With the image and vocal style of 1950s music legends paired with modern hip-hop production, Willy Moon has resurrected that old time rock ‘n’ roll and adapted it to the 21st century. His music pushes the limits of existing genres, combining elements from different time periods in music history to create fresh adaptations of vintage sounds. Hearing such an uncommon combination of sounds, a natural curiosity would push an investigation into his past for explanation. However, his fascinating history prompts more questions than answers and simply adds to the peculiarity that is Willy Moon.
New Zealand native William Sinclair was not always destined for success. At age 12 his mother’s passing and his father’s move to Saudi Arabia for work left William and his older sister to fend for themselves. At 16, Will dropped out of school indefinitely and by 18 he was desperate to get a new start and flew to London. His time in London was short but pivotal to his future in music. There he met his girlfriend who introduced him to 1940s jazz, planting the seed for Will’s fixation with pre-1960s music. After losing his job and consequently getting booted from his apartment, Will and his girlfriend bounced around from Spain to Morocco to Germany. In Germany, he began writing and producing his music. Initially frustrated with the pure revivalist scene he found himself in, Will returned to London and added his own flavor to the music. Taking up the name Willy Moon, last year Sinclair independently released “I Wanna Be Your Man” online and was subsequently presented with a record deal.
Willy finally made his break and has released a number of singles, each of which is grounded in his 1950s rock ‘n’ roll style but incorporates elements of any number of genres. “Railroad Track” is heavily influenced by Southern gospel and blues, in which Willy sings over a slow stomp/clamp beat and dreary marching chorus. The lyrics and vocals convey a feeling of entrapment and escapist sentiments, as Willy convinces the audience (or more likely himself) that this time he’s really going to get out. His other tunes find themselves more in classic hip-hop in “Yeah Yeah” or even edging in on electronica with “She Loves Me.” Willy Moon’s co-option of used sounds to make crisp new ones is what defines his appeal, and despite only being part of the industry for a few years Willy is already making a strong case for the proliferation of rock ‘n’ roll.
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