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.
New York New York
Moby Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Does it taste right
Does it feel right
New York, New York
Does it burn bright
Are the stars light
Do you know my name
Do you love when I take you up there
New York, New York
Does it taste nice
Does it feel right
New York, New York
Does it taste like
What it burns like
Do you know my name
Do you even care
Do you love when I take you up there
Baby won't you take me there
Make it like you really care
I am feeling good up there
Just keep the diamonds in my hair
Make me feel good right now
Like everything does in this town
Lines of snow and popping corks
Money, drugs in old New York
Baby won't you really hurt
Make it like it really burns
I am feeling good up there
Just keep the diamonds in my hair
Make me feel good right now
Like everything does in this town
Lines of snow and popping corks
Money, drugs in old New York
New York, New York
Does it taste right
Does it feel right
New York, New York
Does it burn bright
Are the stars light
Do you know my name
Do you even care
Do you love when I take you up there
Baby won't you take me there
Make it like you really care
I am feeling good up there
Just keep the diamonds in my hair
Make me feel good right now
Like everything does in this town
Lines of snow and popping corks
Money, drugs in old New York
Baby make it really hurt
Like everything that ever burned
I am feeling good up there
Just keep the diamonds in my hair
Make me feel good right now
Like everything does in this town
Lines of snow and popping corks
Money, drugs in old New York
Baby won't you take me there
Make it like you really care
I am feeling good up there
Just keep the diamonds in my hair
Make me feel good right now
Like everything does in this town
Lines of snow and popping corks
Money, drugs in old New York
The lyrics of Moby's song "New York, New York" featuring Debby Harry portray the city as a place of extremes. The chorus questions whether the city tastes right, feels right, and burns bright; while the verses express a desire to feel good, even at the expense of temporary pleasures like drugs and money. The song creates a sense of hedonism and desire for instant gratification, as the repetitive lines encourage the listener to "make me feel good right now, like everything does in this town."
The lyrics are a commentary on the culture and lifestyle of New York City, where people are constantly seeking the next big thing, the next high, the next experience. The city is portrayed as both seductive and dangerous, a place where anything can happen, and pleasure and pain go hand in hand.
The repeated question "Do you know my name, do you even care?" captures the loneliness and anonymity that can come with living in a city that is so full of people. The desire for connection, even if it comes in the form of fleeting moments of pleasure, is a central theme of the song.
Overall, "New York, New York" is a critique of the culture of excess and instant gratification that characterizes New York City, while still acknowledging the seductive pull of that lifestyle.
Line by Line Meaning
New York, New York
The city of New York
Does it taste right
Is everything as it should be
Does it feel right
Are things going smoothly
Does it burn bright
Is the city alive and vibrant
Are the stars light
Is the city sparkling with life
Do you know my name
Do you recognize me
Do you even care
Do you have any concern for me
Do you love when I take you up there
Do you enjoy being brought to a higher level
Does it taste nice
Is everything to your liking
Does it burn bright
Is the city filled with energy
Does it taste like
Is the experience as intense as it seems
What it burns like
Is the city buzzing with excitement
Baby won't you take me there
Please bring me to a higher level
Make it like you really care
Make the experience genuine
I am feeling good up there
I am enjoying the higher level
Just keep the diamonds in my hair
Let me savor the luxury of the city
Make me feel good right now
Let me feel the pleasure of the moment
Like everything does in this town
Like the city satisfies all desires
Lines of snow and popping corks
Drugs and alcohol flowing freely in the city
Money, drugs in old New York
The city's reputation for its excess and indulgence
Baby make it really hurt
Push me to the limits of pleasure
Like everything that ever burned
Like every intense experience I've ever had
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Richard Melville Hall
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ladykopelman528
This is the closest-ish I've found to that one gem of a perfect remix of Armond/Debbie/Moby that hasn't been around for the last decade-ish. I keep looking, in hopes that one day they will let it come back.
@Lightmaster5
Amo la parte donde aparece Moby.
@manuelmuscedere
Yeah!!!
@bramjoosten4770
what many Americans actually don't know is that the state of New York was originally from the Dutch from 1609-1664, they called it Nieuw-Nederland and then later when Peter Stuyvesant surrendered himself in 1664 it came in British hands and they renamed it to New York, so did they called Lower Manhattan "Nieuw-Amsterdam" for example after they bought Manna Hatta (that's how the native's called it) from the native's and then later the British renamed it to Manhattan
@markr1574
Is this the new Vengaboys?