Moby

Moby biography

Richard Melville Hall (born September 11, 1965), better known by his stage name Moby, is an American musician, DJ, and photographer. He is known mainly for his sample-based electronic music and his liberal political views, including his support of veganism and animal rights.

Moby gained attention in the early 1990s with his electronic dance music work, which dabbled in the techno and breakbeat hardcore (also known as "rave") genres. With his fifth studio album, the electronica and house-influenced Play, he gained international success. Originally released in mid-1999 to an unflattering response, it re-entered the charts in early 2000 and slowly became an unexpected hit, producing eight singles and eventually selling over 10 million copies worldwide.

Moby followed the album in 2002 with 18, which was also successful, selling over 5 million copies worldwide and receiving mostly positive reviews, though some criticizing it for being too similar to Play. His next offer, 2005's mostly upbeat Hotel was a stylistic departure, incorporating more alternative rock elements than previous albums, and received mixed reviews. However, it still sold around 2 million copies worldwide. After 2008's dance-influenced Last Night (2008), he returned to the downtempo electronica of Play and 18 with 2009's mostly-ambient Wait for Me, finding higher critical acclaim and moderate sales. Moby's latest album, Destroyed., was released on May 13, 2011.

Moby has co-written, produced, and remixed music for The Smashing Pumpkins, Michael Jackson, David Bowie, Daft Punk, Brian Eno, Pet Shop Boys, Britney Spears, New Order, Public Enemy, Guns N' Roses, Metallica, and others.

Worldwide, Moby has sold over 20 million albums. Allmusic considers him "one of the most important dance music figures of the early '90s, helping bring the music to a mainstream audience both in the UK and in America."

Hall was born in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City, the son of Elizabeth McBride (née Warner), a medical secretary, and James Frederick Hall, a chemistry professor. He was raised by his mother in Darien, Connecticut.

According to Hall, his middle name and the nickname "Moby" were given to him by his parents because of an ancestral relationship to Moby Dick author Herman Melville: "The basis for Richard Melville Hall-and for Moby-is that supposedly Herman Melville was my great-great-great-granduncle."

He has released music under the names "Voodoo Child", "Schaumgummi", and as a member of the bands Vatican Commandos, AWOL, Caeli Seoul, and Gin Train.

Moby started playing music when he was nine years old, originally learning classical guitar and music theory, then piano and drums.

From 1982 to 1985, he played in a hardcore punk band called the Vatican Commandos, who released an EP called Hit Squad for God. He also played in a Joy Division-inspired post-punk group called AWOL who released an eponymous album in 1983. Circa 1988, Moby performed briefly with Ultra Vivid Scene. He can be seen playing guitar in UVS' video for "Mercy Seat", which appears on the band's 1988 self-titled record.

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