Anthology

THOMAS DOLBY, born Thomas Robertson, is best known for his hits, “She Blinded Me with Science” and “Hyperactive!”. Dolby has worked extensively as both a producer and session musician.

Even as a teenager, Dolby was always fascinated by music technology. He experimented heavily with keyboards, synthesizers, cassette players, and anything else he could get his hands on. These experiments helped his friends dub him “Dolby”.

His performing career started in the Metro subways of Paris, where he would play his synthesizer based songs on the platforms. MTV brought him massive exposure, and his well-produced videos became huge hits.

While Dolby has continued to write, produce, tour, and play music, he has also pursued his passion for creating new technology for today’s music. His company Beatnik employs some of music’s most savvy engineers and musicians.

Dolby has been awarded a Lifetime Achievement award in Internet Music from Yahoo! Internet Life magazine.

In 2010, Dolby began work on a new studio album entitled, A Map of the Floating City. The album is divided into three parts, with the first two parts initially made available to members of The Flat Earth Society, Dolby’s online community. 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 June 16, 2010. The second EP is entitled Oceanea, and was released on November 29, 2010. Due to favorable reviews and radio airplay, Oceanea was released commercially on March 28, 2011. The third section of the album, entitled Urbanoia, was not released as a download or physical CD, but the songs were premiered online as part of the Floating City game.

In the wake of his critically acclaimed album A Map of the Floating City, and the groundbreaking FloatingCity.com transmedia game he co-designed, Thomas Dolby will embark on a 26-date North American tour this March, with a rather unusual vehicle in tow (pictured).

The Time Capsule is a chrome- and brass-plated road trailer that seats three. With handcrafted leather and wood fittings, and complex electrical wiring that could have been designed by Nikola Tesla, it resembles a Jules Verne/HG Wells-inspired time-travel machine. Inside is a high-tech video recording suite that allows a music fan or guest artist to upload a personal video message to the Future. The Time Capsule will be parked in the street outside each venue on Dolby’s month-long North American tour, and in front of select local radio and TV stations. It will capture hundreds of 30-second clips over the course of the tour, assembling them into an online video montage.

Fans will be able to walk up and step into the Time Capsule to make their own fully produced and effected digital 30-second video clip. The clips will then be automatically uploaded and viewable on a brand-new YouTube channel along with the individual user’s own Facebook and Twitter pages. The most viewed clips will win prizes. Dolby’s label Lost Toy People Records is in discussion with several potential sponsors for the project.

“If you had 30 seconds to explain to an alien visitor what went wrong with our civilization, what would you say?” said Thomas Dolby. “Our species may not be around on this planet much longer, so you might as well leave a welcome message for the next guys!”