sfletcher26's review against another edition
3.0
Simultaneously and easy and a difficult read. Moby writes well and engagingly but many of these stories are dark tales of a self destructive life in music.
christianvillum's review against another edition
5.0
Candid self-biographical account from iconic anti-rockstar Moby, who takes the reader on a journey from his poor teenage years in Connecticut, where he spent parts of his youth living in a squatted factory, over his move to become a dj in 1980s and 1990s rough-neck New York and his uprising as a an early rave-era star in electronic music in both US and Europe, and right up until the time during which he wrote the songs that would later make up his commercial break-through: The multi-million selling album 'Play'. Moby let's us gently get a peek of his fragile self-image and shares honest accounts of both personal nature and those rock'n'roll experiences you only get to experience when you're an international music icon. Very well-written and a highly enjoyable read for both fans and newcomers alike. I only rarely give 5 star-ratings, but this one is well-deservedly one of them.
riverwise's review against another edition
4.0
Very entertaining and a strong depiction of NY life at the turn of the 90s. It's candid and Moby doesn't seem to have whitewashed much, but it's also very engaging and likeable. Roll on part two.
bekahpaige's review
2.0
This was so tedious and I don't particularly like Moby as a person after reading it. He seems like an insecure, hateful, jealous, little misogynistic boy, who wants us to think he is so special and smart and talented and troubled and rags-to-riches, etc. While I was reading this, I remembered vaguely his "beef" with Eminem back in the day, and after reading this book, he had no right to call Eminem misogynistic. Eminem was at least honest about his issues with women. Moby doesn't even see them as people.
memydogandbooks's review against another edition
4.0
3.5⭐️ Honest, nostalgic, sad, funny and a fascinating insight into one of dance music’s icons. As a fan, I really enjoyed learning so much more about Moby’s life, he’s so interesting and humble, even during his dark days of alcohol oblivion. The book mostly focuses on the early days of his career, pre 2000s. So, I look forward to reading the follow up memoir he’s releasing next year - Then It Fell Apart.
riverwise's review against another edition
4.0
Very entertaining and a strong depiction of NY life at the turn of the 90s. It's candid and Moby doesn't seem to have whitewashed much, but it's also very engaging and likeable. Roll on part two.
thebobsphere's review
4.0
I first came across Moby’s music in 1995 when the Everything is Wrong video was played sporadically on MTV. I didn’t mind it, but I wasn’t blown away.
The in June 1999, while listening to the monthly Uncut Magazine Cd, Moby’s Natural Blues was featured and I rushed out and bought the album it was on, Play (I was an impulsive buyer, not a good strategy) and I listened to it A LOT.
The funny thing about Play is that it took a bit over a year for people to realise that it’s actually a strong album. I know this is due to the fact that all 18 tracks were used in adverts but if that helps so be it.
That’s the first story.
In 2017 I knew someone at Faber and Faber who kindly sent two music related books to me. Porcelain is one of them. The other will be reviewed shortly. The reason why it took a long time for me to read Porcelain? I needed the right moment.
I’ve read a good number of rock memoirs and they follow the same pattern; first there’s the musician struggling and working hard to get the music heard, then there’s the lucky break and the downfall. Porcelain does follow this route but there are quite a few differences.
First of all Moby knows how to write. In the afterward he was thinking of hiring a ghost writer but that would have been a mistake. He is capable. Porcelain is an enjoyable read, mainly because Moby is observant and it comes out in his writing. He is also able to make fun of himself, which is always good.
Secondly Moby is a Christian and the text is peppered with philosophical musings about Religion, his place in the world. Then there’s the fact that he does live a hedonistic lifestyle, which contradicts his Christian beliefs. The book never sounds preachy so I liked reading about Moby’s inner turmoils.
Like every good autobiography, there are other things happening; the rise of electronic music in New York and London and club culture’s evolution.
There are other scenes which are worth reading the book for ; Moby’s rise too fame, the death of his mother and his struggles to escape his electronic roots and try different styles. The book ends with Moby putting together Play and that’s a good way to conclude as Moby’s jump to stardom warrants another volume (and there’s a second part)
If you’re not into music, I can safely say it is still worth reading Porcelain. There are funny moments and some downer ones. There isn’t a dull moment and since the chapters are relatively short, one can get through it in no time. There’s even a soundtrack to the book, comprising of Moby’s tracks and classic rave ones, for a full experience.
The in June 1999, while listening to the monthly Uncut Magazine Cd, Moby’s Natural Blues was featured and I rushed out and bought the album it was on, Play (I was an impulsive buyer, not a good strategy) and I listened to it A LOT.
The funny thing about Play is that it took a bit over a year for people to realise that it’s actually a strong album. I know this is due to the fact that all 18 tracks were used in adverts but if that helps so be it.
That’s the first story.
In 2017 I knew someone at Faber and Faber who kindly sent two music related books to me. Porcelain is one of them. The other will be reviewed shortly. The reason why it took a long time for me to read Porcelain? I needed the right moment.
I’ve read a good number of rock memoirs and they follow the same pattern; first there’s the musician struggling and working hard to get the music heard, then there’s the lucky break and the downfall. Porcelain does follow this route but there are quite a few differences.
First of all Moby knows how to write. In the afterward he was thinking of hiring a ghost writer but that would have been a mistake. He is capable. Porcelain is an enjoyable read, mainly because Moby is observant and it comes out in his writing. He is also able to make fun of himself, which is always good.
Secondly Moby is a Christian and the text is peppered with philosophical musings about Religion, his place in the world. Then there’s the fact that he does live a hedonistic lifestyle, which contradicts his Christian beliefs. The book never sounds preachy so I liked reading about Moby’s inner turmoils.
Like every good autobiography, there are other things happening; the rise of electronic music in New York and London and club culture’s evolution.
There are other scenes which are worth reading the book for ; Moby’s rise too fame, the death of his mother and his struggles to escape his electronic roots and try different styles. The book ends with Moby putting together Play and that’s a good way to conclude as Moby’s jump to stardom warrants another volume (and there’s a second part)
If you’re not into music, I can safely say it is still worth reading Porcelain. There are funny moments and some downer ones. There isn’t a dull moment and since the chapters are relatively short, one can get through it in no time. There’s even a soundtrack to the book, comprising of Moby’s tracks and classic rave ones, for a full experience.
aoldale's review
4.0
I listened to this in my car. I am really enjoying listening to memoirs read by their authors. Moby was funnier than I thought he would be!