Des de Moor (Born Ipswich, Suffolk, England, 20 April 1961) is a writer, singer, musician and songwriter. His first performance in front of a paying audience was in Hertford, Hertfordshire, England in June 1976. He worked with local bands and performed in folk clubs in the Hertford area during the late 1970s and 1980s before moving to London in 1985. In 1987 he formed the The Irresistible Force with Morris Gould aka Mixmaster Morris, releasing two singles and several remixes and performing in Britain and the Netherlands.
After dissolving his partnership with Gould late in 1989, de Moor re-emerged in 1993 as an acoustic performer specialising in European-influenced chanson, theatre song and musical cabaret. In December 1995 he launched Pirate Jenny's club at the Vortex Jazz Club in London, presenting other artists specialising in this style of music. The club transferred to The Drill Hall, London, in 2004.
Apart from Pirate Jenny's, de Moor's best known work to date is Darkness and Disgrace, an adaptation of David Bowie songs in cabaret/chanson style created in collaboration with pianist Russell Churney, originally performed in 2001 and recorded in 2003 (see Darkness and Disgrace: Des de Moor and Russell Churney Perform the Songs of David Bowie.
De Moor has worked with chansonniers Barb Jungr, Robb Johnson, Leon Rosselson, pianist David Harrod and double bass player Julia Doyle.
He is also a translator who has written accurate English translations of songs by Jacques Brel, Léo Ferré, Claude Nougaro, Barbara (Monique Serf), Bertolt Brecht and Wannes Van de Velde.
De Moor is also known for several other activities. Between 1996 and 2006 he was a regular DJ at the 100 Club, London, though playing vintage swing, R&B, soul and ska rather than chanson or cabaret.
He is a beer writer, writing regularly for Campaign for Real Ale publications. In 2010 he contributed to the book 1001 Beers You Must Try Before You Die (edited by Adrian Tierney-Jones, Quintessence) and in 2011 published his own first book, The CAMRA Guide to London's Best Beer, Pubs and Bars (CAMRA Books).
He has also written on walking for the Ramblers' Association.
Des has a degree in Philosophy and Pure Linguistics.
Famous quotes containing the words des and/or moor:
“One difference between Nazi and Soviet camps was that in the latter dying was a slower process.”
—Terrence Des Pres (1939–1987)
“who should moor at his edge
And fare on afoot would find gates of no gardens,
But the hill of dark underfoot diving,
Closing overhead, the cold deep, and drowning.
He is called Leviathan, and named for rolling,”
—William Stanley Merwin (b. 1927)