Limahl

Limahl
Limahl live in England, 2007.
Background information
Birth name	Christopher Hamill
Also known as	Limahl
Born	19 December 1958 (1958-12-19) (age 52) Pemberton, Wigan, Lancashire, England
Genres	Pop, Synthpop, New Wave
Occupations	Vocalist
Instruments	Vocals, Keyboards
Years active	1978–present
Labels	EMI, Bellaphon
Associated acts	Kajagoogoo Vox Deus Crossword Brooks
Website	Official British Website Official German Website

Limahl in England, 2007

Christopher Hamill better known by his stage name Limahl (born 19 December 1958) is an English pop singer. He rose to fame as the lead singer of the 1980s pop group Kajagoogoo, before embarking on a briefly successful solo career, which reached its peak with the 1984 hit "NeverEnding Story", taken from the film of the same name.

Early years and Kajagoogoo

Hamill was born in Pemberton,^{[citation needed]} Wigan, Lancashire, United Kingdom. He attended Mesnes High School,^{[citation needed]} in Wigan, before eventually enrolling at the Westcliff-on-Sea Palace Theatre Repertory Company. With aspirations to be an actor, Hamill toured with the company in a production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.^{[citation needed]} In 1980, he also had a small role in an episode of the ITV police series The Gentle Touch playing a schoolboy.^{[citation needed]} Though his acting career never took off, Hamill also had an interest in music and he formed a short-lived punk band called Vox Deus.^{[citation needed]} Next he joined Crossword,^{[citation needed]} but left to form Brooks^{[citation needed]}, with Mike Nolan. He adopted his stage name (an anagram of his surname) at the time he was recruited by the existing members of Kajagoogoo, who were then an instrumental quartet called Art Nouveau.

These existing members of Kajagoogoo had placed an advert in the music magazine Melody Maker, asking for a 'front man who could sing and look good'.^{[citation needed]} Soon after he had joined, the group released their first single, "Too Shy", which went to Number 1 in the UK Singles Chart and made the Top 5 on the Billboard Hot 100. The band had further hits with "Ooh to Be Ah" (UK #7) and "Hang on Now" (UK #11), and their debut album White Feathers (UK #5). Their first major UK tour was attended by 60,000 people^{[citation needed]}, and the final show at the Hammersmith Odeon in London was recorded and released on home video/Laserdisc (the 16-track White Feathers Tour).

Limahl's relationship with the other band members was reportedly always tenuous, though the singer would later declare that he "considered them as family"^{[citation needed]}. In mid-1983, soon after the end of the White Feathers concert tour, the band fired him by telephone. Defenders of Limahl claim that the band struggled with fame, and that Limahl's prominence as the lead singer was proving too much of a diversion from the music. Limahl himself accused the others of being jealous, and was quoted in the press as saying that "I've been betrayed!", and that "I was sacked for making them a success". Defenders of the band, however, stated that Limahl had become something of an egomaniac following the band's success, and was unprofessional and difficult to work with.^{[citation needed]} Neither view has ever been conclusively proven, not even now that the band are currently back together touring and recording new material.

Solo career

After leaving the band, Limahl launched a solo career, achieving hits with "Only for Love"(UK #16) in 1983, and with "The Never Ending Story" (UK #4) in 1984. The latter was the title theme from the film of the same name, composed by Giorgio Moroder. The English version was sung with Beth Anderson, while the French version (titled "L'histoire sans fin"), was performed with Ann Calvert, with translated lyrics by Pierre-André Dousset. The single was no.1 in eight countries and Top 5 in nine more.^{[citation needed]}

His debut album, 1984's Don't Suppose, was a commercial failure in UK, peaking at No.63, but it was a good success in the rest of Europe, where topped the Norwegian chart and ranked in top 10 in other countries such as Austria, Sweden and Switzerland.

Following this, Limahl released two more albums: 1986's Colour All My Days, and Love Is Blind in 1992, which were commercial failures in the UK but found moderate success in Italy, Spain, and Germany.

Unable to replicate the success of his earlier career, Limahl hit hard times and was later photographed coming out of an unemployment office in the UK. The pictures were published in a British Sunday newspaper, highlighting how "the once mighty can fall". He was also ridiculed by the British Viz comic, which satirised him as 'Limahl, whose hit includes "Too Shy"'.

In the late 1990s, Limahl started making club appearances. Wearing an orange wig similar to his original Kajagoogoo hairstyle, he performed hits from his time with Kajagoogoo and from his solo career.

2003 – present

In late 2003, Limahl briefly reunited with the other members of Kajagoogoo for the VH1 special Bands Reunited (which aired in 2004), but this did not lead to a permanent reunion. Also in 2004, Limahl took part in the musical reality show Comeback on German TV channel Pro7. A year later, in 2005, he appeared in a similar UK show, Hit Me Baby One More Time on ITV. Ironically, the episode in which Limahl appeared also featured Howard Jones, who had enlisted the services of Kajagoogoo bass player Nick Beggs to support him during his own performance.

Limahl eventually reunited with Kajagoogoo again in 2008. Now reformed in their original five-piece line-up, the band took part in various music festivals in Denmark and Scotland, and performed in other parts of Europe. In August 2008, after the cancellation of a concert in the Czech Republic due to organizational problems (and not due to any of the bands or artists involved), the band then performed in Poland in a concert of 'stars of the 1980s', sharing the stage with Kim Wilde, Thomas Anders (ex-Modern Talking), Samantha Fox, Sandra, Sabrina, and Shakin' Stevens. This concert was a part of the Sopot Festival 2008, and was broadcast live on Polish channel TVN. The band then began writing and recording new material, and embarked on tours of the UK and Germany in September 2009.

Limahl also played a concert in Ferry Meadows Peterborough England on 8 August 2009 where he sang his two biggest hits, "Too Shy" and "The Never Ending Story", alongside covers of 1980s hits "Gold", "True", "It Must Be Love", "What Is Love", "Hello", "Just Can't Get Enough", "I Won't Let The Sun Go Down On Me", "Tainted Love" and "Karma Chameleon".

In 2009, he formed a 10-piece musical band "Limahl and His Swing Orchestra" with a series of swing remakings of Limahl and Kajagoogoo well-known songs

Influence

Limahl, and the hairstyle he sported circa 1984, was illustrator Arthur Adams' inspiration for the look of the Marvel Comics character Longshot.^[1]

Personal life

Though now openly gay, Limahl once shared a flat with disc jockey Paul Gambaccini (who is also author of the first official Kajagoogoo biography, songbook and photobook), leading to rumours in the tabloid press that the two were lovers, a claim they both deny.^[2][3]

Discography

See also: Kajagoogoo and Kajagoogoo discography

Solo albums

• 1984 – Don't Suppose (EMI) (UK #63)
• 1986 – Colour All My Days (EMI)
• 1992 – Love Is Blind (Bellaphon/Jimco) [Germany/Japan only – Japanese version also includes 2 bonus dub versions]

Solo singles

• 1983 – "Only for Love" (UK #16, U.S. #51, GER #8, Switzerland #5)
• 1984 – "Too Much Trouble" (UK #64, GER #26)
• 1984 – "The Never Ending Story" (UK #4, US #17, GER, ITA, Austria #2, Sweden #1, Norway #1, Switzerland #3)
• 1984 – "The Never Ending Story (L'histoire sans fin)" (FRA #7[French version – France only]
• 1985 – "Tar Beach (7" Remix)" (GER #30) [Germany only]
• 1986 – "Love in Your Eyes" (UK #80, GER #28, ITA #22, Switzerland #26)
• 1986 – "Inside to Outside" (GER #57)
• 1986 – "Colour All My Days" [Spain only]
• 1986 – "No lo pienses más" [ Spanish version of "Colour All My Days" – Spain only]
• 1986 – "Don't Send For Me"
• 1992 – "Stop (7" Version)" [released as 'Bassline featuring Limahl' – Germany/Japan only]
• 1992 – "Maybe This Time" [released as 'Bassline featuring Limahl' – Germany/Japan only]
• 1992 – "Too Shy '92" [Germany/Japan only]
• 1992 – "Love Is Blind" [Germany/Japan only]
• 1996 – "Walking in Rhythm" [cover version of the 1970s hit by The Blackbyrds – released as 'Shy Guy featuring Limahl']
• 2002 – "Love That Lasts" / "Lost in Love" (Limahl/Tina Charles double A-side single) [released as 'Discobrothers Presenting Stars of the Eighties featuring Limahl & Tina Charles' – Germany only]
• 2006 – "Tell Me Why" (GER #96) [Germany only]

Other singles/remixes

• 1980 – "It's Christmas" [released as 'Chris Hamill']
• 1980 – "Angel" [released as 'Chris Hamill']
• 1999 – "Then Suddenly (Almighty Remix)" [from the 12-track sampler 12" of Pleasure – The Ultimate Dance Party featuring various artists]
• 2004 – "Survivor" [released collectively as 'Comeback United', and performed along with the other contestants from the German reality show Comeback – Germany only]
• 2004 – "The Never Ending Story"/"Can You Feel the Love Tonight" [from the double CD Best of Comeback United^[4] – Germany only]
• 2004 – "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" [released as a duet by 'Limahl & Dynelle' from CD2 of the double greatest hits Best of Comeback United – Germany only]
• 2006 – "Too Shy (Club Mix – Extended Version)"/"Too Shy (Club Mix – Remix)" [released as 'Limahl vs. Julien Créance' – France only]

Other (sound)tracks

• 2001 – "A View to a Kill"/"The Never Ending Story"/"Pinball Wizard"/"Can You Feel the Love Tonight" [solo tracks performed by Limahl from the compilation entitled What a Feeling II – The Rock'n'Pop Musicals in Concert^[5] from the musical of the same name]
• 2001 – "Dancing Queen"/"Mamma Mia" [tracks performed as duets by Limahl and Melanie Marcus from the What a Feeling II – The Rock'n'Pop Musicals in Concert soundtrack album from the musical of the same name]
• 2001 – "Seasons of Love"/"Fame" [tracks performed collectively by Limahl, Melanie Marcus, Gwen Dickey and Dylan Turner from the What a Feeling II – The Rock'n'Pop Musicals in Concert soundtrack album from the musical of the same name]

Main solo compilations

• 1996 – The Best of Limahl (Disky Communications Europe) *
• 2002 – Never Ending Story (Disky Communications Europe) **
• 2003 – Best of Limahl (Silver Star) *
  • * Collection featuring eight selected tracks each from Don't Suppose and Colour All My Days.
  • ** Reduced version of the 1996 / 2003 compilations, featuring five songs from Don't Suppose and seven from Colour All My Days.

• 1999 – Limahl (Laser Light Digital)
• 2003 – All the Hits plus More
• 2006 – Never Ending Story (ZYX)
• 2008 – Greatest Hits Reloaded (ZYX)
  • Compilation of re-recorded solo and Kajagoogoo tracks, notable for the inclusion of Kajagoogoo and Kaja songs not originally sung by Limahl. Limahl later regretted their inclusion. Two new tracks ("Rhythm of Love" and "Lost in Love") were also featured. The 2006 version – Never Ending Story, also included "Tell Me Why".

References

1. ^ Cooke, Jon B. "The Art of Arthur Adams", Reprinted from Comic Book Artist #17, 15 November 2001
2. ^ Dingwall, John (21 February 2008). "I've had surgery to look good for my fans, admits Limahl". Daily Record. Archived from the original on 13 June 2008. http://web.archive.org/web/20080613163201/http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/entertainment/festivals/retrofest/retrofest-news/2008/02/21/i-ve-had-surgery-to-look-good-for-my-fans-admits-limahl-86908-20326045/. Retrieved 14 July 2008 
3. ^ "Geburtstagskinder" (in German) (pdf). GAB: p. 4. http://gab.epaper.publigayte.com/2008/2008-12/04-05_moderne_menschen.pdf. Retrieved 22 March 2009. 
4. ^ Best of Comeback United, the double greatest hits CD from the German reality show Comeback, features the biggest hits of the contestants on CD1 and the best from the Comeback reality show on CD2, and totally includes 4 tracks either by or featuring Limahl, i.e. "The Never Ending Story", "Can You Feel the Love Tonight", "Dont Go Breaking My Heart" as a duet with Dynelle, and "Survivor" as sung collectively, along with the other contestants from the show. The double album peaked at Number 15 in the German charts, reaching Number 541 in the final 'Charts of the Year 2004' in Germany.
5. ^ The compilation entitled What a Feeling II – The Rock'n'Pop Musicals in Concert is the original soundtrack from the musical of the same name, starring Limahl, Melanie Marcus, Gwen Dickey (formerly of the Rose Royce), Dylan Turner, and the 4 the Boys. The front cover of the soundtrack album describes the records as 'the original cast recording of the new show featuring hit songs from the hit movies and musicals'. The track listing totally includes 20 tracks, 4 of which are solo performances by Limahl, 2 are duets by Limahl and Melanie Marcus, 2 are sung by Limahl, Melanie Marcus, Gwen Dickey and Dylan Turner. As for the rest, 5 tracks are performed by Gwen Dickey, 3 are by Melanie Marcus, 1 is by 4 the Boys, 1 is by Dylan Turner, and, finally, 2 are generically credited to 'Cast', but not featuring Limahl. The soundtrack, recorded at the Oxford Apollo Theatre, in October 2000, and produced and mixed by Stuart Epps, at the Snake Ranch Studios, in London, was released in the UK on Demon Music Group Ltd./Flying Music labels.

Further reading

• Paul Gambaccini, Tim Rice, Jonathan Rice (1993), British Hit Singles, 9th edition, Guinness Publishing Ltd.
• Paul Gambaccini (1983), Kajagoogoo (biography, White Feathers album songbook, and photobook)
• Kajagoogoo | Billboard.com: Biography & Discography
• Stuck in the '80s | tampabay.com: Archives

External links

• Limahl Official British Website (in English)
• Limahl Online YouTube site

Persondata
Name	Limahl
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	19 December 1958
Place of birth
Date of death
Place of death