A Sound Review: Trevor Horn's "Slave To The Rhythm"

Tevor HornPublished in Green Mountain Outlook, Jan. 6, 2010
Filmed in 2004, Trevor Horn celebrated 25 years as one of pop music's greatest producers, with a special Wembley Arena concert in aid of The Prince's Trust. Over a dozen bands and acts came together to celebrate the legacy of this legendary producer.
The show opens with Horn's one early stint as a performer with The Buggles, with "Video Killed The Radio Star" and "Living In A Plastic Age". Of course, the former of which would go down in immortality as the very first broadcast-launching video of MTV in 1981. What would follow is a 25 year colorful collection of rock, pop, jazz and R & B that makes one begin to realize the scope of musical talent that Horn has produced and whose careers he helped cultivate over his diverse career. One by one they came onstage, Grace Jones performing "Slave To The Rhythm", ABC''s "Shoot That Poison Arrow" and "Look Of Love" and Art Of Noise with "Close To The Edit", certainly covered the 80's pop hits category.
However, one aspect of Horn's career many rock fans don't realize is that after The Buggles, he was not only a member of Yes in 1980, but also produced arguably the band's most popular album in 1984's 90124. An interesting version of Yes performs here, without vocalist Jon Anderson but with both Steve Howe and Trevor Rabin on guitar to perform the stunning instrumental "Cinema" and their biggest radio hit "Owner Of A Lonely Heart".
Next up it's 80's pop-dance phenom The Pet Shop Boys performing their hits "Left To My Own Devices" and "It's Alright", before Euro-icon Lisa Stansfield performed her latest, "Takes A Woman To Know". Horn has also produced several albums for crooner Seal, who performed "Killer', "Kiss From A Rose" and "Crazy", before the ever eccentric Frankie Goes To Hollywood closed the night with "Welcome To The Pleasuredome", "Two Tribes" and "Relax".
Along with this diverse group of artists who gathered to celebrate their producer, Horn’s backup band is equally as stellar, including Geoff Downs (the other Buggle and of Asia), Lol Crème, Anne Dudley, Alan White of Yes fame, as well as a full orchestra, several elegant back up singers and a stellar stage and light show. An amazing spectacle indeed.