The Buggles were a pop/ rock band formed in 1977 consisting of Geoff Downes ( percussion, keyboards) and Trevor Horn ( bass guitar, guitar, percussion, vocals), who had re-teamed after an earlier incarnation, Camera Club, which included Bruce Wooley, Thomas Dolby, and Hans Zimmer.
The Buggles shot to fame with their first single, " Video Killed the Radio Star", released in late 1979 to become the 444th number one in the UK charts. The novelty value of the song led to them being perceived as one-hit wonders, but its success was sufficient to launch both members of the band onto successful careers. The video for the song, directed by Russell Mulcahy, was the first video aired on MTV North America two years later, at 12:01 a.m. on August 1, 1981. There also was a Camera Club version of the song.
They recorded two albums, the second of which was released after Horn and Downes had already replaced Jon Anderson and Rick Wakeman, respectively, in Yes.
The band's sound was characterized by a deliberately synthetic quality, in keeping with the technological subject matter of their songs. Horn said he chose "The Buggles" for the band's name because, "It was the most disgusting name I could think of at that time."
Although they never played live originally, they have played together live twice since, once in 1998 and once in 2004. The Buggles - Video Killed The Radio Star excerpt ( file info) An excerpt from Video Killed The Radio Star Problems listening to the file? See media help.
