SYNTHBORE

After having the misfortune of witnessing Moby’s cheesy, melodramatic “live” show in 1995, I’m not a bit surprised he found “performing” his music boring (Checking In With . . ., by Lorraine Ali, Jan. 19). After all, his repertoire comprises some of the most trite and one-dimensional material to be found in the genre. Moreover, nobody forced Moby to base his performance on the inflexible DAT machine (which renders improvisation all but impossible); many artists, such as the Orb and Spacetime Continuum, eschew this practice in favor of more liberating sequencing and sampling options.

What is troubling is his diatribe against the synthcore scene the media expected him to dominate. It speaks volumes that Moby assesses the health of the scene by its potential to be commercially exploited. By singling out the cartoonish Prodigy as its prime contender, he predictably ignores the artists who have eclipsed him artistically his entire career: Orbital, Future Sound of London, the Orb, Tricky, Goldie, etc.

By the way, I’ve been just as moved (maybe more so) by hearing Orbital’s “The Girl With the Sun in Her Head” as Pearl Jam’s “Black” or Soundgarden’s “Mailman,” so take that, Moby, you infidel!

STEVE ROBLES

Torrance