Well, I've worked with a lot of different charitable organizations over the years. And what I like about the Humane Society is how big and effective they are, especially on a legislative level. I mean, there are a lot of great animal rights organizations who save dogs and save cats, but the Humane Society is actually really good at working with Congress and getting legislation actually passed.
This past May, you released a remix album of Wait for Me, which also had a companion ambient version released this past year. As you look back over the recording experience for this particular album, what compelled you to do a remix album?
Well, to be perfectly honest, the remix album came about because we realized we had a lot of good remixes on our hands. And I can say that they're good, because I didn't actually do any of them! [laughing] So I think I have some objectivity on the matter! [laughing continues] The original album, it's a very quiet record, and it was all recorded at home in my bedroom. I sort of intentionally used old broken down equipment, because the seduction of Pro Tools and Ableton and Reason and Logic is that you can make amazing, super -produced records with kind of like a limitless sound palette. And for this record I wanted to limit myself and use old synthesizers that only had a few sounds, and use old drum machines that only did one or two things. I sometimes get really confused by having endless choices. And I'd almost rather use equipment that just gives me a few choices.
One of the things that I found particularly interesting about your album is the inclusion of your cartoon drawings, which added another layer of your personality to the project. From where does this artistic side of you draw inspiration?
My mom was a painter and my uncle was a photographer. I have another uncle who is a sculptor. My grandmother is a painter. So when I was growing up, I always felt like they were good at visual arts, so I was just going to focus on music. And so I've never thought of myself as being a good visual artist. But when I was about, I guess, about eighteen or nineteen I worked in a record store. It was a really strange record store up in Connecticut that started out as a head shop, and then they started selling bootlegs and eventually became a more legitimate record store. And every bag that left the store had a drawing on it. And that's when I started drawing those simple, little cartoon characters. And I mean the goal with those little cartoon guys, I mean the ultimate goal, is to never intimidate anyone. Like I want them to be as simple and un-intimidating as possible. Because I don't know how you feel, but there's so much art and culture in the world that I find really intimidating. And especially like, in the world, like living in New York or living in Los Angeles, like in the big city, there's so much cool culture that seems like it's being made by people who are way cooler than me. So I go to a show or a gallery, and I just end up feeling like the people who are making the work are much cooler than I am, and so, I end up feeling intimidated. So if with the drawings, especially, my goal is for anyone who sees them to not be intimidated in any way.
Article comments
1 - David R Perry
Excellent interview, Clayton! I've followed Moby since his early "Ambient" days, so it was fun to hear a bit more about his musical journey.