Thomas Dolby was one of the most innovative, yet also commercially successful music makers to come out of the UK’s explosive post-punk scene. Releasing such still-relevant chart topping hits as Blinded Me With Science and Hyperactive, he simultaneously took the possibilities of the new wave of personal synthesizers to entirely new levels. He would go on to produce other notable artists, write songs for films and video games, and to ultimately found Beatnik Inc. which pioneered digital music technology.

These days he is a Professor of the Arts at Baltimore’s Johns Hopkins University, can be found doing high profile speaking engagements (TED Talks, etc.), and bringing his extensive musical knowledge to select DJ gigs, where he still very much points the way to the future of sound. For those wanting to hear those 80s-era hit songs live again, he’ll also be touring the US as part of this summer’s Totally Tubular Festival.