Girl Talk: Everyone Borrows Intellectual Property, Even Kings of Leon

[scraps2j]

There's a major difference between learning how to play something similar to CCR and takinga sample of it, playing it on some speakers and calling it your own. What Girl Talk does is, by definition, an unauthorized derivative work and it is an infringement. It's not fair use. It's not creative or transformative. He's just lucky no one has sued him yet. Take a copyright law class before you respond to this.

[str8killinitdawg]

holy fuck my dick is huge

[KoenHead]

Kings of Leon may borrow from elements of Classic Rock, but unlike Girl Talk, HYPOCRITE that he is, they don't actually STEAL from other artists, rip their fine music to shreds, and then call it their own. No, Girl Talk, you are trying to justify the thievery that you call a career by comparing it to artists who actually know how to write and play ACTUAL music. What a D-Bag! Take your laptop and go play in traffic, loser.

[RedFishKilla]

@KoenHead

so would djs fall into your "d-bag" category? for example: Paul Van Dyk, Armin Van Buuren, or Deadmau5; are they hypocrites and thieves? i'm just a bit confused by your comment. these djs take music and remix it, slash it up, twist and turn it, and whatnot...even though they didn't write all of it and didn't play "actual" music, they are still artists, right?

[KoenHead]

@RedFishKilla NO, they are NOT artists. Don't know how I can make that any clearer. DJs regurgitate music back to drug-addled losers with ZERO imagination. To actual take the time to form chords, bridges, and lyrics into a song by using MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS is work. DJs have no music theory at work. They just steal others hard work and people like you think they are geniuses. Sorry, but as a musician, I find people like you, who are impressed by these charlatans, pretty fuckin' sad......

[RedFishKilla]

@KoenHead

interesting talk.

when did i say they are geniuses?

how about the djs who compose their own tracks? how about electronic or techno acts that use instruments? are they not artists?

nice job on lumping every dj into a single talentless category just because you dont like them.

and where are some examples of your music? you dont have any on your youtube channel. thats a shame really. i would like to see an example (you) of a REAL artist that plays MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

imagine that.

[KoenHead]

@RedFishKilla Dude, I have an actual day job and will still head to open jams a couple of times of month or more. I can play Rock, Blues, Country, Folk, etc., but one thing I cannot do, is take someone else's recorded music, fuck it up beyond recognition, and call it my own. You still cannot grasp that point, so why on earth would I need to prove anything else to you? You completely miss the point. Look, if you like phony shit like Girl Talk, fine. The world is full of gullible people.

[RedFishKilla]

@KoenHead

you are funny.

[meanderband]

@KoenHead so u think u can just fuck up blues, rock, country, and folk songs that YOU DID NOT WRITE and think thats creating your own NEW music?? haha

[KoenHead]

@meanderband AT least I have the respect to learn how to make the sounds my favorite artists made instead of outright stealing their music and pumping it back out through massive speakers and calling it my own. I can also write and compose music, as well. That's what happens when you take the time to learn an instrument instead of f*cking around on a laptop making your gay little mash-ups. Look, it's an argument you CANNOT win, so don't even try it, son.

[meanderband]

@KoenHead The Point is that you play music that is not your own. and if you are "writing" music it is impossible to write a chord progression or melody that doesnt borrow from something else. Girl talk doesnt claim to write his music... he RE-mixes it lol... u r clueless

[KoenHead]

@meanderband Your too stupid to get it, aren't you?? When you cover a song live, you normally and respectfully acknowledge that fact. Dummies like Girl Talk diddles around on a laptop and his gullible audience is in awe of his amazing performance, when in fact, he hasn't done a fucking thing. I MAKE music. Girl Talk steals it and shits it back out to idiots like you. Clueless? Go FUCK yourself. Live music will always trump people who pretend to have musical talent, like Girl Talk. Ya heard??

[JohnHam]

@KoenHead

You don't get it and you never will.

Enjoy living in the past. Everything you're making has been done. Time and time again. You're on the cutting edge of nothing.

Though I think his mash ups are kind of obnoxious, he's doing something pretty innovative. Making the argument that you need instruments to make music is dead. Your side lost. Get over it.

[KoenHead]

@JohnHam This dummy STEALS other's music and calls it his own. What the fuck is there to GET? It's YOU who has their head up their ass. Theft of intellectual property may be fine with you. If taking the time and love to sit and create your own music has me living in the past, so be it. So it's all been done? At least I am the one doing it. Girl Talk is "innovative?" Really? Man, I do feel sorry for your morally and intellectually bankrupt generation. Real music will always trump theft. ALWAYS!

[meanderband]

@KoenHead Right... ur a Troll. going to a girl talk video to talk shit to make u feel better about the crappy covers and music u make is just sad. peace man...

[KoenHead]

@meanderband Just go DIE. You wouldn't know real music if it pissed on you. Fuck you.....THERE, NOW I'm done.

[meanderband]

@KoenHead well good thing music doesnt piss on people... i bet u do though. u seem to get off on it

[izzyczzunow]

@KoenHead

Geeze! It's not like Girl Talk ever claims it's all his music. He does recognize that he uses lots of samples and thanks the musicians for making sick jams that he can then use to craft works of art. You use this argument about 'instruments' but I can't think of many songs that he samples that use actual instruments but computers like Girl Talk. It also takes time and skill to make good remixes which is what he wants people to recognize. He should get some credit for his work.

[KoenHead]

@RedFishKilla NO! They are NOT artists. The make nothing. DJ Culture is simply for the unimaginative, ACD generation. There are musicians young and old who fail to see how anyone with a soul could be entertained by them. Your confusion doesn't surprise me, though. You just haven't matured enough to see right through these musical scam artists. You've been duped, and yet still go back for me. I feel sorry for you......

[zildjiansabian]

everyone builds upon something. i've learn something from this video. you need people, musicians in order for you to grow and mature as a performer

[ashkon52]

Cmon man... u got skill but influence and sampling music is like comparing apples and oranges. Its annoying that he just cant embrace what he truly is. An entertainer and I would be fine with that. But all these Youtube clips of him trying to defend his position that he is making new music, that he is somehow the same as any other "artist" is bollocks. At the end of the day.. when he is on stage... people get their kicks out of hearing familiar tunes. And that is the truth he needs to accept

[djbis]

Really? or is it that pretty much everything has been done already (and the lazy "musician" in us finds it much easier to just grab samples and throw them together)?

I often run into great new music that has not been sampled. Its original, yes maybe influenced by other artists/sounds, but it doesn't borrow samples.

Nothing wrong with sampling or Girl Talk, but in my opinion this is sort of an excuse to become even more lazy.

Meh, this all has already been said.

[YOUsnozeYOULOZE]

blah blah blah blah blah I'm right and no opinion other than mine is valid blah blah blah blah blah blah.

[ChillyDrags]

@YOUsnozeYOULOZE are you saying that or are you say that he's saying that? cuz blah blah blah we're just a bunch of lame ass people who think that just because we have a consciousness, we are special, nah we're all soooo small on the great sceem of things.... its like why am i even talking to you.... you dont care.... we all talk to each other trying to convey some sort of opinion, but non of our opinions matter. so blah blah blah is right my friend.

[HappySuckDayToMe]

@ChillyDrags I was saying that most idiots on this site think they are right and almost no one will listen to reason even when it is given to them politely or not politely. The thing is though I DO CARE, just not about trolls that have nothing better to do then shit on everyone because they are talentless fucktards that won't do shit with their lives. Ya dig? Anonymous negativity SCREAMS pussy.

[modestlove]

i thought he was going to bring up kings of leon stealing the melody from m83's 'dont save us from the flames'

[zakquack]

I saw girl talk at rothbury last year. EVERYONE WENT NUTS! Yeah he was up there just like clickin shit and dancing but he did fill the stage with people dancing... In my opinion what gillis does is amazing. all you haters are simply just that.

[keithwillet4]

im on the fence but the arguments you people are having here are HILARIOUS!!! hes a fag with a laptop, leave him be. im not hating on him, some of his shit is incredibly energetic and can't be ignored. while some of it im thinking eh... with enough time i could do this.

seriously, you all keep duking it out, i'm having a laugh at the ridiculous usernames you all have. they are FUNNY posted next to your "intellectual arguments"

GO ON WITH THE CHLOROPHYLL!!!

[khalithistle]

girl talk is BARELY a musician. the bomb squad, rza, amon tobin, dj shadow, pete rock, rjd2, dj premier, 4th disciple; these guys should be defending sampling, not girl talk. its absolutely painful to see him be put forward as the figurehead of anti-copyright movements. girl talk music is just glorified mashup

kings of leon are shit, but yknow...who cares

[Hufflewaffle]

Kings of Leon may be INFLUENCED by other music but they don't COPY actual recordings. They don't even copy phrases from other people's songs. They actually come up with their OWN music based on stylistic influences and existing musical forms.

They have something called artistic integrity.

GirlTalk has a music collection and a Laptop.

[Skatrman32]

Why''s everyone such a bitch about this, He doesn't play an instrument, so what? Do all extreme sports people use skateboards? no. Do all artists use oil paints? no. Do all artists even paint? no. All musicians don't have to play instruments, it's a different form of music. And he is a musician. Try making a remix, post it up on youtube and show me, this shits hard, and I bet you couldn't make anything close to it.

[thesouthofheaven]

You are a toolbox. Go learn an instrument you worthless fuck.

[dudemandingo11]

this guy is not a musician.

[Posion]

@dudemandingo11 neither are you

[dudemandingo11]

and obviously neither is this guy. he fucking goes to shows with a computer and dances around it. only hipsters and girls on ecstasy are retarded enough to pay money to go see some dude do that.and that does not surprise me.

[lilbruddaproductions]

so explain his studio albums then

[dudemandingo11]

they can be broad. one song I heard had a BIG song mixed with Elton John. But what I am trying to say is that he is NOT a musician, hes a hipster with a laptop who can put other peoples music together. Thats it.

[rexyoutub]

@dudemandingo11 he was the best to see at big day out

it is so good coz you know all the words to everything

fuck off if hes not a musician

still sounds good as

[collbzz]

@dudemandingo11 have you ever tried this? I guarantee it is harder than the actual making of the music he uses

[ChillyDrags]

@dudemandingo11 bob dylan once said that writing a song is like going fishing. all the chords and sounds are all ready out there... there's only so many songs is what im saying... and if they all ready exist then its kinda like the artists are stealing them when they so called came up with it all by their selves. what makes a musician. are cover band not musicians? what about when biggie samples other music to help make his song the shit. Bang Bang.

[WhataboutMichaelG]

Originality is the Art of hiding your sources ----Unknown

[foxrider415]

I can't understand why people are frightened of new ideas. I'm frightened of the old ones.

John Cage

[jorgecafe24]

"Ideas don´t create or destroy they just transform" David Hume

[jorgecafe24]

Sue Kings of Leon

[booksteve]

I agree with him that everyone builds upon something, but a lot of people who have created the music don't get paid for what they have done. Keep it real, brother. Look at what happened between the Beastie Boys and composer James Newton. They sampled James' music and then when he wanted to get paid for the sample, they beat him in court, even after they admitted they sampled his music. How is that fair use?

[ctvwr]

Wut? I think you miss the point. If it is ok to take culture and build on top of it, then sampling is fair use. Duh.

[juniordeputyclub]

fucking idiot...having an influence is far different from copying and pasting someone elses recordings...fucking hipster moron...i hope he gets sued for all hes fucking stolen and more

[El135o]

Ha, selecting pre-digested patterns from a computerized machine instead of working with a highly inventive and trained drummer? That's music? Horseshit.

Anybody can click buttons on a computerized box and pretend he's got "worth". Few people these days have the innate talent and artistic stamina required to master music; hence, we have hacks like thye subject of this video.

Sorry, computerized simplification of music hasn't added anything to the form.

[Pure105]

El35o

You are denying the progression of technology. People like this are part of the future of music whether you like it or not.

You have to evolve to beat the best, you are just a whiner.

[El135o]

Pure105 just told us the score, everyone! So drop your singing and guitars and pianos and drums and saxophones and other real musical instruments, and get a laptop, cuz Pure105 has declared that music is over and computerized sampling--thievery--now reigns!

If your mind can grasp only pre-digested, bite-sized pieces that a collage-artist hack like this guy delivers to you, then you deserve your digitized little goldfish bowl of a future.

Music is made by musicians. Girltalk isn't.

[Pure105]

Maybe you should stop being such an arrogant dick.

I never said traditional music wont have a place but this is part of the future and you are just grumpy.

[El135o]

Maybe you should stop issuing pronouncements about what constitutes the futre of music--talk about arrogance. Girltalk is a curiosity, not a harbinger.

[Pure105]

Oh yeah and too bad this collage artist will be bigger than you ever will. Wah wah go cry some more maybe that will fix it.

[El135o]

Too bad Girltalk wioll never and could never be a musician. He's simply a thief who can't play, so he plays with a computer and steals from other people's hard work. That's arrogant, and lazy.

If you dig arrogant, lazy thieves who spoon-feed digital vomitus to you, then go enjoy your 'future'. But stuffing your head with garbage is no way to live or think.

[wooboy11]

@El135o ok, you're probably just a less-than-mediocre artist who didn't succeed in nothing, so you blame others for it. I dare you make ONE song better than any of his.

you sound like, uh.... jealousy.

[El135o]

You're silly, dude. I harbour no jealousy for a guy who steals other people's RECORDINGS--their costly and hard work--and then casually passes off his theft as his working process.

Anyway, haven't seen 'Girl Talk' much these days--like all fads, the novelty wore off.

You sound like, uh, a DOLT with that misguided reading of what I stated. Now run along.

[El135o]

"What the hell do you think the greatest composers of all time have always done? They take notes and note patterns that already exist, and then mesh them together in different ways to create different melodies."

That's a big fat crock of shit. If someone sits down with a guitar or keyboard and starts randomly plunking out notes until a cohesive part emerges--as is often the case--that's not taking from something that already exists.

'Mash-up' guys are NOT musicians, but collage artists.

[ukstoner2007]

no one writes like that, or should i say no one writes sucessfully like that. you hear influences in every type of music, people move music on they dont reinvent it every time, thats why everything sounds pretty much the same...

[El135o]

I was talking about composers, as in TRUE artists. They develop by working on original ideas and pursuing them without distraction.

I don't know how you can pronounce such composition "unsuccessful", because that's the only way to be original.

Of course, modern society tries to drum any sort of originality out of any artist or art early on, because it's almost law now that everyone is a 'star'. More's the pity.

[ukstoner2007]

youre being too subjective, dont confuse virtuosity with worth. i think inspiration threads all good music together, whether you are programming a drum machine or composing a symphony you've either got it of you havent.

[fsufan850]

I love the credence-Kings comparison

[stillwhising91]

everyone borrows from everyone,,,,,,its called inspiration dude ok.

[threebboyz]

ne 1 kno if this was at bonnaroo 07? i kno girl talk was there and kings too..

[UncensoredInterview]

We actually shot this at All Points West in New York last summer. Good guess though!

[hotlikearazor]

GirlTalk is all hype and so full of shit.

[cojoiscrazy]

CREEDENCE! CREEDENCE! CREEDENCE!

[kmaximus420]

i guess we can agree to disagree...and you can't compare using a wav editor to re-arrange samples to playing the guitar, because there is no musicality involved in the process...its pretty much just mathematical. I don't care what Gregg says, he is succeeding solely by stealing the best parts of his favorite pop music and replaying them in a different manner, it's like the sampling in hip hop times 100, because he doesn't do any composing at all.

[breezygiles]

Bullshit he doesn't do composing. What the hell do you think the greatest composers of all time have always done? They take notes and note patterns that already exist, and then mesh them together in different ways to create different melodies.

[kmaximus420]

yeah maybe you should spend less time on youtube and get back to nuzzling girl talk's balls...it sounds like you are in love

[kmaximus420]

oh, and what i believe you are thinking of is called "recomposition"...recompositio­n is composition which employs prior material so as to comment upon it...there is a difference...but nice try

[KyleGrover]

You'd have a tough time arguing that music and math are separate entities. All musicians use math in composition whether they realize it or not.

I'd say that making music on a computer is the same as composing. Just because you aren't the one physically manipulating the musical instrument doesn't make you any less of a musician.

[khalithistle]

uh? im not defending girl talk, but from my own experience making music from guitars/pianos whatever is far more mathematical, and hence far more boring, than constructing songs with samples. all the keys, the chords, the notes are all already there. they all fit together in pre-set ways. any moron can slap down a chord progression and put a melody over it.

with samples, you have infinite combinations and wildly varying results.

[tootiredtothink]

i'm really glad Gregg is intelligent and can talk and think deeper than other dipshits who don't even give a second thought to anything they encounter in their daily life.

[breezygiles]

haha, it's funny how you say that (and i agree) while your name is tootiredtothink.

[kmaximus420]

girl talk is a douche bag...he makes a living by rearranging songs that have already gained popularity...what he does takes no musical ability whatsoever...without his precious laptops (which do all of the work for him), he would be nothing.

[tootiredtothink]

i think you have the concep tof girl talk a bit skewed. he does his music BECAUSE it's popular songs other people have done. he wants to take other songs and make them new, make you think twice about how they fit together.

but i think that he just wants to make people dance. he uses a computer, it's what he knows. other people use guitars. it's what they know. it's all about personal choice of tools.

[ShudeBwerkin]

i guess andy warhol isn't an artist either

[Skatrman32]

haha, just try it, it takes lots of musical ability. You are stupid, I know the word BEAT doesn't sound like much, but without it music would be shit. Just try making a remixbefore you say it's all easy.

[youkickthebucket]

That doesn't seem like a valid point to me. Yeah, they (KOL and other artists) incorporate elements of their influences when they create songs, but its their OWN music they ultimately create...they don't use direct parts of pre-existing songs. Totally different concept. If he is arguing why he should be exempt from copyright infringement laws this is not a viable case he's making haha. (IMO)

[tootiredtothink]

this could be argued forever--is any song/lyrics/rhythm/melody really original? do we subconsciously write music with another song in our minds which we unknowingly replicate? i think at this point in time it's hard to say anyone has ever had a truly "original" thought or idea, but again it could be argued in many different ways.

[kasi16]

wooot kings of leon ftw

[2big2bite]

heart heart 7

[wordspit]

word he got a point for real,really diggin this channel

[plugola]

If the new MT9 format flies, you will see a lot more of this.

[soundminder]

i hope everyone doesn't start doing remixes. ugh.

[steeler7588]

Why not? As long as people like him do them well, I don't mind. The shitty ones will get filtered out.