Today we spotlight the music of DJ Danger Mouse (Brian Burton) and Cee-Lo Green (Thomas Callaway), the duo known as Gnarls Barkley. Blake has mentioned that he’d love to work with them, so let’s take a look at the men behind the costumes.
Before teaming up with Cee-Lo, Danger Mouse gained notoriety in the music world when he released The Grey Album, a mash-up of an acapella version of Jay Z’s The Black Album and The Bealtes (The White Album). Although the result was a critical success, Danger Mouse neglected to obtain permission to sample the Beatles’ work and EMI (who owns the rights to The White Album) promptly blocked further distribution of it. The Grey Album then became a poster child of sorts for those who believe sampling should be considered “fair use” in the world of copyright law. *ahem – it’s easy to find a bootleg copy*
Some peeps believe The Beatles should be off-limits, but I’m a fan of The Grey Album and recommend this article on the album’s production. Standout tracks for me include “99 Problems” (sampling “Helter Skelter”) and “Encore” (sampling “Glass Onion” and “Savoy Truffle”). You gotta check out this clever video of “Encore” if only to see “John Lennon” break dance (sorry purists).
In addition to The Grey Album, Danger Mouse produced Demon Days, the second studio album from The Gorrillaz, which features the hit “Feel Good, Inc.” This work earned him a Grammy nomination for production.
Cee-Lo and Gnarls after the jump!
