Recently, we have seen a huge come back of the music that characterized the 80's decade, with compilations collecting the biggest hits of those years, TV programs, theme nights etc. Historic flux and re-flux? Not just that. The music of those years has forged many artistic tendencies, not only the record industry. And the emptiness of the current musical landscape, the vacuity of the majority of "artists" (isn't it a bit too generous to call them this way?) around currently, with very few exceptions, have prompted us to re-evaluate what has been the last, biggest international movement in the world of the seven notes.

On the wave of this renewed interest for the music of the 80s, the Casinò Perla of Nova Gorica organizes, every Friday, a revival night in the casino disco, with the major hits of those years played by a DJ and a live artist.

September seven marked the very appreciated comeback of one of the major stars of the 80's: Limahl, singer of Kajagoogoo and then great solo artist, performer of unforgettable songs such as "Never Ending Story". His performance, started at a crazy hour (10 to midnight, although the expected time on stage was supposed to be 10) and lasted too little. Half an hour of live songs sang on an instrumental base, that made the audience enthusiastic but also wanting to hear more. This aside, Limahl was a delightful confirmation. Who loved him then, can only be ecstatic now, in hearing again- actually, for the first time live in our country - certain songs that left a trace not easy to erase.

With a back-up singer named Marcela, Limahl opened his performance with his own first hit "Too Shy", then he continued with a brief journey in the music of the 80's. Not only his own music but mainly the music of his colleagues at that time: we listened to his very sweet voice sing "Karma Chameleon" by Culture Club, "Don't You Want Me" by Human League, "Tainted Love" by Soft Cell, "I Just Can't Get Enough" by Depeche Mode to end with his biggest hit, "Never Ending Story", which, after more than 15 years, has preserved its charm intact.

Here is the interview Limahl granted me at the end of his performance.

FucineMute: To start, what happened with you in the last 15 years?

Limahl: (he laughs) I don't think you have enough recording tape. I did not do anything particular. I published an album in Germany, went to Japan then I worked with other artists, one of which was Kim Wilde. I produced some records for other artists. Then in 1997 the 80's revival started. The biggest record companies published compilations of hits from the 80's that went number one in the charts. Then they published more compilations, which again reached number one, and the whole thing started.

FM: It is also the case that many record only available on vinyl before, where re- released in CD format. After being played many times, the vinyl record had worn out, so many fans bought them again on CD.

L: Of course. The same happened with DVDs. The VHS is gone to the trash. It is an enormous profit for the big industry. For example, I bought "Alien 1", "Alien 2", "Alien 3" and "Alien 4" all on VHS and now I have to buy them all on DVD. But the quality is amazing. So, it is for the better.

FM: The response you just gave me is actually an anticipation of what I wanted to ask you now. In the last few years we have seen a big come back of the music of the 80's. Why is this happening in your opinion?

L: The main reason is the passing of time. It has been a long enough time that I myself am an antique ... But this goes well with me, because an antique has greater value.

FM: Why in your opinion people prefer this period?

L: Because everyone is bored with the 70's, we got enough of it, so we needed something new. All fans of the 80s have a family now, they are young families, who like to listen to the music they grew up with.

FM: I hope you do not mind if I ask you questions regarding Kajagoogoo...

L: Absolutely not!

FM: Well, you started your career with the band Kajagoogoo, that was produced by Nick Rhodes, keyboard player with Duran Duran. Very soon "Too Shy" became an incredible success and you were selling more than Duran Duran themselves. What was Nick reaction?

L: See Nick wanted to become a successful producer, so he was delighted, he was incredibly happy. Of course the rest of Durand Duran asked him " What the hell are you doing?" but it was never a big problem for him.

FM: Are you still in touch with him?

L: No, unfortunately.

FM: Why did you leave Kajagoogoo after only one album?

L: (He suddenly becomes very serious. Did I touch a painful subject??!!) Ok, they called me up and told me: "Goodbye, Limahl". They threw me out.

FM: I cannot believe it! Why did they do this?

L: They did not like to be considered a teeny band. And they thought it was my fault. You know, the front man with the crazy spiky hairstyle and things like that. So they thought: " If we get rid of Limahl, we can have a more serious audience". So they did.

FM:I don't think the events proved them right. The two following albums, without you, were not very successful, and only Nick Beggs did something afterward.

L: In fact what they were hoping did not happen. Now they know it. Now they definitely know it.

FM: And they probably regret their decision...

L: It was obviously the wrong thing to do.

FM: You must have taken it quite bad, at the time. I am sorry for asking you this question, I did not think this was the truth. I though it was you who wanted a solo career.

L: Please no need to apologize. In truth, I felt very betrayed. I was hurt. I felt like a lover stabbed in the back.

FM: Earlier you ended your performance with "Never Ending Story". This song was an incredible success everywhere in the world, and everyone still remembers it after 15 years. Even younger generations remember it. Did you expect all this success when it got released?

L: No. EMI did not even want it! My manager had to fight really hard to have them accept it. EMI director did not want it because he could not hear how beautiful it was.

FM: I wonder why the most beautiful songs are exactly the ones rejected by record executives.

L:It happens because record companies pretend they understand music, but in reality they don't. They have lots of money, sign contracts, say " This band now, this other next ..." and so forth, but in reality they don't understand one thing.

FM: When you think about the new romantics era, what are you feelings about it?

L: Oh I have great feelings about it. Because ... because they were the times if my youth. The songs I sing from other bands are all songs I loved a lot. I loved that period, from 1980 to 1985.

FM: What do you think of the reaction of the audience tonight?

L: we have a look a bit shocking. My t-shirt [a futuristic t-shirt with Manga designs], my shoes [very high platform athletic shoes], all together ... I think the audience was a bit shocked, but I also saw many smiles, and I think this is really important.

FM: Are you working on a new album?

L: No. But I am working on a new track, which will be part of a compilation. I am doing it in Germany.

FM: Going back to the 80s, very often the bands of those times are simply labeled as good-looking guys, with elaborate clothes, but little substance after all. This is not true, thinking of songs such as "Lebanon" of Human League, or the social involvement of the Band Aid project with "Do They Know It's Christmas". Do you agree or not with the idea that for those bands, the image was more important than the music?

L: Absolutely not. You must remember that in the years between 1970 and 1980, synthesizers came up and all the bands like Duran Duran, us Kajagoogoo, Spandau Ballet, Human League, Soft Cell, Depeche Mode Eurythmics and so on were pioneers with synthesizers. Therefore I think that period has very strong musical identity. The image was strong, I think, like Visage, do you remember them?

FM: Of course! They were the very first ... and among my favorites.

L: They had a really exceptional image. These things do not happen anymore.

FM: True. Often I speak with younger friends and I feel sad for them because they have nothing like that. We lived the whole thing completely. After new romantics, there has not been a movement with a similar impact, a similar strength.

L: True. We were also the first to do certain videos. MTV only started transmissions in 1982 I believe. For us that period was like a blank canvas to try anything, visually and musically.

FM: Many of your solo songs were written with Giorgio Moroder, one of the most famous writers and musicians of those days. What do you remember of your collaboration with him?

L: When I received the phone call to do "Never Ending Story" with him, I was in Tokyo, at the "Tokyo Musical Festival" and Giorgio Moroder was working there. My manager spoke to him, they drunk a lot of champagne, they talked a lot, and my manager was also the ex-manager of Rod Stewart. He was looking for work for me, and it worked out. I went to Germany to record the song, and I was really nervous. The song hits some very high notes, and to sing at that level you must be very relaxed. I was not relaxed at all. So we drunk some wine, and then at around 9 o'clock at night I tried again and it went well.

FM: Which one of your songs you like the most and why?

L: Well it must be "too Shy" because it was the first single I wrote and it reached number one all over the world including America.

FM: "Love In Your Eyes" is very beautiful too. It's very sweet.

L: Do you thinks so? Although it was not a big success... (He starts to sing it, as to remember it. Shivers down the spine of bystanders: it is even sweeter than on record!]. It is true. It has an adorable melody. But I do not work much with that song, since few people know it. But I love it. Maybe Italians love it because they are romantics... But let's be honest: one cannot be too much romantic.

FM: In the video of this song, you wore contact lenses with a fluorescent liquid that created you some problems, it seemed at the time...

L: True. It was hard to shoot the video because of those lenses.

FM: Why did you start again to perform live after all this time?

L: It's very simple. I was working in my studio, writing songs, producing other artists, when I got a phone call from a music agent who told me: " I have a concert for you. In six weeks. You need a band, be able to play for an hour and I need a response by the end of this afternoon". That's what he told me. So I thought about it for an hour, I spoke with my keyboard player and at the end we said: " OK, let's do it". It was October of 1997. And that was the beginning.

FM: When you sing live do you still have the same feelings you had fifteen years ago?

L: No, I have better feelings, because I went through a period of internal struggle, I was not singing but I missed that. I love singing, so I still love doing it live. And I love to shock people, as I did when I was twenty. Now is a lot more difficult to shock people because this is a much faster world.

FM: Some time ago a singer called Lady Violet did a cover of one of your songs "Inside to Outside". Did you know this? If yes, did you like her version?

L: Oh you mean the Dance Mix. Yea, I heard it once. But I did not write that song, so it did not interest me that much. I thought it was not bad. But my version was certainly better![he laughs amused]

FM: What do you think about the Internet and about music on the web?

L: Ah! The Internet! At my home on London, I have 24-hour Internet connectivity. Very fast. It is called ADSL, and it is very fast. All the time, all day long I am on the computer. I write mails, I check flight schedules, buy tickets for the flights I have to take for my work, I do everything with the Internet. And you ask me my opinion of the Internet: well, fantastic, it's the future, it's stimulating. Regarding music I don't think it is a problem. I think a real fan will always want to hold the original CD in his hands, to see the packaging, the pictures, everything.

And this is the end of a really long night, especially for Limahl who embarked in a never-ending journey to reach the Casino' Perla. We said goodbye, but only after I left him the web address of FucineMute, which he insisted to have. Since, he said, he is connected all day long. Limahl has also his own website for his fans: www.limahl.com.

Interview by Elisabetta Garboni

It was 1983. We were in the heydays of the incredible musical (and not only) movement called new wave. Almost every week a new band will come from England that we would immediately recognize as a member of this movement even before listening to their music, just by looking at the band members, their clothes, their hairstyle and their make up. Levi's, and other famous jeans brands, had a moment of serious crisis in London: those days, to wear a pair of jeans was nearly an offense to good taste. But while many jeans shops had to close down, many boutiques for new romantics blossomed everywhere, on King Road, and especially on Kensington High Road, the street that became the most trendy of the British capital, even more so than the legendary Carnaby Street.

A tourist walking around the streets in London, unaware of the fashion tendencies, could think he was hallucinating: it was like going back in time, back to 1700 or beginning of 1800, in a capital invaded by sophisticated pirates and impeccable nobles. That was the fashion dictated by the most illuminated British stylist of all times: Vivienne Westwood. Music bands were also helping her a lot. Those were the years of the pirate Adam Ant, of the extremely refined Spandau Ballet, of Duran Duran who, a bit more clumsily, were trying to show the world their interpretation of the new wave. And many, many more. Even the dance music American icon band Village People were infected by the new wave, although there are reasons to believe it was predominantly a publicity effort.

Spandau Ballet was probably the least understood band of the new wave. Very involved politically, (their leader, Gary Kemp, would not miss occasion to stress his support for the labour's party, and during the Thatcher era one needed some courage to say that...) During the World Parade Tour, at some point they would show the back to the audience and raise their left fist toward an enormous red flag that sax player Steve Norman carried in triumph across the whole stage. However, Italians only loved them for their pretty faces, and caused their ruin with an exaggerate worshipping.

Now, two of the five kids from Islington who grew up together, and co-founded a label called Reformation to promote the activity of poets, writers, and painters only speak to each other via a lawyer. The group singer Tony Hadley sued Gary Kemp twenty years later and with little credibility, regarding the ownership of their songs. What a pity.

Duran Duran were not as politically involved as Spandau Ballet, and you could see that. They produced marvelous, fantastic, exotic videos, but it remains memorable when singer Simon Le Bon fluffed a note singing "View To a Kill" during Live Aid, in front of million of people. And it is also memorable the angry expression that appeared on guitar player Andy Taylor's face when he heard that. After a brief period Andy Taylor and Roger Taylor both left the band. Since then the band's success started decreasing.

In 1983 Nick Rhodes, keyboard player of Duran Duran, decided he wanted to do something more, something different. He wanted to become a successful producer. He easily accomplished that: he found a band that was absolutely perfect for the time and the occasion. The band had a really weird name, Kajagoogoo, and a singer that looked like he had been created specifically for the occasion, a guy called Christopher Hamill who had chosen as artist name Limahl, an anagram of his last name. They released a single titled "Too Shy", which immediately became an incredible hit all around the world, and even surpassed Duran Duran on the charts - making Nick Rhodes very happy but less so the rest of the band. The album "White Feathers" followed, with some other truly beautiful songs. But by the end of the year Limahl left the band. Kajagoogoo released a second LP in 1984, "Islands", where bassist Nick Beggs replaced Limahl on vocals. But they did not repeat the success of the first album. Then they changed their name to Kaja (loosing the GooGoo on the way) and released their third album "Crazy People's Right to Speak". And things went truly crazy: sales were a disaster, and the band broke up. Only Nick Beggs tried once more with Ellis, Beggs and Howard, the name of the musicians in the band, and an album "Homelands" quite beautiful really but ignored by critics and audiences alike.

Limahl was not done with the world of pop music; on the contrary, he topped the charts with a hit still remembered by everybody, more than fifteen years later. He sung the unforgettable title song for the fantasy movie "Never Ending Story". The track was included in the album "Don't Suppose..." which was released in 1984, and which included other successful hits such as "Only for Love", "That Special Something" and the title track. In 1986 a second solo album was released "Colour all My Days", which was not that successful, to be honest. This was a pity, since the album included some really beautiful songs such as "Love In Your Eyes", which stood out among all. Since then we lost trace of Limahl. In 1992 his last album "Love Is Blind" was released, but only in Germany. The revival of the 80s brought Limahl back to us: luckily.