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 a ‘single’ release that will be unfamiliar to some. The Power to Forgive is, to most of us, a rather marvellous album track on second Kajagoogoo long player ‘Islands’. Toshiba-EMI must have liked the track too, as they released it on 7” single especially for the Japanese market – apparently to commemorate the Japanese leg of the Islands tour.
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:
No known video performance exists for this track, but courtesy of YouTube user StevePL16, we bring you this audio performance recorded live in Japan in 1984:
KajaFax holds many Kajagoogoo and Limahl Japanese editions in its archive and today continues our series of articles designed to showcase them.
Question. What makes a Japanese issue 7” single more collectable? The answer is of course, when it’s a promotional copy!
Promotional singles come in many varieties. The modern DJ promo single as a rule comes in CD-R form and is nowhere near as attractive as its vinyl predecessor. Back in the golden age of the 7” single, promo discs could differ in many ways – anything from the subtle addition of ‘DJ’ in the catalogue number, to specially stamped or stickered sleeves. Japanese issue discs had a fairly standard approach using the familiar red and white promo stickers on both the picture sleeve and the label of the disc. The disc label itself differed from standard by being printed in black and white rather that the usual black/silver or mustard/black colour combinations.
Today, we present Limahl’s second hit single taken from the Don’t Suppose album ‘Too Much Trouble’.
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:
To round off today’s entry, here is the video for that single, courtesy of EMI Music.
A Nick Beggs Exclusive….Now Available on Pre-Order!
KajaFax always strive to bring you the very best in all things ‘Goo – past, present and future! Today, we bring you hot news from the land of the Beggion.
Needing to be read to be believed, ‘Steven Wilson’s Day Off’ is Nick’s comic book debut!
In a surreal adventure involving a vortex and a veggie ice cream, Steven Wilson’s Day Off finds our favourite musical multi-tasker being presented with the Goblet of Prog by the ‘five riders of the aprogalypse’ (Neil Peart, Robert Fripp, Peter Gabriel, Roger Waters and Rick Wakeman).
The book is an A4 size, 6 page, 12 panel, full colour comic pamphlet signed by Nick himself and containing a pull-out poster!
Surely a must for the discerning Kajagoogoo fan?!?!
Order your copy by clicking this link.
KajaFax holds many Kajagoogoo and Limahl Japanese editions in its archive and today continues our series of articles designed to showcase them.
Japanese release singles differ greatly from those released in almost every other territory. They usually consist of four components: a fold-out inner sleeve with alternate cover artwork, song lyrics, and band information with the 7” disc itself contained inside a company branded generic cover. This is then housed within a protective polythene outer sleeve.
They are also fabulous collector’s pieces.
Today, we feature their fifth hit and the second single release to be taken from the Islands album, The Lion’s Mouth. 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:
This great video was filmed to accompany the single…..
Video footage courtesy of EMI Music.
Keep checking KajaFax for more great features on Japanese collectable singles!
Welcome to the second in our ‘Japanese Collectors’ series of articles.
The global success of Kajagoogoo as a band ensured that Limahl as a solo artist enjoyed worldwide promotion. EMI-Toshiba of Japan presented their products in a way far superior to their EMI UK counterparts, frequently including posters, lyrics, and rarely seen photographs of the artist in their packaging. They often had the edge on mastering too.
KajaFax holds many Kajagoogoo and Limahl Japanese editions in its archive and our ‘Collectors Series’ of articles is designed to showcase them.
Today, we feature Limahl’s fifth hit single and the first to be lifted from the Colour All My Days long player ‘Love in Your Eyes’. 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:
Here is the video for that single……
The words ‘Made in Japan’ on vinyl and CD releases are music industry code for quality. Fact. The early CD releases always sounded so much better somehow when the disc displayed the familiar ‘JASRAC’ logo, and vinyl was presented so beautifully that it blew away any competition from its European or North American counterparts.
Some of my favourite albums were purchased on import from Japan in the late 1980’s and early 1990s, purely on the strength that the Japanese always seemed to bring them out first! It would be fair to say that a sizeable chunk of my CD and Vinyl collection was bought on import and contains that most curious of things the ‘obi’ strip… It always seemed that the UK market was the last to re-issue classic albums from the 70’s and 80’s, and when they did, it was done with little care and attention to detail. Oh yes…..the Japanese pressings usually contained extra tracks too!
KajaFax holds many Kajagoogoo and Limahl Japanese editions in its archive and today begins a series of articles designed to showcase them.
Today, we feature Kajagoogoo’s third global smash hit single Hang on Now. 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:
To finish this inaugural post, here is the video for that single, courtesy of EMI Music.
Nick Beggs Live Performance Video – Iona 1994
Concert footage featuring Kajagoogoo Bass & Chapman Stick virtuoso Nick Beggs always proves popular, and today we have again dug deep to bring you the very best in live footage.
Taken from broadcast footage aired in the 1990s, the show contains an hour of Iona recorded live in March 1994 – the venue is alas unknown.
Treasure
Brendan’s voyage
Chi-Rho
Today
Burning like Fire
Flight of the Wild Goose
The Island
Here I Stand
Beachy Head
Kell Opening Theme
The Band
Joanne Hogg: Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Keyboards
Nick Beggs: Bass and Chapman Stick
Dave Bainbridge: Guitars and Keyboards
Terl Bryant: Drums and Percussion
Mike Haughton: Tin Whistle, Soprano Sax, Flute, Vocals
For more information on Iona, please visit http://www.iona.uk.com/
Enjoy the show!
Steve Askew Update
Steve Askew Update
from REDdot Music
We thought that as a Kajagoogoo fan, we would give you a quick update on what Steve Askew is up to right now.
He is currently in the studio with his collaborator Lu Cozma, working on the follow up to their critically acclaimed album – RED, which you can download from iTunes and other digital outlets, as well as purchasing signed CD’s from Lu’s website at www.lucozma.com (signed by both Lu and Steve).
If you wish to “try before you buy” you can listen to the entire album for free on our Soundcloud account.
So far for the new album, they have around 5 tracks as work in progress, which are sounding amazing, and we hope to bring you a few snippets of them very soon.
Lu writes:
” There’s been great anticipation for our new album – so much support and excitement from fans. Steve and I love the creative process & working together. Performing our music is such a pleasure and feels as new as when we first started. There has indeed been a time of waiting for the follow up to the album RED. It’s understandable considering how busy our lives have been of late. But then again you can’t hurry great songs! We’re delighted to be out on the road again… to be bringing our new album to a gig near you soon.”
So, if you have never seen Lu Cozma and Steve Askew perform together live before, then you may be interested in the 2 dates we have listed below.
We would like to invite you along to the show at Togfest (Milton Keynes), which promises to be a great night and Bedford River festivals for those of you who are more central. – Don’t forget to bring the Freddo’s!!
June 30th 2012
Togfest Music Festival, Bradwell Abbey, Milton Keynes
Link: http://www.togfest.org
July 21st 2012
The Bedford River Festival, The Embankment, Bedford
Link: http://www.bedfordevents.co.uk/river-festival
As well as working with Lu Cozma, Steve has also recorded and produced for the band “Ego Trip”. If you are on Facebook, then you will know that the band is fronted by Steve’s youngest son, Courtney.
Their Debut EP Krokadilian was released in February on iTunes, and the band have recently performed a string of gigs, including a gig alongside Bow Wow Wow at the O2 Academy on Oxford.
You can hear their EP for free at http://soundcloud.com/egotripofficial
If you are a budding musician, or in a band or a solo artist who are looking to be recorded professionally, then visit http://www.reddotmusic.co.uk
Under the experienced guidance of Steve Askew, we can fully record your material, mix and master it, and we can also manufacture it to CD and get it out on iTunes.
Contact us for more details via info@reddotmusic.co.uk or via the website at http://www.reddotmusic.co.uk.
Limahl – Neon 80’s
Anybody who enjoyed reading pop music magazines back in the 1980s may remember the name Huw Collingbourne. Huw was a writer for ‘80s music magazines such as Number One, Kicks and Flexipop! and as such interviewed the big stars of the day.
He is also the genius behind fantastic 80’s site http://www.80sempire.com.
Huw has recently published a fantastic book, Neon 80s, which is of particular interest to Kajagoogoo fans as it features, amongst other things, an interview with our very own Limahl.
Neon 80s is a great addition to your 80s collection and includes original interviews with: Steve Strange, Marilyn, Divine, Pete Burns, Boy George, Spandau Ballet, Depeche Mode, Limahl, Midge Ure, David Sylvian, Adam Ant, Toyah, Modern Romance, Matt Bianco, Heaven 17, Duran Duran, ABC, The Thompson Twins and Kim Wilde. It also contains articles about the styles, fashions, musical trends and memorable events of the 1980s…
Neon 80s can be purchased from all major retailers, including Amazon, here.
Today we have more rare live footage, taken from the UK leg of the 1984 Islands tour.
On a Plane was one of the outstanding tracks to feature on Islands and this live version is fantastic! Live content on KajaFax always pleases our readers and we are always happy to oblige – please let us know if there are any special requests for concert footage and we will do our best to source it.
That only leaves one thing….turn up the volume and enjoy 🙂
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