MAN BEHIND ‘VIDEO KILLED THE RADIO STAR’ IS RAGLAN STALWART
By Alison Sanders
South Wales Argus
2.Man_behind__Video_Killed_the_Radio_Star__is_Ragl an_stalwart/
Nov 4 2009
UK
ALMOST 30 years ago, Geoff Downes scoring a number one hit with ‘Video
Killed the Radio Star’ as one half of the 1970s group The Buggles.
Now, as fellow Buggles member Trevor Horn produces the new Robbie
Williams album and the former Take That singer performed "Video
Killed The Radio Star" at the Electric Proms, Mr Downes is helping
out with the annual Raglan music festival in his home village of the
past 12 years.
He said: "The countryside is absolutely beautiful. I’ve got know a
lot of people here and it’s become home. I don’t envisage leaving.
"The air is fresh, there’s nice people and it’s easy to get to places."
Mr Downes hasn’t turned his back on the rock and roll lifestyle –
he is currently touring with the rock band Asia.
Since reforming the original Asia line-up three years ago, Mr Downes
has toured with Asia non-stop.
He is currently working on a new album with Asia and has his own
recording studio in Monmouthshire.
The musician was last month given the Order of Honour decoration by
the President of Armenia.
Along with the likes of Brian May and members of Pink Floyd and Deep
Purple, he was given the medal as part of the 20th anniversary of
the Rock Aid Armenia project.
This was for their involvement in the 1989 remake of Deep Purple’s
"Smoke On The Water" which raised thousands of pounds for the victims
of the Spitak earthquake in 1988.
Mr Downes said he came from a musical family with his father being
a church organist.
After setting up The Buggles with Trevor Horn, Mr Downes said they
had to "fight tooth and nail" to keep the name.
The Buggles took a rough demo of "Video Killed The Radio Star" to 20
different record companies before one eventually took them on.
Nearly 30 years on, the hit is still gracing the airwaves with Robbie
Williams recently playing the track at the Electronic Proms.
Mr Downes said: "All of the audience were singing along and some of
them weren’t old enough to hear it first time round."
He said he hopes the former Take That star releases it as a single.
Mr Downes is still in contact with Mr Horn and they are considering
reforming The Buggles.
The music business is very different now thanks to shows such as
the X Factor which Mr Downes said are entertaining but a form of
"televised karaoke".
He added: "It is a shame when you hear kids say they want to be on the
X Factor rather than wanting to play the guitar like Jimmy Hendrix."