Geoff Downes: The Keyboardist Behind MTV's First Video, 'Heat of the Moment,' and Yes
By
Andy Greene
Pulled from the oven just right. Trustworthy, fact-dense, deeply satisfying.
Summary
This article profiles Geoff Downes, the keyboardist whose iconic opening notes on the Buggles' "Video Killed the Radio Star" launched MTV in 1981. It traces his musical journey from that moment through co-writing Asia's "Heat of the Moment" to his long tenure as Yes's keyboardist since 2011, highlighting his underappreciated but significant contributions to rock and pop music history.
Key quotes
· 3 pulledHad things turned a little differently for Geoff Downes, the keyboardist would have gone down in history as merely the guy whose opening notes to the Buggles' 'Video Killed the Radio Star' kickstarted MTV
That song was just step one on a journey that brought Downes into the prog-rock supergroup Asia in 1982, where he co-wrote the immortal classic 'Heat of the Moment'
He's served as their keyboardist since 2011
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