When Bob Moog invented the Moog synthesizer in 1964 he revolutionized popular music. His creations touched thousands of lives as synthesizers gained acceptance in the music world and became the catalyst for new forms of sonic expression. Genre-definers like The Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Stevie Wonder, Pink Floyd, Parliament & Funkadelic and Kraftwerk used Moog synthesizers to create the soundtrack to the second half of the 20th Century. Today, over 50 years later, Moog instruments help create the sound of the new millennium in the hands of innovative artists like Daft Punk, MGMT, Gorillaz, Radiohead, and U2 to name a few. Moog has become an icon for his unique combination of technical brilliance, creative curiosity, and generosity of spirit. Though he has left us, his enormous legacy still resonates, having irreversibly changed the sonic landscape of the world. Quite simply, modern music would not be the same without Bob Moog.
Although he passed away in 2005, Bob Moog’s spirit lives on with Moog Music, a company he originally formed in 1954 under the name R.A. Moog (the name changed in 1972). Located in Asheville, NC where Bob Moog spent much of his later life, Moog Music continues to be the leading producer of synthesizers, analog musical instruments and effects pedals. 2011 marks a big turning point for the little company Bob started, as Moog Music moves into its own flagship headquarters in downtown Asheville. The new facility allows passersby to watch the instruments being handcrafted, as well as to see artists performing with them in the Moog Sound Lab. People will also be able to tour the factory and test the unique family of Moog products in the interactive showroom. Moog’s push for innovation permeates the entire culture of Moog Music and now with the beautiful new building, Moog Music will be able to share that unique ethos fostered by Bob with Moog fans around the world.
Visit the Moog Music website.
