435:
impossibly futuristic. Then again, minor hits such as "Clean Clean" and "Elstree" sound radiantly relevant now." Krinein magazine reviewed the album in 2003, where writer L. Vincent stated "The great quality of The Age of
Plastic is due to a whole in the spirit and the musical success of individual 'Video Killed the Radio Star'. For example, the titles "Living in the Plastic Age", "Kid Dynamo", "Elstree" and "Johnny On The Monorail" are quite as effective in their melodies, their rhythms and their harmonies."
374:
Brazil for Island
Records at the time. For the single, the song was edited down by half a minute in comparison to the album version of the song. Despite this, the UK version of the single still dubbed the song "(Full-length Album Version)" on the A-side of the vinyl. The single included the B-side "Johnny on the Monorail (A Very Different Version)" which was written by Downes and Horn. As the title suggested, the song is a different version of the closing album track of
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450:
385:
The majority of the releases of the single featured the same track listing, however the
Japanese issue of the single, released on 21 July 1980 as a promotional release only, featured the full album version of "Elstree" and not the single version, whilst the B-side was "Island" which was originally
434:
The
Independent, on 3 October 2010, spoke of the song in a review of The Buggles' live performance "The Lost Gig" in London, where the author Simon Price stated "The Age of Plastic, played in order, and accompanied by films generally involving old footage of things that once, like the songs, felt
373:
The single was released on 7" vinyl via Island
Records across Europe and Japan. It was not given an America release. In the UK, the single was manufactured and distributed by EMI Records Ltd. The single was also issued in Brazil through Island Records and Ariola, which was the umbrella company in
466:
On 28 September 2010, The
Buggles reunited to play their first full-length live concert. The event was billed as "The Lost Gig" and took place at "Ladbroke Grove's Supperclub", Notting Hill, London, and was a fund raiser with all earnings going to the Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability. Except
457:
A music video was filmed featuring Trevor Horn as a BBC janitor cleaning a cemetery set on a sound stage as he recalls his days as a bit player in
Elstree Studio b-films. Intercut with scenes of black and white sword fighting and retro movie scenes are included in the video. As Horn reminisces,
401:
Additionally, a promotional single was released in the UK which featured "Elstree (Special DJ Version)" - a three and a half minute version of the song. This version was originally exclusive to the single but would later see release as a bonus track on the 2010 Japanese CD re-release of
440:"Don't overlook this '80s pop classic. Production deity Trevor Horn had more in him than just "Video Killed the Radio Star." His considerable songwriting prowess is also evident on "Plastic Age," "Elstree" (a tribute to the famed U.K. film studios) and "Clean Clean."
29:
349:. It follows the story of a failed actor who, according to Wave Maker Magazine, is "taking up a more regular position behind the scenes and looking back at his life in regret." The song is 4 minutes and 32 seconds long, and is played at a
393:
Most issues of the single featured a full colour sleeve with artwork of a camera. The
Japanese release used different artwork, using an alternate design of the drawing of the duo first seen as the artwork on their 1979 debut single
903:
467:"Video Killed the Radio Star" and "The Plastic Age" which the band had previously played together, "The Lost Gig" saw the first live performances of all songs from The Age of Plastic, which included "Elstree".
453:
Trevor Horn (top right) as he appears in the video as a BBC janitor on a cemetery set, while black-and-white characters (bottom) play as various roles he recalls in the song.
641:
613:
431:
The song peaked at #55 in the UK singles chart and lasted in the Top 100 for a total of four weeks. It was the band's final Top 100 release in the UK.
1236:
1231:
1033:
423:
in
Nottingham - a voice-over from an advert for Tunes menthol sweets is played at the end: 'A Second Class Return to Nottingham, please'.
749:"The Buggles - Elstree (Full-length Album Version) / Johnny On The Monorail (A Very Different Version) - Island - UK - WIP 6624"
1241:
1086:
378:. The version was originally exclusive to the single before it appeared as a bonus track on the 2000 remastered re-issue of
904:"The Buggles, Supperclub, LondonTim Robbins and the Rogues Gallery Band, Duke of York's Cinema, Brighton - Reviews - Music"
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406:, along with the single version of "Elstree". The promotional single still featured the usual full colour sleeve.
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The song was parodied in the 1983 Central TV 'Christmas Tape', with reference made about the move from the
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black-and-white footage of his "films" play, illustrating the various roles he recalls in the song.
317:. It was the fourth and final single from the album, released on 27 October 1980. It was written by
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Nicholas Baker of
Napster spoke of the song in a review of the album, stating
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reused parts of the song's melodic structure for his 1999 hit "Another Way".
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883:"BUGGLES | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company"
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672:. sonicstate.com. September 24, 2010. Accessed from 13 July 2013.
362:
1015:
1011:
857:"Buggles, The - The Age Of Plastic (CD, Album) at Discogs"
510:"Johnny on the Monorail (A Very Different Version)" - 3:54
484:"Johnny on the Monorail (A Very Different Version)" - 3:54
928:"Critique Buggles - The Age of Plastic - Krinein France"
770:"Buggles* - The Age Of Plastic (CD, Album) at Discogs"
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64:"Johnny on the Monorail (A Very Different Version)"
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46:
35:
21:
648:. Wave Maker Magazine. Accessed on 29 July 2013.
345:"Elstree" is a tribute to the U.K. film studios
639:Into the Lens: Spotlight on Trevor Horn, Part I
1027:
382:album, amongst other re-issues of the album.
8:
670:Buggles Rehearsal - Sarm West - Geoff Downes
660:. oneil.com.au. Accessed from 29 April 2013.
836:"Buggles, The - Elstree (Vinyl) at Discogs"
830:
828:
812:"Buggles, The - Elstree (Vinyl) at Discogs"
791:"Buggles, The - The Plastic Age at Discogs"
728:"Buggles, The - Elstree (Vinyl) at Discogs"
707:"Buggles, The - Elstree (Vinyl) at Discogs"
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27:
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361:and a minimoog in the song to emulate an
386:the B-side to the band's second single "
614:"The Age Of Plastic : The Buggles"
601:
45:
34:
990:Petridis, Alexis (29 September 2010).
507:"Elstree (Special DJ Version)" - 3:35
269:"Astroboy (And the Proles on Parade)"
7:
1165:We Can Fly From Here (Parts 1&2)
686:"Buggles, The - Elstree at Discogs"
502:7" Single (UK promotional release)
489:7" Single (Japanese promo release)
14:
930:. Musique.krinein.com. 1999-09-20
658:The Buggles - The Age of Plastic
637:Smith, Ryan (7 December 2012).
1087:Adventures in Modern Recording
1:
1237:Songs written by Geoff Downes
612:Nicholas Baker (1980-01-01).
1232:Songs written by Trevor Horn
1105:Video Killed the Radio Star
396:Video Killed the Radio Star
369:Release and version history
240:Video Killed the Radio Star
1263:
902:Simon Price (2010-10-03).
531:
357:performed an old-sounding
16:1980 single by the Buggles
1112:Living in the Plastic Age
1049:
979:(205): 15. December 2010.
859:. Discogs.com. 2010-02-24
814:. Discogs.com. 1980-07-21
616:. Napster. Archived from
388:Living in the Plastic Age
337:The song is a tribute to
298:
285:
233:Living in the Plastic Age
224:
187:
72:27 October 1980
26:
311:from their debut album,
272:"Johnny on the Monorail"
1151:I Love You (Miss Robot)
992:"Buggles: The Lost Gig"
949:"The Buggles - Elstree"
250:I Love You (Miss Robot)
1242:Island Records singles
973:"Buggles All Around".
592:John Sinclair - mixing
454:
342:
1143:Other songs and demos
587:Richard James Burgess
583:Paul Robinson - drums
452:
336:
124:4:04 (single version)
951:. 24 September 2020
421:Lenton Lane Studios
417:ATV Elstree Studios
1080:The Age of Plastic
644:2013-11-11 at the
455:
404:The Age of Plastic
380:The Age of Plastic
376:The Age of Plastic
343:
314:The Age of Plastic
183:singles chronology
50:The Age of Plastic
1227:The Buggles songs
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532:UK Singles Chart
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494:"Elstree" - 4:27
481:"Elstree" - 4:05
419:to the then new
329:Music and lyrics
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646:Wayback Machine
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515:Chart positions
497:"Island" - 3:31
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410:Gigi D'Agostino
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347:Elstree Studios
339:Elstree Studios
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121:(album version)
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47:from the album
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307:is a song by
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1200:Fly from Here
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1187:Bruce Woolley
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1133:I Am a Camera
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1072:Studio albums
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838:. Discogs.com
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793:. Discogs.com
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772:. Discogs.com
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730:. Discogs.com
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709:. Discogs.com
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688:. Discogs.com
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620:on 2014-02-27
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591:
589: – drums
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522:Chart (1980)
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474:
471:Track listing
470:
468:
461:
459:
451:
444:
442:
441:
436:
432:
426:
424:
422:
418:
413:
411:
407:
405:
399:
397:
391:
390:" from 1980.
389:
383:
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368:
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348:
340:
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328:
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258:
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251:
247:
244:
241:
237:
234:
231:
230:
223:
213:
212:I Am a Camera
209:
204:
200:
195:
191:
190:
186:
182:
178:
174:
171:
166:
160:
157:
155:
152:
151:
149:
146:
145:Songwriter(s)
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99:
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91:
90:
88:
86:
82:
71:
67:
63:
60:
55:
52:
51:
42:
38:
30:
25:
20:
1222:1980 singles
1198:
1191:
1125:
1119:Clean, Clean
1085:
1078:
1062:Geoff Downes
1060:
1053:
999:. Retrieved
996:The Guardian
995:
985:
974:
968:
958:– via
953:. Retrieved
943:
932:. Retrieved
922:
911:. Retrieved
907:
897:
886:
861:. Retrieved
851:
840:. Retrieved
816:. Retrieved
806:
795:. Retrieved
785:
774:. Retrieved
764:
753:. Retrieved
743:
732:. Retrieved
722:
711:. Retrieved
701:
690:. Retrieved
665:
653:
633:
622:. Retrieved
618:the original
548:Geoff Downes
465:
462:Performances
456:
439:
437:
433:
430:
414:
408:
403:
400:
392:
384:
379:
375:
372:
355:Geoff Downes
344:
323:Geoff Downes
312:
304:
303:
263:
257:Clean, Clean
245:"Kid Dynamo"
202:
159:Geoff Downes
48:
1182:Discography
1158:Videotheque
1055:Trevor Horn
1043:The Buggles
574:bass guitar
566:Trevor Horn
445:Music video
359:grand piano
319:Trevor Horn
309:the Buggles
281:Music video
194:Clean Clean
181:The Buggles
175:The Buggles
170:Producer(s)
154:Trevor Horn
41:the Buggles
1247:1980 songs
1216:Categories
1001:5 November
955:2021-02-09
934:2013-04-28
913:2013-04-28
863:2013-04-28
842:2013-04-28
818:2013-04-28
797:2013-04-28
776:2013-04-28
755:2013-04-28
734:2013-04-28
713:2013-04-28
692:2013-04-28
624:2013-04-29
597:References
580:, producer
562:, producer
560:percussion
76:1980-10-27
552:keyboards
542:Personnel
527:position
476:7" Single
427:Reception
305:"Elstree"
288:"Elstree"
98:synth-pop
22:"Elstree"
642:Archived
568: –
550: –
353:of 136.
227:8 tracks
93:New wave
69:Released
1175:Related
1126:Elstree
1097:Singles
960:YouTube
751:. 45cat
293:YouTube
264:Elstree
216:(1981)
207:(1980)
203:Elstree
198:(1980)
74: (
578:guitar
570:vocals
137:Island
107:Length
59:B-side
37:Single
1193:Drama
556:drums
132:Label
85:Genre
1003:2010
976:Mojo
525:Peak
363:oboe
321:and
535:55
398:".
351:BPM
291:on
39:by
1218::
994:.
906:.
885:.
872:^
827:^
677:^
604:^
576:,
572:,
558:,
554:,
365:.
325:.
214:"
205:"
196:"
118:33
1167:"
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1103:"
1035:e
1028:t
1021:v
1005:.
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866:.
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341:.
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242:"
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235:"
210:"
201:"
192:"
116::
114:4
78:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
