It is a very busy month for the members of Kajagoogoo with July seeing solo performances by ‘Goo guitarist Steve Askew and of course Limahl.
Steve Askew and the wonderful Lu Cozma will be performing at the River Festival in Bedford on Saturday July 21st.
In response to the many enquiries the KajaFax team have received about the event, we decided to post the definitive guide containing everything that you need to know about the festival and how to get there.
The Bedford River Festival is a FREE weekend event and takes place on Saturday 21st and Sunday 22nd of July with performances and activities staged on the picturesque Victorian Embankment, Promenade, the River Great Ouse and in Russell Park. From the traditional launch of the Festival with the parade to the five live music stages, this is an event not to be missed.
Lu Cozma and Steve Askew are performing on Saturday 21st and hit the Music Stage at 4pm. The guys from REDdot Music have also hinted that new material may be on the setlist, so this really is an event destined to be really special. Any performance featuring Steve will be spectacular – together with Lu Cozma, it is sure to be sublime. Lu is the consummate vocalist and her seductive voice and engaging stage presence will command your attention….
As a double whammy of ‘Goo, the band ‘Ego Trip’ fronted by Steve’s son Courtney are also on stage at 5pm making this the perfect evening for all fans!
Remember – this is a free event so no need to buy a ticket. How great is that!
A question that we have been frequently asked is “How do I get there?”
Well, the organisers have produced this fantastic event programme, complete with directions for road and rail travel, parking information, and general tourist information and advice. You can download the guide HERE.
The day begins at 10am sharp…..so mark your diaries 😉
For more information, please check out these KajaLinks:
http://www.bedfordevents.co.uk/river-festival
http://egotripofficial.tumblr.com/theband
**video content courtesy of ‘marmiteontoast’**
CLICK ME for the Lu Cozma & Steve Askew Countdown!
If you want a taster of what ‘Ego Trip’ are all about, why not try the debut E.P.?
You can download it HERE.
We hope you enjoy the show!
Kajagoogoo in Songbook Magazine
As a final post before we enter the build-up for next week’s live dates, KajaFax has for you some magazine scans.
The early 1980’s were a golden era for the UK singles charts and it seems that everybody associated with the industry was keen to jump on the proverbial bandwagon and make some cash! MTV had not yet hit Europe and Top of the Pops was the only real source of exposure for pop acts. Sure, we had the Whistle Test and of course The Tube, but for sheer mainstream pop entertainment it was TOTP or nothing. Not surprising that the merchandising side of the business went into overdrive, with pop mags like Smash Hits and Melody Maker becoming massively popular. For fans that wanted more than even those publications had to offer, there was an alternative…..the poster magazine. Glossy and overpriced, your local newsagent shelf was usually buckling under the weight of glossy fold-outs of your favourite pop star.
Kajagoogoo had their fair share of these magazines and today we have scans of one such publication.
KajaFax will return on Friday with the latest in the build up to July’s live performances by both Limahl and Steve Askew.
Stay tuned! 😉
An area of particular interest to KajaFax and many KajaFans is that of collectibles. Music is the universal language, and popular releases are on issue in almost every territory – officially or in some cases unofficially!
You may remember our article on the Korean Issue of Islands – if not, you can read it HERE.
Today, we bring you this scarce Korean issue of the White Feathers album. Under ‘official’ license from EMI to Oasis Records, the album features a front cover hype sticker, an inner sheet with English lyrics and biography, and a fabulous logo emblazoned PVC inner sleeve.
KajaFax has doubts over how legitimate this release is – the EMI logos are unusual in that they date back to the style usually associated with 1970’s releases. What do you think? Genuine or not, this is a curious thing to have in your collection and gives an insight as to just how wide reaching Kajagoogoo’s fame was back in ’83.
If you are reading this webpage in Korea, fear not…..the content you are viewing has been fully approved by the Korean Ministry of Culture and Information! 🙂
KajaFax holds many Kajagoogoo and Limahl Japanese editions in its archive and we have made it our goal to bring each and every one to you!
Today we feature the final Kajagoogoo single release of the 1980’s. ‘Shouldn’t Do That’ was the first and only single from third album Crazy People’s Right to Speak.
The below images are scanned from the actual disc to give you the very best viewing pleasure in the highest detail.
Click on each thumbnail to enlarge:
And here are Kajagoogoo on stage, in a recent performance performing Shouldn’t Do That…..Enjoy 🙂
Nick Beggs and the Chapman Stick: Interview
As a finale to our recent posts featuring Nick Beggs’ Stick albums, we wanted to bring you something with more background….something to get your proverbial teeth into! This great interview with Nick seemed perfect!
Originally published by Guitarist magazine in 1989, the interview features Nick talking Chapman Stick and (then) current project Ellis Beggs & Howard. We hope you enjoy reading it!
Click on each individual image to open in ‘gallery’ format, and follow the subsequent ‘view full size’ links if you experience any reading difficulties.
Thanks for visiting Kajafax, the double award winning Kajagoogoo fansite!
Nick Beggs’ Stick Albums: Maverick Helmsman
Hopefully, you will have read our recent post on Nick’s debut solo album Stick Insect. If not, you can catch up HERE.
By 2003, work was underway on Nick’s follow up album entitled The Maverick Helmsman. A dramatic move away from the heavy sounds to be found on Stick Insect, The Maverick Helmsman is a much more intimate affair, containing ten original stick compositions. Warm and melodic, its gentle harmonic movements are in stark contrast to the heavier rock sound of its predecessor. Helmsman is also noteable for its overdubs….or that is to say lack of them! This is very much a Stick album and contains very little in the way of ‘processing’.
Where did Nick find the inspiration for such a personal work? Well, to consider that point it is useful to step back to his debut. Stick Insect was written to accompany the Finland exhibition of Nick’s artwork, and the two mediums were clearly very much intertwined. Maverick Helmsman however is much more personal, containing songs inspired by life experiences and emotions representative of the time. The sweet and dreamy Willow was written for Nick’s youngest daughter; When First We Met inspired by his (then) recent marriage. Other tracks however have more of a history – Highland Saunter dates back to 1983 and is the oldest track on the album.
One thing is for sure, Nick is a fine exponent of the art of the Stick – one listen to this collection of original and very personal compositions will be enough to convince you that there is nobody better!
It would seem that original press CD copies of this album are no longer available, but Maverick Helmsman can of course be purchased HERE as a digital download or HERE on professionally manufactured CD-R.
If that has sparked some interest within you of all things ‘Stick’ , you may enjoy this footage of Nick on stage in this terrific performance from 2011.
Video footage courtesy of PhilLore89.
As a footnote to today’s feature, it is important to mention the cover art for the album, for which we quote the inner sleeve liner notes of the CD.
“The cover painting came about after I was introduced to Ronnie Wood in ’88. He expressed an interest in painting all three members of Ellis Beggs & Howard and invited us to open for him and Bo Diddley at the Hammersmith Odeon. I always felt this painting would make a great LP cover and have waited for the right project to come along. I hope you enjoy them together…at last.”
Nick Beggs November 2003
KajaFax is soon to feature an article lifted from Guitarist Magazine in which Nick discusses his love affair with the Chapman Stick. Keep watching!
New Live Dates
July is almost here and with it comes a series of live dates!
Appearances in the UK and in Europe are forthcoming as July sees both Limahl and Steve Askew playing live.
KajaFax has today updated the ‘Live’ section to include the latest confirmed live appearance by Limahl.
Please click HERE for more information.
Remember, live performance is not only fun, but a great way to show the artist just how much you appreciate them – why not purchase your tickets and make July 2012 a month to remember!
Nick Beggs’ Stick Albums: Stick Insect
Fans of the Beggion will know that he has released two rather splendid solo albums – ‘Stick Insect’ and ‘Maverick Helmsman’ – both, although very different, are exclusively Chapman Stick orientated albums. Both albums are available via digital download and also on CD from Stick inventor Emmett Chapman’s ‘Stick Enterprises’ label.
Today, we feature Nick’s first solo long-player Stick Insect.
The history of Stick Insect dates back to 1998 when Nick was on tour in Finland as a part of the John Paul Jones Trio. Whilst there, he was approached by representatives from the Finnish Cultural Office who asked him if he would consider making an exhibition of his paintings for display in the National Library in Tampere, Southern Finland. They also wanted music to accompany the exhibits…. From this chance meeting – eighteen months later – ‘Stick Insect’ as an album was born.
The album was significant in many ways, as it was shortly after this that Nick announced his first solo gig, designed to showcase tracks from the (then) forthcoming ‘Stick Insect’ album. Nick played The Orange in Kensington, London on May 12th the following year.
Speaking at the time of release, Nick describes the album:
“It is a Stick record but it’s not a Stick record in the purest sense. Someone like Bob Culbertson would turn on a recorder, play one performance and that would be it. It’s not that sort of record.
I’ve tried to approach the instrument from my understanding of it. And so I’ve overdubbed. Although they’re all one pass pieces, there are other sounds in there, samples and stuff. There’re no drums in terms of real drums, it’s programmed. Somebody played some bouzouki on it for me and somebody played some piano and keys on one track, but other than that it’s all Stick”
*Interview courtesy of Jim Reilly at Stick Enterprises Ltd
And if that wasn’t enough, the cover art spectacularly features imagery taken by the Hubble Space Telescope of the Triffid Nebula. Does it get better??!
To round off today’s article, we feature video footage of Nick on stage in 2009 performing Tava, taken from the ‘Stick Insect’ album. Enjoy.
*Video content courtesy of DokiDok
For more on Nick and his Chapman Stick, keep checking KajaFax! Our next article focuses on his second Solo album, ‘Maverick Helmsman’.
2012 KajaFax
Exciting New Pages on KajaFax!
Our last post made reference to a special KajaFax announcement……well, here it is!
The observant KajaFax subscriber will have noticed that we have a new link in our homepage banner marked ‘Music’. This takes you to a brand new submenu of features that are new to the site.
We have added links for the following brand new pages:
- Kajagoogoo Discography
A comprehensive Kajagoogoo discography containing track listings, front and back cover art, catalogue numbers, etc….
It includes single releases, studio albums, E.P. releases, live albums, compilations, video releases and bootleg releases.
- Solo Projects Discography
A similar collection of solo releases. Features projects by Limahl, Nick Beggs, Steve Askew & Art Nouveau amongst others.
- Buy Online
An easy to use page of links, directing you to suggested online stores where music by the band and its members can be purchased.
- Kajagoogoo Live
The most up-to-date information on live performances by the band and its members.
KajaFax have spent many hours compiling and creating these pages, and we hope that our readers and the fans of the band enjoy perusing them!
We hope to expand the site further in the coming months – if you have any suggestions for possible content, please email admin@kajafax.com with your ideas!
Happy browsing!!
Steve and Steve.
Today’s feature needs no introduction.
One Two Testing was a fairly short lived rock and pop magazine, and was specifically aimed at the business end of the market. No questions about Limahl’s hair colour or Nick’s braids to be found here!
Kajagoogoo featured in the November 1983 edition and KajaFax presents these scans of that feature for your enjoyment.
The magazine also came with a fabulous double sided flexi disc, and we have included in this post the content of that flexi disc.
This really is an in-depth interview about what makes each ‘Goo component ‘tick’ and is well worth a read. We hope that you enjoy it!
For a bigger, more easy to read version than available via the above gallery, click HERE and then on each individual image to enlarge it full screen into your web browser.
Keep checking KajaFax for all the very best in Kajagoogoo content!
We have some exciting new site features to unveil in the next few days…..stay tuned!
kajafax.co.uk 