Two Afterword favourites for the price of one.
Thomas Dolby on the new Adam Buxton podcast
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Musings on the byways of popular culture
Musings on the byways of popular culture
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I don’t know if it’s just a “being the wrong age” thing but Thomas Dolby has never made a mark on me. I’m not sure I could name a TD song. And yet for people about 8-10 years older, he often seems to be a real favourite. But I suspect for anyone older than 51? 52? he again becomes a non-thing. He seems to have a v devoted fanbase confined to a really small demographic, or a meringue?
(I’ll be listening to this regardless, because Buckles is becoming one of the best pop culture interviewers in the business.)
I’ve got a soft spot for him, and I’m a similar age to you (although I was sold on him by a mate who’s 7 years older, so maybe your theory stands!) The Golden Age of Wireless and The Flat Earth are both eighties pop gems.
(And yes, Dr Buckles is a must-listen, regardless of the guest.)
I really must look into his stuff. He sounds like my kind of thing.
The Flat Earth is wonderful, especially the title track. Mr Dolby’s bands have been excellent, and he also does a nice line in solo shows, looping stuff off on on his keyboards.
The Flat Earth is the place to start for sure. It’s somewhat less “Eighties” in sound, a bit warmer, than the still awesome “Golden Age of Wireless,” and his cover of I Scare Myself is one of the best records from any era.
It’s very interesting, especially his discussion of the music industry, new technology (he worked with Nokia, which I didn’t know) and meeting Jacko. And I say that as someone who knows next to nothing about him.
Nice Magnus Pike story but I won’t spoil it.
On a word podcast I think he said that Jacko was considering using Hyperactive! as a single on Thriller. I do not recall whether this was written for MJ in particular or whether Dolby was always going to use it himself. Does he talk about that?
I don’t remember him mentioning that, but my memory ain’t what it used to be. He does discuss what MJ was like and also potentially directing one of his videos (Billie Jean, I think?)
I remember his stories about Jacko, from the recent-ish “Word In Your Ear” chat – visiting the ranch, MJ loving Hyperactive! and so on – but he didn’t talk about getting a song on Thriller.
The Josh homme interview with added matt berry was surprisingly good too.
As for TD, I guess you had to be there. I’m 55 and love his stuff. One of Our Submarines was my way in, as I was studiously avoiding my best mate’s obsession with Siousxie and the Banshees.
I thought it was good too, but I *really* didn’t like Homme, which was disappointing.
I tuned out when Homme was talking. He was quite…boring? Takes himself very, very seriously.
Yeah! And his sentences only actually made sense, or finished, about a third of the time. He’d use some phrases from Josh’s Big Book Of Posh Vocab, string them together and appear to have come to a grammatical end… and I’d be sitting there going “sorrywhatnow?”
And for some reason I found his and Berry’s bromance really off-putting.
There was some good stuff in there, though. A couple of v funny stories.
It’s a shame, though, because I used to have a bit of a man crush on Josh Homme, and now I very much don’t.
This won’t help you warm to him
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2017/dec/11/josh-homme-apologises-after-kicking-female-photographer-chelsea-lauren
Am out with @dogfacedboy tonight and he just told me about it. Jeeeeeezus.
Klique Klaxon!
I think I might be in your Thomas Dolby sweet spot Bob. I saw him at the Hammersmith Palais in 1984 and remember being a little disappointed by the short set. I liked his stuff enough to invest in a ticket though. Having said that, I didn’t buy any of his records – which is rather telling because I tend to enjoy gigs and would often splurge on an artists back catalogue after seeing a good show.
He’s someone with relatively few hit records, he has “kept his oar in” by producing other acts, nokia ringtones and being a musician for hire in top-notch celeb supergroups.
Here he is with Herbie Hancock, Stevie Wonder and Howard Jones. This high quality clip hasn’t aged one bit.
This is one of TD’s that I like a lot.
i like a bit of Thomas Dolby. I think he nails my reason in the podcast – he mentions the view that whilst there was a lot of electronic, his was always warmer and more lush. He has written some cracking songs.
Case in point.
That was great. Thank you so much.❤️