Stop Your Sobbing

Dry your eyes and throw away those kleenex boxes. Limahl doesn't want to be sad anymore.

He's over the shock of being booted out of Kajagoogoo and with his new single 'Only for Love' out this week, he's got plenty to look forward to.

Listen, I'd like you to write a happy article, he says,"I've got over my depressed stage. I'm through wallowing in grief and waking up and thinking I've got to face another day."

Even so, the split has left Limahl with a bitter taste in his mouth. He claims that it didn't have anything to do with musical differences.

Basically, it was a personality clash between me and Kajagoogoo's manager. In the end we just couldn't get on, although I really tried hard. He told me that I would have to go or he would have to leave. They were very close to him - they had grown up in Leighton Buzzard and developed together.

"After their decision I just recieved a phone call from him saying I was out of Kajagoogoo. How can I descibe that feeling ? For a few moments I thought the world had stopped. I was just so stunned and shocked.

"If we had sat down and had a meeting about it with all the band there, it wouldn't have been so bad. It would have been the honest thing to do.

"I'd given my life and soul to Kajagoogoo and then after a cheap phone call it was all over.

"I did cry and I'm not ashamed to admit it. Anybody is entitled to break down under those circumstances . The pressure on me was tremendous - I needed some relief.

"But I realised it was going to be a fresh challenge for me and I've always thrived on challenges. I'm a strong Sagittarian who comes out fighting.The split offered me fresh ideas to reach up and grab. It's given me a lot of freedom and a sense of self reliance."

Limahl estimates that he recieved 3,000 letters after the split and he replied to each one explaining the situation.

"I used the mail offices at EMI, otherwise it would have cost me a fortune in postage", he laughs.

"There's a stigma attached to being sacked, but I think I recieved a lot of sympathy and by and large people were firmly on my side. I'll always be grateful for the support which I can repay with good music. I also had a lot of support from my family and friends. Of course, at times like that you get to know who your true friends are."

Limahl says he's been in contact with Nick Beggs, but he hasn't been in touch with the rest of the band.

"Ten days after the split Nick wrote to me explaining the true circumstances behind what had happened. I've written back to him and I'm very grateful to him."

Does this hint at reconcilation and could a reunion between Limahl and Kajagoogoo be on the cards for the future?

"No, absolutely not. The past should remain in the past - you can't dig things up. The way to view it now is that two very good acts have come out of the split -that's the positive way I treat it.

" I like Kajagoogoo's new single -there's a lot of energy in there. I think a lot of people expected Kajagoogoo to go down like Haircut 100 have done without Nick Heywood. But it's not like that at all, there's enough talent to go around for us all."

Limahl plays me a tape of his new single 'Only for Love' and pretty funky stuff it is too, with a girl singer. What about the man's image these days ?

Obviously there's a lot of girls who like me. I can't turn my back an that audience and neither would I want to. But I'm also trying to cross over into an older audience as well."

'Only for Love' was inspired by the play 'A Spy for Me' which Limahl saw in the West End. He wrote the song before he left Kajagoogoo.

"It starred that wonderful actor Alan Bates. During the course of the action his lover leaves him and he is heartbroken. After the play I remember standing outside the theatre feeling tremendously moved. Haven't you searched for a lost love for years and years? It's certainly happened to me. You get th e most wonderful feelings when you are in love. You want to be with that special person all the time and then sometimes your hopes are dashed.

"I believe that love still truely makes the world go around ."

Limahl's recording an album in December which is due for release in the new year. As yet there are no definate plans for a tour.

"When I do go out on the road I will be doing some old Kajagoogoo numbers. I'm proud of what I achieved with the band -I don't want to turn my back on my work. One thing though, I won't be standing on an illuminated platform like I did on Kajagoogoo's last tour. I got so terribly hot I had to run off and wipe myself down with a towel."

Limahl says that some of his material has the flavour of old soul. He'll be doing a version of a classic Motown song on his album, but he won't say which one he has chosen.

"When I was young we were so poor we couldn't afford records. I used to go to Wigan Casino and lis ten to the old soul standards. I love stuff by Diana Ross like 'Aint No Mounatin High Enough' and Micheal Jackson's 'Thriller' album is just fantastic. I'll be doing a track called 'Oh Girl' which is very slushy, very soulful and very Temptations."

In the future Limahl says that he wouldn't mind having a bash at serious acting.

"I'd like to do a film along the lines of 'Breaking Glass'. A musical would be nice as well. I've always loved the stage, it's very creative. But I don't think it's possible to predict how long you're going to last in this business. The public puts you up there and they've got you in the palm of their hands. It's really up to them.

Robin Smith -Record Mirror 5^th November 1983