Moby to remix a piece of the Baltics

  • 2005-05-25
  • By Jody Yurkowsky
RIGA - He is a producer, DJ, techno-king, soundtrack genius, rock star and master of all that he touches. Moby is one of the rare artists of our time that crosses genres and appeals to an amazingly wide fan-base around the world. And he will be in Riga on June 16.

Richard Melville Hall, better known to his fans as Moby, rose to stardom in the early 90s with his dance and techno remixes. He has shown great versatility over the years and his remixes have put him in a class by himself.

In 1992, Moby released a self-titled album and ended up being listed in The Guinness Book of Records for his song "I Feel It/Thousand," which, at an amazing 1,015 beats per minute, is the fastest single of all-time. In 1995, the 39-year-old artist released "Everything is Wrong" to great acclaim. The album, with its wide appeal and range of genres caught the attention of fans everywhere. He quickly followed "Everything's" success with the release of his all-rock album "Animal Rights" the following year and solidified his reputation as an artist who won't be pinned down to one style.

His later releases, the 1999 album "Play" and his latest "Hotel," to name just a few, are all thoughtful works with inspiring songs and surprising depth. Since its release, "Play," bluesy with hip-hop, ambient and techno influences, which features the unforgettable song "Why Does My Heart Feel So Bad," has continued to appeal to mainstream crowds everywhere. In fact, "Play" is the only album in history to be entirely licensed out to TV, movies and commercials, which means that fan or not, almost everyone has at one time or another heard a Moby song, beat or chorus.

A distant relative of writer Herman Melville (which explains his stage name), Moby is a philosophy graduate, an animal rights advocate and an environmentalist. He is outspoken about his politics and is not afraid to use his music to make a point. This does not, however, deter his fans. No matter whether you listen to Moby to relax, get in the groove, or rock the night away, his music will transport you.

As for Riga, it's about time the city hosts a musician with depth, talent and vision. It seems so often that the Baltics get the short end of the stick when it comes to big name music stars. Hopefully, Moby will not only show them a concert they've been deserving for years, but set a standard for future rock stars to follow. There's no shortage of aspiring young musicians in Riga 's whatever the genre - and Moby is just the man to get these DJ club dwellers out of the basement and into the sun.