- published: 09 Jul 2014
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Geoffrey Downes (born 25 August 1952) is an English rock keyboard player and songwriter for the bands Yes and Asia, and formerly of The Buggles, during which he played multiple keyboards to achieve a New Wave technopop sound. He was once entered for the Guinness Book Of Records for performing with the most keyboards (twenty-eight) on stage in one performance.
Downes was born at Stepping Hill Hospital in Hazel Grove, Stockport, Cheshire, the son of musical parents. His father was a church organist and his mother a pianist. He also took up the keyboards and played in a succession of local bands. He attended Stockport Grammar School before studying at Leeds College of Music. After graduating he moved to London, where he played sessions and composed advertising jingles.
In 1976, he met Trevor Horn while auditioning for pop singer Tina Charles' backing band. They continued to work together, eventually forming The Buggles, recording a worldwide hit single in 1979 ("Video Killed the Radio Star"). It was Island Records' first number 1 in the UK, and the video of the song subsequently became the first ever to be played at the launch of MTV on August 1981.
Guthrie Govan (born 27 December 1971 in Chelmsford, Essex, England) is a virtuoso guitarist known for his work with the bands Asia (2001–2006), GPS, The Young Punx and The Fellowship as well as Erotic Cakes (a vehicle for his own music). He is a noted guitar teacher through his work with the UK magazine Guitar Techniques, Guildford’s Academy of Contemporary Music and currently the Brighton Institute of Modern Music. He is the 1993 winner of Guitarist magazine's "Guitarist of the Year" competition.
Govan began playing guitar aged three, encouraged by his father but initially learning mainly by ear. At the age of nine he and his brother Seth Govan played guitar on a Thames Television programme called Ace Reports. At secondary school he was exposed, via older classmates, to "shred" guitarists of the time.
After leaving school, Govan read English at the University of Oxford, though he left after a year to pursue a career in music. Around this time (by Govan’s own estimation, 1991) he sent demos of his work to Mike Varney of Shrapnel Records. Varney was impressed and offered him a record deal; ultimately however, Govan declined. Regarding his reasons he has explained: "it was as though all I really wanted to know was that I was good enough […] I found I was getting a bit wary of the shred movement."
Geoff Downes Keyboard Rig 2014
Geoff Downes - the history of Video Killed The Radio Star
Geoff Downes New Dance Orchestra 1
Asia - John Payne, Geoff Downes, Chris Slade, Guthrie Govan - Full Concert 2002
ASIA-Geoff Downes Solo~The Smile Has Left Your Eyes
Geoff Downes Keyboard Solo Gravitas Tour
Geoff Downes of Asia teaching us Heat of Moment
2014 NAMM Show: Geoff Downes Interview
Studiologic Sledge on tour with keyboardist Geoff Downes from the band Yes
NAMM 2016: Geoff Downes
Geoffrey Downes - Symphonie Electronique
ADAGIO- GEOFFREY DOWNES
Yes (Geoff Downes) "Cans And Brahms" 07/09/14 Radio City Music Hall, NYC
VIDEO KILLED THE RADIO STAR-GEOFF DOWNES