The Speed of Sound by Thomas Dolby - Printable Version +- Forums (http://www.brotherhoodofdoom.com/doomForum) +-- Forum: Doom Arts (http://www.brotherhoodofdoom.com/doomForum/forumdisplay.php?fid=6) +--- Forum: Doom Books (http://www.brotherhoodofdoom.com/doomForum/forumdisplay.php?fid=13) +--- Thread: The Speed of Sound by Thomas Dolby (/showthread.php?tid=8625)

The Speed of Sound by Thomas Dolby - King Bob - 10-18-2025 Yes, it's that Thomas Dolby, and it's a memoir. The first half, up to the mid 90s and covering his musical heyday is great. In the second half, he moves to the Bay Area and gets into tech, and IMO it's just not that interesting.  There was a bunch amusing trivia, such as: He made a demo to try to get a record deal (with help from Andy Partridge, who refused to be paid). He didn't get a deal, but Mutt Lange heard it and liked the synth sound, so he hired him to play on Foreigner 4. With the money he made, he was able to get the gear to make his first album. He was in a Band with Trevor Horne in 1979, then was in Lene Lovich's band and he wrote "New Toy" for her. He produced and played on an album for George Clinton, and was in the band at a James Brown tribute show at the Apollo. He did the soundtracks for "Howard the Duck" and Ken Russell's "Gothic." Bob Weir and Jerry Garcia appear on his fourth album, but Jerry was (as he kindly put it) "out of it" and played poorly. But the tape was running while Jerry noodled, so Dolby cut up bits of that and spliced together a part from them. The first half is recommended, and was one of the better musician's memoirs I've read. Although as is often the case, debauchery and drugs go pretty much unmentioned. The second half I don't recommend, although might interest TG since he's been in tech so long. RE: The Speed of Sound by Thomas Dolby - thatguy - 10-18-2025 My review is here:  https://www.brotherhoodofdoom.com/doomForum/showthread.php?tid=8047&highlight=Dolby --tg RE: The Speed of Sound by Thomas Dolby - King Bob - 10-19-2025 Forgot about that. Didn't look it up.