Moby (Richard Melville Hall). Life, music and videos of Moby - one of the most famous electronic musicians Bonus discs for limited editions

Moby (real name Richard Melville Hall) is an American DJ, singer, composer and one-man band. When you hear about Moby for the first time, you cannot be sure that you are not familiar with his music: these are more than 10 studio albums, more than 100 compositions for soundtracks for films, TV series and advertising. Worked with Michael Jackson, Pet Shop Boys, Depeche Mode, Erasure, Trentemoller, The B-52s and Orbital.

His father died when Richard was two years old and his mother had to take over raising him. From early childhood, the boy learned to play guitar and piano, and at 20 he moved to New York, where he quickly began to master DJ skills and released his first singles. One of these singles called “Go” with samples from the already popular TV series “Twin Peaks” brings him success, getting into the British top 10 and after that the musician’s career takes off.

The most popular album at that time was “Play”: it was recognized as the best album of 1999 by both critics and the general public, going platinum in 25 countries and receiving Grammy nominations and awards from MTV and VH1. 8 singles from the album remained in high positions on music charts around the world until 2002.

“Why Does My Heart Feel So Bad?”, “Natural Blues”, “Porcelain”, as well as their videos became hits. The album was accompanied by a booklet with essays written by the artist himself on topics important to Richard: vegetarianism, politics, religion and ecology.

What sets Moby apart from other electronic musicians? Style - a variety of genres, their talented and skillful mixing. There is no feigned eclecticism as an end in itself, the author's hand is felt. The musician himself says that his life has not changed much with the acquisition of world fame, except that the standard of hotels in which he has to stay on tour has increased.

The secret of Moby's success: you need to work in several areas, be it cinema or advertising, the artist must be flexible and versatile. At the same time, Richard was honest with the public, admitting to drug and alcohol addiction, which he eventually successfully got rid of.

In addition to music, Moby is involved in charity work, reinforcing the seriousness of his political and other convictions with action. Richard's principle of supporting unofficial remixes of his compositions also speaks volumes: what was previously created by a musician, in his opinion, is a common property.

Moby's latest works are presented in the ambient genre: “Hotel” (re-release of the 2005 album) and “Long Ambients 1: Calm. Sleep.” The albums fascinate with their purity and simplicity; one can feel the influence of the author’s love for science fiction literature.

Moby, an American DJ, singer, composer and multi-instrumentalist who crossed electronic music with pop rock, celebrates his 50th anniversary on September 11th. Agency InterMedia provides several interesting facts from the biography of Richard Melville Hall, nicknamed Moby.

1. Moby is a distant relative of the writer Herman Melville, whose main novel was the epic Moby Dick. So the puny Richard Melville Hall acquired a pseudonym in honor of the huge whale.

2. In his youth, Moby worked as a DJ for pennies, played punk rock, wandered around America, was homeless. In 1991 he released the single “ Go”, gained some popularity, and in 1999 his album “ Play”, which a couple of years later sold 10 million copies.

3. Moby tried unsuccessfully in his youth LSD, as a result of which he sometimes suffers from panic attacks. Now Richard does not take drugs, does not drink and protects animals.

4. Animals do not always reciprocate his feelings. One day, Moby petted a street cat that had bitten him on the arm. The hand became swollen and inflamed, and the musician had to see a doctor and undergo a course of rabies injections.

5. Moby adheres to a vegan “diet”: he does not eat cheese, meat, eggs, butter, and does not wear leather or fur clothes.

6. Right during the Grammy ceremony, Moby called Eminem a misogynist, homophobe, racist and anti-Semite from the stage. When asked to comment on this statement, Moby withdrew the accusations of anti-Semitism, but confirmed the rest. Eminem was not at all upset, but Marilyn Manson once promised to beat Moby for calling him a “good guy.”

7. In 2001, Moby experienced the worst birthday ever: he lived in New York two kilometers from the Twin Towers, destroyed by the September 11 terrorist attack. Instead of congratulations, he received a call in the morning about a terrorist attack: “I jumped out of bed, went out onto the terrace on the roof of my house and saw this sight that I could not imagine even in a nightmare.” Moby believes that those experiences greatly influenced his music.

8. At a concert in Moscow in 2005, Moby said: “I don’t speak Russian well, but one phrase came very easily to me: George Bush is an idiot!” The audience applauded.

9. Moby claims to have written 300 songs in 2006. “True, not all of them are good,” he says modestly.

10. Moby has never been married, has no children, and prefers to “devote his life to music rather than to any person.” Due to this, gays consider Moby to be one of their own, which he does not confirm. Although it doesn’t really refute it.

11. Moby is a fan of the animated series "The Simpsons". A statue of Homer Simpson sits on his mantelpiece.

Richard Melville Hall

Musician Date of birth September 11 (Virgo) 1965 (53) Place of birth New York Instagram @moby

Moby is an American electronic singer-songwriter, composer, and DJ. Also known by his real name, Richard Melville Hall. Works in many genres. Solo artist. Plays several instruments. He usually makes studio recordings himself, but goes to concerts with his rock band. At first he played in the band The Vatican Commandos, with a hardcore punk direction, and in the late 80s he began writing electronic music. He released his first album in 1992, but Everything is Wrong and Animal Rights and Play brought him fame. The artist has sold more than 20 million records worldwide. AllMusic considers him "an important figure in early 1990s dance music." The composer collaborated with Michael Jackson, Britney Spears, Mylene Farmer, Metallica and other stars. He wrote more than a hundred film soundtracks and starred in several films.

Biography of Moby

Richard Melville Hall was born on September 11, 1965 in Harlem, a suburb of New York. His mother, Elizabeth McBride Warner-Hall, was a student at that time, and his father, James Hall, lectured at the Department of Chemistry at Columbia University. Their marriage could not be called happy. When the boy's father died in a crash in 1967, some even speculated that the accident was a suicide. The future artist was then 2 years old. Soon Elizabeth, who was only 23, moved her son to Connecticut. The child lived with his grandparents until his mother graduated from university and received her degree.

Richard's mother instilled a love of music in him. They often played together, mostly classics. At Darien High School, Richard and his friends created their first group, the Vatican Commandos. At the senior box office, he joined the new group Awol.

After graduating from high school in 1983, the DJ attended the University of Connecticut, where he studied philosophy. He did not finish his studies for only a year - his musical career turned out to be more important. At first, Melville Hall worked in a store in Darien, played in local bands such as Caeli Soul and Gin Train, and was a DJ in local nightclubs. It was as a disc jockey that he achieved his first successes.

In 1989, the young man moved to New York and signed a contract with Instinct Records. He released his first single, Mobility, in 1990, but it was not very successful. The composer presented the audience with his second single Go. The song quickly became a Top 10 hit in the United Kingdom.

In 1995, Richard released his first full-length techno album, All In Wrong, which quickly sold out. In 1996, the punk rock album Animal Rights was written, and in 1997, the composer collected all his music that he wrote for films. This is how the album I Like to Score was born. Moby's fame has spread beyond the United States. The album, with the singles Natural Blues and Porcelain, sold 9 million copies worldwide.

From 1999 to 2004, Moby released several more successful albums. Some were written in collaboration with Jeff Rogers, MC Lite, Azure Ray. Every year the musician gave hundreds of concerts.

The next album, Hotel, went on sale in 2005. This was already somewhat different music, in which ambient was mixed with pop-rock. The audience especially liked the track Lift me up. The composition was included in the album last. The artist even admitted that he followed his own intuition - he had a dream where this song was performed live.

In 2007, the musician and his friends created the rock band The Little Death. Their collaboration was the disc Last Night (hip-hop, techno). In 2008, Melville Hall launched MobyGratis, an original project of its kind that allowed all independent filmmakers to use music from Moby albums for free in films.

In 2010, one of Mylene Farmer's discs (original Bleu noir) went on sale. It contains music for some songs, incl. Bleu noir, was written by Moby.

Between 2011 and 2013, two more albums were recorded (Destroyed, Innocent).

Natalie Portman and Moby An actress who graduated from Harvard and a romantic musician - fate itself brought Portman and Moby together. True, the artist admitted in an interview with the American magazine Spin several years later: “Star Wars fans hated... Kim Kardashian and Nick Cannon and other celebrity couples that we forgot about

Moby's personal life

The musician lives in Los Angeles. He has never married and still has no children.

In 2010, he opened his own vegetarian restaurant, Little Pine.

In an interview with Psychology Today, the DJ admitted that at the age of nineteen he began using LSD to get rid of panic attacks. The musician speaks openly about his attitude to drugs. According to him, every adult has the right to do what he wants. The artist even appeared at conferences drunk several times.

Now the DJ has become an avid vegetarian. In addition, he actively cooperates with foundations that promote ethical treatment of animals (MoveOn, PETA).

Considers himself a true Christian. In one of the interviews, the singer stated: “I really love Christ, his teaching is the highest wisdom I have ever encountered...” He willingly discusses the topic of religion at conferences, in interviews, and on his own blog.

Moby(English) Moby, real name: Richard Melville Hall/ English Richard Melville Hall, born September 11, 1965 in Harlem, New York City) is an American musician, as well as the name of his band. Works in various genres - from electronic music to pop, rock and punk. The pseudonym was borrowed from Herman Melville's work "Moby Dick", the author of which is a relative of the musician.

Among Moby's famous songs: " Go", "Porcelain", "Why Does My Heart Feel So Bad?", "Natural Blues", "Lift Me Up". He also released albums under the names Voodoo Child, Barracuda, UHF, The Brotherhood, DJ Cake, Lopez, and Brainstorm/Mindstorm.

Richard was born in New York City but grew up in Darien, Connecticut. When he was two years old, his father died in a car accident, and the boy was subsequently raised by his mother, a rather progressive woman who encouraged her son’s creative inclinations. At the age of nine, the boy begins to take piano and guitar lessons. As a teenager, he played guitar in various bands, from the punk band The Vatican Commandos to the anarchic band Flipper and the then quite famous band ULTRA VIVID SCENE.

At the end of the 1980s. Richard went to New York - one of the centers of the emerging house culture - and began to master the DJ craft in local clubs, as well as create his own electronic material. In 1990-91 he released several debut singles on the independent label "Instinct".

In 1991 single Go with samples from the famous television series " Twin Peaks" ("Twin Peaks"), directed by David Lynch, hit the UK Top 10 and sold over one million copies. After his first major success, Moby remixed the work of a number of famous and unknown bands and musicians, including Michael Jackson, Pet Shop Boys, Brian Eno, Depeche Mode, Erasure, B-52 and Orbital.

Richard's first full-length album appeared in 1992. The following year, he released the single “I Feel It / Thousand”, which is included in the Guinness Book of Records as the fastest track in the history of music and signed a contract with Mute Records, where his next release “Ambient” was released, which collected materials from 1988- 91 On disk" Everything Is Wrong" (1995) Richard declared himself as a truly original master who created a unique hybrid of various styles and genres of music, from breakbeat to pseudo-industrial thrash, ambient trance and dance-pop. The popular music magazine Spin awarded this album the title "Album of the Year" .

Next album " Animal Rights"(1996) was a triptych composed of industrial punk, speedcore and heartbreaking instrumental compositions. Imagine a cross between Nine Inch Nails and Smashing Pumpkins, you can understand what "Animal Rights" is with its pseudo-industrial guitars, ambient textures, hidden far away on background, and the subtle, specific vocals of Moby himself. The author himself is proud of the work he has done, but the album sells very poorly. Against this background, Richard develops depression. In addition to all this, his mother dies of lung cancer. In 1997, under the pseudonym Voodoo Child. , Moby released the album "The End Of Everything", as well as "I Like To Score", in which Moby collected remixes of his own songs used as soundtracks for films. Fortunately, this album sold better than "Animal Rights", which. gives the musician strength to write his next album.

The next album brought huge success to the musician - " Play"(May 1999). At its core, this is a rather slow work, combining downtempo beats and well-developed melodies. The first two tracks of the album, “Honey” and “Find Me Baby,” are made very cleverly and not without mockery. Here Moby combined short gospel and blues vocal samples with breakbeat techno, which allows you to compare these compositions with the work of Fatboy Slim and the Chemical Brothers of the late 1990s. “Bodyrock” is another breakbeat anthem, but already flavored with good old-school rap instead of blues. The piano line and jagged violin samples in "Porcelain" sound quite meaningful, and "South Side" - the album's pop track - integrates vocals that cannot be properly perceived without a transcendental chorus that completely transforms it.

The album "Play" sold more than 10 million copies. It went platinum in 26 countries, was nominated for a Grammy Award three years in a row, and also received several awards from MTV and VH1.

In 2002, Moby's eighth album was released - " 18 ", in the recording of which not only Moby himself participated, but also Sinead O'Connor, Angie Stone, MC Lite, Azure Ray.

In 2005, Moby released a new album " Hotel", in which he combines ambient and pop rock. The main track loved by the general public from this album was "Lift me up", which Moby included on the disc at the very last moment, because of his dream, where he saw the performance of this song live .

His next work is the album " Last Night"(2008). This disc combines the dance rhythms of discotheques of the 80s, techno, as well as the hip-hop song "Alice". In the same 2008, the musician launches his project MobyGratis, the essence of which is that any an independent filmmaker can use Moby's tracks for the soundtrack of his film.

Release of a new studio album " Wait for Me" took place in June 2009; already in April, a video for the track "Shot in the Back of the Head", filmed by David Lynch, was available for download on Moby's website, after which Moby released the single "Pale Horses", and then added from time to time on your website, short animated videos (blips) for each of your songs.

Other

Moby is a longtime vegetarian (since the 1980s). He is a Christian, but does not belong to any religious denomination. Collaborated with PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) and MoveOn.

Lives in New York (part of the city - Manhattan). He owned a small restaurant and cafe called TeaNY.

Moby - Natural Blues

Moby - Why Does My Heart Feel So Bad?

Moby - Go

When you think about the electronic music of the late 1990s and early 2000s, it's impossible not to think of Moby, with its masterpiece tracks and unique videos. In honor of the fiftieth anniversary of this American musician, we bring to your attention the story of how the career of one of the key figures in electronic music developed.

Richard Melville Hall, better known to the world as, was born in New York on September 11, 1965. Richard's parents were very young when their first child was born. His mother, Elizabeth Melville Hall, was still a student, and his father, James Hall, was a young chemistry professor at Columbia University.

Those who believe that creativity is connected with the history of the family of a creative person will rejoice at the history of the origin of the musician’s pseudonym. Almost from birth, Richard was given the nickname “Moby”, in honor of the book “Moby Dick”, the author of which, Henry Melville, is Richard’s great-great-great-great-grandfather.

For fans of the theory that the manifestation of talent is preceded by some tragic event, there will also be an interesting fact in the biography. He was only two years old when his father died in a car accident. After the death of James Hall, Elizabeth and her son moved to her mother in Connecticut.

Richard's mother, then only 23 years old, continued her studies in college, and his grandmother worked almost every day. Therefore, Richard was left to his own devices for most of his childhood. It was during this period that the future star developed an interest in music.

Moby’s mother also played a significant role in his passion for music, she had a huge collection of records, and she herself played the piano well and often performed classical pieces of music for her son. As a result, at the age of nine, Richard Melville Hall began writing his own compositions.

In 1983, after graduating from school, he entered the University of Connecticut, where he studied philosophy. True, just a year later he dropped out of school to start a musical career, but the road to success was quite long. Until the early 1990s he worked as a DJ in nightclubs.

In 1989 he moved to New York, where he signed a contract with the Instinct Records label. It was on this label that the artist’s first single, “Mobility,” was released in 1990, which, however, was not particularly successful. Following it, in 1991, the second composition “Go” was released, which includes a sample of the main theme from the TV series “Twin Peaks”, and although the single was not particularly popular in the USA, it reached number 6 in the Dutch hit parade and reached number 10 in the UK charts.

Video "Go"

The success of “Go” made it possible to release a solo album (“Moby” 1992), designed in techno and ambient styles. The release did not enter any charts and was not a commercial success, but was highly praised by critics and even entered the Guinness Book of Records for the rhythm in the tracks, which exceeded 1000 beats per minute.

Album cover "Moby"

From 1992 to 1993, his main activity was creating remixes for artists such as Michael Jackson, The Prodigy, Pet Shop Boys and Erasure.

In 1993, he signed a new contract with the Mute Records label, which released the single “Move,” which topped the US dance radio chart and enjoyed minor success in the UK, where it reached number 21 on the chart.

Video for the song “Move”

In the same year, “Ambient”, the artist’s second album, was released. Unlike the first record, “Ambient” not only did not have commercial success, but was also rather coolly received by critics. The album also marked the end of his contract with Instinct Records.

Album cover "Ambient"

Continuing to work with Mute Records, he changes his musical direction and releases several more singles that are popular on the US dance charts.

“Everything Is Wrong” album cover

In 1995, an album performed in electronic and EDM styles was released. The album was highly praised by critics and, compared to the artist's previous long-plays, sold well. And the cover of the single “Bring Back My Happiness” introduced the public to “Little Idiot,” an animated character who would later appear on album covers and in the artist’s videos.

Cover of the single “Bring Back My Happiness”

Due to the lack of commercial success, he decided to change his musical direction again and in 1996 the album “Animal Rights” was released. Unlike the electronic sound of previous albums, this release is performed in the styles of alternative rock and punk. Music critics gave the album an extremely negative review, and the album's sales were meager. And although years later the album was considered underrated, manager Eric Harle, in an interview with HitQuarters, admitted that the record almost killed his career. The change in musical style not only failed to attract new fans, but also scared away old ones.

Album cover “Animal Rights”

It is especially ironic that he turned to rock just when electronic music began to gain popularity thanks to such artists as The Prodigy and The Chemical Brothers.

Video for the single “That’s When I Reach for My Revolver” from the album “Animal Rights”

Cover of the collection “I Like To Score”

A more or less successful attempt to restore his career was the album “I Like To Score”, which collected music used in films. The album reached number 83 in France and number 54 in the UK, and the updated Bond theme, released as a single from the collection, reached number 8 in the UK chart.

Clip of the main theme to the James Bond films, arranged by Moby

The first serious success was the 1999 album “Play”. Returning to electronic music was, of course, the right decision, but the result was still long in coming. In its first week of release, Play sold only 6,000 copies. The album debuted in the UK at number 33 and dropped off the chart after five weeks.

Album cover "Play"

But since the manager set out to sell at least 250,000 copies of the album (Everything Is Wrong, which at that stage was the best-selling album in the artist’s discography), he convinced the label to continue releasing singles from “Play”. And 10 months after its release, the album began to climb the charts. Featuring the single "Natural Blues", an electronic adaptation of American folk singer Vera Hall's 1937 song "Trouble So Hard", the album reached number one in the UK, France, Australia and New Zealand. At the peak of its worldwide popularity, the album sold over 150,000 copies per week.

Video for the song “Natural Blues”, in which Christina Ricci plays the role of an angel

As a result, the total circulation of the album amounted, according to various sources, from 9 to 12 million copies, which makes it the best-selling album in the style of electronic music.

The resounding success of “Play” affected the status. Now the musician remixes songs for David Bowie, Bestie Boys and Metallica. And he even co-wrote some songs in the albums of Britney Spears and Sophie Ellis-Bextor. Moreover, he goes on a world tour, during which he gives over 500 concerts.

Album cover "18"

In 2002, a new album “18” was released, which sounded similar to “Play”, except that it was calmer. Critics generally gave the album positive reviews. The main disadvantage was the similarity with the previous release.

Video for the song “We Are All Made of Stars” from the album “18”

The album topped the charts in many European countries and reached number 4 in the USA. Globally, the album has sold over 5 million copies.

“Hotel” album cover

In 2005, he released his seventh studio album, Hotel. Unlike his previous works, where the musician relied mainly on samples, on this record all vocal and instrumental parts were sung and played in the studio.

Video for the song “Beautiful” from “Hotel”

Critics had mixed reactions to the new album. Some criticized the album for its track list, which begins with loud and catchy songs and ends with ballads that make you want to fall asleep. Others noted that live rather than sampled vocals made the record more sensual. Some called the album too banal for , while others called the disc high-quality pop work.

As for himself, in an interview with Q magazine in 2011, he said of “Hotel”: “It’s the first time I’ve recorded an album in a big studio with good engineers, but I only end up liking a couple of songs. I think it's too polished a record for me."

Commercially, the album sold over 2 million copies. A good result for any record, but compared to the success of the two previous releases, the sales of “Hotel” simply pale in comparison. The album was very popular in Europe, especially in France thanks to the single “Slipping Away”, performed in a duet with Mylène Farmer.

Video for “Slipping Aways”, performed in a duet with Mylene Farmer.

“Last Night” album cover

Three years later, at the end of March 2008, the album “Last Night” was released, which is a dance record in house and disco styles. The album was rated by many publications. Pitchfork praised the album for its light sound. Allmusic praised the fact that the album was more of an ode to the dance trends popular in the 1970s and 1980s, rather than an attempt to sound hip by today's standards. The music publication Rolling Stone called the main advantage of the record that he does not sing himself, but instead the beautiful voices of different vocalists sound.

Video for the song “Disco Lies”

The album's first single, "Disco Lies", achieved success only in the charts in Germany, where it reached number 8, and Switzerland, where the song reached number 10. Commercially, the album itself sold just over half a million copies.

Album cover “Wait For Me”

In July 2009, a little more than a year after the release of “Last Night”, Moby’s new, much calmer and even darker album “Wait For Me” was released.

recorded the album on his own, in his apartment, and even released an album on his own Little Idiot label (in honor of the same animated character who also appears on the album cover). The animated video for the album's first single, "Shot in the Back of the Head", was directed by American film director David Lynch.

“Wait For Me” was highly praised by music publications and critics, although commercially it performed worse than its predecessor. Allmusi rated the album 3.5 out of 5, noting that the record sounds like the soundtrack to one of Lynch's films. Michael Roffman from Consequence of Sound called the album the best in the discography, noting that this release is a return to the underground scene. Rolling Stone described the album as sad, yet pleasant and romantic.

Album cover "Destroyed"

Two years later he released the album “Destroyed”. The tenth record was recorded mainly in hotels while Moby was on tour in support of Wait For Me. On this album he began to sing again, performing vocal parts on some tracks; the voices of guest vocalists are heard on other songs. "Destroyed" received mixed reviews from critics. The BBC named the disc one of the artist's best albums. Shakefire.com stated that the record is much more enjoyable to listen to than the artist's last few works, despite the fact that it is not as good as his earlier works. At the same time, Spin magazine compared the album to “overheated food.”

There is an interesting story connected with the album “Destroyed”. In 2005, when he met the French singer Mylène Farmer, he gave her several demo recordings. In 2010, Farmer's eighth album, Bleu Noir, was released, which is extremely popular in France. The French pop diva used the donated demo recordings for six songs on the album (including the title track) and wrote her own lyrics for them. In February 2011, the title song was released as the second single from “Bleu Noir”, and in May of the same year he also released the second single from the album “Destroyed”, “The Day”. The music is the same, the lyrics are different.

Mylène Farmer's video for the song “Bleu Noir”

Video for Moby's song "The Day"

Later, in an interview with a French publication, he admits that he simply forgot that he gave the layout of this song to Farmer.

Album cover "Innocents"

In 2013, the eleventh and at this stage the last album “Innocents” was released. Mark Stent, who had previously worked with such artists as Bjork, Depeche Mode, Coldplay and U2, was invited as a producer. The album was again a commercial disappointment, although it received positive reviews from some publications.

Video for the song “Saints” from the album “Innocents”

Allmusic called this work intimate, deep and the most powerful in the performer’s career over the past five years. Drowned in Sound compared Innocents to the best-selling Play and praised the record's cohesive sound despite its different styles. Spin gave the album mixed reviews. The presence of purely instrumental compositions and the vocals of guest vocalists, including Skyler Gray and Mark Lanegan, were called advantages, while the disadvantages were the depressiveness of the record, which consists of only ballads.

He rarely performs in the last few years, saying that concert tours take up time that he could spend on music. However, the musician has been silent for the last two years. Perhaps the lack of commercial success forced him to do something else, or maybe he is preparing a new album. If so, will the record be intended only for fans of electronic and club music, which will again be highly praised by critics, but it will not become a hit. Although, if you look at how your career developed in the mid-1990s, maybe we should wait for the new “Play”?