Many people can tell you that The Buggles’ ‘Video Killed The Radio Star’ was the first video played on MTV 30 years ago.
But only Geoff Downes can say he was the first thing you heard when that video started rolling.
Downes was The Buggles’ keyboardist, and it was his spacey, tinkling piano riff that opened the futuristic new wave track. But that’s hardly the only highlight in his three-decade career.
The 59-year-old Brit is one of pop’s unsung musicians. He and bassist Trevor Horn formed The Buggles in the late ’70s, hitting No. 1 on the U.K. charts with ‘Radio Star.’ In 1980, the duo joined prog-rock heroes Yes for the albumDrama. Two years later, Downes found massive success as the keyboardist with rock supergroup Asia — a band later discovered by a new generation thanks to South Park and The 40-Year-Old Virgin.
Oh, he also joined the Guinness Book of Records — for playing the most keyboards on stage in one performance, 28.
Thirty years later, Downes is back with Yes. He helped write much of their new album,Fly From Here — produced by his old Buggles partner Horn. Downes and the group’s latest lineup — longtime members Steve Howe (guitar), Chris Squire (bass), Alan White (drums) and new vocalist Benoit David — toured the U.S. with Styx this summer and will kick off a European tour in November.
Pop-Break’s Brent Johnson spoke with Downes via phone about Yes’ new project, his MTV legacy and whether the internet has killed the video star …
Pop-Break: You only played on one Yes album before this, right?
Geoff Downes: Yeah, in 1980, we didDrama. And in fact, the song ‘Fly From Here’ was written around then — we just never got the opportunity to finish it. And I think that was one of the reasons Chris Squire got Trevor involved [with the new album]. He always thought that song maybe should have been included [onDrama]. So I think when the opportunity to record a new Yes album came up, everybody felt it was a good time to review that song.
PB: How did it feel to be back in the studio with Yes after 30 years?
GD: It was really great fun. And obviously, I’ve worked with Steve a lot over the years with Asia and various other projects. It was nothing unusual for me to be in a room with Steve. Also, Trevor was there all the time, as well. It wasn’t so weird. Having said that, it was still very, very exciting to me to be involved with the guys of Yes.
YES AT GONZO
Some tragic news to report regarding the family of Yes and Asia keyboardist Geoff Downes. The veteran prog-rock musician has revealed in a 
