‘The Invisible Lighthouse’
UK Tour 2033 I wasn’t there
That Wasn’t Me…
Q – So, where can you experience an out of body event – the Harwich Electric Palace – the first cinema to open its doors in the UK at the end of the art nouveau period.
A – Thomas Dolby and his attachment from boyhood to Orfordness Lighthouse, a fixation that has prompted a unique film project which he narrates live, in a miniature ‘War of the Worlds’ style, with a musical soundtrack linking songs and motifs from his historic catalogue. The lighthouse closed this Summer which simultaneously brought a chapter of his life to a close too.
The film noire touches on East Anglia’s nostalgic past, flat lands, sea, a military testing ground and family associations, particularly with Snape Maltings.
His themes roam far and wide, childhood, family and especially the failings of memory over time – what we see or what is a perceived reality ? Like the burning of the Maltings which he believed he witnessed, but his family subsequently told him later he did not.
His house is located on the North Suffolk coast in a sparsely populated hamlet with only 22 other souls and because the shore is surely but slowly being eaten by the advancing tides he has created a unique studio – a restored lifeboat ‘NutMeg ‘ has been converted now to house sythns and studio equipment which could ride on the waves if the sea final beats its way to his front door.
It is a personal story, which I found endearingly and charmingly told, follow by a break for a Q&A session which was illuminating. The opportunity to follow in ZZ Top footsteps (guitars) and strap a rotating sythn to his abdomen and play was fun. However, it was Dolby’s comments about his song ‘Blinded by Science’ originally performed with Dr Magus Pyke and subsequently later in at a USA event with Buzz Aldrin, which proved to be a high point. The last man alive to walk on the moon expressed a desire to sing the Magnus anthem.! Both parties spent ten minutes practising in a broom cupboard (the only quiet space available) before the big event. Needless to say both were a bit stage struck with each other… but a great fun performance.
Finally, and probably my favourite was his rendition of ‘My Evil Twin Brother’ “I wasn’t there… That wasn’t me” … evocative and hugely catchy lyric and chord progression which would now make a classic rap number… simply superb.
TD now Touring in the States……..!!!
Posted by: Fawkes