Song:She Blinded Me With Science
Album:The Best Of Thomas Dolby: Retrospectacle
Thomas Dolby is an electronic keyboard whiz who scored a top five hit with She Blinded Me With Science in 1982. He has been very successful as a songwriter, producer and session musician. These days he is the Music Director for the TED Conference. He was born Thomas Morgan Robertson Oct. 14, 1958 in London, England. His father Martin Robertson was an internationally known professor of classical Greek art and archaeology at the University of London. Dolby is a self taught pianist influenced by Oscar Peterson and Dave Brubeck. The nickname Dolby came from messing around with electronics in the 70s. Robertson decided to call himself Thomas Dolby so he wouldn't be confused with singer Tom Robinson. Dolby was an important figure in the early days of synth pop. He was the keyboard player for Bruce Woolley and the Camera Club (Video Killed The Radio Star) and he wrote the single New Toy for Lene Lovich. He also worked with Foreigner, Robyn Hitchcock, Whodini and Def Leppard. Then he signed with EMI's Harvest label and released the 1982 album The Golden Age Of Wireless. The original British release did not contain She Blinded Me With Science. That was on an EP that was released after that. When She Blinded Me With Science started getting radio play, it was added to a re-release of The Golden Age Of Wireless. The song reached #5 on the Billboard Hot 100. I think everyone remembers the video featuring this old guy playing a scientist. But he was a real scientist. Magnus Pike was best known for appearing on the 70s British TV show Don't Ask Me where he was on a panel answering science questions. He was actually a food scientist and he wrote several books. Here in America, Dolby is viewed as a one hit wonder. But he was much more successful in England and he continues to record today. This budget comp is a good intro to his music. Dolby has continued to produce bands like Prefab Sprout and also as a session musician. In the 90s, Dolby became involved with internet technology and in 2001, he was named Music Director for the technology conference TED. And he is also a professor at Johns Hopkins University. So maybe Thomas Dolby really is a scientist. Here's the video of She Blinded Me With Science by Thomas Dolby. Much to my surprise, this video is not on Youtube.
Thomas Dolby - She Blinded Me With Science from Mad Hatter on Vimeo.
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