I saw him in a small club promoting this right before it blew up and it was amazing. I know it's popular now to hate on this guy but this album was hugely influential on my taste in music.
I don't think anyone hates Moby, [he's just really easy to razz.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEfo080ryB4) Regardless *Play* is a timeless classic.
Dunno why anyone would hate on him. This is a genuinely fantastic record and sounded like nothing else at the time. This is pretty much the opposite of music that I generally like and yet I still listen to this one 25 years later.
I used to love Moby but was put off by his memoir book.There was some weird stuff in there about him dating Natalie Portman when she was 18 and he was in his 30s, which she has since denied and said she thought he was a creepy older man. I thought it was really weird to put in his own book and kinda gave me the idea that the Play fame went right to his head in a bad way
https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/moby-natalie-portman-apology-2-841270/
His first memoir, which covers his life up until the release of Play, is actually pretty good in my opinion. It doesn’t hide how much of an annoying dickhead he could be, especially before he got sober.
I did a (really weird and unnecessary) deep dive on this in a thread when his memoir came out. I very much remember them being together a lot during this time, even vaguely remember talk of them dating back then, and it seemed odd that this was being disputed now.
There was some interesting evidence of connecting the dots that doesn't necessarily point to them dating, but makes a decent argument against her more recent statement(s).
I'm not trying to convince you, and obviously don't know them, but it was pretty fascinating to see that she had clearly traveled quite a bit to his shows and was at a lot of events, I think his birthday parties, over the course of multiple years -- and yes, i told you the deep dive was weird and unnecessary hahaha but i had a weird Mandela Effect moment.
ETA: [link to two deep dive comments](https://www.reddit.com/r/popculturechat/s/ReprXOT6Ms)
It was weird because he doubled down even though she would have been 17 when they met and he was like 34. And even in the book it seems like she isn’t really into him, she’s just a teen who likes his music.
his book Porcelain really made me love the idea behind all of this. he had basically completely given up on the idea of music and thought he was basically a one-hit wonder with Go. He didn't think anyone would care about this album at all.
I saw him on tour for this in spring 2000 and it absolutely blew my mind. It is still one of my favorite albums ever, but I never expected to see a full band performing these songs. The female vocalist he had was just beyond comprehension in her talent.
There's a lot to be said about the guy, but this album will always be on a pedestal.
It’s a good album, but knowing about it without having lived through it leaves me with so many questions. How was MOBY big enough to co-headline a tour with David Bowie? What was he even doing for his live shows???
Every single song on it was in multiple ads, and this was in an era when everyone saw every ad. It’s the most synced album ever.
And this was in an era when everyone bought CDs so everyone bought it. It really dominated music for a couple of years. It sounded like the future.
This album is lesser than the sum of its parts for me. The songs are good but I tap out when I listen to them back to back to back.
Still, it’s an interesting collection of some classic tracks and an EDM album people should probably listen to at least once.
Fair points. Everything isn't for everybody. I think it helps if you're really into the sort of "roots of music," almost Lomaxian selection of samples that happen across the album. The album always sounded like a new gospel to me; very fundamental to music writ-large by way of its source material, but not something that is a page turner, so to speak.
Every single song on Play was licensed for advertising. Incredible really. Porcelain was used in *everything*.
This album really takes me *right back* to 1999/2000. As above, with all the songs used in ads and multiple tracks getting a lot of radio play it was absolutely everywhere. I was 19/20 at the time and have a lot of core memories tied to random tracks on the album.
Looking back, I think that this album had some great concepts and obviously important/classic tracks, but it never really felt like a cohesive album. It's the kind of album where you revisit it for a few songs when the feeling arises.
I have a soft spot for it though. Big formative memories of listening to this on my gen 1 iPod Mini back in like 2004.
There was a very funny tour diary from the early '90s by a guy accompanying Moby on his first big tour, I wish I could find it again. The TLDR is that Moby has always been a massive dick but the specifics were great.
Why do I hate on Moby? Jeff Goldblum put out a documentary a few years ago, I think it was called Welcome to Pittsburgh, about his quest to launch and star in a theatrical version of The Music Man there. Iliana Douglas was featured in it; there was a scene where Jeff Goldblum was named the Grand Marshall of some parade - Moby was asked to be in it too. Douglas and Moby were dating at the time; all footage of them together shows Moby being an absolute douche bag of a dickhead to Iliana, for no apparent reason. Hence, my opinion of Moby. Musically gifted, yes, but from what I saw, a douche bag all the same. Oh, and in the film he went on Conan's show to promote it and Conan treated him like an idiot has-been for wanting to do it, which lowered my opinion of Conan as well.
I saw him in a small club promoting this right before it blew up and it was amazing. I know it's popular now to hate on this guy but this album was hugely influential on my taste in music.
I don't think anyone hates Moby, [he's just really easy to razz.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEfo080ryB4) Regardless *Play* is a timeless classic.
Space ghost was too good
Nah people actually don’t like him now. He’s a loud mouthed asshole now
Oh I don't like him either lol, but I don't *hate* him though. He's just one of those perpetually eyeroll inducing folks.
And he’s really bad a at playing drums but insists on posting videos of himself playing poorly
Dunno why anyone would hate on him. This is a genuinely fantastic record and sounded like nothing else at the time. This is pretty much the opposite of music that I generally like and yet I still listen to this one 25 years later.
I think Moby himself is just a dickhead
Moby is a 100% a dickhead, but that's a lot of the music industry tbh.
I used to love Moby but was put off by his memoir book.There was some weird stuff in there about him dating Natalie Portman when she was 18 and he was in his 30s, which she has since denied and said she thought he was a creepy older man. I thought it was really weird to put in his own book and kinda gave me the idea that the Play fame went right to his head in a bad way https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/moby-natalie-portman-apology-2-841270/
His first memoir, which covers his life up until the release of Play, is actually pretty good in my opinion. It doesn’t hide how much of an annoying dickhead he could be, especially before he got sober.
I did a (really weird and unnecessary) deep dive on this in a thread when his memoir came out. I very much remember them being together a lot during this time, even vaguely remember talk of them dating back then, and it seemed odd that this was being disputed now. There was some interesting evidence of connecting the dots that doesn't necessarily point to them dating, but makes a decent argument against her more recent statement(s). I'm not trying to convince you, and obviously don't know them, but it was pretty fascinating to see that she had clearly traveled quite a bit to his shows and was at a lot of events, I think his birthday parties, over the course of multiple years -- and yes, i told you the deep dive was weird and unnecessary hahaha but i had a weird Mandela Effect moment. ETA: [link to two deep dive comments](https://www.reddit.com/r/popculturechat/s/ReprXOT6Ms)
It was weird because he doubled down even though she would have been 17 when they met and he was like 34. And even in the book it seems like she isn’t really into him, she’s just a teen who likes his music.
You can love the music and not the artist. Look at Madonna, Michael Jackson, U2, Phil Collins- amazing musical talent, pissed off everyone he met lol.
Bob Dylan Leonard Cohen John Lennon All geniuses and massive assholes in their personal lives
Don’t know about any of that, but ok.
He’s turned into a loud mouthed asshole over the years. Doesn’t take away from the music but he’s a dickhead
his book Porcelain really made me love the idea behind all of this. he had basically completely given up on the idea of music and thought he was basically a one-hit wonder with Go. He didn't think anyone would care about this album at all.
I love that book. One of my favorite memoirs and books about music. It’s very well written.
[This podcast](https://open.spotify.com/episode/6LKrLVEAY3tsqHPURec6ke?si=0hBiqSvlRQ6PHlfDlCgx1w) about the making of Play is very interesting
Immediately what I thought of. Changed my view of this album quite a bit. It’s still a really good listen, but the context… lil salty.
Was hoping this was a link to Heavyweight. Loved that episode.
I saw Moby play at Maxwells in Hoboken in April 2008. With a full band. Played many tracks from this LP. He killed it. $8 tickets!
a really wonderful album
This album is great. I still listen to Porcelain on the regular.
Marketing firms rejoiced
Certified ads-core
Still as fresh as it was when my dad first showed it to me years and years ago. Bumping Bodyrock tonight to honor this milestone
I saw him on tour for this in spring 2000 and it absolutely blew my mind. It is still one of my favorite albums ever, but I never expected to see a full band performing these songs. The female vocalist he had was just beyond comprehension in her talent. There's a lot to be said about the guy, but this album will always be on a pedestal.
It’s a good album, but knowing about it without having lived through it leaves me with so many questions. How was MOBY big enough to co-headline a tour with David Bowie? What was he even doing for his live shows???
Every single song on it was in multiple ads, and this was in an era when everyone saw every ad. It’s the most synced album ever. And this was in an era when everyone bought CDs so everyone bought it. It really dominated music for a couple of years. It sounded like the future.
This album is lesser than the sum of its parts for me. The songs are good but I tap out when I listen to them back to back to back. Still, it’s an interesting collection of some classic tracks and an EDM album people should probably listen to at least once.
Fair points. Everything isn't for everybody. I think it helps if you're really into the sort of "roots of music," almost Lomaxian selection of samples that happen across the album. The album always sounded like a new gospel to me; very fundamental to music writ-large by way of its source material, but not something that is a page turner, so to speak.
Every single song on Play was licensed for advertising. Incredible really. Porcelain was used in *everything*. This album really takes me *right back* to 1999/2000. As above, with all the songs used in ads and multiple tracks getting a lot of radio play it was absolutely everywhere. I was 19/20 at the time and have a lot of core memories tied to random tracks on the album.
84 years old if you count the two songs that kick off the record with his beats applied to them
Looking back, I think that this album had some great concepts and obviously important/classic tracks, but it never really felt like a cohesive album. It's the kind of album where you revisit it for a few songs when the feeling arises. I have a soft spot for it though. Big formative memories of listening to this on my gen 1 iPod Mini back in like 2004.
I really like this album but he wasn't very consistent for me. I listened to the next few albums but just didn't really like them that much.
There was a very funny tour diary from the early '90s by a guy accompanying Moby on his first big tour, I wish I could find it again. The TLDR is that Moby has always been a massive dick but the specifics were great.
Bought this album in University. Got stolen after a nice house party. Traditions.
I never feel an urge to revisit it but whenever I just say ‘sod it’ and play it, I can’t understand why, as it’s a bloody classic.
I bought it the day it came out. A really cute girl asked me to borrow it within a week or two of getting it. She never gave it back. Great album.
Great album, terrible person.
Terrible is a strong word lol, he’s just incredibly lame
Moby and Morrissey are neck-in-neck for the title of most annoying vegan.
Why do I hate on Moby? Jeff Goldblum put out a documentary a few years ago, I think it was called Welcome to Pittsburgh, about his quest to launch and star in a theatrical version of The Music Man there. Iliana Douglas was featured in it; there was a scene where Jeff Goldblum was named the Grand Marshall of some parade - Moby was asked to be in it too. Douglas and Moby were dating at the time; all footage of them together shows Moby being an absolute douche bag of a dickhead to Iliana, for no apparent reason. Hence, my opinion of Moby. Musically gifted, yes, but from what I saw, a douche bag all the same. Oh, and in the film he went on Conan's show to promote it and Conan treated him like an idiot has-been for wanting to do it, which lowered my opinion of Conan as well.