” – 2:26
– 0:01 Trina ft. Lil’Wayne - “Don’t Trip”
– 0:09 PM Dawn - “Set Adrift on Memory Bliss” / Spandau Ballet - “True”
– 0:15 DJ Shadow - “The Number Song”
– 0:20 David Banner - “Play”
– 0:28 Nine Inch Nails - “Only”
– 0:56 Pharrell ft. Gwen Stefani - “Can I Have It Like That”
– 1:12 Cassidy - “I’m a Hustla”
– 1:51 The Game - “How We Do”
– 1:51 Junior M.A.F.I.A. - “Get Money”
– 2:00 En Vogue - “Hold On”
– 2:06 2Pac ft. Snoop Dogg - “2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted”
– 2:08 M.I.A. - “Galang”
– 2:22 Digable Planets - “Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat)”
8) “Summer Smoke” – 2:17
– 0:00 Amerie - “1 Thing”
– 0:00 M.I.A. - “Galang”
– 0:18 Naughty by Nature - “Hip Hop Hooray”
– 0:41 Black Rob - “Ready”
– 0:45 Hum - “Stars”
– 0:54 Kanye West ft. Adam Levine - “Heard Em Say”
– 1:04 Real McCoy - “Ooh Boy”
– 1:23 Kanye West - “Gold Digger”
– 1:23 Pilot - “Magic”
– 1:41 Salt-N-Pepa - “Let’s Talk About Sex”
– 1:42 George Michael - “I Want Your Sex”
– 1:59 Bell Biv DeVoe - “Do Me!”
– 1:59 Ludacris ft. Nate Dogg - “Area Codes”
9) “Friday Night” – 3:12
– 0:00 The Notorious B.I.G. - “Hypnotize”
– 0:04 Public Enemy - “Countdown To Armageddon”
– 0:21 J-Kwon - “Tipsy”
– 0:37 Billy Squier - “The Stroke”
– 0:37 Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg - “Nuthin’ But a “G” Thang”
– 0:55 Frankie Cutlass - “Puerto Rico”
– 1:15 Positive K - “I Got a Man”
– 1:19 Black Sheep - “The Choice Is Yours”
– 1:30 N.O.R.E. - “Nothin”
– 1:31 Fatman Scoop - “Be Faithful”
– 1:40 Donnie Iris - “Ah Leah!”
– 1:45 Chris Brown, Juelz Santana - “Run It!”
– 2:01 The Waitresses - “I Know What Boys Like”
– 2:18 Lady Sovereign - “Random”
– 2:26 Nikka Costa - “Like a Feather”
– 2:45 Mark Morrison - “Return of the Mack”
– 2:51 TLC - “Ain’t 2 Proud 2 Beg”
– 2:51 Daft Punk - “Technologic”
– 2:54 Busta Rhymes - “Touch It”
– 3:08 The Black Crowes - “Hard to Handle”
10) “Hand Clap” – 1:53
– 0:00 Busta Rhymes - “Touch It”
– 0:08 Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam - “Head to Toe”
– 0:16 Sir Mix-a-Lot - “Baby Got Back”
– 0:54 Gwen Stefani - “Hollaback Girl”
– 1:08 The Rentals - “Friends of P”
– 1:47 Missy Elliot - “Pass That Dutch”
11) “Give and Go” – 2:53
– 0:00 2 Live Crew - “Get Loose Now”
– 0:00 Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock - “It Takes Two”
– 0:08 Hall & Oates - “I Can’t Go for That (No Can Do)”
– 0:15 Ciara ft. Missy Elliott - “1, 2 Step”
– 0:15 The J.B.’s - “The Grunt”
– 0:45 Sonic Youth - “Schizophrenia”
– 1:09 Missy Elliott ft. Fatman Scoop - “Lose Control”
– 1:15 Phil Collins - “Another Day in Paradise”
– 1:30 Peedi Crakk - “Between Ya Thighz”
– 1:45 Black Box - “Everybody, Everybody”
– 1:54 2 Live Crew - “Face Down, Ass Up”
– 2:08 M/A/R/R/S - “Pump Up the Volume”
– 2:14 Whispers - “Rock Steady”
– 2:31 Mike Jones - “Still Tippin’” / “Back Then”
– 2:34 Seals & Crofts - “Summer Breeze”
– 2:46 The Emotions - “Best Of My Love”
12) “Bounce That” – 3:23
– 0:00 The Emotions - “Best Of My Love”
– 0:10 Purple Ribbon All-Stars - “Kryptonite (I’m on It)”
– 0:37 LCD Soundsystem - “Daft Punk Is Playing at My House”
– 1:06 The Breeders - “Cannonball”
– 1:14 Stevie Wonder - “My Cherie Amour”
– 1:20 Steve Winwood - “While You See a Chance”
– 1:20 DJ Funk - “Booty Bounce”
– 1:53 Britney Spears - “I’m a Slave 4 U”
– 1:56 Wreckx-N-Effect - “Rump Shaker”
– 2:08 Elastica - “Connection”
– 2:13 Ciara ft. Ludacris - “Oh”
13) “Warm It Up” – 2:15
– 0:00 Ciara ft. Ludacris - “Oh”
– 0:08 The Black Eyed Peas - “My Humps”
– 0:15 Paula Abdul - “Cold Hearted”
– 0:29 Annie - “Heartbeat”
– 0:59 Chris Brown ft. Juelz Santana - “Run It!”
– 1:16 Kansas - “Carry On Wayward Son”
– 1:25 Boyz II Men - “Motownphilly”
– 1:27 Kelis - “Milkshake”
– 1:37 J.J. Fad - “Supersonic”
– 1:37 Smokey Robinson & The Miracles - “The Tears Of A Clown”
– 2:04 MARRS - “Pump up the Volume”
14) “Double Pump” – 1:45
– 1:03 Madonna - “Hung Up”
– 1:14 Andrew Gold - “Thank You For Being A Friend”
– 1:27 Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch - “Good Vibrations”
– 1:29 Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock - “It Takes Two”
– 1:31 Three 6 Mafia ft. Young Buck & 8 Ball & MJG - “Stay Fly”
15) “Overtime” – 2:15
– 0:00 The Smashing Pumpkins - “1979″
– 0:00 Three 6 Mafia ft. Young Buck & 8 Ball & MJG - “Stay Fly”
– 0:15 Laidback - “Whitehorse”
– 0:38 Joan Jett and the Blackhearts - “I Love Rock ‘N Roll”
– 0:59 Fleetwood Mac - “Little Lies”
– 1:19 69 Boyz - “Tootsee Roll”
– 1:46 Folk Implosion - “Natural One”
– 2:01 Technotronic - “Pump Up the Jam”
16) “Peak Out” – 3:20
– 0:00 Aaliyah ft. Timbaland - “Are You that Somebody”
– 0:15 D12 - “Purple Pills”
– 0:30 2 Live Crew - “We Want Some Pussy”
– 0:30 Pavement - “Cut Your Hair”
– 0:46 Wings - “Silly Love Songs”
– 1:00 George Kranz - “Din Daa Daa”
– 1:00 Ying Yang Twins ft. Pitbull - “Shake”
– 1:49 Trillville - “Neva Eva”

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