The Radio Science Orchestra
In 1994, Woolley, Matthew Seligman, Chris Elliott and Andy Visser founded The Radio Science Orchestra (RSO), a theremin-led space age pop ensemble inspired by the birth of electronic music.[28][29] The ensemble has recorded for film, television and radio, and provides bespoke arrangements and audio-visual performances combining live music, archive footage and narration.
In 1996, the RSO released a début EP, Memories of the Future.[30] In 1997, together with Grace Jones, the RSO provided the title track "Storm" for The Avengers movie starring Sean Connery, Uma Thurman and Ralph Fiennes.[30][31] In 1999, the RSO released a follow-up EP, Reverb.[30] The RSO created a live score Ray Santilli's Alien Autopsy, an interactive soundtrack for Superstructure With Satellites at the Tate Gallery. In 2002, the RSO performed at Shanghai's International Pop Festival. The same year, Grace Jones and Luciano Pavarotti performed the RSO's arrangement of "Pourquoi me Reveiller".
In 2004, the ensemble provided music for the "Electric Storm" installation at London's South Bank for Shell. This featured a 24-hour soundtrack with forty loudspeakers, lights, music and artificial fog created from water which was pumped from the Thames. All the power for the show was derived from a huge wind turbine, specially installed alongside the Waterloo footbridge.
In 2009, the RSO performed at TED Global with Thomas Dolby. In 2013, the RSO scored a three-minute viral commercial for Greenpeace.[32] In 2006, the RSO played with Thomas Dolby at London's ICA. In 2017, the RSO and Polly Scattergood released "Video Killed the Radio Star (Darkstar)", remixed by Steve Dub of the Chemical Brothers, and used as the soundtrack for trailers for the MTV Music Video Awards, featuring Katy Perry.
In 2019, the RSO presented "Music out of the Moon" at Bluedot Festival (Jodrell Bank Observatory),[33] and TED Summit, Edinburgh.[34] The performances celebrated the anniversary of Apollo 11, and included reconstructed tracks for theremin and jazz band from Harry Revel and Les Baxter's 1947 record Music Out of the Moon, played from space by Neil Armstrong in 1969.
The RSO has appeared on MTV, EBN, BBC 1, BBC 2, BBC World Service Television News, ITV, Channel 1, Channel 4, Radio 2, (including the Chris Evans Drivetime show in February 2008), Radio 3, Radio 4 and at Glastonbury Festival.
Bruce appeared with the Radio Science Orchestra at Leicester National Space Centre in November 2023.[35]
Songwriting and production
In 2006, Woolley wrote and co-produced tracks for Grace Jones's album Hurricane, together with Brian Eno, Ivor Guest (Bomb the Bass), Pamelia Kurstin, and Sly and Robbie.
On 28 September 2010, Woolley joined Geoff Downes and Trevor Horn for the Buggles' 'live début', to raise funds for the Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability.[36]
In 2004, Woolley performed for a Prince's Trust concert at Wembley Arena celebrating Horn's production career and 25 years of "Video Killed the Radio Star".
Woolley performed the theremin on Thomas Dolby's song "Simone", which was released on Dolby's Oceanea EP in November 2010, and subsequently on the studio album A Map of the Floating City in October 2011.
On 4 October 2011, Woolley received a Gold Medal Award from the BMI in recognition of airplay for "Check It Out", a track by Nicki Minaj and will.i.am, which featured on Minaj's US number 1 album "Pink Friday" which sampled "Video Killed the Radio Star".
In 2018, Woolley sang backing vocals on Trevor Horn's debut album. Woolley notably sings with Rumer on her version of "Slave to the Rhythm". Trevor Horn Reimagines the Eighties entered the UK Independent Album chart at No. 1 in February 2019.
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