User:Thomas Wiliam Dunn

Thomas William Dunn, born Leeds on the 22nd of June 1965. He is an accomplished Singer/Songwriter, Author and Musician. Early years. He is the second child of Thomas Irving Dunn and May Dunn. His siblings are Angela Rosalind Dunn/Marwood DOB 11/05/1964, Michael Lewis Dunn DOB 17/07/1968, died March 2000, Judith Sarah Dunn DOB 10/09/1969. As a child Dunn was stated as being a child prodigy, with an IQ at 12 of 145. He was a neurotic child and was thought to be autistic, this wasn't the case. His mother felt that local authority care was a better place for him, as his behaviour was deemed to be 'strange. In 1977 he was sent to Yewcroft school, a residential boarding school for children with maladjustments. Dunn blossomed there and began to write songs and poems, he also took a keen interest in art. His tutors saw that he excelled at the piano and encouraged him to enter 'Young musician of the year', he didn't win, but he was rewarded with a scholarship to the Chopin Guild of London. In 1978 he performed at the Royal Albert Hall and played several concerto's, including Rachmaninov's 'Variation on a Theme of Paganini'. Aged Fourteen he taught himself how to play the guitar and joined his first band called "The Snotty Snails", who in 1979 recorded their first single "I Thought You Was Dead". He left the "Snails" in 1981 and formed the band 'Three Minutes of Hate', they also did not have much success, either critically or financially. Feeling dejected, in 1982 he decided to concentrate on songwriting and for Three years this is all he really did musically. In 1986 he met Andrew Shepherd, who at the time was editing articles for various magazines. Andrew saw the potential in Dunn's work and asked if he could bring the lyrics from the songs together and produce a book of them, Dunn agreed and later in 1986 the bestselling book 'When All's Said and Dunn' was published. It was the book that was to make a real name for Dunn and he was celebrated in literary circles for his profound poetry, even though the poems were actually song lyrics. The success of the book also gave Dunn the finances he needed to buy a house, but also it meant he began to drink alcohol to excess. Alcohol addiction from 1986 onward would play a part in Dunn's spectacular fall from grace and eventual spell in rehab. In 1988 he recorded the album 'Playing for Peanuts', he also took back to performing and went out on the road once more, this time as a solo act. After Two years of touring he returned to his home in the Lake District and recorded the album 'Leaving the Past Behind', which did not sell well. So at the start of 1990 he decided that he would probably have a better chance of aquiring financial reward, if he were to become a band manager. In the summer of 1990 he set up the now defunct record label 'CMDG Music' and signed Three bands, 'Colourblind', 'Free State' and 'Times up'. After Two years as a music manager and realising there would not be any success with these bands, he decided to return once more to performing and went on the road again. In 1992 he met Tom Hingley of 'The Inspiral Carpets' and worked on various music projects with him, including many live appearances on stage throughout Europe. In 2001 he formed the band 'The Effects of Chaos' and recorded his Third album entitled, 'Blue in the Grey'. This album sold quite well and Dunn was able to set up his own recording studio and form a business using his old label name 'CMDG', this was an acronym for 'Community Music development Group' and led Dunn into a strange relationship, when he became business bed partners with the local Borough Council. The manager of 'CMDG' was Mel Jenkins and he and Dunn would forge a long lasting friendship. In late 2002, due to lack of funding, Dunn had to fold the business and find alternative income. At the start of 2003 he was a DJ on CFM radio and hosted the afternoon show 'Retro Heaven'. He gave up his musical career for a while to concentrate on his 'Maze Drawings', which are abstract pieces drawn in a maze form and hide elements of a persons life within. So far there are 41 pictures in this series and they are quite sought after by collectors of Dunn's art. In 2004 Dunn moved to Liverpool and was involved for a while in football commentary for Metro Radio, which led to him being invited to play a one off benefit gig at Goodison Park for The Samaritans. Currently, he enjoys writing and playing guitar, as well as helping people with free advice on music promotion. Ill health has meant he is in 'semi retirement', but he hopes to return to touring soon.