Tommy Finke
Tommy Finke, sometimes using the pseudonym T.D. Finck von Finckenstein, is a German singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He is known for his work in indie, alternative, and pop music, as well as for composing electronic music, theater scores, and film soundtracks. From 2015 to 2020, Finke served as the musical director at Schauspiel Dortmund.
Finke began performing his own songs in 1997 and has drawn inspiration from a diverse range of artists, including Oasis, The Beatles, The Cure, and Rio Reiser. Over the years, he has established himself as a composer in the German theater and film industries.
Bio
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 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.
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. The recording sessions for this album started in October 2008.
"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.
"Unkämmbar" was released on 28 March 2013 as a special edition album.
Theatre
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.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.
Releases
Pop music
Discography
- 2008 Repariert, was Euch kaputt macht!
- 2010 Poet der Affen / Poet of the Apes
- 2013 ''Unkämmbar''
Singles/EPs
- 2004 1000 Meilen
- 2007 Repariert, was Euch kaputt macht! – Single
- 2010 Halt' alle Uhren an / Stop the Clocks
- 2012 Canossa
- 2012 Kämmbar?
- 2013 Heimathafen
- 2011 Robert Smith in meiner Kneipe
- 2012 ''Yellow''
Remixes for other artists
- 2006 R.M.X. 3000 Tommy Finke Remix of the song O.S.T. 3000 of German band Helter Skelter (Band)
- 2007 Fieber Tommy Finke Remix of the song "Fieber" of German band Tele (Band)
- 2007 Monkey Fingers Remix of the song of the same name by German band Atomic
- 2007 The Shelter Remix of the song of the same name by German band Atomic
- 2008 "Mausen " Remix of the song "Mausen" by German Band MIA.
- 2009 The Bomb Song Remix of the song of the same name by German band Verlen
- 2009 Become Remix of the song of the same name by German band Verlen
- 2009 I Sold My Heart Today Remix of the song of the same name by German band Morning Boy
- 2009 Oh Suzanne Remix of the song of the same name by German band Atomic as a free download
Soundtracks
- 2004 ''Wer braucht schon ein Sektfrühstück bei Real Madrid?''