Trevor Horn interview in the New York Times

[michelforest]

The Buggles’ Song Launched MTV. After 45 Years, They’re Going on Tour. - The New York Times (nytimes.com)

The question about "Owner of a Lonely Heart" is quite funny, I think.

[luna65]

Can you c&p it, please? I got the Paywall blues. Just that question, I mean.

[michelforest]

Can you c&p it, please? I got the Paywall blues. Just that question, I mean.

Of course:

«“Owner of a Lonely Heart,” Yes’s big hit off “90125,” was its first No. 1 pop hit. How did you get the band to record a song it hated?

I had to go down on my knees and beg. I said, “I’m a really hot producer at the moment, probably the hottest producer in the world, and if you don’t do this song, you’ll make me a failure. You promised me you’d do this song, so you’ve got to do it.” I was being funny, but not funny, if you know what I mean. I was desperate. »

[luna65]

Thank you!

And yeah, I seem to recall...Chris?...saying something to that effect as well. But there was also the thing about TH begging TR to do it once TR had played all the other demos he had.

[Ceasar’s Palace]

“A song they hated”? Did they?

[michelforest]

“A song they hated”? Did they?

I believe Rabin didn't think it was that great. Horn had to convince him that the chorus was a hit. Maybe Rabin was not happy because Horn hated all the other demos.

[Gilly Goodness]

In Horn's memoir he says YES had trouble playin' so simply. Chris. Alan. They kept tryin' to push in more notes. Rabin came around but a lot of the band's hangers-ons didn't like the idea. So. They rerecorded it in the style of Mutt Lange. Played it to Horn. He hated it. The band finally agreed and so we got the album's version. Which I can stand to listen to once a year or so...( from memory. May have to reread book). 😘


OK. Reread that bit. Rabin wanted Alan's drums to be Mutt Langish and so spent several hours remixin' but in the end realised that Horn's mix was more suitable for Alan's expressive style.

Also Chris doesn't like headphones in the studio. Likes to hear his bass through speakers.


#givedbaranadvancecopy

#professorofrockshouldinterviewjondavison

[luvyesmusic]

“A song they hated”? Did they?

We all did, but it launched a rebirth, and a generation of new fans because of MTV.

[Davy]

When Owner first came out, it was one of my favorite songs. I was not familiar with Yes at the time, and liked both that song and Leave It. Later, in 1987, Starship Trooper was all over the radio, I loved it, and was pleased to discover it was by Yes. That summer, I picked up Classic Yes, and the rest was (my) history.

Owner is a great song. Like most of us I've tired of it by now, but those of you who think it's bad are simply wrong. Maybe not a Yes song in the classic sense, but a great song nevertheless.

[Ceasar’s Palace]

Maybe not a Yes song in the classic sense, but a great song nevertheless.

Only if you like songs built (almost completely) on a riff.
Like David Bowie’s Rebel Rebel.
OOALH has other strengths: production and an ‘abstract’ solo.

[luvyesmusic]

Only if you like songs built (almost completely) on a riff.
Like David Bowie’s Rebel Rebel.
OOALH has other strengths: production and an ‘abstract’ solo.

It also had a video with heavy rotation on MTV, which I think helped elevated the song more than it should have. A video which was a a bit confusing if you were interested in a resurgence/ a rebirth of YES and did a little digging and paying attention, and wondered who, at least , was one of the guys not Trevor was, and what the hell was going on in the video personnel, and edit-wise with the mysterious Eddie Jobson. That was stranger than folks being animals/ turning into animals/being represented by animals.

Let’s face it, with MTv, sometimes/often times if you weren’t familiar with the band, the videos were not only the introduction of the band to many/most, esp. on this side of the pond, they either enhanced the band with the song, music, fashion and a bit of fantasy. All this was brand new to marketing, and marketing the bands themselves. I think this was true to, and for many bands like U2, and YES. I believe one of the biggest break out bands that benefitted on both sides of the pond from MTv because of looks, fashion and songs ( and song key choices was/were Duran Duran. I believe they were one of the bigger breakout bands in the U.S. , not because they were really any good, but because they had a unique sound, singer, catchy lyrics, sharp key choices, a group of handsome guys that brought the power of women putting their consumer dollars behind their popularity only second behind artists like The Beatles and Elvis ( yes, there were obviously other artists, but no one really kept track of who was buying what ), and I believe a very strong their strongest suit, was fashion sense.

And then you had what became a popular band with a good song, and great song production, and their own look, specific strange iand different lead personality with the extreme opposite of good looks and fashion , which is/wax usually the case, or was with most bands until the advent of promotion and being seen on tv, which was especially the case with the popularity of MTv easily seen by the masses of young people. Where would have Elvis had gotten so far without television exposure, or The Beatles breaking out with their harmonies and stupid haircuts and French suits?

Then you add in the advent of Trevor Horn’s strange and quirky, and innovative production style, with the help of Malcolm something samples that were used, along with Jon Anderson’s voice, and the chance of a new/rebirth of YES, who were much a mystery to most of the future fans, much like the Moody Blues when all you had to base them on were a couple of old videos with old songs if you weren’t familiar/weren’t a fan from back in the day, and add that to a very weak song, along with younger consumers who knew little of what a good song should be, with the help of a video, accessible tv and the power of cable airplay, subsequent radio airplay and then sales, you had what on paper what should have been on paper something not very special, not only become a big hit, but a new chapter for YES, or some form of YES, have a chance, again, to most of our delight here, and around the arenas, clubs, and album collections.