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{{Short description|English musician (born 1958)}} {{About|the musician|the American filmmaker|Tom Dolby|the inventor of the noise reduction system|Ray Dolby}} {{Use British English|date=August 2014}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Thomas Dolby | background = solo_singer | image = File:Totally Tubular Festival, Toronto 2024 (IMG 036) (cropped).jpg | caption = Dolby performing in 2024 | landscape = | birth_name = Thomas Morgan Robertson | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1958|10|14}} | birth_place = London, England | genre = {{hlist|[[new wave music|New wave]]|[[synth-pop]]|[[funk]]|[[film music]]|[[ambient music|ambient]]|[[post-punk]]}}{{cn|date=October 2024}} | occupation = {{hlist|Singer-songwriter|musician|record producer|composer|entrepreneur|teacher|musical director}} | years_active = 1979–present | instrument = {{hlist|Keyboards|vocals}} | label = {{hlist|[[Capitol Records|Capitol]]/[[EMI]]|[[Giant Records (1990)|Giant]]/[[Warner Bros. Records]]|[[Invisible Hands Music]]|[[The Echo Label|Echo]]|[[BMG Records]] UK}} | website = {{URL|thomasdolby.com}} }} '''Thomas Morgan Robertson''' (born 14 October 1958), known by the stage name '''Thomas Dolby''', is an English musician, producer, composer, [[entrepreneur]] and teacher. Dolby came to prominence in the 1980s, releasing hit singles including "[[She Blinded Me with Science]]" (1982) and "[[Hyperactive!]]" (1984). He has also worked as a producer and as a [[session musician]]. In the 1990s, Dolby founded [[Beatnik (company)|Beatnik]], a [[Silicon Valley]] software company whose technology was used to play internet audio and later [[ringtone]]s, most notably on [[Nokia]] phones. He was also the music director for [[TED (conference)|TED Conferences]]. On the faculty at the [[Peabody Institute]] at [[Johns Hopkins University]] since 2014, Dolby leads Peabody's Music for New Media program, which enrolled its first students in the fall of 2018. ==Early life== Dolby was born Thomas Morgan Robertson in London, England,{{citation needed|date=December 2023}} to (Theodosia) Cecil, ''née'' Spring Rice (1921–1984) and [[Martin Robertson]] (1911–2004),<ref>{{Cite ODNB| url= http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-94618 |title= Robertson, (Charles) Martin (1911–2004), archaeologist and poet|last=Boardman|first= John|date= 3 January 2008|volume=1|language=en|doi=10.1093/ref:odnb/94618}}</ref> professor of classical [[Greek Art]] and [[Archaeology]] at the [[University of London]], [[Oxford University]], and [[Trinity College, Cambridge]]. His older brother is the academic [[Stephen Robertson (computer scientist)|Stephen Robertson]]. In at least one interview in the 1980s, Dolby claimed, "I was born in [[Cairo]], because my father is an [[archaeologist]]"<ref>{{cite web| url= https://www.chicagotribune.com/1985/06/23/seriously-folks-thomas-dolbys-actually-a-typical-englishman-loony/| title=Seriously, Folks, Thomas Dolby's Actually A Typical Englishman—loony| work= [[Chicago Tribune]]| date=23 June 1985}}</ref> — many subsequent articles have republished or reprinted this spurious claim. At school in London, Dolby was good friends with [[Shane MacGowan]] of [[The Pogues]] and used to sit with him in the back row of the [[English Literature]] class. Dolby described him as "extremely smart". Dolby later attended [[Abingdon School]] in Oxfordshire, England, from 1975 to 1976, where he completed his [[A Levels]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://blog.thomasdolby.com/?p=532 |title=More Radiohead... and Shane MacGowan |access-date=21 April 2008 |website= blog.thomasdolby.com | publisher= Thomas Dolby|url-status=dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110717051615/http://blog.thomasdolby.com/?p=532 |archive-date=17 July 2011}}</ref> One of his first jobs was a part-time position at a fruit and vegetable shop.<ref name="fruit"/> In his youth, Dolby lived or worked in France, Italy, and Greece.<ref>{{cite magazine |author=[[Freff]] |date=May 1984 |title=Thomas Dolby, Intuition and Motion |magazine=Musician |page=43}}</ref> Dolby spoke of his early musical experiences in a 2012 interview: {{Blockquote|I sang in a choir when I was 10 or 11, and learned to [[sightread]] single lines, but other than that I don't have a formal education. I picked up the guitar initially, playing [[folk music|folk]] tunes—[[Bob Dylan|Dylan]]—then I graduated to piano when I got interested in jazz, listening to people like [[Oscar Peterson]], [[Dave Brubeck]], [[Bill Evans]], [[Thelonious Monk]], and so on. The first electronic instruments started to become accessible in the mid-70s, and I got my hands on a kit built synthesizer and never looked back.<ref>{{cite web| url= http://onedublin.org/2012/04/14/thomas-dolby-on-music-education-and-the-evolution-of-the-music-industry/| title=Thomas Dolby on Music Education and the Evolution of the Music Industry|date=14 April 2012 |website=OneDublin.org| first= James| last= Morehead | access-date= February 16, 2022}}</ref>}} ==Stage name== [[File:Thomas Dolby 2018 (cropped).jpg|right|thumbnail|Dolby performing in 2018]] The stage name Thomas Dolby originated from a nickname "Dolby" that he picked up in the early 1970s, when he was "always messing around with keyboards and tapes".<ref name="RBMARFireside">{{cite AV media|people=Thomas Dolby|url=http://www.rbmaradio.com/shows/thomas-dolby-fireside-chat|access-date=27 April 2013|format=webcast audio|title=Thomas Dolby|time=01:50|publisher=Red Bull Music Academy Radio}}</ref> The name derives from the name of the [[Dolby noise-reduction system|audio noise-reduction]] process of [[Dolby Laboratories]] used for audio recording and playback. He adopted the stage name "Thomas Dolby" to avoid confusion with British singer [[Tom Robinson]], who was popular when he began his career. Early publicity implied that "Dolby" was a middle name, and that Dolby's full name was Thomas Morgan Dolby Robertson;<ref>{{cite journal|last=Cohn|first=Stuart |title=Thomas Dolby: A Techno-Geek Aims for 'An Emotional Event'|journal=Record|date=June 1983|volume=2|issue=8|page=4}}</ref> this is legally incorrect, but he does sometimes informally go by the initials TMDR.<ref name="fruit"/> After Dolby released "[[She Blinded Me with Science]]" in 1982, [[Dolby]] Laboratories expressed concern regarding the stage name. Dolby's record label refused to make him change his name, and Dolby Labs did not raise the issue again until later. After a lengthy legal battle, the court decided that Dolby Labs had no right to restrict the musician from using the name. It was agreed that he would not release any electronic equipment using the name.<ref name="Michael Davis 2008, p. 38">{{cite book | editor-first= Ernie | editor-last = Rideout | title=Keyboard Presents The Best of The '80s|publisher=Backbeat Books|year=2008|page=38}}</ref> Dolby is unrelated to [[Tom Dolby|Thomas "Tom" Dolby]], who is a novelist, filmmaker, and son of the Dolby Laboratories founder [[Ray Dolby]].<ref name="fruit"/> ==Music career== In the late 1970s Dolby formed the Camera Club with [[Bruce Woolley]]. After leaving the Camera Club he joined [[Lene Lovich]]'s band as keyboardist and wrote her hit song "[[New Toy]]". He also wrote songs for other artists and worked as a [[record producer]] before launching his solo career in 1981.<ref>{{cite web|title=Classic Tracks: Thomas Dolby's "She Blinded Me With Science"|url=https://www.mixonline.com/recording/classic-tracks-thomas-dolbys-she-blinded-me-science-365232|access-date=2023-05-18|website=mixonline.com|date=January 2000 }}</ref> ==Solo music career== Dolby is associated with the [[New wave music|new wave]] movement of the early 1980s, a form of pop music incorporating [[electronic instrument]]s, but Dolby's work covers a wide range of [[musical style]]s and moods distinct from the high-energy pop sound of his few, better-known commercial successes.<ref name="fruit"/> ===''The Golden Age of Wireless''=== Originally released in the UK and US and including the songs "[[Europa and the Pirate Twins]]," "Airwaves," and "Radio Silence," the first releases of Dolby's first solo album, ''[[The Golden Age of Wireless]]'' (Harvest, 1982) did not include the signature hit, "[[She Blinded Me with Science]]." After the five-song EP ''[[Blinded by Science]]'' introduced the catchy single, ''The Golden Age of Wireless'' was re-released with the single that, combined with its accompanying video, became Dolby's most commercially successful single, reaching No. 5 on the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Raggett |first=Ned |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-golden-age-of-wireless-mw0000189796 |title=The Golden Age of Wireless – Thomas Dolby : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards |publisher=[[AllMusic]] |access-date=5 February 2013}}</ref> The album was released a total of five times, each with changes in song order and included songs, or even including a different version of "Radio Silence" or extended remix of "She Blinded Me with Science."<ref name="fruit"/> ''The Golden Age of Wireless'' reached No. 13 on the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' album chart]].<ref>{{cite web| url= http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-golden-age-of-wireless-mw0000189796/awards |title=The Golden Age of Wireless – Thomas Dolby : Awards |publisher=[[AllMusic]] |access-date=5 February 2013}}</ref> It juxtaposed themes of radio technology, aircraft, and naval submarines with those of relationships and nostalgia.<ref>{{cite web |last=Stannard |first=Joseph |url=http://drownedinsound.com/in_depth/4137962-thomas-dolby--reflections-on-the-golden-age-of-wireless-and-the-flat-earth |title=Thomas Dolby: reflections on The Golden Age of Wireless and The Flat Earth / In Depth |website=Drowned in Sound |date=28 September 2009 |access-date=5 February 2013 |archive-date=15 February 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130215065235/http://drownedinsound.com/in_depth/4137962-thomas-dolby--reflections-on-the-golden-age-of-wireless-and-the-flat-earth |url-status=dead }}</ref> While much of the album's instrumentation is synthesisers and samplers, the album credits a long list of guest musicians as well, with instruments ranging from harmonica and violin to guitar and percussion.<ref name="fruit"/> ===Dolby's Cube=== Beginning in 1983, Dolby collaborated with a number of artists in an occasional studio-bound project called Dolby's Cube. The project had no set line-up, and was essentially a forum for Dolby to release material that was more dance-oriented. Dolby's Cube released a single in 1983 ("Get Out of My Mix"), another in 1985 ("May the Cube Be with You"), and performed soundtrack work for the film ''[[Howard the Duck (film)|Howard the Duck]]'' in 1986. Collaborators in Dolby's Cube at various junctures included [[Lene Lovich]], [[George Clinton (funk musician)|George Clinton]] of [[Parliament-Funkadelic]], [[Francois Kevorkian]], and [[Lea Thompson]]. ===''The Flat Earth''=== In 1984, Dolby released his second LP, ''[[The Flat Earth]]'' (Capitol), which peaked at No. 14 on the [[UK Albums Chart]] and at No. 35 on the ''Billboard'' album chart in the US. With a wide range of influences including nostalgic jazz, funk-tinged Motown R&B, and [[world music]] along with a strong electronic element,<ref>{{cite web|last=Swan |first=Glenn |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-flat-earth-mw0000650083 |title=The Flat Earth – Thomas Dolby : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards |publisher= AllMusic |date=4 December 2010 |access-date=5 February 2013}}</ref> and featuring a slew of guest musicians including longtime Dolby collaborator [[Matthew Seligman]] on bass, Kevin Armstrong on guitar, Clif Brigden on percussion, and guest vocals from [[Robyn Hitchcock]], [[Bruce Woolley]], and others, ''The Flat Earth'' further established Dolby's wide range of talents as musician, songwriter, and producer. The album included a cover of the [[Dan Hicks (singer)|Dan Hicks]] song "I Scare Myself." "Hyperactive!"<ref name="fruit"/> was the first and most successful single from the album, peaking at No. 17 on the [[UK Singles Chart]], making it Dolby's highest-charting single in his home country. ===''Aliens Ate My Buick''=== In contrast to the overall introverted nature of ''The Flat Earth'', Dolby described his next release, ''[[Aliens Ate My Buick]]'' (1988): {{blockquote|I think it's very bold. Some people who've known my stuff from the beginning find it a bit hard to stomach. They think it's a bit brash. It's certainly unsubtle in a lot of ways. It goes for the jugular. There was always a side to the stuff that I did that was very extroverted and wacky. The flip side of the coin was the more atmospheric, moody stuff. There was always room for both of them. But this album, with the exception of maybe one song ["Budapest by Blimp"], is all on the extrovert side.<ref name="Michael Davis 2008, p. 38"/>}} ''Aliens Ate My Buick'' was strongly funk and dance influenced. The first single was "Airhead", a satirical song about a stereotypical young-and-rich California woman, which peaked at No. 53. The second single, "Hot Sauce", a [[George Clinton (funk musician)|George Clinton]] song, peaked at No. 80. Another single, "My Brain Is Like A Sieve," peaked at No. 89 on the UK Singles Chart.<ref>{{cite web|last=Ruhlmann |first=William |url= http://www.allmusic.com/album/aliens-ate-my-buick-mw0000196285 |title=Aliens Ate My Buick – Thomas Dolby : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards |publisher=[[AllMusic]] |access-date=5 February 2013}}</ref> The album was co-produced by [[Bill Bottrell]], and featured Terry Jackson on bass guitar. ===''Astronauts and Heretics''=== For ''[[Astronauts & Heretics]]'' (Virgin UK), Dolby expanded even further stylistically, starting the songwriting process at the piano, then again collaborating with a variety of guest musicians. Both [[Bob Weir]] and [[Jerry Garcia]] played guitar on "The Beauty of a Dream". [[Eddie Van Halen]] plays on "Eastern Bloc" and "Close but No Cigar." Other collaborators included [[Jimmy Z]] on sax, [[Budgie (drummer)|Budgie]] (of [[Siouxsie and the Banshees]]) on drums and [[Leland Sklar]] on bass guitar. Terry Jackson also contributed bass guitar on four songs before his 1991 death in a plane accident with seven other members of [[Reba McEntire]]'s support band for her "For My Broken Heart" tour. <!-- The Funk/Guaracha rhythm guitar on "That's Why People Fall in Love" was delivered by Acid Latin creator Thomas Guzman-Sanchez of Rhythm Tribe (VRL MUZIC) --> The highest-charting song off this album was "Close but No Cigar," which reached No. 22 on the UK charts. Two other songs on the album, "I Love You Goodbye" and "Silk Pyjamas", employed [[Zydeco]] influences, courtesy of [[Crowley, Louisiana]], and guest musicians [[Michael Doucet]] of [[BeauSoleil]] on violin, [[Wayne Toups]] on accordion, and Al Tharp on banjo. Even though some recording for the album was done in remote locations, the bulk of ''Astronauts & Heretics'' was recorded at [[NRG Recording Studios]] with input from trusted Dolby co-producer Bill Bottrell, and mixed down at Smoke Tree Studios in [[Chatsworth, California]].<ref name=":0" /> ===''The Sole Inhabitant''=== [[File:Thomas Dolby.jpg|right|thumbnail|upright|Dolby performing in 2006]] Following his involvement in [[Beatnik (company)|Beatnik]], Dolby returned to his musical career in 2006. He performed his first public solo show in 15 years at the Red Devil Lounge in San Francisco, California, on 21 January 2006, surprising the crowd who were there to see local band Notorious. He then launched an American tour, the Sole Inhabitant Tour, on 12 April 2006, comprising a string of small dates in California, a science education benefit in [[Boulder, Colorado]], and gigs across America before receptive crowds. The United States leg of the "Sole Inhabitant Tour 2006" was captured on a "live" CD and DVD. The CD represents a recording of two gigs played by Dolby at Martyrs in Chicago, while the DVD was filmed at the Berklee Performance Center at [[Berklee College of Music]]. The DVD also includes a 30-minute interview and a lecture by Dolby at the college. Both the CD and DVD were released in November 2006. Dolby autographed and numbered the first 1,000 copies of the CD and DVD. A show at the 800-capacity [[Scala (club)|Scala]] club in London was booked for 3 July 2006 as a warm-up for Dolby's Hyde Park set opening for [[Depeche Mode]]. The show sold out in a matter of days and prompted Dolby to reprioritise the UK, resulting in him moving with his family from California back to England and in a nine-date Sole Inhabitant tour of the UK in October 2007, coinciding with the release of a lavish box set of the Sole Inhabitant CD and DVD by UK independent label [[Invisible Hands Music]]. Thomas toured throughout the months of November and December 2006 with electronic musician [[Brian Transeau|BT]]. This tour included a version of "Airwaves" that BT added his own technique to, which was the opening song on the UK leg of the Sole Inhabitant tour (''sans'' BT). Thomas Dolby's 15 March 2007 performance at the [[SxSW]] festival<ref>Zahlaway, Jon. [https://archive.today/20071024164332/http://www.livedaily.com/news/11743.html SXSW Review: Thomas Dolby at Elysium], [[LiveDaily]] 15 March 2007. Retrieved 5 May 2009</ref> was released as the live EP ''Thomas Dolby & The Jazz Mafia Horns, Live at SxSW'' (with musicians from San Francisco's [[Jazz Mafia]] collective). The 2007 UK Sole Inhabitant tour included three new songs previously played on the US tour, one called "Your Karma Hit My Dogma", another called "Jealous Thing", and a cover version of [[the Special AKA]]'s "What I Like Most About You Is Your Girlfriend." "Your Karma Hit My Dogma" was inspired by [[Kevin Federline]]'s unauthorised use of a sample from [[Mobb Deep]]'s "[[Got It Twisted]]," which in turn had used an authorised sample of "She Blinded Me with Science." The tag line from that story became the title of the song. The wording was lifted by Thomas from a bumper sticker on a car that he saw whilst living in the San Francisco Bay area. In a move close to performance art, Dolby tried to post a 'cease and desist' legal letter on Kevin Federline's MySpace page when other attempts to contact him proved fruitless.<ref name="autogenerated2006">{{cite web|last=Moss |first=Corey |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1527947/20060405/federline_kevin.jhtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060411184248/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1527947/20060405/federline_kevin.jhtml |url-status=dead |archive-date=11 April 2006 |title=Thomas Dolby Won't Turn Blind Eye To Kevin Federline Sample – Music, Celebrity, Artist News |publisher=MTV |date=5 April 2006 |access-date=5 February 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|author=Jeff Stratton |url=http://www.miaminewtimes.com/2006-12-14/music/before-and-after-science |title=Before and After Science – Page 1 – Music – Miami |newspaper=Miami New Times |date=14 December 2006 |access-date=5 February 2013}}</ref> The song is on the ''Live at SxSW'' EP. The second new song, "Jealous Thing", was performed at least at The Graduate in Cambridge and London's Islington Academy on the UK tour in Summer 2007 and features a Bossa-Nova type rhythm. ===2009 reissues=== [[File:Thomas Dolby at TED.jpg|right|thumbnail|upright|Dolby at [[TED (conference)|TED]] in 2009]] A CD plus DVD set entitled ''The Singular Thomas Dolby'' was released by [[EMI]] on 18 May 2009. As the name suggests it is a digitally remastered compilation of previously released singles. The DVD contains all the video singles that were available on the original VHS/BETA/LASERDISC release of ''The Golden Age of Video'', as well as the videos for the songs "Silk Pyjamas", "I Love You Goodbye", and "Close but No Cigar". These three missing videos are for the singles taken from the 1992 album ''Astronauts & Heretics'', which received critical acclaim but garnered unimpressive sales. ''The Golden Age of Wireless'' and ''The Flat Earth'' were remastered and reissued later that year with numerous previously unreleased bonus tracks. ''The Golden Age of Wireless'' reissue was a two disc set including a DVD of the complete "Live Wireless" video. ===''A Map of the Floating City''=== In 2010 Dolby began work on a new studio album entitled ''[[A Map of the Floating City]]''.<ref name=pluginMay2010>{{cite web|url=http://www.pluginmusic.com/news/article/thomas-dolby-prepares-first-new-album-in-20-years|title=Thomas Dolby Prepares First New Album in 20 Years|date=9 May 2010|website=Pluginmusic.com}}</ref> The album is divided into three parts, with the first two parts initially made available to members of The Flat Earth Community Forum, Dolby's online community.<ref>{{cite web|url = http://www.thomasdolby.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/motfcpress.html|title = Thomas Dolby – Press Release|date = 28 November 2010|publisher = thomasdolby.com}}</ref> Each of the three digital EPs takes its name from one of the three sections of the full-length album that later followed. The first EP, ''Amerikana'', was released digitally on 16 June 2010. The second EP is entitled ''Oceanea'', and was released on 29 November 2010. Due to favourable reviews and radio airplay, ''Oceanea'' was released commercially on 28 March 2011. The third section of the album, entitled ''Urbanoia'',<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mike-ragogna/emted-solar-power-windpow_b_769720.html |author= Mike Ragogna|title= TED, Solar Power, Windpower, and All Things Amerikana: A Conversation with Thomas Dolby|website=Huffingpost.com|date= 20 October 2010|access-date=5 February 2013}}</ref> was not released as a download or physical CD, but the songs were premiered online as part of the Floating City game (see below). Contributors to the album include [[Kevin Armstrong (guitarist)|Kevin Armstrong]], [[Matthew Seligman]] (both had played together with him on ''The Flat Earth'' and as part of David Bowie's [[Live Aid]] appearance), [[Bruce Woolley]], drummer [[Liam Genockey]], guitarist [[Mark Knopfler]] of Dire Straits, [[Regina Spektor]], [[Natalie MacMaster]], [[Eddi Reader]] and [[Imogen Heap]]. In a 2010 press release he was quoted as saying: {{Blockquote|I marvel at the new landscape of the music business – distribution via the Internet and recording technologies I barely dreamed of when I started out," he continues. "But this album does not sound electronic at all. I have zero desire to add to the myriad of machine-based, synth-driven grooves out there. The Net has made a music career approachable for thousands of bands – but I hear too few single-minded voices among them. What I do best is write songs, tell stories." "The new songs are organic and very personal. This album is a travelogue across three imaginary continents. In Amerikana I'm reflecting with affection on the years I spent living in the USA, and my fascination with its roots music. Urbanoia is a dark place, a little unsettling ... I'm not a city person. And in Oceanea I return to my natural home on the windswept coastline.<ref name=pluginMay2010/>|sign=|source=}} ''A Map of the Floating City'' was recorded in the "Nutmeg of Consolation", Dolby's recording studio built within a 1930s lifeboat and powered entirely by renewable energy, which is located in the garden of Dolby's beach house on England's North Sea coast.<ref name=pluginMay2010/> ===''A Map of the Floating City'' game=== In June 2011 Dolby announced the game ''A Map of the Floating City'', a multiplayer online game that shares a title with the full-length album release planned to follow after the game's conclusion. In Dolby's own words, "The Floating City is set against a dystopian vision of the 1940s that might have existed had WWII turned out a lot differently." Survivors explore a fictional Google map, forming tribes and trading relics amidst a bizarre sea-going barter society. As they struggle to unravel the enigma that is The Floating City, players can haggle over merchandise and music downloads, including brand new songs from ''A Map of the Floating City'', Dolby's first album in 20 years, scheduled to be released following the climax of the game. The game was played from June through August 2011, and included elements of trading, mystery, competition, and co-operation. Players earned free song downloads, and the winning team or "tribe" was awarded a private performance from Dolby. ==Session and production work == Parallel to his solo career, Dolby also worked as a [[session musician]] and [[record producer]]. He played on albums such as [[Thompson Twins]] album ''[[Set (Thompson Twins album)|Set]]'' and [[Foreigner (band)|Foreigner]]'s 1981 album ''[[4 (Foreigner album)|4]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidchiu/2024/08/19/thomas-dolby-on-she-blinded-me-with-science-his-new-novel-and-the-music-industry/ |title=Catching Up With Thomas Dolby: 'She Blinded Me With Science,' His New Novel And The Music Industry |author=Chiu, David |date=19 August 2024 |work=Forbes }}</ref> Dolby also worked as session keyboard player on [[Def Leppard]]'s 1983 ''[[Pyromania (album)|Pyromania]]'' album. Dolby appeared on ''Pyromania'' using the [[pseudonym|alias]] Booker T. Boffin.<ref>{{cite web|author=Jim Allen |url=http://www.mtvhive.com/2011/05/31/interview-thomas-dolby-talks-tech-and-plays-word-association/ |title=Q&A: Thomas Dolby Talks Tech, Plays Word Association |publisher=MTV Hive |access-date=6 August 2014}}</ref> In 1985, Dolby was a member of [[David Bowie]]'s band for his performance at [[Live Aid]].<ref>{{cite web | url= https://edition.cnn.com/2015/07/10/entertainment/live-aid-concerts-30th-anniversary-thomas-dolby/index.html | title= Thomas Dolby: I feared I'd 'screw up' Live Aid | work=CNN | first=Thom | last=Patterson | date=10 July 2015 | access-date=8 March 2023}}</ref> He also provided production on [[Joni Mitchell]]'s album ''[[Dog Eat Dog (Joni Mitchell album)|Dog Eat Dog]]''.<ref name=Joni2022/> He had previously covered the Mitchell song "The Jungle Line" in 1981 after being inspired by her 1975 album ''[[The Hissing of Summer Lawns]]''.<ref>{{cite book |title=Post Punk Diary: 1980–1982 |author=George Gimarc |page=190 |date=1997 |publisher=Macmillan |isbn=9780312169688}}</ref> He and Mitchell clashed in the studio, with Dolby's precise working methods proving incompatible with Mitchell's more freeform approach. Dolby wrote in his memoir that he was "probably too much of a brat, with my own blinkered way of working".<ref name=Joni2022>{{Cite news |last=Zaleski |first=Annie |date=2022-09-27 |title=Joni Mitchell's 80s: how the Canadian songwriter became a fearless, futurist auteur |language=en-GB |work=[[The Guardian]] |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2022/sep/27/joni-mitchells-80s-how-the-canadian-songwriter-became-a-fearless-futurist-auteur |access-date=2023-03-05 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> Dolby produced two albums for the English [[sophisti-pop]] band [[Prefab Sprout]]: 1985's ''[[Steve McQueen (album)|Steve McQueen]]'' and 1990's ''[[Jordan: The Comeback]]''. He also produced four tracks from 1988's ''[[From Langley Park to Memphis]]'', including the hit single "[[The King of Rock 'n' Roll]]".<ref name="prefab1">{{cite web |last1=Simpson |first1=Dave |title=Paddy McAloon and Thomas Dolby: how we made Prefab Sprout's Steve McQueen |url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2020/jun/30/paddy-mcaloon-thomas-dolby-how-we-made-steve-mcqueen-album |website=the Guardian |access-date=10 August 2022 |language=en |date=30 June 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Finlayson |first1=Angus |title=Prefab Sprout: The Kings of Rock 'n' Roll, Completely |url=https://daily.redbullmusicacademy.com/2013/04/prefab-sprout-feature |website=Red Bull Music Academy |access-date=10 August 2022 |language=en}}</ref> In 1987, Dolby played synthesizer on [[Belinda Carlisle]]'s "[[Heaven Is a Place on Earth]]", which reached number one on the [[Billboard Hot 100]] in the United States that December.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Breihan |first1=Tom |title=The Number Ones: Belinda Carlisle's "Heaven Is A Place On Earth" |url=https://www.stereogum.com/2122440/the-number-ones-belinda-carlisles-heaven-is-a-place-on-earth/columns/the-number-ones/ |website=Stereogum |access-date=21 September 2023 |language=en |date=31 March 2021}}</ref> ==Film and video games== Dolby has composed for a handful of films and video games. He also played the supporting role of Stanley —a parody of the character [[Van Helsing]]— in the 1990 comedy-musical film ''[[Rockula]]''. ===Scores for film and video games=== ====Films==== {| class="wikitable sortable" ! Year ! Title ! class="unsortable" | Notes |- ! rowspan="1" | 1985 | ''[[Fever Pitch (1985 film)|Fever Pitch]]'' | |- ! rowspan="2" | 1986 | ''[[Howard the Duck (film)|Howard the Duck]]''<ref name="emusician.com">{{cite web|url=http://emusician.com/em_spotlight/dolby_spotlight_oct07/|title=Musician in Transition: Thomas Dolby|date=12 September 2007|website=Emusician.com|access-date=5 February 2013}}</ref> | songs |- | ''[[Gothic (film)|Gothic]]''<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/gothic-music-from-the-film-mw0000860199|title=Gothic [Music From the Film] – Thomas Dolby – Songs, Reviews, Credits – AllMusic|publisher=[[AllMusic]]|access-date=22 March 2018}}</ref> | |- ! rowspan="1" | 1990 | ''[[Rockula]]'' | "Stanley's Death Park" and "Budapest by Blimp" |- ! rowspan="2" | 1992 | ''[[FernGully: The Last Rainforest]]'' | three songs |- | ''[[Toys (film)|Toys]]'' | vocals ("The Mirror Song"; with [[Robin Williams]] and [[Joan Cusack]]) |- ! rowspan="1" | 1993 | ''[[We're Back! A Dinosaur's Story (film)|We're Back! A Dinosaur's Story]]'' | "Roll Back The Rock" (with [[James Horner]]) |- ! rowspan="2" | 1994 | ''[[The Gate to the Mind's Eye]]'' | |- | ''Wolpodzilla'' | with Peter Horn and Tobias Neumann |} ====Video games==== {| class="wikitable sortable" ! Year ! Title ! class="unsortable" | Notes |- ! rowspan="1" | 1993 | ''[[Double Switch (video game)|Double Switch]]''<ref>{{cite magazine|title=ProReview: Double Switch|magazine=[[GamePro]]|issue=66|publisher=[[International Data Group|IDG]]|date=March 1994|page=62}}</ref> | |- ! rowspan="1" | 1994 | ''[[Cyberia (video game)|Cyberia]]'' | with Mike Kapitan |- ! rowspan="1" | 1995 | ''[[The Dark Eye (video game)|The Dark Eye]]'' | with Chuck Mitchell and [[Blake Leyh]] |- ! rowspan="1" | 1997 | ''[[Obsidian (1997 video game)|Obsidian]]'' | with Blake Leyh, [[Kim Cascone]], and [[Paul Sebastien]] |} ===''The Invisible Lighthouse''=== In 2012, Dolby learned of the decommissioning of the [[Orfordness Lighthouse]] near his Suffolk home, and proceeded to film a documentary, ''The Invisible Lighthouse'',<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2693354/|title=The Invisible Lighthouse|publisher=IMDb|access-date=13 October 2019}}</ref> to chronicle the shutdown of the lighthouse as well as his childhood growing up in the area. Dolby took this film on the road through the US and UK in the Autumn of 2013, accompanying the film with live music, narration, and sound effects by [[Blake Leyh]]. The film won the DIY Film Festival award for Best Picture.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://diyconvention.com/?_nozc_=1|title=Diyconvention.com|website=Diyconvention.com|access-date=13 October 2019}}</ref> ==Headspace and Beatnik== {{Main|Beatnik (company)}} In 1993, Dolby established the [[Beatnik (company)|Headspace]] company. This was intended to provide tools for interactive audio, as at the time Dolby was frustrated about the lack of interactive audio tools. During this period, Dolby worked on a number of video game soundtracks through his company. The company was later approached to create MIDI-based music for [[WebTV]], leading to Dolby composing several key music tracks that were bundled with the devices. Following the acquisition of the company Igor's Software Laboratories in 1996, which was also involved with creating audio for WebTV, Headspace developed a new downloadable file format designed specifically for Internet usage called Rich Music Format with the [[Rich Music Format|RMF]] file extension.<ref>Bruce Orwall, "Sound On; Thomas Dolby Robertson Has A Complaint About The Web: It's Too Quiet", ''The Wall Street Journal'', 1997</ref> It had the advantage of small file size like [[MIDI]] but allowed recorded sampled sounds to be included at a higher bitrate for better overall reproduction. RMF music files could be played in a browser using the free Beatnik Player plug-in, and were also encrypted to prevent unauthorised duplication, while info such as the composer and copyright information could also be embedded within the files. In 1999, Headspace, Inc., was renamed Beatnik, Inc., and later shifted its focus towards software synthesizers for [[mobile phones]], which it licensed to mobile phone manufacturers including [[Nokia]]. As [[truetone]] ringtones eventually overtook polyphonic ringtones in popularity, Beatnik went defunct in 2011.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=25461|title=Beatnik, Inc.: Private Company Information – Businessweek|website=[[Bloomberg News]] |access-date=24 March 2016}}</ref> Dolby stepped down from his position as CEO in 2002, feeling that the business was no longer interesting to him, although he remained on the board. This subsequently led to him founding Retro Ringtones LLC, which produced the RetroFolio ringtone asset management software suite for companies involved in the mobile phone ringtone business, as well as offering ringtones that could be purchased by businesses. These ringtones largely consisted of sound clips such as animal sounds, celebrity quotes and sci-fi sound effects, as well as polyphonic covers of popular theme songs. At the 2004 second annual Mobile Music Awards in Miami, Florida, RetroFolio won "Best of Show" and "Best New Technology" awards.<ref name="fruit"/> The company ended business in 2005 and has since been suspended by [[Secretary of State of California]]. Dolby created hundreds of [[Digital data|digital]] polyphonic ringtones on mobile phones, both at Beatnik and Retro Ringtones. He was often a speaker at technology conferences such as [[Comdex]], [[Websphere]], and Nokia.<ref name="fruit"/> ==Other endeavours== ===1985 Grammy Awards=== In 1985, Dolby, along with [[Stevie Wonder]], [[Herbie Hancock]], and [[Howard Jones (British musician)|Howard Jones]], appeared at the [[Grammy Award]]s, which were televised. All four musicians were successful in the mid-1980s music scene, and they were also all keyboard and synthesizer experts. ===Virtual reality=== Dolby's first experiment with [[virtual reality]] took place in the fall of 1992, when he was invited by the [[Guggenheim Museum in New York|Guggenheim Museum]], New York,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://peabody.jhu.edu/faculty/thomas-dolby/|title=Thomas Dolby |publisher=Peabody Institute}}</ref> to design and install a sonic VR experience. This led to The Virtual String Quartet programmed by Eric Gullichsen, and sponsored by [[Intel]] Corp. The experience ran on an IBM 386 processor with a Convolvatron 4-channel audio card. Users wore a head-mounted display and found themselves in the midst of a [[computer-generated holography|computer-generated]] [[string quartet]] playing [[Mozart]]. The sound was fully spatialized as the user moved around the physical space. Tickling a player with the joystick resulted in that musician switching to improvisation in a '[[Dixieland|hot jazz]]' or Appalachian bluegrass style. In the fall of 2018, Dolby created a New Media workshop at The Peabody Institute of [[Johns Hopkins University]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://peabody.jhu.edu/academics/instruments-areas-of-study/music-for-new-media/|title=Music for New Media |publisher=Peabody Institute}}</ref> with VR equipment donated by HTC Vive. Students in his course are learning to compose music for VR and AR. On 4 October 2018, Dolby performed a live score for the High Fidelity VR event 'Escape from Zombie Island.'<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://tockify.com/hifieventscalendar/detail/353/1538697600000|title=Escape Zombie Island: A Pop-Up VR Arcade|website=Tockify.com}}</ref> He appeared 'in-world' as his own avatar, where he triggered and played real-time horror film music. He also performed his first ever full VR concert at the Futvrelands Festival<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hD-fF2qn9A| url-status=live | archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211031/7hD-fF2qn9A| archive-date=31 October 2021|title=Thomas Dolby at FutVReLands festival Nov 17th 2018| date=26 November 2018 |via=YouTube|access-date=13 October 2019}}{{cbignore}}</ref> on 17 November 2018, in front of over 250 other avatars. ===TED Conference=== {{Main|TED (conference)}} From 2001 to 2012, Dolby was musical director of the [[TED (conference)|TED Conference]], an annual event held, first, in [[Monterey, California|Monterey]], California, and subsequently in [[Long Beach, California|Long Beach]], California. He provided live musical introductions to sessions, sometimes with a TED house band, and helped secure guest musicians and entertainers. Onstage, he played with singers and performers such as Eddi Reader, Natalie MacMaster, Rachelle Garniez and [[David Byrne]], and premiered his own song "Love Is a Loaded Pistol" onstage at TEDGlobal 2010.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Dolby |first1=Thomas |title="Love Is a Loaded Pistol" premiere |date=7 May 2010 |url=https://www.ted.com/talks/pistol |publisher=TED (conference)}}</ref> He stood down from the position in September 2012<ref>{{cite web |last1=Dolby |first1=Thomas |title=Thomas Dolby retires as musical director of TED Conferences |url=https://blog.ted.com/thomas-dolby-retires-as-musical-director-of-ted-conferences/ |website=TED Blog|date=19 September 2012 }}</ref> to pursue music. In March 2012, at the McEnery Convention Center in San Jose, California, Dolby spoke at the DESIGN West conference, produced by UBM Electronics.<ref>{{cite web|title=DESIGN West Keynotes|url=http://www.ubmdesign.com/conference/keynotes|publisher=UBM Electronics|access-date=5 February 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121126181331/http://www.ubmdesign.com/conference/keynotes|archive-date=26 November 2012}}</ref> ===Academic career=== In March 2014, Dolby was named Homewood Professor of the Arts at [[Baltimore]]'s [[Johns Hopkins University]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/reliable-source/wp/2014/03/06/she-blinded-me-with-science-singer-thomas-dolby-to-be-hopkins-professor/ |title=She Blinded Me With Science' singer Thomas Dolby to be Hopkins professor |date=6 March 2014 |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]}}</ref> In March 2017, the [[Peabody Institute]] announced that Dolby would lead a new four-year undergraduate degree program, ''Music for New Media'', and the first cohort would commence in the fall of 2018.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://hub.jhu.edu/2017/03/16/thomas-dolby-new-music-program-peabody/ |title=Thomas Dolby to lead Music for New Media program at Peabody Institute |date=16 March 2017 |work=Hub (Johns Hopkins University)}}</ref> ==Equipment== Dolby said he became interested in electronic music because "I'm not a very proficient keyboard player, so the computer became my musical instrument ... None of the equipment is essential, though. In a way, I was happier when I just had one monophonic synthesizer and a two-track tape deck".<ref name="adams199403">{{Cite magazine |last=Adams |first=Ellen Snell |date=March 1994 |title=Good Heavens, Miss America! You're Virtual! |url=http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/index.php?year=1994&pub=2&id=116 |magazine=Computer Gaming World |pages=54, 56}}</ref> His first instrument, found in [[Electronic Music Studios|EMS]]'s garbage dumpster at 277 Putney Bridge Road,<ref name="fruit">{{cite book |last=Dolby |first=Thomas |date=11 October 2016 |title=The Speed of Sound: Breaking the Barriers Between Music and Technology: A Memoir |publisher=Flatiron Books|location=New York |isbn=978-1-250-07184-2 |oclc=940280931 |edition=First |chapter=The Winter of Discontent |quote=On the way home I took a shortcut along the river and swung by the back of the EMS shop. There was a garbage dumpster outside in the street. No one was around, so I heaved myself up and had a gander inside. A bunch of flattened cardboard boxes, an old fridge, and ... hold on: a black metal box with lots of knobs. The guts were hanging out of it, but I could see the words TRANSCENDENT 2000 printed on the front.}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.phutney.com/EMSMods.html|title=EMS – My Memories of EMS|website=Phutney.com|access-date=17 June 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Mulligan |first1=Jesse |title=Thomas Dolby on music, technology and creativity |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/afternoons/audio/201822236/thomas-dolby-on-music-technology-and-creativity |website=[[RNZ]] |access-date=16 November 2020 |language=en-nz |date=2 November 2016}}</ref> was the [[Powertran]] [[Transcendent 2000]]<ref>{{cite web |last1=James |first1=Ben |title=Powertran Transcendent 2000 |url=https://vst4free.com/plugin/1754/ |website=VST 4 FREE |access-date=11 November 2020 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Powertran Transcendent 2000 |url=https://electro-music.com/forum/topic-53461.html |website=electro-music.com |access-date=11 November 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Powertran Transcendent 2000 |url=https://www.cykong.com/Synths/Transcendent2000/Transcendent2000.htm |website=cykong.com |access-date=11 November 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Transcendent Powertran 2000 [PCB Schematic] |url=https://midierror.word-press.com/2015/01/07/transcendent-powertran-2000-pcb-schematic/ |website=Midierror.word-press.com |access-date=11 November 2020 |language=en |date=7 January 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Crane |first1=Larry |title=Thomas Dolby: Breaking the Barriers |url=https://tapeop.com/interviews/119/thomas-dolby/ |website=Tapeop.com |access-date=11 November 2020 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-UK/Technology/Technology-Modern/Archive-Practical-Electronics-IDX/IDX/80s/PE-1982-04-OCR-Page-0002.pdf|title=Precision by Powertran : Practical Electronics|page=2|website=Americanradiohistory.com|access-date=17 June 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.epanorama.net/sff/Audio/Musical/Circuits/Transcendent%202000%20Synthesizer.pdf|title=Powertran Transcendent 2000|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201111033218/https://www.epanorama.net/sff/Audio/Musical/Circuits/Transcendent%202000%20Synthesizer.pdf|access-date=17 June 2021|archive-date=11 November 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Thomas Dolby on music, technology and creativity |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/afternoons/audio/201822236/thomas-dolby-on-music-technology-and-creativity |website=[[RNZ]] |access-date=11 November 2020 |language=en-nz |date=2 November 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Powertran Transcendent 2000, by Chris Wareham|url=http://www.vintagesynth.com/misc/transcendent2000.php |website=Vintage Synth Explorer |access-date=11 November 2020}}</ref> synthesiser. The following is a list of notable instruments and the electronic equipment that Dolby has used on his recordings: [[File:PPG WAVE 2.2.jpg|right|thumbnail|400px|PPG WAVE 2.2]] * [[Palm Products GmbH|PPG]] 340/380 Wave Computer & Sequencer * [[PPG Wave]] 2.2 synthesizer * [[Fairlight CMI]] Series III sampler{{r|adams199403}} * [[Moog Micromoog]] synthesizer * [[Roland D-50]] synthesizer * [[Roland MKS-20]] digital piano rack * [[Roland JX-10#MKS-70|Roland MKS-70 Super JX]] rackmount synthesizer * [[Opcode Systems|Opcode]] Studio Vision sequencing software * [[Apple Inc.|Apple]] [[Macintosh Quadra 840AV]] computer{{r|adams199403}} * [[Roland Jupiter-4]] *[[Roland Jupiter-8]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://equipboard.com/pros/thomas-dolby|title=Thomas Dolby's Equipboard|website=Equipboard.com|language=en|access-date=8 October 2019}}</ref> * [[Korg M1]] rackmount synthesizer * [[E-mu Systems|E-MU]] SP-12 sampling drum sequencer * [[Linn 9000]] sampling drum sequencer * [[Simmons (electronic drum company)|Simmons SDS-V]] electronic drums * [[Yamaha DX7]] * [[Yamaha Corporation|Yamaha]] REV-1 digital reverb processor<ref name=":0">Greg Rule, "Thomas Dolby: Astronauts + Heretics = Hard Disk Meltdown", Keyboard, Jan 1992, p. 42-43</ref><ref name="emusician.com"/> == Personal life == Dolby married actress [[Kathleen Beller]] in 1988; they have three children.<ref name="fruit" /> His brother is the probabilistic [[information retrieval]] researcher [[Stephen Robertson (computer scientist)|Stephen Robertson]].<ref name="brother">{{cite web |last1=Gerhard |first1=David |title=The 6th International Conference on Music Information Retrieval (ISMIR 2005) |url=http://www.computermusicjournal.org/reviews/30-2/gerhard-ismir.html |website=computermusicjournal.org |access-date=15 June 2023}}</ref> ==Awards and nominations== In July 1998, Dolby received a "Lifetime Achievement in Internet Music" award from ''[[Yahoo! Internet Life]]''. In 2012 he performed at [[Moogfest]] and was the recipient of The Moog Innovation Award, which celebrates "pioneering artists whose genre-defying work exemplifies the bold, innovative spirit of Bob Moog".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.moogmusic.com/news/talking-thomas-dolby-2012-moog-innovation-award-winner |title=Talking with Thomas Dolby: 2012 Moog Innovation Award Winner | Moog Music Inc |website=Moogmusic.com |access-date=6 August 2014}}</ref> In February 2018, Dolby was awarded the Roland Lifetime Achievement Award.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rolandus.com/blog/2018/02/26/roland-and-boss-present-lifetime-achievement-awards-to-thomas-dolby-and-steve-vai/ |title=Roland and BOSS Present Lifetime Achievement Awards to Thomas Dolby and Steve Vai |website=Rolandus.com |date=26 February 2018 |access-date=24 January 2019}}</ref> Dolby has received four [[Grammy Award|Grammy]] nominations, two each in 1984 and 1988.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.grammy.com/artists/thomas-dolby/8928 |title=GRAMMY Award Results for Thomas Dolby |date=23 November 2020 |publisher=Recording Academy}}</ref> ==Discography== {{Main|Thomas Dolby discography}} *''[[The Golden Age of Wireless]]'' (1982) *''[[The Flat Earth]]'' (1984) *''[[Aliens Ate My Buick]]'' (1988) *''[[Astronauts & Heretics]]'' (1992) *''[[A Map of the Floating City]]'' (2011) == Bibliography == *''The Speed of Sound: Breaking the Barriers Between Music and Technology'' (2016)<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Speed of Sound |url=https://www.goodreads.com/work/best_book/48300397-the-speed-of-sound-breaking-the-barriers-between-music-and-technology |access-date=2022-05-15 |website=www.goodreads.com}}</ref> *''Prevailing Wind'' (2024)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Prevailing Wind|url=https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/213155149-prevailing-wind |access-date=2025-03-26|website=www.goodreads.com}}</ref> ==See also== * [[List of Old Abingdonians]] ==References== {{Reflist}} ==External links== {{Wikiquote}} * {{Official website|1=http://thomasdolby.com}} * {{IMDb name|0230884}} * {{Discogs artist|Thomas Dolby}} * [https://www.namm.org/library/oral-history/thomas-dolby Thomas Dolby Interview] at [[NAMM Oral History Program|NAMM Oral History Collection]] (2019) * {{TED speaker}} {{Thomas Dolby}} {{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Dolby, Thomas}} [[Category:1958 births]] [[Category:English male bloggers]] [[Category:English male new wave singers]] [[Category:English new wave singers]] [[Category:English synth-pop new wave musicians]] [[Category:British synth-pop singers]] [[Category:Capitol Records artists]] [[Category:English bloggers]] [[Category:English film score composers]] [[Category:English male film score composers]] [[Category:English male songwriters]] [[Category:English pop keyboardists]] [[Category:English record producers]] [[Category:English session musicians]] [[Category:English video game composers]] [[Category:Giant Records (Warner) artists]] [[Category:Harvest Records artists]] [[Category:Keytarists]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Musicians from London]] [[Category:People educated at Abingdon School]] [[Category:People educated at Westminster School, London]] [[Category:Second British Invasion artists]] [[Category:Steampunk music]]
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