Harmony Through Mixology
TommyD is an award winning, multi platinum selling
Music Producer, Songwriter, Artist, DJ, Tech Entrepreneur, TV Presenter, Whisky maker and Public Speaker. He is the founder and creator of TokenTraxx and 8O8 Whisky.
TommyD has spent his life mixing, mixing genres, mixing tunes, mixing whisky.
He believes in Harmony Through Mixology, mixing styles to create something new.
He has worked with everyone from Kanye to Kylie.
TommyD is a firm advocate of Web3, the concepts of decentralisation and the path to true creative freedom.
TommyD's work has generated over 7 billion streams and sold over 60 million units.
Early Years
I hail from London, where the eclectic sounds of my home city shaped my love for creativity.
I have always tried to do things differently, to mix up shit that shouldn't be mixed.
Harmony Through Mixology, as I call it.
Raised by an actor dad and a chef mom, I've always had a taste for the unconventional.
At at the famous Elliott Comprehensive school, alongside future stars like The XX, Burial and Hot Chip, I honed my musical chops, playing in various bands and soaking up diverse influences. From reggae bass in the basement to Sinatra serenades in the garden, music was everywhere. This was a fantastic crash course in both arrangement and composition and learning what people actually love about music and what keeps them essentially entertained.
I ditched school to chase my dream, diving into the music industry as a studio assistant and equipment salesman, soaking up the technical know-how along the way."
DJing
At 18, I swapped musical gear for records and started DJing. Over 13 years, I rocked some of the world's top venues, earning a residency at Ministry of Sound and helping shape its brand.
DJing fueled my passion for music-making, leading me to launch my own label, CT Records, during the rise of House music in 1988. Our underground releases consistently hit the top five on both UK and US club charts.
Alongside, I embarked on remixing gigs for other artists. DJing also connected me with Jeremy Healy, and together we scored a UK top 10 hit and album with 'Ezee Posse' in 1991.
Right Said Fred
After a chance encounter with the brothers who would become Right Said Fred, I whipped up a demo of 'I'm Too Sexy' in just three hours, using minimal gear.
The rest is history: the song skyrocketed to top 10 status in 32 countries, even hitting No.1 on the U.S. Billboard chart, a milestone only matched by the Beatles.
I continued to collaborate with RSF, producing their debut album 'Up' and subsequent hits. With 20 million units sold in a year, 'Sexy' became a cultural phenomenon, inspiring everything from merchandise to sushi rolls.
Not bad for a bedroom project 😉
Production and Songwriting
Fusing my love for live music and electronic beats, honing a signature sound that blends both worlds seamlessly. Drawing from years of club experience, I craft music that makes you move. With multiple platinum albums and singles, plus nominations for prestigious awards like the Mercury and Brits, my production chops speak for themselves.
I have worked with Kanye West, Coldplay, FUN, Kylie Minogue, Janet Jackson, Michael Jackson, Barry White, Mark Ronson, Sophie Ellis Bextor, Emeli Sande, Sigma, Take That, Mundy, Tom Grenham, Liam Paine, Louis Tomlinson, Bjork, Jessie J, Tom Jones, Jordan Stephans, Finley Quaye, Leona Naess, Joss Stone, Jess Glynn, Tim Hutton, Raleigh Ritchie and many more, my music spans genres and generations.
A selection of that work can be found in the Music section
Barefoot
In 2006, I joined forces with the incredible Sam Obernik to create Barefoot. Recognizing the strong songwriting and melodies on the dancefloor, we set out to showcase them with a unique twist. Our album 'Barefoot' paved the way for projects like Mark Ronson's 'Version.'
Dive into our reinterpretations of classics like Grandmaster Flash's 'White Lines' and Underworld's 'Born Slippy' in the Listen section.
Singing With The Enemy
In 2008, I was choosen to be the ‘Producer’ in the BBC TV 6 part series ‘Singing With The Enemy’. In each episode I had to work with and encourage (sometimes force!) two very different bands, to come together and collaborate on a track, with very conflicting results! A really interesting version of HarmonyThroughMixology.
Please see the Video Section of the site to see excerpts.
Wired Strings
In conjunction with my wife, Rosie Danvers, one of the most respected and highly sought after orchestral arrangers and her company Wiredstrings, we have arranged and orchestrated concerts and recordings for Noel Gallagher, Spice Girls, Kanye West, Jay Z, Rita Ora, Tinie Temper, Emeli Sande, FUN, Raleigh Ritchie, MNEK, Frank Ocean, Enya and Beyonce. Check out some of the shows we did with JayZ and Kanye in the 'Watch' section.
Graffiti6
In 2010, I co-launched Graffiti6 with singer-songwriter Jamie Scott and graphic artist Jimi Crayon. The NY Post hailed us as a band to watch. Our debut album 'Colours' (2011) under Capitol Records earned rave reviews and spawned the US top 5 hit 'Free,' along with chart success in Scandinavia, France, Holland, and Belgium. We rocked over 200 shows worldwide. In 2014, our follow-up 'The Bridge' also hit critical acclaim.
Graffiti6 music has been featured in a vast array of syncs including Greys Anatomy, CSI NY, Covert Affairs, Victorias Secret, Hollister, Heineken, MTV, VH1 and The Sun, to name but a few.
Please see the Graffiti6 section for more.
Credit Where Credit Is Due
Along with the Music Producers Guild, I’ve spearheaded, the Credit Where Credit is Due campaign to address the lack of credit info in the digital realm.
Crediting creators is a moral obligation, yet our industry overlooks its importance for marketing and education. Let's make crediting easy and promote it as a tool for recognition.
Check out the website for details and get involved!"
Cinderella
In 2014, I penned and produced 'Strong,' the closing credits anthem for Disney's Cinderella remake, directed by Kenneth Branagh and starring Lily James. The film became a smash hit in 2015, and being part of Disney's songbook is a humbling honor. Check out the listen tab for this and more examples of my work
8O8 Whisky
In 2014, my friend Paul Pullinger, whisky expert Jonathan Driver, and I co-founded 8O8 drinks company. Our debut product, 8O8 Whisky, hit the market in 2015, soaring to critical and commercial acclaim.
Now available in 200+ European venues, including prestigious stores like Harrods and Selfridges, it made waves with one of their best-ever brand launches.
Named a top 10 whisky by The Independent newspaper.
Wildhood
In 2015 I started a new project 'Wildhood' with Jordan Stephans from the band Rizzle Kicks. Wildhood continues the theme of beats and guitars that has underpinned all my musical adventures and tops it off with Jordans brilliant lyrics and performance.
For more info check the Wildhood tab
Studio Design
Having spent many years in recording studios, I am also called upon to consult in studio design and equipment choice. I have built studios in China and the UK.
Please contact me for further info.
HarmonyThroughMixology
Drawing from my wealth of experiences and the incredible insights of fellow Cre8ives, I'm launching #HarmonyThroughMixology. This program celebrates and shares the secrets of navigating the creative world, emphasizing collaboration and creativity.
My biggest success? Still thriving, making music, and living the Cre8ive life.
Join me in shaping your own success story.
TokenTraxx
TokenTraxx empowers creators in music, film, sports, and charity through Web3 technology. It fosters deeper community engagement, value creation, and blockchain integration, embodying the vision of an open internet through its marketplace and TRAXX studio.
I got into crypto in 2016, fell for the tech and the opportunities to shake up the system and started thinking about opportunities to merge music and blockchain.
In late 2020, fuelled by the crippling impact lockdown was having on the music industry I founded TokenTraxx to help creatives industries find alternative sources of income
.
At TokenTraxx we are revolutionising every aspect of how we create, share and love music using Web3 tech. We believe that onchain improves and solves a number of the challenges the music industry suffers, everything from initial registration, fingerprinting and watermarking to ensure proper accountability, on chain royalty payments, simplifying licensing for music usage, all the way through to creating a vibrant independent sector where music creatives and their fans can reward engagement and loyalty though tokenisation and their own Web3 marketplaces.
The most exciting thing for me is the creative opportunities Web3 tech can offer, though generative music and art and AI and this is highlighted in my genesis NFT project - Traxxstemz.
TokenTraxx has built a brilliant team, the best of music, blockchain and digital innovation to develop the tech and services to help the creative industries embrace these exciting new opportunities.
We have our own TRAXX token which powers our own protocol.
We see TRAXX as the Ethereum of music, a currency that backs this new music business, empowering everyone from small first time indie artist, all the way through to major corporations and media companies, connecting the communities that tie the music industry together.
I am proficient in Guitar, Drums, Keyboards and Vocals as well as Programming and Engineering.
My work has over a 7 billion streams and sold over Sixty million units.