Hey, you know that iPod name-that-tune game that awards meaningless points based on your pointless ability to guess songs from your library in less than 10 seconds? Pretty cool, right?
Well, it was cool for the day you discovered it. You showed your friends, recognized how lame it was and never touched the function again, save several-hour flight delays.
Now, Pittburgh’s Gregg Gillis raises the stakes and takes the chore out of track recognition on his third mash-up masterpiece Night Ripper. It’s a hell of a lot more fun.
There’s a catch, though. Gillis claims he’s not a mash-up artist. He’s not even a DJ. His shows are less performance, more house party. For those of us who drained savings accounts to get iPods so we could have equal access to Abba and Young Jeezy at the touch of a button instead of fumbling through 200-CD Case Logic totes, Girl Talk is the man.
When shuffle just isn’t enough, when you just have to listen to the Notorious B.I.G. and Elton John simultaneously, when you’d like some Pixies with your Purple Ribbon All-Stars, some Hall and Oates with your Yin Yang Twins, get Ripped.
Sure, you’re violating all types of copyright law just by listening to ubertracks like “Smash Your Head,” “Bounce That” and “Friday Night.” So far, Gillis’ “thank you” list of more than 130 artists has kept him out of legal trouble, though. That’s an average of eight illicit samples per track, which average about a little over two minutes each. Indie nuggets, top 40 faves past and present, the thuggest in Dirty South and Houston verbiage: it’s a beautiful mess.
Ditch the iPod, add alcohol (or drug of your choice) and shake it for an instant party.