Horn sweet Horn for an icon of 80s
Producer goes back to North East roots
THE record producer who “invented the 80s” has returned to his boyhood home – and recalled his days reading the Daily Mirror.
Trevor Horn worked with pop giants Rod Stewart, Paul McCartney, Grace Jones,
ABC and Frankie Goes to Hollywood, and later Robbie Williams.
The son of double bass player John “Bob” Robert and full-time mum Betty, he was brought up in the tiny mining community of Moorsley in Co Durham, into a family of extraordinary talent.
Brother Ken produced hit BBC series Line of Duty while sister Marjorie DeLuca is a writer.
Trevor, 74, was invited back home to open a £600,000 community centre. He told the Mirror: “I left at 16 but I love coming back. My mum was aspirational, she taught us all good manners.
“I remember reading the Mirror – I used to love Cassandra. I never realised then that the column was named after the prophet in Greek mythology.
“I played bass and joined the school orchestra. Dad let me play in his band at the age of 13.”
Trevor was the first artist to go on MTV, performing 1979 hit Video Killed the Radio Star with The Buggles. He said: “The song was perfect for it. I knew everything was going to change, technology was coming through.” He still works with top artists, including Seal, while son Aaron is also a musician.
Trevor recalled staying near Moorsley with his grandparents.
He told the crowd: “This is a real honour, I have not been here for 70 years. My grandfather was mad on leeks and he took me to the shows. If a horse went past, he would rush out to get the dung.”
In 2006, his late wife Jill Sinclair was accidentally shot by Aaron as he practised with an air rifle. She was in a coma before she died in 2014, at 61, from cancer. Trevor is now with partner Janet Andersen.
Volunteer Jackie Worthington, 69, helped open the hub. She said: “There is nothing else in the area, it’s the heart of the community.”