Moby Exclusive
We all know about the catalogue of success that coexists with the name “Moby”. Even if you don’t know the particulars – his first solo album, Go, released in 1991, was voted one of Rolling Stone’s top 200 records of all time; he has platinum albums in nearly every country in the Western world; he’s remixed and produced everyone from David Bowie to Metallica – it’s safe to say you have the basic understanding that Moby is an internationally acclaimed musician.
You may be aware that he is also an outspoken vegan and animal rights supporter, the first clue perhaps being his 1996 release, Animal Rights. The biggest giveaway, however, probably occurred in 2002, when Moby teamed up with ex-girlfriend Kelly Tisdale to open teany, a vegetarian restaurant in Manhattan, New York, favoured for its abundant vegan fare and 100-plus kinds of tea. In 2005, Moby solidified the success of teany when he published teany book, which provides a unique peek inside the mind of one of the most celebrated vegans of our time via veggie recipes, health and beauty tips, tales of romance and, most importantly, tea robots.
If you’re a die-hard Moby fan and/or a dedicated animal rights activist, then you know where we’re going with this, because Moby also happens to be a long-time PETA supporter. This, of course, explains why he recently sat down for an exclusive interview with us – the highlights of which we’d like to share with you right here, right now.
Why did you originally decide to get involved with PETA?
I became a vegan almost 20 years ago, so it stood to reason that I would get involved with PETA, as [it’s] one of the most prominent and effective animal rights organizations in the world.
Do you have a favourite PETA campaign?
I’m most impressed with the undercover and legislative work that they do.
You went vegan when you were 21. What prompted the change?
I became vegetarian because I didn’t want to be involved in anything that caused unnecessary animal suffering. That same reasoning led me to become a vegan.
What was the transition like for you? Were you vegetarian first?
It was tricky, as I was very poor and living in the suburbs. So I ate a lot of oatmeal.
Do you have any advice for new vegans and vegetarians or for someone who is thinking about making the switch?
Move to downtown Manhattan [New York]. Apart from that ... experiment, and ignore people who ask you the annoying “protein” question.
What’s the most touching or inspiring story you’ve heard from a fan about animal rights?
When I tour, I hear lots and lots of inspiring animal rights stories, so it would be almost impossible to choose just one.
We rarely read an article about you that doesn’t mention that you’re vegan. Why do you think it’s so important to be outspoken about animal rights and veganism?
Because billions of animals are suffering and it’s incumbent upon us to do all that we can to alleviate their suffering.
How do you think that environmental issues and animal rights issues are related?
One of the biggest ones is, of course, water. The number one cause of water pollution in the United States is animal production. And then the number one cause of deforestation in the Third World is clearing land for grazing. The environmental ramifications of animal production are almost as depressing as animal production itself.
