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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZDOLBY, Thomas(b Thomas Morgan Dolby Robertson, 14 Oct. '58, Cairo, Egypt) UK keyboardist. Mixed love of music (piano, guitar) and passion for radio, electronics; led him early to synthesizers. Built own PA system, took it on the road with Fall, Members, etc establishing him as electronics whiz- kid. Made English Garden '79, underrated first LP by Bruce Wooley and the Camera Club; left to back Lene Lovich, writing the eccentric new wave chanteuse's minor '81 hit 'New Toy'; own first single 'Urges' for Armageddon label with help from XTC's Andy Partridge; worked in Fallout Club project with Trevor Herion, vocals; Matthew Seligman, bass; Paul Simon, drums. Singles on Happy Birthday label incl. 'Wanderlust' confirmed melodic touch with synth layers, led to session work with Foreigner (4 '81), Joan Armatrading (Walk Under Ladders '81); signed by EMI same year, given own Venice in Peril label. First LP The Golden Age Of Wireless incl. minor UK hits 'Europa And The Pirate Twins' and 'Windpower'; former colleagues Wooley, Partridge, Lovich helped impressively confident debut. Had image of an English eccentric on videos; hired the real thing - - TV scientist Magnus Pyke -- for promo of 'She Blinded Me With Science' '83: made no. 5 in USA, where artists rated him too: Joe Ely went electronic after hearing 'One Of Our Submarines'; funk ace George Clinton recorded 'May The Cube Be With You' with him (as occasional Dolby's Cube); Joni Mitchell sought him to co-prod. Dog Eat Dog '85 when he covered her 'Jungle Line'. Finally hit in UK with title track from Hyperactive '84, astonishingly varied LP that incl. cover of ex-Charlatan Dan Hicks's vintage 'I Scare Myself'. Dolby's one-man live shows (predating Howard Jones) used computers, videos, tapes, slide shows; latterly used band incl. Adele Bertei, co-vocalist on 'Hyperactive', video of which was typically inventive/manic. Aliens Ate My Buick '88 veered towards funk. CDs in USA incl. Retrospectacle and The Flat Earth on Capitol, Astronauts And Heretics on Giant. He has recorded with Ryuichi Sakamoto, Grace Jones; prod. Prefab Sprout's second LP Steve McQueen '85; backed David Bowie on Live Aid. Composed and played score for Ken Russell film Gothic '87; wrote a script for Steven Spielberg; some of his stuff was heard in soundtrack of flop Howard The Duck '88. |