Adventures in Modern Recording
Encyclopedia
Adventures in Modern Recording is the second and last studio album by the British synthpop
duo The Buggles
released in 1981 on Carrere Records. Made one year after their stint as members of Yes
, the album contains nine tracks, including a stripped-down version of Yes's "Into the Lens", here entitled, "I Am a Camera
". The album contained no hits, and The Buggles broke up during recording, with Geoffrey Downes joining Asia
and Trevor Horn
becoming a producer. The album as released was mostly a Trevor Horn solo effort, with Bruce Woolley
assisting in completing the tracks.
Both "We Can Fly from Here" and "Riding a Tide" (appearing as demos on the 2010 reissue) were rerecorded by Yes (with Horn as producer and Downes on keyboards) for their 2011 album release Fly from Here
.
in 1993 by Japanese label Jimco Records. In 1997 it was reissued with three bonus tracks, this time on the Japanese Flavour of Sound label. A new reissue was released by Salvo Records/ZTT
on 15 February 2010; it contains 10 bonus tracks.
Synthpop
Synthpop is a genre of popular music that first became prominent in the 1980s, in which the synthesizer is the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s and early 1970s by the use of synthesizers in progressive rock, electronic art rock, disco and particularly the "Kraut rock" of...
duo The Buggles
The Buggles
The Buggles were an English New Wave band consisting of Trevor Horn and Geoff Downes . They are remembered chiefly for their 1979 debut single "Video Killed the Radio Star" that was #1 on the singles chart in 16 countries. Its music video was the first to be shown on MTV in the U.S...
released in 1981 on Carrere Records. Made one year after their stint as members of Yes
Yes (band)
Yes are an English rock band who achieved worldwide success with their progressive, art, and symphonic style of rock music. Regarded as one of the pioneers of the progressive genre, Yes are known for their lengthy songs, mystical lyrics, elaborate album art, and live stage sets...
, the album contains nine tracks, including a stripped-down version of Yes's "Into the Lens", here entitled, "I Am a Camera
I Am a Camera (song)
"Into the Lens" is a song originally written by Trevor Horn and Geoff Downes of The Buggles. It was first released as "Into the Lens" on the Yes album Drama in 1980, and the year after on Adventures in Modern Recording, the second and last album of The Buggles...
". The album contained no hits, and The Buggles broke up during recording, with Geoffrey Downes joining Asia
Asia (band)
Asia are an English rock group formed in 1981. The band was labelled a supergroup as it included former members of several veteran progressive rock bands, namely John Wetton , Geoff Downes , Steve Howe and Carl Palmer Asia are an English rock group formed in 1981. The band was labelled a...
and Trevor Horn
Trevor Horn
Trevor Charles Horn CBE is an English pop music record producer, songwriter, musician and singer. He was born in Houghton-le-Spring in north-east England....
becoming a producer. The album as released was mostly a Trevor Horn solo effort, with Bruce Woolley
Bruce Woolley
Bruce Woolley is an English writer, performer, record producer and composer.- Early years :Bruce Woolley was born in Loughborough, England on 11 November 1953 and was educated at Loughborough Grammar School where he learned electric guitar, began to write songs and where he met his future wife,...
assisting in completing the tracks.
Both "We Can Fly from Here" and "Riding a Tide" (appearing as demos on the 2010 reissue) were rerecorded by Yes (with Horn as producer and Downes on keyboards) for their 2011 album release Fly from Here
Fly from Here
-Reaction from Anderson:In an interview with Rolling Stone, Anderson stated that on hearing the single "We Can Fly" he felt it sounded "a bit dated" and that Horn's production "wasn't as good as I expected"...
.
Release history
The album was first issued on compact discCompact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
in 1993 by Japanese label Jimco Records. In 1997 it was reissued with three bonus tracks, this time on the Japanese Flavour of Sound label. A new reissue was released by Salvo Records/ZTT
ZTT Records
ZTT Records is a record label founded in 1983 by NME journalist Paul Morley, record producer Trevor Horn, and businesswoman Jill Sinclair. The label's name was also printed as "Zang Tumb Tuum" and "Zang Tuum Tumb" on various releases....
on 15 February 2010; it contains 10 bonus tracks.
Side one
- "Adventures in Modern Recording" (Simon Darlow, Trevor HornTrevor HornTrevor Charles Horn CBE is an English pop music record producer, songwriter, musician and singer. He was born in Houghton-le-Spring in north-east England....
, Bruce WoolleyBruce WoolleyBruce Woolley is an English writer, performer, record producer and composer.- Early years :Bruce Woolley was born in Loughborough, England on 11 November 1953 and was educated at Loughborough Grammar School where he learned electric guitar, began to write songs and where he met his future wife,...
) – 3:46 - "Beatnik" (Horn) – 3:38
- "Vermillion Sands" (Geoff DownesGeoff DownesGeoffrey "Geoff" Downes is an English rock keyboard player, songwriter, best known as the keyboardist for the bands The Buggles, Yes and Asia, of which he is the only consistent member. When he was a keyboardist for The Buggles, he played multiple keyboards to achieve a New Wave technopop sound...
, Horn) – 6:48 - "I Am a CameraI Am a Camera (song)"Into the Lens" is a song originally written by Trevor Horn and Geoff Downes of The Buggles. It was first released as "Into the Lens" on the Yes album Drama in 1980, and the year after on Adventures in Modern Recording, the second and last album of The Buggles...
" (Downes, Horn) – 4:56
Side two
- "On TV" (Horn, Wooley, Rodney Thompson) – 2:48
- "Inner City" (Darlow, Horn) – 3:22
- "Lenny" (Downes, Horn) – 3:12
- "Rainbow Warrior" (Darlow, Horn, John Sinclair) – 5:22
- "Adventures in Modern Recording (reprise)" (Darlow, Horn, Woolley) – 0:51
Bonus tracks on 1997 CD re-release
- "Fade Away" – 2:36
- Original B-side of the "I Am a Camera" and "On TV" 7-inch singles
- "Blue Nylon" – 2:25
- Original B-side of the "Adventures in Modern Recording" 7-inch single
- "I Am a Camera" – 4:13
- Original 12-inch single mix
Bonus tracks on 2010 CD re-release
- "Fade Away"
- "Blue Nylon"
- "I Am a Camera" (12-inch mix)
- "We Can Fly from Here – Part 1"
- "Dion"
- "Videotheque"
- "On TV"
- "Walking on Glass" (Original version of "Lenny")
- "Riding a Tide"
- "We Can Fly from Here – Part 2"
Chart performance
| Chart (1981) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Swedish Albums Chart | 50 |
| US Hot 200 Billboard | 161 |
Personnel
- Trevor HornTrevor HornTrevor Charles Horn CBE is an English pop music record producer, songwriter, musician and singer. He was born in Houghton-le-Spring in north-east England....
– vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
; bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
on "Adventures in Modern Recording", "Inner City", "Adventures in Modern Recording (reprise)", "Fade Away", "Blue Nylon"; guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
on "Beatnik", "Vermillion Sands", "I Am a Camera", "Lenny"; drumDrum machineA drum machine is an electronic musical instrument designed to imitate the sound of drums or other percussion instruments. They are used in a variety of musical genres, not just purely electronic music...
programmingProgramming (music)Programming is a form of music production and performance using electronic devices, often sequencers or computer programs, to generate music. Programming is used in nearly all forms of electronic music and in most hip hop music since the 1990s. It is also frequently used in modern pop and rock...
on "I Am a Camera" - Geoff DownesGeoff DownesGeoffrey "Geoff" Downes is an English rock keyboard player, songwriter, best known as the keyboardist for the bands The Buggles, Yes and Asia, of which he is the only consistent member. When he was a keyboardist for The Buggles, he played multiple keyboards to achieve a New Wave technopop sound...
– keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
on "Beatnik", "Vermillion Sands", "I Am a Camera", "Lenny"; drum programming on "Lenny" - Simon Darlow – keyboards on "Adventures in Modern Recording", "On TV", "Inner City", "Rainbow Warrior", "Adventures in Modern Recording (reprise)", "Fade Away", "Blue Nylon"; guitar on "Adventures in Modern Recording", "On TV", "Inner City", "Rainbow Warrior", "Adventures in Modern Recording (reprise)", "Fade Away", "Blue Nylon"
- Bruce WoolleyBruce WoolleyBruce Woolley is an English writer, performer, record producer and composer.- Early years :Bruce Woolley was born in Loughborough, England on 11 November 1953 and was educated at Loughborough Grammar School where he learned electric guitar, began to write songs and where he met his future wife,...
– vocals on "On TV" - John SinclairJohn SinclairJohn Sinclair may refer to:* John Sinclair , Ordinary Lord and later Lord President in the Court of Session* Sir John Sinclair, 1st Baronet , politician and writer on agriculture and finance...
– drum programming on "Adventures in Modern Recording", "On TV", "Inner City", "Rainbow Warrior", "Adventures in Modern Recording (reprise)", "Fade Away", "Blue Nylon"; cymbalCymbalCymbals are a common percussion instrument. Cymbals consist of thin, normally round plates of various alloys; see cymbal making for a discussion of their manufacture. The greater majority of cymbals are of indefinite pitch, although small disc-shaped cymbals based on ancient designs sound a...
s on "Adventures in Modern Recording", "Rainbow Warrior", "Adventures in Modern Recording (reprise)"; vocals on "On TV"; guitar on "Beatnik" - Chris SquireChris SquireChristopher Russell Edward "Chris" Squire , is an English musician, known as the bass guitarist and backing vocalist for the progressive rock group Yes. He is the only member of the group to appear on every album.-Before Yes:...
– sound effectSound effectFor the album by The Jam, see Sound Affects.Sound effects or audio effects are artificially created or enhanced sounds, or sound processes used to emphasize artistic or other content of films, television shows, live performance, animation, video games, music, or other media...
s on "Adventures in Modern Recording", "Adventures in Modern Recording (reprise)" - Anne DudleyAnne DudleyAnne Dudley is an English composer and pop musician, and was the first BBC Concert Orchestra's Composer in Association in 2001. She has worked in both the classical and pop genres. She is perhaps best known, however, as one of the core members of the synthpop band Art of Noise and also as a film...
– keyboards on "Beatnik" - Luis JardimLuís JardimLuís Alberto Figueira Gonçalves Jardim is a Portuguese percussionist, born in the Madeira Island, best known for his work with producer Trevor Horn.-Family:Jardim is a cousin of Alberto João Jardim...
– percussion on "Beatnik" - Danny Schogger – keyboards on "Lenny"
- Rod Thompson – keyboards on "Lenny"
Production
- Produced by Geoff Downes, John Sinclair & Trevor Horn
- Engineers: Stuart Bruce (also assistant engineer), Gary Langan, Julian Mendelsohn