Blue Plate Special: Thomas Dolby
Thomas Dolby, born Thomas Morgan Robertson on October 14, 1958, in London, England, is a celebrated English musician, producer, composer, entrepreneur, and educator. Rising to prominence in the 1980s with his signature hit singles “She Blinded Me with Science” and “Hyperactive!,” Dolby became known for his innovative use of synthesizers and electronic instruments, which played a pivotal role in shaping the new wave genre. His debut album, The Golden Age of Wireless, showcased his talent for blending pop melodies with themes of technology and nostalgia, cementing his place as a pioneer in electronic music. Alongside his solo career, Dolby worked as a session musician and producer for renowned artists such as David Bowie, Joni Mitchell, and Foreigner, further establishing his influence in the music industry.
Dolby’s career took a transformative turn in the 1990s when he entered the technology space, founding Headspace, a company aimed at developing interactive audio tools. Headspace later became Beatnik, Inc., known for creating the Rich Music Format (RMF) used in internet audio and pioneering polyphonic ringtones for Nokia mobile phones. His entrepreneurial ventures also included Retro Ringtones LLC, which won multiple awards for ringtone management software. Beyond technology, Dolby delved into filmmaking with The Invisible Lighthouse (2012), a documentary about the decommissioning of the Orfordness Lighthouse near his Suffolk home, which won the DIY Film Festival’s Best Picture award. Dolby’s ability to seamlessly merge music, technology, and storytelling exemplifies his versatility and forward-thinking approach to creative expression.
In addition to his accomplishments in music and technology, Dolby has made significant contributions to education and virtual reality. Since 2014, he has been the Homewood Professor of the Arts at Johns Hopkins University, where he leads the Music for New Media program at the Peabody Institute. This innovative program trains students to compose music for emerging media platforms such as virtual and augmented reality. Dolby has also explored VR through projects like The Virtual String Quartet and live VR performances at events like the Futvrelands Festival. From 2001 to 2012, he served as the musical director for TED Conferences, collaborating with artists like David Byrne and Natalie MacMaster. Throughout his multifaceted career, Thomas Dolby has remained a trailblazer at the intersection of music, technology, and education, earning accolades such as the Moog Innovation Award and the Roland Lifetime Achievement Award.
Some of my favorites from his catalog:
She Blinded Me With Science – from the album The Golden Age of Wireless (1983)
Dissidents – from the album The Flat Earth (1984)
Pulp Culture – from the album Aliens Ate My Buick (1988)
Europa and the Pirate Twins – from the album The Golden Age of Wireless (1983)
Hyperactive! – from the album The Flat Earth (1984)
I Love You Goodbye – from the album Astronauts & Heretics (1992)
Nothing New Under the Sun – from the album A Map of the Floating City (2011)
One of Our Submarines – from the album The Golden Age of Wireless (1983)
