Moby's "Porcelain: A Memoir" - Book Tour & Playlist w/Audiobook Samples

Signing w/his alter ego alien like he drew when working at Johnny's in Darien

Franklin Street Works Contemporary Art Space & Cafe in Stamford, CT provided the locale for Moby's homecoming on his current book tour for "Porcelain: A Memoir." He was born in NYC, then spent a childhood in my town of Darien before spending formative years squatting in one of this city's neglected factories and making a name as a DJ. I must have crossed paths with him during the 80s in Port Chester's club known as The Beat, but more recently we have connected in L.A. at the New Music Seminar (where I interviewed him for PopMatters) along with local talks, live concerts and Asheville's Moogfest 2011 festival.

From the passages shared at the event, the book rambles in Moby's stream of conscious style found on his website and multitudinous social media posts, peppered with a vocabulary formed during his affluent upbringing. Though living on the edge of society, Moby respects his mother's decision to return to Darien where her parents still lived and her son could reap the benefits of an excellent public school system.  And one of my favorite things about Moby, besides his musical gifts that I consider My Essential Music - Fave Band Playlists, is that he never throws Darien under the bus. I grew up a bit down the gold coast of CT and one of the best lessons I learned surrounded by wealth is money can't buy you love, or happiness for that matter. As similarly Moby explained in his Q & A after the reading, he defines happiness as being able to do simple things like "playing with a dog" or "eating an orange," having realized that wealth sometimes inhibits joy rather than bringing it.

Husband Paul, Me & Moby

The book covers the decade 1989 through 1999, and when it was our turn in line I asked if it was just volume one, since there was so much more to tell about being an music industry icon. He suggested it might be and I told him that was a very good thing. There's also a "Porcelain" playlist on Spotify with audiobook samples and a release planned for June 10 that pairs re-mastered Moby songs with inspirations at that time (see track list below).

Moby – Music From Porcelain
Disc One
1. "Mobility" – Moby
2. "Go! (Woodtick Mix)" – Moby

Paul w/Moby pals Stacy & Paul Johnson

3. "Ah Ah" – Moby
4. "Next Is the E" – Moby
5. "Rock the House" – Moby
6. "Thousand" – Moby
7. "Feeling So Real" – Moby
8. "God Moving over the Face of the Waters" – Moby
9. "Come on Baby" – Moby
10. "That's When I Reach for My Revolver" – Moby
11. "Honey" – Moby
12. "Natural Blues" – Moby
13. "Bodyrock"  – Moby
14. "Why Does My Heart Feel So Bad" – Moby

Disc Two
1. "Break for Love" – Raze
2. "Pacific State" – 808 State
3. "Scenario" – A Tribe Called Quest
4. "Definition of a Track" – Precious
5. "I'll House You" – Jungle Bros
6. "Top Billin" – Audio Two
7. "Follow Me (Club Mix)" – Aly Us
8. "Raw" – Big Daddy Kane
9. "Pause" – Run DMC
10. "Energy Flash" – Joey Beltram
11. "Anasthesia (Out of History Mix)" – T99
12. "Feel So Real" – Dream Factory
13. "Plastic Dreams" – Jay Dee
14. "Set It Off" – Stafe