Kajagoogoo

Kajagoogoo was an English synthpop band whose 1983 global hit “Too Shy” made them part of the Second British Invasion. They released two albums on EMI, followed by a third on Parlophone under the abbreviated name Kaja. Vocalist Limahl left the band after the first album for a brief solo career.

Members: Steve Askew (guitar), Nick Beggs (bass, vocals), Stuart Croxford Neale (vocals, synthesizer), Jez Strode (drums, percussion, 1978-84), Limahl (vocals, 1982-83)

Background

Kajagoogoo emerged from Art Nouveau, a post-punk band from Leighton Buzzard, formed in 1978 by bassist Nick Beggs with guitarist Steve Askew, drummer Jez Strode, and keyboardist Stuart Croxford.

Beggs (born December 15, 1961) formed his first band, Johnny & The Martians, at age ten in his native Winslow. Orphaned weeks shy of his eighteenth birthday, Beggs worked as a dustman to care for his younger sister. He named his new band after Art Nouveau, a popular European style of illustration and furniture design of the Belle Époque (1880s–1914), characterized by sinewy lines and floral motifs.

In 1981, Art Nouveau self-released the single “Fear Machine” (b/w “Animal Instincts”) on self-press Gimpy Dak Records. “Fear Machine” is a mid-tempo minimal wave number with primitive lo-fi synthesizers, echoing riffs, and machine-gun percussion. “Animal Instincts” is a mite faster with clipped guitars, lopsided drum patterns, and beeping keyboards. Beggs sings low-mix vocals on both tracks, which fuse the DIY electro-pop of Thomas Leer with the decorative fills of Dalek I.

Months after the single, the still-unsigned band placed a Melody Maker ad that brought them Wigan native Chris Hamill, an aspiring actor–singer who recently appeared as an extra in the video for “Stand and Deliver” by Adam & The Ants.

Hamill (born December 19, 1958) was part of the Westcliff-on-Sea Palace Theatre Repertory Company. He toured with their production of the Tim Rice  / Andrew Lloyd Webber musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. In 1980, he appeared in “Something Blue,” a Series 2 episode of the ITV detective drama The Gentle Touch.

Hamill drifted through embryonic bands (Vox Deus, Crossword) and joined the formative lineup of Brooks, a pop-vocal boy band with managerial ties to the Eurovision acts Co-Co and the New Seekers. Hamill left before Brooks cut five 1979–80 singles on Polydor. (Bandmate Mike Nolan surfaced with Co-Co’s Cheryl Baker in Bucks Fizz, the 1981 Eurovision winners.) In 1979, Hamill dueted with a female singer named Christine (Kidd) on the MOR pop ballad “Strange Kinda Love,” recorded under the band moniker Kris as a UK candidate for the Eurovision Song Contest.

With Hamill’s arrival, Art Nouveau became Kajagoogoo, which Beggs chose as an onomatopoeia for baby talk (“gaga googoo”). Hamill adopted the mononym Limahl, an anagram of his surname.

In 1982, as Kajagoogoo gigged and wrote material, Limahl worked part time as a waiter at London’s Embassy Club, where he met Duran Duran keyboardist Nick Rhodes, who agreed to co-produce their first single. By July, Kajagoogoo signed with EMI, Duran’s label.

“Too Shy”

On January 10, 1983, Kajagoogoo released their debut single: “Too Shy,” an advance taster from their upcoming album. Produced by Duran Duran’s Nick Rhodes with veteran engineer Colin Thurston, the track combines a rhythmically buoyant synth-funk foundation with crisp electronic textures, giving prominence to Limahl’s airy falsetto and the band’s synchronized instrumental interplay. The single was backed with an instrumental version and, on 12″ formats, a non-album B-side.

7″ (EMI – EMI 5366, UK)
A. “Too Shy” (3:45)
B. “Too Shy (Instrumental)” (3:45)

12″ (EMI – 12EMI 5366, UK)
A. “Too Shy” (Extended Version)
B1. “Take Another View”
B2. “Too Shy (Instrumental)”

“Take Another View” did not appear on White Feathers but was performed regularly in concert and later included as a bonus track on the 2004 CD reissue.

The single was produced by Nick Rhodes and Colin Thurston and recorded in 1982 during the White Feathers sessions. Thurston’s prior work with Duran Duran and Rhodes’ role in the New Romantic scene influenced the song’s meticulous sonic layering and emphasis on processed electronic textures.

The single’s artwork features a stylized, high-contrast photo of Limahl and abstract geometric motifs. The promotional video, directed by Simon Milne, features model Carolyn Espley as a waitress envisioning past nightclub patrons while the band performs on stage.

“Too Shy” went straight to No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart, where it ousted “Down Under” by Men at Work and bowed two weeks later to “Billy Jean” by Michael Jackson. Abroad, “Too Shy” spent five weeks at No. 1 in Germany and also topped charts in Belgium, Ireland, and Japan. In France and Switzerland, it peaked at No. 2; it reached No. 4 in Austria, Sweden, and the Netherlands.

In the United States, “Too Shy” peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 and Cash Box, boosted by heavy MTV airplay. It also charted in the Top 10 in Australia, Canada, Italy, and New Zealand.

White Feathers

Kajagoogoo preceded White Feathers with “Ooh to Be Ah,” released as a second advance single in late March. The song paired fashion-centric lyrics with funk guitar phrasing and dancefloor-ready rhythms. It peaked at No. 7 on the UK Singles Chart.

The third and final single, “Hang on Now,” appeared in late May and reached No. 13 in the UK and No. 78 in the US. Though supported by a promotional video and European TV performances, it marked the band’s final single with Limahl.

Limahl Exits

Following the commercial success of White Feathers and a headlining UK tour in spring 1983, tensions emerged within Kajagoogoo over creative direction and internal dynamics. In mid-1983, the band dismissed lead vocalist Limahl. While Limahl publicly accused the group of jealousy and betrayal, the remaining members cited growing differences and increasingly unworkable behavior.

Nick Beggs assumed lead vocal duties, and the restructured four-piece returned to the charts that September with “Big Apple,” which reached the UK Top 10. Limahl soon launched a solo career, scoring hits with “Only for Love” and “The NeverEnding Story,” the latter an international hit produced by Giorgio Moroder for the namesake 1984 fantasy film.

Islands

Kajagoogoo released their second album, Islands, on May 21, 1984, on EMI, marking the band’s first release without original vocalist Limahl.

Bassist Nick Beggs stepped forward as lead singer and lyricist, resuming his role from their earlier incarnation as Art Nouveau. Retaining their sleek synth-pop approach, the now four-piece band collaborated once more with producer Colin Thurston, emphasizing polished electronic arrangements and moody atmospheres over tightly structured compositions.

Beggs doubles on bass and Chapman Stick. Guitarist Steve Askew provides textures with ambient and percussive phrasing while Stuart Neale handles synthesizers and sequencer programming. This was their final release with drummer Jez Strode.

Kajagoogoo group-wrote the songs for Islands, which opens with the layered, syncopated rhythms of “The Lion’s Mouth,” followed by the pre-released hit “Big Apple.” Side two includes the group’s dancefloor-aimed single “Turn Your Back on Me,” as well as the spacious title track and the closing instrumental “The Loop.”

A1. “The Lion’s Mouth” (3:32)
A2. “Big Apple” (4:09)
A3. “The Power to Forgive” (4:45)
A4. “Melting the Ice Away” (5:10)

B1. “Turn Your Back on Me” (3:58)
B2. “Islands” (4:52)
B3. “On a Plane” (4:14)
B4. “Part of Me Is You” (3:52)
B5. “The Loop” [instrumental] (4:40)

Islands was co-produced by Colin Thurston and the band. Sessions took place at Jacob’s Studio (Buckinghamshire), Roundhouse and Good Earth Studios (London), Farmyard Studios (Chalfont St. Giles), and The Manor (Oxfordshire).

In North America, the band shortened their name to Kaja, and Islands was issued as Extra Play with revised artwork. This version replaced the original “Turn Your Back on Me” with a remix by Steve Thompson and Michael Barbiero.

The 2004 CD reissue included seven bonus tracks:
10. “Turn Your Back on Me (Thompson & Barbiero US Mix)” – 3:56
11. “The Pump Rooms of Bath” [instrumental] – 2:31
12. “The Garden” [instrumental] – 2:51
13. “Monochromatic” [live] – 4:08
14. “Big Apple (Metro Mix)” – 6:05
15. “The Lion’s Mouth (The Beast Mix)” – 5:37
16. “Turn Your Back on Me (Extended Dance Mix)” – 5:03

Islands peaked at No. 35 on the UK Albums Chart. “Big Apple,” released in September 1983 as the first post-Limahl single, reached No. 8 in the UK. Follow-up singles “The Lion’s Mouth” and “Turn Your Back on Me” charted at No. 25 and No. 47, respectively. In the US, the remix of “Turn Your Back on Me” reached No. 2 on the Billboard dance chart.

Crazy People’s Right to Speak

Kaja released their third album, Crazy People’s Right to Speak, on September 30, 1985, on EMI.

They now operated as a trio after the 1984 departure of drummer Jez Strode. Musically, the group shifted toward a more guitar-forward sound that blended new wave polish with pop-rock structure. 

Beggs handles bass, Chapman Stick, and sundry percussion while Steve Askew juggles guitar, EBow, and sitar. Stuart Neale supplies keyboards and drum programming across the album, also adding vocal layers. They are joined by session drummer Dave Mattacks and percussionist Luís Jardim (on “Jigsaw”). Michael Thompson contributes lead guitar solos to “Your Appetite” and “Charm of a Gun.” Backing vocalists Annie McCaig and Lezlee Cowling appear on select tracks.

All music is credited to Askew, Beggs, and Neale, with lyrics by Beggs. The album opens with the taut, rhythmic phrasing of “Do I” and proceeds through tightly sequenced tracks that emphasize electronic textures with expanded guitar presence. “Shouldn’t Do That,” released in advance of the album, features call-and-response vocals and compact syncopation.

A1. “Do I” (3:25)
A2. “Shouldn’t Do That” (3:17)
A3. “Your Appetite” (4:21)
A4. “Rivers” (4:34)
A5. “Sit Down and Shut Up” (3:53)

B1. “Afraid of You” (3:51)
B2. “Jigsaw” (3:50)
B3. “Fear of Falling” (3:13)
B4. “Charm of a Gun” (4:26)
B5. “You Really Take My Breath Away” (4:53)

2004 CD bonus tracks
11. “Shouldn’t Do That (Disciplined)” – 6:58
12. “Shouldn’t Do That (Undisciplined)” – 5:57
13. “Hurricane” – 3:55
14. “Whatever You Want” – 3:42

Sessions occurred between February and July 1985 at Sarm West, Good Earth, Utopia, The Manor, AIR, Trident (London), and Total Access (Los Angeles). Ken Scott produced the sessions, with engineering support from Alan Moulder, Chris Sheldon, Heff Moraes, and others. Paul Ryan and Kaja mixed the final tracks.

The original cover was designed by The Square Red Studio with illustration by Dave Fathers and photography by Trevor Key and Peter Ashworth. The 2004 CD reissue was redesigned by The Red Room.

Kaja preceded the album with “Shouldn’t Do That,” released as a single on August 26, 1985. The track charted at No. 63 in the UK and was issued in multiple versions, including the extended “Disciplined” and “Undisciplined” mixes and as part of a limited gatefold 2×7″ edition that featured “Hurricane” and “Whatever You Want.”

Postlude

Nick Beggs formed Ellis, Beggs & Howard, an art-funk trio with keyboardist Simon Ellis and singer Austen Howard. They released three singles and the 1988 album Homelands, but disbanded during work on a second album. In 1992, Beggs commenced a two-album stint with Celtic rockers Iona.

Limahl followed “The NeverEnding Story” with two Moroder-produced solo albums, Don’t Suppose (1984) and Colour All My Days (1986), which both charted in continental Europe.

The “Too Shy” lineup reunited in 2003 for VH1’s Bands Reunited. In 2007, the Kaja trio recorded a new album, Gone to the Moon, then reunited with Limahl for a series of concerts in 2008 through 2011, culminating with the single “Death Defying Headlines.”

In the 2010s, Beggs toured with Marillion and worked as a sideman for Steve Hackett and Steve Wilson.

Discography:

• White Feathers (1983)
• Islands (1984)
• Crazy People’s Right to Speak (1985)

Sources:

• Discogs: Kajagoogoo
• 45worlds: Kajagoogoo
• 45cat: Kajagoogoo
• TVRDb.com: Top of the Pops – Kajagoogoo