The Buggles

Best-known for their #1 and video hit VIDEO KILLED THE RADIO STAR, the Buggles were a short-lived but influential New Wave group. They went on to have a second album and briefly the entire band joined art-progressive pioneers YES.

Later bassist and singer Trevor Horn went on to become one of the biggest music producers in the UK. Keyboard player Geoff Downes is best known for his massive keyboard array which he used during his tenure as part of the 80s supergroup ASIA.

In August 1981, this was the very first video that every played on (then brand-new) MTV. The song had originally been recorded by Bruce Woolley and the Camera Club in 1979. Horn and Downes wrote the song and were part of the Camera Club backing band for Woolley. They re-recorded the song for the first Buggles album and avideo by Russell Mulcahy didn't do much, until MTV was invented. Then it brought the Buggles a lot of attention. By this time however, the Buggles had joined YES.

Here they are performing the song on UK TV in 1979, two years before the song would appear on baby MTV.

Since the Buggles existed in the days well before the invention of the internet, there's not a lot out there about them.

While a lot of people have seen the music video for VKTRS, none of their other videos ever seemed to get airplay. There are also a few clips from UK tv appearances. Being studio musicians, the Buggles never went out on tour until they joined YES.

In 2004, Downes and Horn reunited to play the Prince's Trust and live Buggles music was heard for the first time in over 20 years.