Girltalk is featured in the film.

Those sound like awesome parties. I haven’t partied like that since before kids. My question is does his creativity get people on the floor or is it his talent? If he has the ability to choose music the people want to hear, isn’t that talent? In my mind, that still leaves us with the question of creative.

Hayden, who from previous generations (in terms of creativity) would you compare Girl Talk to? I use Clapton, Jay-Z, BB King because they are the best. If, as Alex writes, Girl Talk is a “metaphor for generation”, shouldn’t we want to compare against the best from other generations? If I am to be a metaphor for my generation, would my generation prefer I be compared against Clapton or Gary Numan or Lipps, Inc? Perhaps there is a better middle ground?

Also, to comment on his strategy of releasing his album for free or a ‘pay what you wish’ policy, that’s nothing new! Look at Radiohead, Nine Inch Nails, Jamaroquai, Murs and 9th Wonder, Atmosphere, The Charlatans, and the list goes on and on…This is the new trend of the future of music industry politics. If your music is going to be downloaded for free anyways, why not embrace change instead of avoiding it, and ask people to pay what they want? Truth be told, bands and artists KNOW that they’re #1 means of income isn’t coming from record sales anymore, that’s why the touring industry has increased 10 fold with bands often touring 3 times for one album!

On the other hand, licensing of music is also a very large means for artists to generate income in the music industry, so i do understand that there are copyright infringement complications. However, if you ask me, Girl Talk is helping to promote older music to a younger audience, which in return, can only help those older artists by reviving what may have been a lost identity or song. I know when i heard his use of Roy Orbison’s ‘You Got It’, I went and bought the song off of iTunes because it is a GREAT song! None of that money goes to Girl Talk. It goes to Mr. Orbison’s copyright holders.

So in hindsight, it is a double edged sword. But if you ask me, trying to stop change is going to bury you 6 feet under with the rest of the fundamentalists out there. Wy do you think the Big 5 Record companies charted record losses and job cuts over the past year?

The times, they are a changin’.

Actually, while I was writing that last night, I was listening to Girl Talk. One of the first Mashups I heard was a mashup of Genesis’ Mama with Queen’s We Will Rock You. Some mashups are good, some aren’t. It’s all personal taste.

I do believe Girl Talk to be talented. But that’s not the question. Is he creative? Has he created something or just reworked something? Would you put Girl Talk on the same creative level as Eric Clapton? While those sound bites may be his notes, I don’t see him “creating” anything.

Does what he did have value though? Yes, if people pay for it (monetarily or with other consideration).

Tom, there are very talented traditional musicians in the new generation but also digitally empowered artists who create truly new music using old music. Again, think of the old music as instruments being put together to create new music. Some mash-up mixers create crap; but some of them also create incredibly artistic music. Don’t knock it until you’ve heard it, Girl Talk is only one of the new mash-up artists.

While I believe that Girl Talk is very talented, I am not sure about creative. If I take a bunch of magazine pictures and make a collage, am I creative? Perhaps, it depends on the context. In this case, I don’t see this as being a sign of true creativity. He made a collage based on the work of some of the top people in the field.

As for a generational metaphor, I am not so sure about that. I don’t see Girl Talk furthering “knowledge” or music. If this is a metaphor for our generation, I am worried. Does that mean we have no creators or original thoughts? I doubt that. In every generation you have your creators (BB King, Jay-Z) and your sharers and those who build on knowledge (Toyota learning from GM, Facebook learning from ICQ). Where my Grandmother shared recipes and reworked them for her, Girl Talk reworks music. The people haven’t changed, their desires haven’t changed, technology (and therefore ability) has.

Hayden, your last remark that the music industry has mishandled the rise of mash-ups and other remixes is spot-on. When Danger Mouse did the Beatles/Jay Z mashup, sales in the black album, white album and grey album went up. As you say, mash-ups help music reach a wider audience. Of course, tell that to the record labels. Shortly after the release, Apple Records (owner of the rights to distribute Beatles music) sued Danger Mouse.

Kaushik, I know what you mean. For me, its about the mood. Sometimes Girl Talk just doesn’t work. But I’m glad you agree with the importance of the genre and the general philosophy, because I think mash-ups are an inventive and exciting new sound.

Great comments, cheers Alex