Thomas Dolby facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Thomas Dolby
Dolby performing in 2018
Background information
Birth name	Thomas Morgan Robertson
Born	(1958-10-14) 14 October 1958 (age 66) London, England
Genres	new wave synthpop funk film music ambient post-punk
Occupation(s)	Singer-songwriter musician record producer composer entrepreneur teacher musical director
Instruments	Keyboards vocals
Years active	1979–present
Labels	Capitol/EMI Records Giant/Warner Bros. Records Invisible Hands Music Echo BMG Records UK

Thomas Morgan Robertson (born 14 October 1958), known as Thomas Dolby, is an English musician, producer, and composer. He is also an entrepreneur (someone who starts businesses) and a teacher.

Dolby became famous in the 1980s with hit songs like "She Blinded Me with Science" (1982) and "Hyperactive!" (1984). He also worked as a producer for other artists and played music for them.

In the 1990s, Dolby started a software company called Beatnik in Silicon Valley. This company created technology for playing internet audio and later for ringtones, especially on Nokia phones. He was also the music director for TED Conferences. Since 2014, Dolby has taught at the Peabody Institute at Johns Hopkins University. He leads their Music for New Media program, which started in 2018.

Thomas Dolby's Early Life and Music Journey

Thomas Morgan Robertson was born in London, England. His mother was Theodosia Cecil, and his father, Martin Robertson, was a professor who studied ancient Greek art. His older brother, Stephen Robertson (computer scientist), is also an academic.

When he was in school in London, Dolby was good friends with Shane MacGowan from the band The Pogues. He later went to Abingdon School in Oxfordshire, England. One of his first jobs was working part-time at a fruit and vegetable shop. When he was young, Dolby also lived and worked in France, Italy, and Greece.

Dolby started his musical journey by singing in a choir when he was about 10 or 11. He learned to read music. He first played the guitar, focusing on folk music like Bob Dylan. Later, he switched to piano and became interested in jazz music. When electronic instruments became available in the mid-1970s, he got a synthesizer kit and loved it.

How Thomas Dolby Got His Stage Name

Thomas Dolby got his stage name from a nickname, "Dolby," that he received in the early 1970s. People called him this because he was always working with keyboards and tape recorders. The name comes from the audio noise-reduction technology made by Dolby Laboratories.

He chose "Thomas Dolby" as his stage name to avoid being confused with another popular British singer, Tom Robinson. Early on, some thought "Dolby" was his middle name, but it is not legally part of his birth name.

After his song "She Blinded Me with Science" came out in 1982, Dolby Laboratories worried about him using the name. His record label refused to make him change it. After a legal disagreement, a court decided that Dolby Labs could not stop him from using the name. They agreed he would not release any electronic equipment using the name "Dolby."

Thomas Dolby is not related to Ray Dolby, who founded Dolby Laboratories, or Ray's son, filmmaker Tom Dolby.

Thomas Dolby's Music Career Highlights

In the late 1970s, Dolby formed a band called Camera Club with Bruce Woolley. After leaving that band, he joined Lene Lovich's band as a keyboard player and wrote her hit song "New Toy". He also wrote songs for other artists and produced their music before starting his own solo career in 1981.

Solo Music Style and Sound

Dolby is known for his connection to the new wave music of the early 1980s. This type of pop music uses a lot of electronic instruments. However, Dolby's music explores many different musical styles and moods. His work is often different from the energetic pop sound of his most famous songs.

Major Albums and Collaborations

The Golden Age of Wireless (1982)

Dolby's first solo album, The Golden Age of Wireless, was first released in 1982. It did not originally include his famous song, "She Blinded Me with Science." After a shorter album called Blinded by Science came out with the catchy single, The Golden Age of Wireless was re-released. "She Blinded Me with Science" became Dolby's biggest hit, reaching No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

The album was released five times in total, with changes to the song order and which songs were included. The Golden Age of Wireless reached No. 13 on the Billboard album chart. The album featured themes of radio, airplanes, and submarines, mixed with ideas about relationships and memories. While it used many synthesizers, it also included guest musicians playing instruments like harmonica, violin, guitar, and drums.

Dolby's Cube: A Collaborative Project

Starting in 1983, Dolby worked with various artists on a project called Dolby's Cube. This project did not have a fixed group of members. It was a way for Dolby to release more dance-focused music. Dolby's Cube released singles in 1983 and 1985. They also created music for the movie Howard the Duck in 1986. Some artists who worked on Dolby's Cube included Lene Lovich and George Clinton.

The Flat Earth (1984)

In 1984, Dolby released his second album, The Flat Earth. This album reached No. 14 on the UK Albums Chart and No. 35 on the Billboard album chart in the US. The album showed Dolby's wide range of talents as a musician, songwriter, and producer. It was influenced by jazz, funk, and world music, along with a strong electronic sound. Many guest musicians played on the album, including Matthew Seligman on bass and Kevin Armstrong on guitar.

"Hyperactive!" was the first and most successful single from this album. It reached No. 17 on the UK Singles Chart, making it Dolby's highest-charting song in the UK.

Aliens Ate My Buick (1988)

Dolby's next album, Aliens Ate My Buick (1988), was very different from The Flat Earth. Dolby described it as "very bold" and "unsubtle." He said it was more "extroverted and wacky."

Aliens Ate My Buick had strong funk and dance influences. The first single, "Airhead," was a funny song about a rich California woman. It reached No. 53 on the charts. Another single, "Hot Sauce," reached No. 80. The album was co-produced by Bill Bottrell.

Astronauts and Heretics (1992)

For Astronauts & Heretics, Dolby explored even more styles. He started writing songs at the piano and worked with many guest musicians. Bob Weir and Jerry Garcia played guitar on "The Beauty of a Dream." Eddie Van Halen played on "Eastern Bloc" and "Close but No Cigar." Other musicians included Jimmy Z on sax and Budgie on drums.

The most successful song from this album was "Close but No Cigar," which reached No. 22 on the UK charts. Two other songs, "I Love You Goodbye" and "Silk Pyjamas," used Zydeco music styles. Even though some parts of the album were recorded in different places, most of it was made at NRG Recording Studios.

The Sole Inhabitant (2006)

Dolby performing in 2006

After working with his company Beatnik, Dolby returned to music in 2006. He played his first solo show in 15 years in San Francisco. Then, he started an American tour called the Sole Inhabitant Tour.

This tour was recorded for a "live" CD and DVD. The CD was from two shows in Chicago, and the DVD was filmed at the Berklee Performance Center. The DVD also included an interview and a lecture by Dolby. Both the CD and DVD were released in November 2006.

A show in London sold out quickly, which made Dolby decide to move back to England with his family. He then did a nine-date UK tour in October 2007.

Recent Music and Projects

In 2009, EMI released The Singular Thomas Dolby, a collection of his remastered singles. It also included a DVD with all his music videos. Later that year, The Golden Age of Wireless and The Flat Earth were reissued with extra songs.

A Map of the Floating City (2011)

In 2010, Dolby began working on a new album called A Map of the Floating City. The album is split into three parts. The first two parts, Amerikana and Oceanea, were released as digital EPs. Oceanea was later released commercially in March 2011. The third part, Urbanoia, was part of an online game.

Many musicians contributed to the album, including Kevin Armstrong, Matthew Seligman, Bruce Woolley, Mark Knopfler from Dire Straits, and Regina Spektor.

Dolby recorded A Map of the Floating City in his studio called the "Nutmeg of Consolation." This studio was built inside a 1930s lifeboat and powered by renewable energy. It is located in his garden on the English coast.

A Map of the Floating City Game

In June 2011, Dolby announced an online multiplayer game also called A Map of the Floating City. The game was set in a future where World War II turned out differently. Players explored a fictional map, formed groups, and traded items. They could also get new songs from the album. The game ran from June to August 2011 and involved trading, mystery, and teamwork. Winners received free song downloads and a private performance from Dolby.

Film and Video Game Music

Dolby has composed music for several films and video games. He also acted in the 1990 film Rockula, playing the role of Stanley.

Film Scores

• 1985: Fever Pitch
• 1986: Howard the Duck (songs)
• 1986: Gothic
• 1990: Rockula (songs "Stanley's Death Park" and "Budapest by Blimp")
• 1992: FernGully: The Last Rainforest (three songs)
• 1992: Toys (vocals on "The Mirror Song")
• 1993: We're Back! A Dinosaur's Story (song "Roll Back The Rock")
• 1994: The Gate to the Mind's Eye
• 1994: Wolpodzilla

Video Game Scores

• 1993: Double Switch
• 1994: Cyberia
• 1995: The Dark Eye
• 1997: Obsidian

The Invisible Lighthouse Documentary

In 2012, Dolby learned that the Orfordness Lighthouse near his home in Suffolk, England, was being shut down. He decided to make a documentary film called The Invisible Lighthouse. The film tells the story of the lighthouse's closing and also about his own childhood in the area. Dolby showed this film on tour in the US and UK in 2013, performing live music and sound effects along with it. The film won an award for Best Picture at the DIY Film Festival.

Headspace and Beatnik Companies

In 1993, Dolby started a company called Headspace. He wanted to create tools for interactive audio because he felt there weren't enough at the time. During this period, his company worked on music for several video games.

Later, Headspace was asked to create MIDI-based music for WebTV. This led to Dolby composing several important music tracks that came with WebTV devices. In 1999, Headspace, Inc., changed its name to Beatnik, Inc. The company then focused on making software synthesizers for mobile phones, which they licensed to companies like Nokia. Beatnik closed down in 2011 as truetone ringtones became more popular than polyphonic ringtones.

Dolby left his CEO position in 2002 but stayed on the board. He then founded Retro Ringtones LLC, which created software for managing ringtones for mobile phone companies. They also offered ringtones that businesses could buy. These ringtones included sounds like animal noises, celebrity quotes, and sci-fi sound effects. RetroFolio won "Best of Show" and "Best New Technology" awards in 2004. The company closed in 2005.

Dolby created hundreds of digital polyphonic ringtones for mobile phones at both Beatnik and Retro Ringtones. He often spoke at technology conferences.

Other Projects and Activities

Grammy Awards Performance (1985)

In 1985, Thomas Dolby performed at the Grammy Awards on television. He appeared with other famous keyboard and synthesizer musicians of the time, including Stevie Wonder, Herbie Hancock, and Howard Jones.

Virtual Reality Experiments

Dolby's first experience with virtual reality (VR) was in 1992. The Guggenheim Museum in New York invited him to create a VR sound experience. This led to "The Virtual String Quartet." Users wore a special headset and found themselves inside a computer-generated string quartet playing Mozart. The sound changed as the user moved around.

In 2018, Dolby created a New Media workshop at The Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University. Students in his class learn to compose music for VR and AR (augmented reality). On October 4, 2018, Dolby performed live music for a VR event called 'Escape from Zombie Island.' He appeared as his own avatar (a digital character) and played horror film music in real-time. He also performed his first full VR concert at the Futvrelands Festival in November 2018.

TED Conference Music Director

From 2001 to 2012, Dolby was the music director for the TED Conference. This is an annual event where people give talks about "ideas worth spreading." He provided live music for the sessions and helped bring in guest musicians. He played with artists like Eddi Reader and David Byrne. He left this role in 2012 to focus more on his music.

Teaching Career

In March 2014, Dolby was named Homewood Professor of the Arts at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. In 2017, the Peabody Institute announced that Dolby would lead a new four-year college degree program called Music for New Media. The first students started this program in the fall of 2018.

Musical Equipment Used by Thomas Dolby

Dolby became interested in electronic music because he felt he wasn't a very skilled keyboard player. He said the computer became his main musical instrument. He also mentioned that he was happier when he only had one simple synthesizer and a two-track tape recorder. His first instrument was a Powertran Transcendent 2000 synthesizer, which he found in a garbage dumpster.

Here are some notable instruments and electronic equipment Dolby has used in his recordings:

• PPG 340/380 Wave Computer & Sequencer
• PPG Wave 2.2 synthesizer
• Fairlight CMI Series III sampler
• Moog Micromoog synthesizer
• Roland D-50 synthesizer
• Roland MKS-20 digital piano rack
• Roland MKS-70 Super JX rackmount synthesizer
• Opcode Studio Vision sequencing software
• Apple Macintosh Quadra 840AV computer
• Roland Jupiter-4
• Roland Jupiter-8
• Korg M1 rackmount synthesizer
• E-MU SP-12 sampling drum sequencer
• Linn 9000 sampling drum sequencer
• Simmons electronic drums
• Yamaha DX7
• Yamaha REV-1 digital reverb processor

Thomas Dolby's Personal Life

Thomas Dolby married actress Kathleen Beller in 1988. They have three children together. His brother, Stephen Robertson, is a computer scientist who researches how information is found.

Awards and Recognitions

In July 1998, Dolby received a "Lifetime Achievement in Internet Music" award from Yahoo! Internet Life. In 2012, he performed at Moogfest and received The Moog Innovation Award. This award celebrates artists who create new and innovative music, showing the spirit of Bob Moog, who invented the Moog synthesizer. In February 2018, Dolby was given the Roland Lifetime Achievement Award. Dolby has also been nominated for four Grammys.

Thomas Dolby's Albums

• 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)

Images for kids

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  PPG WAVE 2.2

See also

In Spanish: Thomas Dolby para niños

• List of Old Abingdonians