STILL DODGING THE BULLETS MOBY finds himself perched upon a paradox. or Stanley Kubrick – people who became If global sea levels rise drastically in the next recorded in his home studio with raw It’s that fickle old dance partner, fame – on the famous for doing something well. 25 years, says Moby, not a single coastal city ingredients (read: no samples). one hand it allows you an audience for your ‘‘It seems like we’ve turned things on their won’t be affected, and that includes his beloved Although their output may be quite differ- art, affords you a decent rent and gives you a head now where people become famous New York. The vegan also talks about the role ent, Moby and Lynch have plenty in common. platform for various causes. because they make a sex tape and once they’re of animal production in climate change. ‘‘It’s interesting because his movies are very But it can also lead to a path of insecurity famous their manager asks them if they want ‘‘There are a few unreleased reports showing complicated, but in person he’s very sweet, and self-involvement, baggage involving drugs, to learn how to make a record,’’ he says. that animal production is responsible for 25 per direct and uncomplicated,’’ says Moby. ‘‘There alcohol or failed relationships and, says Moby, ‘‘There are some nice things about fame. cent of all climate change,’’ he says. is a huge dichotomy between David Lynch the a short, sad life roughly as long as ‘‘a coal miner Sometimes it pays well and it’s nice to have an Since the 100 million-selling album Play filmmaker and David Lynch the person.’’ or Alaskan fisherman’’. audience for what you do. Sometimes by being turned his world upside down, with every track They share a love of abandoned buildings Fortunately, Moby, 44, has dodged fame’s famous you can draw attention to worthy used in an advertising campaign or movie, and, ironically, the building Moby now lives in most destructive bullets, and lives a relatively causes or good issues, but fame in and of itself Moby found himself a household name. The used to be, among other things, a meat packing peaceful life in a pocket of New York’s Lower is like a demon.’’ record, whose cover featured an image of the plant. ‘‘I spent most of my adult life living in East Side, where he is able to make music from It’s been five years since Moby performed in buildings that used to be factories,’’ says Moby. home, blog from time to time, and come out to Australia but soon the city boy – who lives in If you look at it, fame is an ‘‘So the building that I’m in now, it was a prison support causes that mean a lot to him. an old warehouse building – will swap the hospital during the civil war, then it was a meat Yet fame is something that the musician – at snow of New York for sunshine as he headlines incredibly destructive, processing plant for a long time, and also a lot once retiring and outspoken – has found the Sunset Sounds festival. of different musicians had their music studios himself strangely a part of. Moby, whose album Wait For Me came out corrosive institution here, like the Beastie Boys and Sonic Youth ‘‘I do think it’s strange that we glorify this this year, will be joining acts including Yeah and Iggy Pop and Sean Lennon. institution that really destroys people’s lives,’’ Yeah Yeahs, Seasick Steve, Editors, Hilltop ‘‘A city like New York, it’s like a much he says ahead of his Australian visit. Hoods, Sarah Blasko, Kaki King and Datarock star leaping into the air, was a sure-fire find in shorter-lived version of Rome, where every- ‘‘We live in this culture where people are at the festival, which comes to the City Botanic every cool person’s music collection. He thing has been repurposed and everything has collectively obsessed with celebrity. If you talk Gardens on January 6 and 7. became a voice people wanted to listen to been built on everything else, so every last to almost any person on the planet, most In the US, Moby has been touring the album (whether it was his voice on the album or not). square inch of New York has a history going people would give up their life in an instant to and in between found time to play for MTV’s Four albums on again, he’s broadened his back at least three or four hundred years.’’ go to Los Angeles and be a movie star. Play to Stop campaign ahead of the recent repertoire with albums such as 18 and Hotel – Moby loves the village vibe of New York ‘‘I’ve met lots and lots of rock stars and Copenhagen conference. It’s another import- although none have reached the sales of Play. City. Recently he witnessed the city’s good side famous movie stars and politicians, and they’re ant issue to which the singer has lent his voice. For Wait For Me, an album graced by his when locals came out to Central Park to play in some of the most insecure and self-involved ‘‘The only thing I can compare it to, is it’s own artwork of Leunig-like doodles, he the snow. If you ever want to feel good about people I’ve ever met. like a car that’s begun to go downhill with the approached the record with an ‘‘art for art’s humanity, he says, just stand at the base of a ‘‘And if you look at it empirically, fame is an brakes broken,’’ he says of the issue that has sake’’ attitude inspired by his pal, director sledding hill in NYC and watch Jews, Muslims incredibly destructive, corrosive institution. It been dominating world news. David Lynch. and punk rockers sledding with their kids. really doesn’t benefit anybody. It certainly ‘‘Climate change is already happening. The It was something the Twin Peaks director The cure for misanthropy and/or terrorism never benefits the famous person – even if question is how severe will the consequences said about how creativity in and of itself is sledding, he says. ‘‘It’s hard to hate people or the person makes lots of money and is able be and how prepared we are for them. without marketing pressures was a good thing want to blow them up when they’re out to have sexy, glamorous relationships, in ‘‘I don’t understand why the Western world that resonated with the songwriter. sledding with their kids.’’ the end it just tears them apart.’’ is so reliant upon foreign oil. If you can create The result is a more personal record, Moby Sunset Sounds, City Botanic Gardens, Moby’s icons have included famous sustainable energy sources at home, you’re says – and one that inspires repeat listening. Brisbane, January 6-7; artists, writers or directors, like Marcel keeping your money at home and you’re A moody, soaring, atmospheric album, Wait sunsetsounds.com.au; tickets Duchamp, JD Salinger, Henry Miller helping support local industry and local jobs.’’ For Me is something of a home-cooked affair, 1300 438 849. Commercial savvy Datarock has no time for games NORWEGIAN band Datarock (pic- but I never have. It’s really bizarre,’’ says expensive is that’s pretty much what we pay tured) know how to rock the bank. Saroea. for them.’’ They may not be a household name It’s the live arena where they rock the most, So who washes their famous tracksuits? just yet, but their songs have been and this Bergen-based two piece (who ‘‘We have to wash them ourselves. We don’t heard everywhere from TV shows and multiply when on the road) spend more than wash them often enough. Sometimes it’s movies, to ads for Apple’s iPod, Coke, half the year on tour. They’ve just released terrible.’’ Argentinean beer and a major UK their second album, Red, a follow-up to their The album Red (obviously their favourite phone company, to 22 computer games. debut Datarock Datarock, whose single Com- colour) wears its influences on its (red) sleeve In an age where record sales are puter Camp Love was a big hit on Triple J’s – with the band name checking Devo, Talking dwindling, you can’t blame a band for Hottest 100. Heads and directors such as John Hughes. being commercially savvy. Frequent visitors to Australia, Datarock The song Molly is a tribute to ’80s princess ‘‘We never had anything terrible, like have played almost all the major festivals and Molly Ringwald. weapons of mass destruction,’’ jokes frontman this time head up Sunset Sounds. The video for single The Pretender takes its Fredrik Saroea. Although the US has the numbers, per cues from the John Carpenter sci-fi movie ‘‘Our punk fans didn’t appreciate the Coke capita, Australia is one of their largest fan They Live. ad too much.’’ bases – on a par with their home base of ‘‘The song is about the arbitrary nature of Despite their prevalence in computer Norway, says data cruncher Saroea. the actual identity behind an online avatar,’’ games – and their hooky, ’80s inspired electro The band will be jumping on stage in their says the song’s composer. ‘‘At the time I wrote tunes lend themselves perfectly to the gaming trademark red tracksuits, which you can buy the lyrics there was a lot of talk about online environment – Datarock rarely play video online, points out the ever entrepreneurial predators and monitoring of the internet.’’ games themselves. They don’t have time. Saroea. Sally Browne ‘‘I know a minimum of 250 million people ‘‘It’s interesting when fans turn up to our Datarock will perform at Sunset Sounds on have heard a Datarock song in a video game, shows in the tracksuits. The reason they’re so January 6.

thesundaymail.com.au THE SUNDAY MAIL December 27, 2009 Page 59