Dockstader

A film by Alvin Case

Years before the advent of electronic synthesizers in the 1960s, an untrained electronic experimenter, musician, and composer quietly revolutionized the very definition of what constituted music. What he termed “organized sound” influenced all forms of electronically composed music from early circuit-benders to contemporary EDM, or electronic dance music. His obscure but highly coveted recordings became key sources of inspiration for Federico Fellini on Satyricon and for Pete Townshend for Tommy. And his work remains an important touchstone for electronic musicians on both sides of the Atlantic like Apex Twin, Mordent Music, and Matmos. 

 

Tod Dockstader preferred a quiet and private life, sometimes to the exclusion of advances in technology that would have complimented his work as a composer. Using a few key persons who can speak with authority about his work and in some cases about collaborating with him, and featuring a soundtrack which includes previously unreleased recordings from Tod Dockstader, this film hopes to introduce viewers to the most important figure in American electronic music.