Gregg Gillis, aka Girl Talk, is making his own unique mark in the music world. When he's not biomedically engineering things, he's dancing around and taking his clothes off while mashing up some crunk beats on his laptop at clubs. I asked him a few questions about his music, and got some fun answers, including the secret to his live mixes.

Rock Music Review (RMR): If you're not a DJ, and you're not a mashup artist, then what are you?

Greg: I'm not a DJ because I don't know how to beat-match records and never play other people's songs unaltered. I don't know what a mashup artist is, so I
could be that. There are a ton of people who make sample-based music, who
aren't DJ's or mash-up dudes, I don't know what they call themselves
though.

RMR: Would you be offended if I simply referred to you as a laptopist or
Perhaps a crunk jockey? Or maybe a Power Ranger?

I'm not offended.

RMR: The Internets told me that mashups are also known as "bastard pop". Would you call yourself an original bastard or do you see yourself as outside
the bastard circle?

I'm only in the circle of life.

RMR: When you are performing live, do you just hit play on your laptop or do you lay out tracks as it plays?

I do everything on the fly. It's a little more loose than my albums.

RMR: Do you use iTunes or super secret software for your live sample jockeying?

I use Cool Edit for sampling, making beats, and piecing things together. I
use Audiomulch for performing live. The secret is out.

I know you're tired of questions pertaining to the possibility of legal
issues with the album (I mean, hello people, his album is on the label
"Illegal Art"). On the other hand, have you received praise from artists
sampled on the album?

I haven't heard from anyone yet.

RMR: Being that your music is entirely sampled, do you ever see yourself making "original" tracks someday? Will we ever see an MC Girl Talk?

I think it's totally possible to make sample-based music that is also
original. That's what I'm trying to do, not sure if I hit that goal or
not. There are also elements on the new album that are "original"
instrumentation, such as synthesizer parts and drum machine beats. I'm
doing a bunch of remix work for people that also contains more "original"
instrumentation. I don't think I'll ever rap though.

If your laptop had a blue screen of death in the middle of a party, what
album (besides your own) would rescue the party?

Chavez - Ride the Fader

RMR LIGHTNING ROUND (omg!)

Old Dirty Bastard or Paris Hilton?

Old Dirty Bastard for hanging out, Paris Hilton for making out.

Ventricular Fibrillation or Ventricular Tachycardia?

Ventricular Fibrillation for hanging out, Ventricular Tachycardia for
making out.

Gin or Vodka?

Whiskey

Dick Cheney dressed as a hunter or George Bush dressed as a quail? (or
both at the same time?)

Whiskey

Noise or Racket?

Noise

You dancing half-naked around your laptop or the crowd dancing half-naked
around you?

There should definitely be a "both" option with this one

Cansei de Ser Sexy or Cascading Style Sheets?

College of St. Scholastica

I appreciate his responses and hope he can visit Indianapolis soon!