Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music

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HORN, Trevor

(b 15 July '49, Newcastle) Internationally known record producer. First surfaced with Buggles, whose prophetic "Video Killed The Radio Stars' was a UK no. 1 '79. The Age Of Plastic '79 was effervescent collection of techno-pop in conjunction with partner Geoffrey Downes; subsequent Buggles singles ("Elstree') showed them ingeneous purveyors of tongue-in-cheek pop in style of 10CC. UK music scene astounded when they joined supergroup Yes, but they stayed only for LP Drama '80; Downs went to Asia, Horn prod. Yes after leaving the group, notably 90125; grandiose prod. style enhanced records by Dollar, ABC; Malcolm McLaren's Duck Rock '83 was masterly LP marking pop switch to roots music. Horn formed ZTT label '83, made big splash with seismographic prod. for Frankie Goes To Hollywood, so successful commercially that the group was berated for being little more than his puppets. Other ZTT acts such as Propaganda and Art Of Noise benefitted from his handling; he continued in production.