Issue date: 9/30/08 Section: Arts

Media Credit: LOUISA DEMMITT/THE BATES STUDENT Death Set Opens the Show: The Death Set are a two-man band, presumedly from Austrailia or Baltimore, depending on who's interviewing them. In concerts, Johnny Siera and Beau Velasco rock out on the guitar with an ipod and drum machine providing backbeats.

Media Credit: LOUISA DEMMITT/THE BATES STUDENT

Media Credit: LOUISA DEMMITT/THE BATES STUDENT Audience Swarms the Stage.

Years ago, Gregg Gillis wanted to make everyone in his "abstract, serious electronic scene" feel uncomfortable and embarrassed to be on the same ticket as him. He wanted to get a rise out of them. He wanted to have fun. So he named his act "Girl Talk."

Finally, last Saturday night, the Girl Talk ticket landed at Bates. Having walked in from the rain, Gillis had a quick sound check, ordered a large cheese pizza from Papa John's and sat down for a talk.

When asked what he enjoys most about playing the college scene, he commented "I have had good experiences playing everywhere…but it feels like at a college, if [students aren't at a show] to have fun they'd be going somewhere else to have fun. So it seems like every single person there is in the right mindset…it's very fun and youthful." Bates students lived up to this expectation without reservations as a mob engulfed Gillis and his setup on stage.

"I was always pushing a fun party vibe at the shows and that's kind of naturally how the music evolved…I want to allow people to have fun. [My vibe] has evolved through interaction with the crowd into what it is now."

Outside of music, Gillis has an array of interests. He loves to go out dancing, drink with his buddies, watch movies, play basketball, light off fireworks, swim, play on water slides, get in hot tubs and watch people tan. "I'm open to a lot of things," he said.

However, it always comes back to music. Gillis sees music as essential. He recognizes it as a form of education through folk culture - a passing down of stories through songs - and a form of communication that helps to elucidate where one comes from.

"I think I'm the physical version of what most musicians do. I think I'm just very up-front about it," commented Gillis on his sampling style. "I sincerely like everything I sample. I'm definitely highlighting aspects that I like, but I am also trying to make it transformative. You can hear this melody, you recognize what song it is…but I put [the sample] in a new context and now it has a whole new meaning behind it."

Gillis went on to discuss the Fair Use policy by which artists can sample music legally. "It's transformative, it's not creating any competition for the original song, and it's providing a form of social commentary…We did think we would have heard some level of response, but we haven't."

The interview paused as Gillis took time to discuss shoes with Will Gardner '09. He told a story of a time when his most sentimental shoes - a pair that a friend bought in China and sent to him - were stolen at a show. With an abrupt transition in topic, the interview carried on for some quick-response questions.

When asked whether Gillis prefers to be big spoon or little spoon, he commented without hesitation. "Little spoon. Actually, I really like being big spoon if we're not sleeping. But when I'm sleeping, I like to sleep Superman style." He noted that the Goosebumps series were "of course" his favorite books, and that he actually had no idea he was dancing on stage with Paris Hilton at one show but was made aware when he watched footage of the show afterwards.

Several years down the road, this once outcast in the electronic scene is now the face of mash-up music. Those once embarrassed to share the stage with a guy calling himself "Girl Talk" have by now learned their lesson - the one that Gillis sorted out long ago: If you're open to a lot of things, a lot will be open to you.

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