Kajagoogoo….On This Day in History

Today begins a series of anniversary posts that will be featured on KajaFax throughout 2014, as we look back at important events in the group’s history.

Many of you will remember similar articles published last year, which commemorated the 30^th anniversary of White Feathers and the group’s commercial breakthrough.  The first of our 2014 articles focuses on the hit single and fan favourite ‘The Lion’s Mouth’ which was released on this day in 1984.

With album recording sessions encompassing three studios (Jacob’s, Farm Yard, and The Manor studios) the single, (recorded at Farmyard Studios) and indeed the whole Islands album was finally mixed in London at the legendary Air Studios.  Air, (or Associated Independent Recording) is George Martin’s state of the art facility – originally located on Oxford Street, London – on the fourth floor of the former Peter Robinson’s department store which we think had changed by ’84, if we remember correctly, to another big name store – Marks and Spencer’s.

Air Studios, London – circa 1984.

The Lion’s Mouth is representative of the new direction taken by the band in ’84.  It is actually taken from a section of the Bible, which says that if we step out into the mouth of the lion, God can stop the jaws of the lion closing in around our necks.  If he is for us, no one is against us.  Interviewed back at the time of the release, Nick said:

“It’s heavy symbolism for me because it means everything that is risky, that is tempting, that is a danger to me and other people who share my faith”  

Put more simply by guitarist Steve Askew, the Lions Mouth is basically about temptation.

The single is memorable for the rather nice promotional video that accompanied it, which was recorded earlier in the February of ’84 with director and graphic designer Storm Thorgeson.  Thorgeson was himself a major force in his field, with his surreal works gracing many an album cover – most famously his iconic ‘Dark Side of the Moon’ album cover design.

The track also featured contemporary jazz musicians Guy Barker and Phil Todd within it’s brass section.

Produced by Colin Thurston and also the first Kajagoogoo song to showcase the Chapman Stick, the Lion’s Mouth hit the charts all over Europe, making #25 here in the UK.

The single was also available in standard 7″, 12″ and picture disc formats.

It entered the UK chart on 3rd March 1984.

2014 KajaFax