RS: How important do you think sampling is for electronic music?
Moby: From my perspective, the ultimate goal in making any kind of music is to make music that affects the listener. Whether that means playing loud punk rock, playing disco, or using a sampler or live instruments, I don't really have any allegiance to any style of music. I don't think I have any allegiance to the way music is made. My allegiance is to the way music can affect me. I'm happy to use any tools that make music that hopefully will be powerful and affective.
RS: Of all the voices that you feature in your recordings, which has been your favorite to work with?
Moby: Let me think. On the last album 18, I did a song with Angie Stone and I have to say her. She's such a fantastic singer that working with her was so easy and she's quite a professional. So she's probably my favorite voice to work with.
RS: Is it more challenging to work with your own voice?
Moby: I don't really think of myself as a singer, I just really enjoy singing. I think that my voice has a sort of naive, vulnerable quality that suits the music that I make. I'd rather work with other singers, I just really enjoy singing.
RS: What is your favorite remix that you have done over the past fifteen years?
Moby: Probably, the remix of Brian Eno's "Fractal Zoom" that I did in 1992, I really liked that. I've done two David Bowie remixes, "Sunday" and "Dead Man Walking". David Bowie is my favorite musician of all time, so any opportunity I've had to work with him has been really exciting.
RS: It's funny you mention Brian Eno, because one of the site writers mentioned "Fractal Zoom" as his favorite thing you've done. And are there any stories behind that?
Moby: Brian Eno, I can't think of anyone else in the last fifty years who's influenced me more than Brian Eno - from Roxy Music to producing Devo and the Talking Heads to making his own ambient records to making "My Life in the Bush of Ghosts." So when I was asked to do a Brian Eno remix I was so excited. I tried to keep my cool when I was talking on the phone and pretending I was very blasé and whatever but the moment I hung-up the phone I ran around my apartment like a squirrel on amphetamines.
RS: I guess that a lot of people would have that same reaction talking to you on the phone.
Moby: I don't know. I have made some OK records, but I'm certainly no Brian Eno.
RS: Are you currently working on any remixes?
Moby: I've been spending the last year working on finishing this record and working on a lot of political stuff. Then the last four months have been promotion and all that and the next nine months are going to be spend touring, so I haven't had the opportunity to remixes for anyone else. But maybe when all this ends and the touring stops, I'll have time to maybe do some remixes for other people.
RS: Do you usually choose remixers for your own songs, like Abe Duque and Super Discount on the first single?
Moby: It's half and half. There are people I have chosen and sometimes it's people the record company have chosen. A lot of times what'll happen is someone from the record company will recommend someone and we'll end up agreeing.
RS: Can you talk at all about the rumors that Axl Rose asked you to produce some of his long-delayed Chinese Democracy record?
Moby: I spent a couple of days in the studio with him, and it was very interesting. I'm flown out to Los Angeles to sit in the studio with Axl. I know this is going to sound odd, but I found him to be really sort of a sensitive, slightly troubled person. I wish him well and I hope that at some point they finish the record and that it's great.
RS: So as part of your tour are you performing live or are you DJing in addition?
Moby: Right now, I'm just going to be performing. It's a six-piece band and I'll be playing guitar, singing, playing some keyboards and aybe some percussion.
RS: So the Ultra performance, was that like a warm-up for the show?
Moby: Kind of. I hadn't played at Winter Music Conference in a few years and it just seemed like a great thing to do for twentieth anniversary. The show that we did with Ultra was not too representative of what my own live show will be, because that was more dance-orientated. The show that I do on my own is a lot longer as well. Ultra was fun and it was such a remarkable bill.
RS: Was it better than DJ Moby performing their Hit OK?
Moby: Yes, that was not exactly a high point in my career.
RS: That was your first Winter Music Conference experience?
Moby: I don't know, I can't remember if it was the Winter Music Conference or right around the Winter Music Conference. It was definitely in Miami at the Cameo Theatre that's now a Crobar.
