Moby facts for kids

For other uses, see Moby (disambiguation).

Quick facts for kids Moby
Moby performing in 2018
Background information
Birth name	Richard Melville Hall
Born	(1965-09-11) September 11, 1965 (age 59) New York City, U.S.
Genres	Electronica trip hop house downtempo ambient alternative rock techno punk rock chill-out electronic rock
Occupation(s)	Musician singer songwriter producer DJ activist
Instruments	Vocals guitar bass keyboards drums
Years active	1983–present
Labels	Instinct Elektra Mute Little Idiot/Fontana V2/BMG Virgin/EMI Because Deutsche Grammophon/Universal Classics

Signature

Richard Melville Hall (born September 11, 1965), known by his stage name Moby, is an American musician, songwriter, and producer. He is also a DJ and an activist for animal rights. He has sold over 20 million records around the world.

Moby is considered one of the most important figures in electronic dance music from the early 1990s. He helped make dance music popular with a wider audience in the United States and the United Kingdom.

He started playing guitar and piano when he was nine years old. In the 1980s, he was in several punk rock bands. Later, he switched to electronic dance music. His 1991 single "Go" was a huge hit in Europe.

Moby's fifth album, Play (1999), became a global sensation. Every song on the album was licensed for use in movies, TV shows, and commercials. This made him famous worldwide. Play is his best-selling album, with 12 million copies sold.

Besides music, Moby is known for his veganism and support for animal rights. He has owned vegan restaurants and organized a vegan music festival. He has also written four books, including two memoirs about his life.

Early Life and Musical Beginnings
Career
Personal Life and Beliefs
Other Projects
- Photography and Books
- Film and TV
Images for kids
Discography
See also

Early Life and Musical Beginnings

Richard Melville Hall was born on September 11, 1965, in Harlem, New York City. His father was a chemistry professor who died in a car crash when Moby was two. His mother, a medical secretary, raised him. He got the nickname "Moby" from his parents because they thought his family was related to Herman Melville, the author of Moby-Dick.

Moby and his mother moved several times, living in San Francisco and later in Connecticut. His mother often struggled to support them.

Moby began his musical journey at age nine. He learned classical guitar and piano. He also studied jazz, music theory, and percussion. In 1983, he joined a punk band called the Vatican Commandos as a guitarist.

After high school, Moby attended the University of Connecticut. He started DJing at the campus radio station, which led to jobs at local clubs. He soon left college to focus on his music career full-time.

Career

1989–1993: Breakthrough with "Go"

In 1989, Moby moved to New York City. He DJ'd in clubs and played guitar for the band Ultra Vivid Scene. In 1990, he signed with Instinct Records, an independent dance label.

His single "Go" was released in 1991. It used a sample from the TV show Twin Peaks. The song became a top 10 hit in the UK and brought him international attention.

The success of "Go" led to more work for Moby. He remixed songs for other artists and toured the U.S. for the first time. In 1993, he released the album Ambient, which featured a more experimental, instrumental style.

1993–1998: Exploring New Sounds

In 1993, Moby signed with major labels Elektra Records and Mute Records. His first release with them was the EP Move. The title track became a No. 1 hit on the U.S. dance chart.

His 1995 album, Everything Is Wrong, mixed many styles, including dance, ambient, and rock. It was praised by critics and named Album of the Year by Spin magazine.

Moby then surprised his fans with the 1996 album Animal Rights. It was a guitar-driven rock album, which was very different from his electronic music. Many of his dance music fans were not happy with the change.

In 1997, he released I Like to Score, a collection of his music from movie soundtracks. This included his version of the "James Bond Theme" for the movie Tomorrow Never Dies.

1999–2004: Global Fame with Play

Moby's fifth album, Play, was released in 1999. At first, it didn't sell well. But then, something amazing happened. Every single song from the album was licensed for use in movies, TV shows, and commercials. This made the album a massive global hit, selling over 12 million copies.

Moby at the Area:One festival in 2001, which he founded.

The success of Play made Moby a superstar. He toured the world for almost two years. In 2001, he started the Area:One Festival, a touring music festival with artists like Outkast and New Order.

His next album, 18 (2002), was also very successful. It reached No. 1 in the UK and sold over four million copies worldwide. His song "Extreme Ways" was used in all five of the Bourne movies.

2005–2015: Continued Creativity

Moby performing a DJ set in 2004.

Moby's 2005 album, Hotel, featured more live instruments and guest singers. He followed it with Last Night (2008), an electronic album inspired by New York City nightlife.

In 2009, he released Wait for Me, a more emotional and personal album. The music video for the song "... in the Back of the Head" was directed by filmmaker David Lynch.

His next album, Destroyed (2011), was released with a book of his own photography. In 2013, he released Innocents, which featured several guest vocalists, including Wayne Coyne of The Flaming Lips.

2016–Present: Recent Work and Activism

In 2016, Moby released These Systems Are Failing with a group he called the Void Pacific Choir. The album had a punk-rock sound. He also founded the Circle V festival, a music and food event celebrating veganism.

His 2018 album, Everything Was Beautiful, and Nothing Hurt, returned to a more spiritual and human-focused theme. All profits from the album were donated to animal rights organizations.

Moby continues to release new music. In 2021, he released Reprise, which featured orchestral versions of his greatest hits with guest artists. In 2024, he released Always Centered at Night, an album praised for its creativity.

Personal Life and Beliefs

Moby is a dedicated vegan and a strong supporter of animal rights. He became a vegetarian in 1984 and a vegan in 1987. He often says that animal rights is his "day job."

Steve Buscemi, Moby, Arianna Huffington, and Lou Reed at a film screening in 2006.

He has owned vegan restaurants, including Little Pine in Los Angeles, and donated all profits to animal welfare groups. In 2019, he got tattoos on his neck and arms that say "Vegan for life" and "Animal rights."

Moby has also been involved in many charities. He supports organizations like the Humane Society of the United States and Farm Sanctuary. He also started MobyGratis.com, a website that provides free music for independent filmmakers.

He has explored different spiritual beliefs throughout his life. He has identified as a Christian but also connects with other ideas like Taoism. He says his life is "geared towards God," even if he doesn't know exactly who or what God is.

Other Projects

Photography and Books

Moby has been interested in photography since he was ten. He has published a photography book called Destroyed and has shown his work in galleries.

He has also written four books. His first memoir, Porcelain: A Memoir, was released in 2016. It covers his life from his early days in New York City up to the release of his album Play. His second memoir, Then It Fell Apart, came out in 2019.

Film and TV

Moby has created music for many films and TV shows. He also directed a documentary called Punk Rock Vegan Movie, which explores the connection between punk rock and animal rights. In 2020, he started a production company called Little Walnut Productions to create stories about animal and human rights.