Thomas Dolby - keyboards, piano; Matthew Seligman - bass; Kevin Armstrong - guitars, vocals; Clif Brigden - electronic drums, percussion, samples; Lene Lovich - vocals
Thomas Dolby had jumped on the marketing power of the newly christened MTV Network when he released his 1982 breakthrough album, The Golden Age of Wireless. Having been a pioneer in new digital technology and synthesizers, Dolby emerged from the competitive London studio industry to become one of the leading keyboard session players of the early 1980s.
He signed with EMI, who placed him on Capitol Records in America. His 1982 release had the brilliant radio track, "She Blinded Me With Science," which Dolby turned into one of the most memorable videos of the early MTV era. Dolby positioned himself as a mad scientist and an egghead tech nerd. The image was perfect for the new wave times and the video became a smash on MTV. At this show, taped for the King Biscuit Flower Hour, "She Blinded Me With Science" is jokingly introduced by Dolby as "one you might know," even though its video was heavily rotated on MTV at the time.
Dolby would only have one real strong radio hit after the initial string of success he saw with the Wireless album and that was the 1984 track, "Hyperactive." Among the tracks featured during this showcase set are the prog-sounding "One Of Our Submarines," the Pink Floyd-ish "Radio Silence," and "New Toy" with quirky lead vocals from future alternative star, Lene Lovich.
By the end of the 1980s, Dolby had worked with a number of different bands and musicians in various capacities, including Foreigner, Depeche Mode, and Roger Waters. In 2006, he performed his first public solo show in 25 years in San Francisco and shortly thereafter, launched a full tour of the States and UK. He continues to write and produce, and also remains actively involved with the innovations of music and technology.