Theory of Mind

About Theory of Mind

Theory of Mind® is the trade name used by BMI artist and composer, Tony Belcastro, a high functioning autistic savant with Bipolar Disorder (Manic Depression) who plays guitar, piano/keyboards, percussion, bass and various other instruments when needed. Tony first began showing an interest in music around the age of two. He has composed and recorded a large amount of material in several genres including jazz, blues, rock, folk, classical and electronica, usually without involving any other musicians. You may have heard some of Tony’s recordings at classical concerts in the U.S., as well as on PBS and HBO.

The music of Theory of Mind is composed, performed and recorded exclusively by Tony and fits into the instrumental progressive rock, symphonic rock, fantasy rock, and jazz genres.

Theory of mind, in psychological terms, means having an understanding that other people's minds are different than your own and having the ability to comprehend, or develop theories

about what other people are thinking, or feeling, simply by observing them. It is often referred to as the ability to "walk in someone else's shoes." It is a common and somewhat controversial belief that non-autistic people develop theory of mind at an early age and are able to reciprocate emotionally, even when they are very young, while most autistic people do not. Tony's personal experiences have contributed to his belief that most people do not really care enough about others to even attempt to walk in someone else's shoes.

Tony’s musical endeavor with Crater Rock Music has been named Theory of Mind because music is a natural form of expression for him. He is able to convey the emotions and experiences within himself to other people through his compositions more effectively than he can verbally. Because of Dyscalculia (a mathematics learning disability), Tony has had extreme difficulties trying to understand and learn much of the technical aspects of music theory; his musical abilities come from sources other than technical knowledge. Tony is utilizing his unique musical abilities to try to open himself up for others to have an opportunity to experience what it is like to be "in his shoes." It is Tony’s hope that his music will help to cultivate the acceptance and appreciation of autistic people everywhere.

Two songs from the Theory of Mind debut CD Enter the Misfit are featured in the Normal Films documentary The Sandwich Kid. Tony is currently working on material for the next Normal Films release, Arts: Disabilities, Possibilities, & The Arts, as well as for a possible Theory of Mind jazz CD (Lava Flow West is a preview track).

Some History

Before he was a year old, Tony was able to hum notes of familiar songs in key and by one year of age he was twanging rhythms on spring doorstops. At sixteen months old his favorite toy was a small guitar and at two years of age Tony enjoyed listening to records, could sing parts of songs that he liked in key and began begging his family for a drum. Upon receiving one he immediately secluded himself in his bedroom with it and refused to perform for anyone.

Tony began to seriously pursue music beginning with drums at age ten. By age thirteen, Tony had played bass guitar in his first paying gig and shortly after that taught himself six-string guitar. He composed his first rock song in ninth grade, where he also passed an audition for the school's jazz band. Because of Dyscalculia, Tony could not read music and was forced to improvise during the only rehearsal he attended. The first song the band rehearsed went well until it had to be stopped several times because Tony was not performing a section of triplets the way it was scored. Tony quit jazz band and joined the school's chorus ensemble, where the ability to play by ear and his prodigious memory helped him become one of the top bass vocalists in the school that year. Tony formed several unsuccessful cover bands throughout high school.

After high school, Tony decided that he would only play original music, with the exception of an opportunity he had to play guitar in an acoustic duet in Virginia Beach in the mid-eighties. In the late eighties, Tony spent a lot of time recording music in studios and after the vice-president of Atlantic Records publically expressed an interest in him, he spent his time trying to assemble a band to go to New York. His efforts failed because of his social difficulties and some members of the last band Tony was in robbed him of some of his equipment. He then began performing solo acoustic blues and soon afterwards free improvisational jazz.

After some unfortunate incidents in the early nineties, including being ridiculed because of his lack of technical knowledge, Tony gave up his musical endeavors and began to make attempts to fit into society as an average person. For almost a decade during this period, Tony rarely listened to music and would not touch an instrument, but by the late nineties, after aquiring a computer, he began to experiment with composing once more, though he was not content with being restricted to computer generated sounds and loop libraries. This discouraged Tony again, because he had no way to afford any real instruments. Soon after the turn of the century, the pressure of trying to "fit in and be socially normal" lead to a nervous breakdown. Tony was then diagnosed with autism and immediately put on disability.

Shortly after his diagnosis, Tony was encouraged to once again pursue music and was given some equipment to use. He trashed his first project shortly after completing it, but the work he had done was enough to get Tony his first independent record deal. Today, Tony spends most of his time in the studio.