Thomas David Finke (born 4 February 1981 in Bochum, Germany), also known as T.D. Finck von Finckenstein, is a singer-songwriter as well as composer of electronic computer music, theatre music and for modern dance.
Tommy Finke was born Thomas David Finke in Bochum, West Germany. Since 1998 he has been on stage, first playing cover versions of Oasis songs, and later his own material. Bands like The Beatles, The Cure, Rio Reiser and The Police are the main influences in his work, as well as German Indie bands like Tocotronic and Die Sterne.
Finke was the lead singer of different project bands before he finally started his own band, called "Stromgitarre", in 1999. However, since he wrote all the music and lyrics, the band was renamed "Tommy Finke & Stromgitarre" in 2003. The band was later renamed again and became "Tommy Finke & Band".
Tommy Finke studied "Elektronische Komposition" at the Folkwang Hochschule in Essen from 2003 on. In 2008, he graduated[1] but decided to continue his studies in order to learn more about modern music.
In 2007, Tommy Finke founded his own record label, "Retter des Rock Records", in order to release his debut album "Repariert, was Euch kaputt macht!", which was released as a vinyl record in 2007 and re-released as a CD Version in 2008.
Tommy Finke and his band took second place at the nationwide German "Jugend kulturell Förderpreis 2008" on 11 November.[2]
In August 2009, Tommy Finke announced there will be a new record entitled "Poet der Affen / Poet of the Apes" in early 2010 due to a record deal with German label Roof Music.[3] The recording sessions for this album started in October 2008.[4]
"Poet der Affen / Poet of the Apes" was released as a double album on 29 January 2010. It contains 13 songs, each recorded in German and English. This is unique for a German singer/songwriter. On the title track of the album, well-known skeptic James Randi is heard speaking an introduction.[5]
"Unkämmbar" was released on 28 March 2013 as a special edition album.
Theatreedit
For the play Das goldene Zeitalter – 100 Wege dem Schicksal die Show zu stehlen by Kay Voges Finke composed a complete musical soundtrack. The play premiered on 13 September 2013 at Theater Dortmund.[6]
In 2014 Tommy Finke composed music for 4.48 Psychosis written by Sarah Kane,
also directed by Kay Voges. Equipped with body-sensors the actors' body-data controls parts of the composition. It premiered on 3 May 2014 at Theater Dortmund.[7][8]
Releasesedit
Pop musicedit
Discographyedit
2008 Repariert, was Euch kaputt macht! (10 Songs, Retter des Rock Records, Vinyl, CD[9] and online)
2010 Poet der Affen / Poet of the Apes (13 songs (26 tracks in German and English), ROOF Music, Indigo)
Hosenkrebs Etüde by Hummelgesicht, recorded, produced, and mixed, 2002
Ich verstehe mein Leben by Sandrakete, mixed and partly recorded, 2007
Demo by Johannes Zaster Band, recorded, produced, and mixed, 2007
Theatre & Danceedit
Kaspar Hauser und die Sprachlosen aus Devil County by Thorsten Bihegue and Alexander Kerlin at Schauspiel Dortmund, composer and musical director, 2015
The Return of Das goldene Zeitalter – 100 neue Wege dem Schicksal das Sorgerecht zu entziehen by Alexander Kerlin and Kay Voges at Schauspiel Dortmund, composer and musical director, 2015
Reverse_Me by Fabien Prioville at Goethe-Institut Montréal, composer and musical director, 2014
4.48 Psychose by Sarah Kane at Schauspiel Dortmund, composer and musical director, 2014
Das goldene Zeitalter – 100 Wege dem Schicksal die Show zu stehlen by Alexander Kerlin and Kay Voges at Schauspiel Dortmund, composer and musical director, 2013
Art Musicedit
Installation art / Musical compositionsedit
Meine kleine Nachtmusik, 2005. 4-channel electronic piece, based on samples of a recording of Mozarts Eine kleine Nachtmusik. Produced at the ICEM of the Folkwang Hochschule, Essen-Werden.
Driver, 2005. Cooperation with video artist Martin Brand.[19]
Attack, 2006. Cooperation with video artist Martin Brand.[20]
Bleach, 2006. Cooperation with video artist Martin Brand.[21]
light emitting idiot, 2007. Cooperation with Florian Mattil, Jan Rusch and Christof Schnelle.
Swell, 2007. Cooperation with artist Ulrich Ostgathe. Looping Installation.
Was Es Nicht Ist 1 (Aura-Varianten), 2008. 7-channel electronic piece for 4 loudspeakers and 3 guitar amplifiers, with light composition.
Wenn ein Werk die Form einer Birne hat, ist es nicht mehr formlos!, 2008. 2-channel tape music, dealing with certain aspects of the music of Erik Satie.[22]