Moby plays keyboards, guitar and bass guitar. He took his performing name from the novel Moby-Dick by Herman Melville, who is his great-great-granduncle. His work, while focused in general on various forms of electronic music, have explored many other styles.
Early years
Moby used to be in a punk rock band called the Vatican Commandos, which was formed in 1980. The group evolved away from punk in 1989 for electronic music. He realized his music tastes and growth were going in a different direction than his previous band's vibe, and he broke off on his own.
His first album "The Story So Far (aka Moby)" featured the single "Go", which gained popularity in many discos, and earned a spot on the UK charts. The song is so popular that Moby still plays "Go" regularly in his sets. "Go" is a progressive track using the string line from "Laura Palmer's Theme" from the TV drama Twin Peaks.
1994-1998
His first album for the UK based MUTE Records was Everything Is Wrong (which had US distribution via Elektra) , which earned early critical praise and minor commercial success. He followed that up with a hard rock/electronic album called Animal Rights in 1996. In 1997, he released I Like to Score, a collection of music included in movies. Among those tracks was an updated version of the James Bond theme used for the James Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies. However, both Animal Rights and I Like to Score had only limited success and Moby and Elektra parted company however he remained signed to MUTE.
1999-2004
After a decade's worth of music, Moby's breakthrough album was 1999's Play. Mainstream reviewers raved about his talents on the album (released on V2 Records) though some early fans were let down. The album has 18 tracks and was the first album in history to have all of its tracks commercially licensed: "Porcelain," for instance, appeared on TV commercials for Bailey's Irish Cream, Hong Kong's PCCW and Nordstrom, and Volkswagen's MKIV Jetta; "Find My Baby" was on a commercial for American Express featuring golfer Tiger Woods. The album's tracks eventually were accepted in various radio formats, but because of Play's extensive licensing, the album could have been financially successful even without radio play. In addition to fame garnered through its licensing, Play is also notable for its extensive sampling of old blues recordings collected by Alan Lomax. In a 2005 posting on his web site, Moby theorized that his eagerness to license his music is a result of "growing up in poverty."
In 2001, Moby founded the Area:One Festival. It was a popular touring rock festival that featured an eclectic range of musical genres. A second tour was organized for the following year.
In 2001 Moby also earned the ire of Eminem after calling his music misogynistic and homophobic; Eminem later satirized Moby (among others) in "Without Me," calling him a "fag" and questioning his relevance with the claim "Nobody listens to techno." Moby replied that he hadn't played techno since 1992. The two were in a confrontation at the 2002 MTV Video Music Awards, though Moby expresses respect for Eminem as an artist.
In 2002, Moby briefly had a television show on MTV, Señor Moby's House of Music, which focused mostly on more obscure electronic music. Also in 2002, Moby released 18, an album that had 18 tracks. The most popular song on the album was "We Are All Made of Stars". Moby says he wrote "We Are All Made of Stars" because of the September 11th Terrorist Attacks, which happened on his birthday.
2005
In 2005 Moby released "Lift Me Up", a single from his album Hotel, which featured, in addition to numerous remixes, UK company Digimpro's software. The program allows users to remix the song - using any or all of the samples included—and save it as an MP3 file. Thus unlimited, personalized versions of the title track were possible. Digimpro had previously seen exposure with group Erasure's single "Breathe," allowing users the same ability. Instead of his usual usage of samples, all of the vocals and instruments on "Hotel" were performed live in the studio by Moby and vocalist Laura Dawn, who is the Cultural Director of MoveOn.org.
For certain dates on Moby's 2005 European tour, Liveherenow provided concert goers with CDs of the show 10 minutes after the show finished. Other Mute Records artists like Erasure and Client have previously used this company for similar reasons.
2006
Moby has recently scored the soundtrack for Richard Kelly's upcoming movie 'The Southland Tales'. Whilst he is generally against composing music for films, he was a huge fan of Kelly's previous film 'Donnie Darko' and could not resist the offer the director gave him.
ITV in the United Kingdom use Moby's song "Lift Me Up" for their coverage of Formula One racing by using the song as the intro. and also snippets to segues for interviews and advertisements.
Also, Moby had one of his older songs used in a Original HBO series, The Sopranos. This song, "When its Cold I'd like to Die" was used in the last scene in which Tony was in his dream state.
Besides music
Moby is a vegan, non-denominational Christian and self-proclaimed "simpleton" (for his often sincere and idealistic political assessments).
Moby lives in New York City. Until recently he co-owned a small restaurant and coffee shop called TeaNY, where he occasionally waited tables. He also organized the Little Idiot Collective, a group of artists that also includes cartoonist and musician James Kochalka. He's a huge fan of the TV series "The Simpsons".
Moby's official website is at moby.com.
Activism
Moby is a well known advocate for a variety of progressive causes, working with MoveOn.org, and PETA, among others. He created MoveOn Voter Fund's "Bush in 30 Seconds" contest along with singer Laura Dawn and MoveOn Executive Director Eli Pariser.
He also actively engages in nonpartisan activism. He has performed benefit concerts for the Institute for Music and Neurologic Function, promoting music therapy. Moby also serves on the Board of Directors of Amend.org, a nonprofit that implements injury prevention programs in Africa.
He is an advocate of network neutrality and he testified before the US House committee debating the issue in 2006.
James Bond Theme
Moby Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
One love will
One love will
One love can take you make you feel alive and whole
Why give it up why tear it up
My love will
My love will make you feel alive enough to let go
Oh
The death row
Once again you feel like the brothers know
Once again, back is the incredible
The rhyme animal
The unforgettable d
Public enemy number one
Five-oh said "freeze" and I got numb
Can't I tell 'em that I really never had a gun
But the wax that the terminator x spun
Now
So soft
So alive
My dear
So good
So close
So real
This love
Whoa love!
Wanna give it up
Lets turn it loose
"bond, james bond."
The lyrics to Moby's James Bond Theme are rather sparse, but the repeated phrase "one love will" hints at a theme of unity and the power of love to bring people together. The first stanza encourages the listener to allow this love to lift them up and make them feel whole, suggesting that it is a transformative force. The second stanza introduces some more concrete imagery, including a reference to death row and the rapper Chuck D, who goes by the moniker "The Rhyme Animal." The lyrics suggest that this love is soft, alive, good, close, and real.
Line by Line Meaning
Now let it lift you, oh!
Allow this song to elevate your spirit and move you emotionally.
One love will
There is a singular form of love that has immense power.
One love will
Again, this love has an unmatched ability to change lives.
One love can take you make you feel alive and whole
This remarkable love has the potential to invigorate your life and fill you with happiness.
Why give it up why tear it up
Why would you walk away from this love or destroy it?
One love will
One more time, this love is incredibly powerful.
My love will
This is a personal declaration of love with the same power as the One Love.
My love will make you feel alive enough to let go
This personal love has the power to allow people to let go of their concerns and insecurities.
Oh
Just an exclamation, possibly indicating intense emotion.
The death row
This line is a reference to the Death Row Records label, but its significance may be difficult to discern.
Once again you feel like the brothers know
Referring back to Death Row Records, the brothers in question may be the label's management or the artists associated with it.
Once again, back is the incredible
This line indicates a return, possibly of a powerful force or idea.
The rhyme animal
An energetic and prolific rapper, capable of creating endless rhymes.
The unforgettable d
This is likely a reference to Chuck D of Public Enemy, who is well-known and influential in hip-hop culture.
Public enemy number one
A phrase used by the US FBI to indicate a criminal they consider a high priority to track down and apprehend. Here, it likely refers to a powerful hip-hop figure.
Five-oh said "freeze" and I got numb
Five-oh is a derogatory term for police officers. The artist is saying they were so scared, they lost feeling in their body when told to stop.
Can't I tell 'em that I really never had a gun
The artist is asking why the police couldn't understand they never possessed a weapon.
But the wax that the terminator x spun
Referring to Terminator X, a DJ from Public Enemy who created beats using vinyl records or 'wax.'
Now
A prompt, possibly indicating a change in topic or tone.
So soft
A description of a delicate and tender love.
So alive
This love is vibrant and intense, giving a sense of energy to the relationship.
My dear
A term of endearment for someone the artist cares for deeply.
So good
This love is fulfilling and gratifying.
So close
The relationship is deeply intimate and familiar, likely indicating physical proximity as well.
So real
This love is genuine and wears no façade, being true and pure.
This love
Returning to the theme of love, the song's focus is on the powerful emotional bond since the beginning.
Whoa love!
An exclamation emphasizing the potency of the love described in the song.
Wanna give it up
Ironically, this phrase means the opposite of its literal interpretation; it means to never give up on this incredible love.
Lets turn it loose
This line is a call to action, urging the listener to let their love flourish without any inhibition.
"bond, james bond."
This is the famous catchphrase uttered by the character James Bond, who appears in a series of popular spy movies. It serves to conclude the song on a high note and is now Moby’s association with the character.
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: JAY GRAYDON, ALAN PAUL, DAVID FOSTER, MONTY NORMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@shendruew
Best version of the Bond theme, in my opinion. Love the accentuated guitar and small intricacies added.
@nikostalk5730
acid bassline and breakbeat beats, epic duo of all times!
@randywhite3947
It’s not but it’s still good
@user-nz1kn3cz2g
Есть поговорка, на вкус и цвет - товарищей нет)
Думаю, разжевывать не надо, что у всех своих вкусы
@FT-ho6cb
Agree
@millaananova
90s was such a cool time for music. This and the Propellerheads one is love.
@jamesjames2070
Yea bro I agree the crystal method
@7n154
Agreed, this mix was good - but the Propellerheads version was sublime.
@7n154
@James James I was a rave dj in the 90's and used to play The Crystal Method's re-mix of Moby's 'Come On Babe'. It's held up pretty good, its' heavy bass drop is still amazing. And I still have a vinyl copy of their 'Keep Hope Alive' EP. Both are still worthy listens if you find 'em on youtube. Also, if you like that sound, check out the 'Braindust EP' by Überzone and an awesome rave set by DJ John Kelly called 'Funkydesertbreaks V.1' - that classic is def on youtube. Enjoy.
@LicencetoWho
@7 Acuña It would have been great to have seen Propellerheads do a version of the Bond theme as well as Majesty's secret service