Limahl's Story

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His biggest hit ever was The Never Ending Story, and ironically enough, it was nearly the end to his story. After selling four million copies of the single, the artiste known as Limahl just about disappeared from the face of music-dom, no thanks to some unfortunate management by his then record label.

It was indeed a sad state of affairs for the former lead singer of 80s band Kajagoogoo, with whom he had a hit called Too Shy. Soon after leaving the band, he had two big solo hits – Only For Love and the above-mentioned title theme song of the film The Never-Ending Story. Unfortunately, his debut album Don’t Suppose... was a commercial disaster, and that’s when his troubles began.

Apart from touring, Limahl is still involved in producing and songwriting.

According to Limahl, whose real name is Christopher Hamill (his stage name is an anagram of his surname), he had recorded some new songs for another album, but it never saw the light of day. There was also a lot of politics involved with his record label then, and he eventually left to go to the United States where acclaimed producer Clive Davis promptly signed him on . Unfortunately, after spending around US$260,000 (RM824,000) recording six songs with him, he was inexplicably dropped from Davis’ label.

“I was so devastated by that, and by 1989 I was burnt out. I had written 15 songs for those records, and none were ever released. I thought at the time I couldn’t give anymore. I was so exhausted that I took two years off doing things that had nothing to do with music,” recalls the now 50-year-old artiste during the phone interview from his home in London.

“I’ll be honest with you ... it’s only human nature to want more, and of course it would have been great to have more hits. But that’s just the way it turned out for me.”

After the two-year hiatus he took in 1989, Limahl gradually got back into the music business, not as a singer, but as a producer and songwriter. “That felt very natural to me, much like an actor goes on to direct, or a footballer becomes a coach or manager. It felt natural for me to be in the background using my experience to help new artistes,” he said. Although he did release another album called Love is Blind in 1992, it made barely a ripple in the market. So it was that Limahl spent much of the 90s working quietly as a producer, songwriter, arranger for other artistes such as Kim Wilde, Peter André (who had a big hit called Mysterious Girl) and the like.

However, there was to be yet another twist in his tale.

“One day in 1997, my mobile phone rang, and an agent in London was on the line, offering me a chance to do a live show. I was really surprised by the call, and because I was so busy and the show was in six weeks, I nearly said no. But I’m glad I said yes, because I really enjoyed getting back on stage,” he recalls.

“That year was when there was a real revival in interest in the 80s. I thought at the time that the interest might only last a few weeks or months. But, here we are, 10 years later and I’ve been doing 30 to 40 shows a year all around the world, and I’m coming to Malaysia to perform!”

The Here & Now Tour 2008: The Very Best of 80s concert, which will feature 80s icons Paul Young, Bananarama, Johnny Hates Jazz and of course, Limahl, comes to Genting Highlands later this month.

According to him, 80s shows like this are nice for people who grew up in the decade. “I think people like to think back to that wonderful time when they were aged between 16 and 25 and were free of all responsibilities,” he said. “I feel very proud to be associated to the 80s, which was a fantastic era. It was a musical time before the corporations, the conglomerates and the globalisation of music began. Almost all the artistes in the 80s were very individualistic. We designed our own images, we bought our own synthesisers, we played around with the sounds, experimented and did our own thing all from the heart. I’m very proud to be associated with all that.” He also has some very fond memories of the decade. “My mother had her 70th birthday recently, and one of my nephews asked me whether I had met any famous people. He was so amazed when I told him that I’d met Princess Diana, Freddie Mercury. And that conversation made me realise that I did do some great things in the 80s.

“I can’t say I miss the 80s, but I’m proud of my musical heritage, and I mostly smile when I think back. That was a great period for a boy from a small town who came to London and made it all happen.

As for looking ahead, Limahl currently has his fingers in a few pies, including a “very big project” he is working on with another big producer from the 90s, which he was very tight-lipped about. That aside, Limahl has also been doing a little bit of singing as well.

“Almost every other month we receive requests from DJs and producers from around the world to feature my voice on a record. So I have been recording new things,” he said. “I’m now an antique, my voice has gained more value with the passing of time, so maybe you might hear my voice in some new songs in the future!”

One thing is for sure – the thought of quitting music has never crossed his mind, even in the hardest of times. “I’ve never thought or retiring from music. God willing, I hope to be involved in at least some sort of creative or musical process even when I am 75 years old!” And thus, the story of Limahl does go on?

http://www.star-ecentral.com/news/story.as...sec=soundnstage

Edited March 26, 200817 yr by Dino-2Pacalypse