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Kajagoogoo Ooh to be Ah Video Shoot

July 26, 2011
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Kajagoogoo – the Ooh to be Ah Video Shoot

The follow up hit to debut single to Too Shy was the top 10 smash Ooh to be Ah.

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KajaFax is pleased to bring you yet another piece of premier ‘Goo history courtesy of Jez Strode with yet more marvellous photos.

Early one Sunday morning back in 1983, Kajagoogoo took ownership of Regent Street in London to film the promotional video for Ooh to be Ah.  With celebrity friends Christopher Timothy and Kenny Everett (who was a big fan of the band) the guys shot the tongue in cheek promo in and around the Café Royal.  The track was the second single to be lifted from debut long player ‘White Feathers’ and Paul Gambaccini’s favourite track from the band.

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 The Café Royal was once patronised by the great Oscar Wilde, with Edward VIII and George VI also regular visitors, and way back in 1894 was the scene of a grisly murder!

Back in 1983 however, it was pop royalty on the guest list.

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The café had undergone many changes by the mid 2000s…

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…and by 2008 had closed completely pending a huge refurbishment:

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The above photos are only a small selection – KajaFax has made this montage video of the full set of ‘behind the scenes’ shots, set to a live rendition of Ooh to be Ah….

A huge thank you to Jez for these brilliant photographs.

2011 KajaFax

Gemma Aguilar CD Competition Winner

July 25, 2011

Gemma Aguilar CD Competition Winner

Last week, we brought you a competition to win the amazing ‘It’s My Life’ EP on compact disc.

Many apologies to all, that competition ended on Friday and I’d completely neglected to inform you all of who won, including the winner!

We asked you:

Which popular festival did Gemma play last weekend?

a) Rhythms of the Sun
b) Rhythms of Life
c) Rhythms of the World

The answer was of course c) Rhythms of the World.

The winner was ‘John Tarbet’, this CD will be on its way to you, well done John:

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2011 KajaFax

KajaGooGoo at Children’s Royal Variety Show 1983

July 25, 2011

Children’s Royal Variety Show 1983

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Kajagoogoo were blessed with many accolades from an early point in their music career.

One such early highlight was an invitation to perform at the 1983 Children’s Royal Variety Show at Her Majesty’s Theatre, London in the presence of HRH Princess Margaret.

KajaFax is pleased to bring you these backstage photos from the event courtesy of Jez Strode.

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Jez also has this great video of the band performing their then current single, Ooh to be Ah.

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stGDTYlqtMc

2011 KajaFax

Limahl Solo Singles – Inside to Outside

July 24, 2011

Limahl Solo Singles – ‘Inside to Outside’

‘Inside to Outside’ was Limahl’s sixth solo single, and the second single from the album ‘Colour All My Days’, released by EMI in 1986.

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Produced by Giorgio Moroder, the release featured ‘Shock’ on its B Side – surely a single in itself EMI?  The track charted well all over Europe, but failed to chart in the UK, faring best in the German singles chart, making number 57. 

Below is a photo of the UK12” single, complete with its marvellous photography of Limahl by Johnny Rozsa.

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Here is a great playback Performance by Limahl on RTL Television:

Video courtesy of ErinTheKajagirl:
 

The track was covered by dance artist ‘Lady Violet’ in 1999 in a very different style…

Video courtesy of eurodancetube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYqVAKZUb-s

More features on Limahl’s solo singles to follow!

2011 KajaFax

KajaGooGoo Rock Pix Book Japan Islands Tour Pt2

July 23, 2011

KajaGooGoo Rock Pix Islands Tour of Japan 1984 Commemorative Book Pt2

Leading on from the first half yesterday, today we have the second half of this incredible book from ‘Rock Pix’.

Click each picture for higher resolution.

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Huge thanks to Steve for scanning these in and sending them over, it’s a painstaking task!!

We really do hope you enjoyed these photos from such a fantastic book and a part of Goo history!

2011 KajaFax

KajaGooGoo Rock Pix Book Japan Islands Tour Pt1

July 22, 2011

KajaGooGoo Islands Tour of Japan 1984 Commemorative Rock Pix Book Pt1

This item is up there with the very best out of everything I’ve seen to do with the band.  It’s big, it’s glossy, it’s heavy, it’s interesting and I’d never seen it before until now.

This is an A4 book from ‘Rock Pix’, they have released books for other artists and this one was to commemorate the Islands tour of Japan in 1984.

Being such a photo heavy item, we’re splitting this one into two parts.  You can enjoy the rest of the book tomorrow.

It belongs to our very own Steve Yeo and he’s been kind enough to spend the time scanning every page to share this one with our fellow fans.

Here we have the first half of this special book.

Click each picture for high resolution.

Firstly, what the book looks like:

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And now the scans of the first half:

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That concludes the first half of the book.  Apologies if these images took a few extra moments to load, I felt this was worth it to preserve full quality.

Come back tomorrow for the second half!

2011 KajaFax

Nick Beggs – Private Lives

July 21, 2011

Nick Beggs – Private Lives

Back in 1984 whilst Kajagoogoo were under contract to EMI Records, Nick began to involve himself in other projects outside of the band.  You may remember that KajaFax featured the ‘Im-Mac Logic’ Bolero release with Mulligan from the group Fashiøn some time ago.  Nick was also recruited by British act Private Lives to play on their debut album ‘Prejudice & Pride’.

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Private Lives were a forerunner to the wave of self perceived ‘sophisticated’ pop acts that were to come later on in the decade, bearing striking similarities to later acts such as Johnny Hates Jazz and Living in a Box.  The band were a duo, featuring John Adams on vocals and Morris Michael on guitar. 

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For their debut, EMI gathered a fine array of talent to plug the holes in the group’s line-up, with Kiki Dee, Ricky Wilde and Nick Beggs all playing a major role in the albums production.  The recording sessions took place at Mickie Most’s RAK studios.

The album was not a hit in most territories however, although it did have considerable success in Asia, with Japan and the Philippines being lucrative markets for the group.

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The first single from the album was ‘Living In a World (turned upside down)’:

Video courtesy of 13101988andoni

Now a mostly forgotten piece, the album has never seen a CD re-issue.  Those people wanting to here more of the band and indeed of Nick’s bass, it’s time to dust down your turntables I’m afraid!

Related Posts:
https://kajafax.co.uk/2010/12/28/im-mac-logic-bolero/

2011 KajaFax

Kajagoogoo White Feathers Album on 8 Track Cartridge

July 20, 2011

Kajagoogoo White Feathers Album on 8 Track Cartridge

Every now and again, a piece of merchandise comes into a collector’s hands that he or she feels ‘isn’t right’ in some way.  This is one of those occasions!  Below, we have a photo of an 8 track cartridge of the ‘goo album White Feathers, issued on Capitol Records,America.  The tape carries the catalogue number P8-EMC-3433.

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Now for the technical bit… The 8-track cartridge contains a length of 1/4 inch tape which runs in a continuous loop. The tape is wound around a hub in the middle of the cartridge. It pulls out from the centre, following a path across the front edge of the cartridge and the playback head.  The tape itself is divided along its length into 8 channels or tracks (hence the name “8-track”).

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A metal sensing strip connects the ends of the strip of tape, forming the loop. When it reaches the end of a program, the metal sensing strip connects with a coil in the player causing the playback head to shift along the width of the tape, resulting in the loud “clunk” you hear between programs.

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By the 1980’s, most labels had begun to phase out the format with the majority of labels pretty much abandoning the format by 1983.  Record & Tape mail order clubs however kept the format alive and the availability of chart albums on the format continued, albeit by mail order, until 1988.

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So, back to Kajagoogoo.  Why do I feel that this cart is not genuine?  Well, although Capitol Records is indeed an American subsidiary of EMI (and was the publishing label stateside of Duran Duran, who were also signed to EMI in the UK); Kajagoogoo vinyl releases were issued on EMI America.  Why would tapes be any different?   In addition, the tape itself seems in pretty good shape.  Suspiciously too good!  Eight Track carts tend to be yellowed and rather bubbled due to the heat generated whilst in the player.  The slipcase is not original (as it is Warner Bros branded) but would be replaceable.

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Despite these doubts over its authenticity, I have an 8 track player at home and can confirm that when played, the album is indeed White Feathers

Fast forward to 2011. The 8 track format is virtually extinct.  I say virtually, as occasionally, albums seem to find their way onto the format quite unexpectedly.  American Rock outfit Cheap Trick released their 2009 album The Latest on Compact Disc, 12” Vinyl and 8 Track cartridge…

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Whatever next? Lady Gaga on Reel to Reel?

2011 KajaFax

KajaGooGoo Concert Photography

July 19, 2011
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KajaGooGoo Concert Photography

Here we have some shots from an amazing gallery.  The site says the shots were taken on October 8th 2008, though we’re not exactly sure which gig this would tally up to being.

A huge thanks to the photographer ‘Silke Czilinski’ for giving us permission to share the gallery with our readers.

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If you’d like to see the rest of this gallery, please do take a look at:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/weirdsister/3022024434/in/set-72157608809429071/

We hope you enjoyed the photos, many thanks again to Silke.

2011 KajaFax

Gemma Aguilar CD Competition

July 18, 2011

Gemma Aguilar CD Competition

KajaFax are proud today to bring you a competition to win the new debut EP ‘It’s My Life’ from Gemma Aguilar.

It’s an incredible CD and she’s an amazing live performer.  Gemma is playing lots of gigs at the moment so do get out there and see her live.

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For your chance to win this superb EP, just answer the following question.

Which popular festival did Gemma play last weekend?

a) Rhythms of the Sun
b) Rhythms of Life
c) Rhythms of the World

Email your answer to admin@kajafax.com to enter to win this very CD:

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Competition closes Friday 22nd July 2011 @ 9pm. Good Luck!

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2011 KajaFax