Moby Grape

A friend likes to keep going on and on about how great Moby Grape is and that they were one of the greatest bands of their time. We’ve had a few conversations on this topic over the years in the library and in bars. I agree with him that they had a wonderful first album with some good songs they released back in 1967 but that was about it. 

I first heard of them in 1968 when I saw them open up a show at the Electric Factory that included Big Brother and the Holding Company and the Jefferson Airplane. They were all from San Francisco. Moby Grape was touring on their 2nd album Wow/Grape Jam and while they had some good songs in their show they were completely overshadowed by the other two bands. I mostly remember a lot of noodling from them while both the other bands had fantastic female lead singers. Moby Grape seemed like they were about to fall apart at any moment.

I heard and read more about Moby Grape after seeing that show and at some point along the way I got their self-titled first album and then the second one. That was about it for me although about 30 years later I did get a compilation album by them.

They were a hard luck band where everything went wrong for them. Everything. It was kind of sad. A biography of that band would be a lesson on what not to do to become successful including drugs, mental illness, bad management, lazy songwriting, cheating friends and petty jealousies. 

My friend recently started posting a lot of songs and exclamations about Moby Grape so I listened to them again but I didn't engage him. I think he just likes to be contrary.