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Fame's destructive influence on artists, as discussed by Moby, alongside his acceptance of being labeled as the 'odd, aging man'

In his later years, having distanced himself from the height of his fame PRIMO, Moby has chosen an unusual path: providing his musical creations free of charge, a move typically unseen among celebrities of his stature.

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Established musician Moby, now abstaining from alcohol and some distance from his most illustrious...
Established musician Moby, now abstaining from alcohol and some distance from his most illustrious moments, has been an anomaly among peers; he's been distributing his musical creations without charge in recent times.

Fame's destructive influence on artists, as discussed by Moby, alongside his acceptance of being labeled as the 'odd, aging man'

Laid-Back by a Landslide: Moby's Journey from Obscurity to Stardom

The man behind the biggest-selling electronica record of all time, Moby, found fame and fortune to come with unwanted side effects. His fifth record, Play, released in May 1999, initially struggled, only reaching 33 on the UK charts before dropping out of the Top 40 a week later. However, it eventually gained steam and climbed the ranks, eventually spending five weeks at number one and remaining in the Top 40 until March 2001.

Moby had previously experienced success with Go, a breakthrough single from his self-titled debut album in 1991. But Play was something else entirely. Even if you don't know the album by name, you've probably heard some of the tracks - Porcelain, Why Does My Heart Feel So Bad?, Honey, and Natural Blues. It was nearly impossible to avoid the pervasiveness of this record, and fame inevitably followed.

"Fame and fortune are two of the most destructive forces on the planet," Moby says from his home in Los Angeles. "I mean, if fame and fortune fixed things, Kurt Cobain and Amy Winehouse would still be making records." It's difficult to resist the allure of fame and fortune in cities like New York and Los Angeles, but Moby tries to lead a rational life, prioritizing his concerns over others' opinions.

In recent years, Moby has adopted an unconventional approach for a successful artist - he gives his compositions away for free. "I have a house, I have a car, I have some hoodies, I have food in the fridge, I don't really need anything more," he insists. "To live and work in a way where I'm not driven by money, why not use that as an opportunity?"

Embracing Selflessness

Moby came up with the revolutionary idea of a free music licensing platform called MobyGratis over a decade ago. The platform lets anyone access hundreds of Moby's compositions for free, which can be used for anything from film scores to remixes.

"It's either selfless selfishness or selfish selflessness," Moby explains. "I'm giving these things away, but the benefit to me is I get to see what people do with it." This approach puts Moby at odds with many artists who are concerned about the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in music.

Shaping the Future of Music

Artists like Ed Sheeran and Damon Albarn have spoken out about the need for greater copyright protections to prevent AI software from scraping their work. However, Moby sees things a little differently. "I put this music out there and hope for the best," he says. "Part of remix culture is seeing how people reinterpret your work."

Moby acknowledges the validity of other artists' concerns but chooses to ignore them. "I ignore it because part of remix culture is seeing how people reinterpret your work," Moby explains. "Sometimes it is mediocre, sometimes it is bad, but sometimes it is so inspired, and I can actually learn a lot from other creative processes."

Moby takes issue with the growing perception of giving and compassion and references Elon Musk's comments on Joe Rogan's podcast in April. "We live in this world of fear, selfishness, desperation, and viciousness," Moby says. "But I support anything that is a rejection of the manosphere... anything that reminds people that life can be simple and decent."

Out-of-Step and Unapologetic

Moby is well aware that his approach to fame, fortune, and giving things away is out of step with the times, but he remains unapologetic. "I'm becoming like the weird old guy that you'll see in the mountains, sort of like not making eye contact and mumbling about chemtrails or something," he jokes. Moby may not fit in with the times, but he's content with his life and committed to continuing his unconventional approach. 3

[1] Cercle Odyssey: https://cercle.live/[3] Cercle Odyssey: A series of immersive audiovisual experiences featuring Moby and other artists.

  1. Moby's fifth record, 'Play', initially struggled in the UK charts but Empirically gained momentum, spent five weeks at number one, and remained in the Top 40 until March 2001.
  2. Despite his success with 'Go' in 1991, 'Play' was something that set Moby apart from his previous work.
  3. Maybe it's the unwanted side effects of fame and fortune, but Moby, a man residing in Los Angeles, tries to lead a rational life, prioritizing his concerns over others' opinions.
  4. Fashion-and-beauty, home-and-garden, entertainment, relationships, and even celebrities might envy Moby's lifestyle, but he chose to adopt an unconventional approach by giving away his compositions for free.
  5. Music, Pop-Culture, and selflessness have intertwined in Moby's life through his free music licensing platform, MobyGratis.
  6. Artists like Ed Sheeran and Damon Albarn express concerns about AI scraping their work, but Moby believes in remix culture, where his music can be reinterpreted for learning and inspiration.
  7. In the rat race of fame, fortune, and self-preservation, Moby offers an unapologetic stance of compassion, reminding people that life can be simple and decent, defying the manosphere's followers.

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