Kid Harpoon has been named Abbey Road Studios’ first-ever Producer in Residence, with the Grammy winner tasked with both guiding the legendary studio’s vision as well as mentoring future musical talent.

According to the studio, Kid Harpoon “will have complete access to Abbey Road as his creative playground and studio home in the UK, as well as its collection of vintage gear, microphones and instruments” and “will also consult on the studios’ music tech and innovation work.”

“I’m beyond excited to become Producer in Residence at Abbey Road,” Kid Harpoon said in a statement. “In this position, I’m hoping to use my experience to help guide some of the incredible up-and-coming talent we have in the UK while they navigate their way through what can be a difficult industry. Mark and the team have a real desire to give back and develop new talent, which is something I’m really passionate about. To be able to contribute to the Abbey Road legacy in any way is an honor, and I can’t wait to get stuck in!”

The British-born Thomas “Kid Harpoon” Hull has won Grammys for both Record of the Year (for Miley Cyrus’ “Flowers”) and Album of the Year (for Harry Styles’ Harry’s House) in recent years. His production and songwriting work also includes Shawn Mendes’ Wonder, Maggie Rogers’ Surrender, as well as songs by Florence + the Machine, Lizzo, King Princess, Noah Cyrus, and Jessie Ware. Most recently, Kid Harpoon produced David Byrne’s new album Who Is the Sky?

In addition to shaping Abbey Road’s sound, Kid Harpoon will also take part in the nearly century-old studio’s free education programs aimed at nurturing the next generation of artists and producers via panels and workshops.

“[Kid Harpoon] brings a spirit of collaboration and innovation that perfectly aligns with our vision. With his creative lead, we’re excited to deepen our artistic community and continue placing creativity at the heart of our home,” Abbey Road’s managing director Sally Davies added in a statement.

Not for the first time, Moby is speaking out against Donald Trump’s administration with clear frustration.

“The U.S. is collapsing under a deeply corrupt and shockingly ineffective administration,” the longtime electronic musician shared on social media. “These are unbelievably dark times.”

Moby went deeper into his thoughts through a video message, where he explained that people outside the United States keep asking Americans what is actually happening in the country.

“So many of my friends outside the United States keep asking me, ‘what the hell is happening over there?’ And honestly, we don’t even know,” he said. “The country is being controlled by one of the most corrupt, dangerous and incompetent administrations imaginable. Nobody fully understands what’s happening right now. These are very dark times in America.”

Moby joins a growing list of artists publicly criticizing Trump and MAGA politics, including Bruce Springsteen, Jack White, Eminem and Billie Eilish.

Earlier this year, Moby uploaded another statement to social media where he addressed how people should respond following the killing of Alex Pretti by ICE agents in Minneapolis. “The real question isn’t whether people should feel horrified or outraged by what’s happening in the United States,” Moby explained in the Jan. 26 clip. “The question is what are we actually going to do about it?”

The musician and activist also encouraged people to protest, saying demonstrations are a constitutional right and something he believes Trump’s administration is attempting to weaken.

In the end, he urged people to vote regularly, “not only during the upcoming midterms, even though those matter, but also in every special election throughout the year.” He also encouraged supporters to “stop giving money to the scumbag corporations backing Trump and ICE. We all know who they are. Boycott them.”

His newest remarks arrive as the U.S. Justice Department unveils a nearly $1.8 billion compensation fund for Trump allies who claim they were unfairly investigated. At the same time, the Strait of Hormuz remains shut down following military action launched by the U.S. and Israel against Iran in late February without approval from Congress, leading to rising gas prices across the globe.

Throughout his independent music career, Moby has earned 10 entries on the Billboard 200 along with two songs on the Billboard Hot 100 and an enormous catalog of sync placements. Overseas, particularly in the United Kingdom, he is viewed as one of the defining artists of his era. He scored two No. 1 albums there with Play from 1999 and 18 from 2002, alongside 18 top 40 singles and two nominations for Best International Male at the BRIT Awards.

Check out Moby’s newest social media post below.

 

 

CONTINUE READING