10 iconic Moby moments

In the early 2000s Moby was in the prime of his career. After the release of his first big commercial success with the album ‘Play’, he followed that up with another smash hit in ‘18’. Touring extensively around the release, ‘18’ went gold and platinum in 30 countries and peaked at #1 on charts in 10 countries including the UK. Although the album didn’t sell as well as ‘Play’, again his new music was featured heavily in TV shows, films, video games and other media.

It’s no secret that David Bowie is one of Moby’s heroes. So when Moby got to perform ‘Heroes’ and ‘Cactus’ with the legend in 2002 on Jay Leno it was a moment that proved he too was making a lasting mark on music culture. That year Moby also booked Bowie to play his Area2 festival and the two artists would become good friends. On their friendship, Moby said "They were my neighborhood pals. It started to seem normal but at the back of my mind I never forgot the fact that David Bowie was a demigod and a genius and the best musician who will ever live”.

Moby had previously performed at Glastonbury in the past, on the Other Stage in 2000 and the Dance tent in 1998, but when he landed on the main Pyramid Stage in 2003 it was a landmark moment of his career. He brought out a full band for his set, performing a plethora of hits from his catalogue and more. Standout moments include live renditions of 'Bring Back My Happiness', ‘Porcelain’ and a cover of Radiohead’s ‘Creep’. The Glastonbury performance would also be released on his ‘18 B-Sides + DVD’ later that year.

In 2005 Moby linked with Pacha to record his album 'Hotel', released by Mute. Although he was affiliated with the world renowned clubbing brand, the album’s sound profile drifted away from his previous electronic works to take on a more rock-focused motif. It is a body of work that showcases his musicianship like never before, as all the instruments, besides the drums, were played by Moby himself, and no outside samples were involved. As one of the biggest critics of himself, he later referred to ‘Hotel ‘as his least favorite work due to his own instrumentation, but it was a major success that debuted on album charts at #1 and went gold and platinum once again.

Aside from Moby’s musical ability, his outspoken personality often takes the spotlight, so it’s little news to anyone that he’s a vegan and an advocate for animal rights. With this in mind, his restaurant Little Pine in Los Angeles is a landmark for his culinary and moral vision.The restaurant focuses on Mediterranean-style cuisine to craft organic and vegan dishes. To add to the all-encompassing animal rights establishment, all profits go directly to animal welfare organizations. Little Pine wasn’t Moby’s first venture into the culinary world, as he co-owned Teany in New York City, but it offered an intimate snapshot into his lifestyle like never before.

Although he took DJ gigs and performed acoustic sets, Moby’s live performances tailed off during the years following 2011’s album ‘Destroyed’. Then in 2013 a new album surfaced titled ‘Innocents’, and a subsequent three date tour was announced the following year. All three shows on the tour took place at The Fonda Theatre in Los Angeles, with the first half of the set consisting of new music and the second half taking listeners on a journey through his extensive catalogue. This retrospective approach showcased scope of his influential career, and is one he would lean on in the years to come.

With a career spanning decades, multiple genres and motifs, Moby certainly has plenty of stories to tell. In 2016 he published many of these in his booked titled Porcelain: A Memoir, which featured various tales from the 90s. That said, it was a time before he truly reached mainstream success, so it revealed more regarding the formative years and his interactions with celebrities and other influential figures. The book was well received by the general public and critics due to its raw and revealing nature. Drugs, sex parties and raves were a big part of his life and he doesn’t hold back from sharing every detail. If there was any doubt that Moby isn’t a true badass, this book puts that to rest.