Happy Birthday: Limahl

Today we celebrate the birthday of a gentleman named Christopher Hamill, but if the name doesn’t mean anything to you offhand, try rearranging the letters of his last name and see what you get…and if you still don’t get anything, then maybe just look at the subject of this piece, at which point you can do a facepalm and realize that, yes, Christopher Hamill is indeed onetime Kajagoogoo frontman Limahl.

Although there was certainly a time when Kajagoogoo were known more for their hairstyles than their music, time has at the very least been kind to one of their singles: “Too Shy,” which is arguably one of the most perfect possible picks for an ‘80s mix tape, mix disc, playlist, or whatever your preferred choice of compilation may be. Although it’s well-documented that personality conflicts between Limahl and his bandmates led to his departure from the ranks of Kajagoogoo after their first album, he went on to forge a solo career which was successful enough to have scored him at least one major hit on both sides of the pond: “The Never Ending Story.”

Kids, if you’ve never seen the film that features this track, it’s time to fix that situation post-haste, but at least this will give you a significant glimpse into the world in which it takes place:

It’s also worth noting that Limahl is still around, playing ‘80s festivals around the world, but when the opportunity presents itself, he’s also still recording new material, as you can hear with his 2012 single, “1983.”

Okay, yes, it’s a knowing nod back to his heyday, but having found the kind of success that Limahl did at such an early point in his career, it’s no wonder that he’d want to revisit that era with the knowledge he’s accumulated in the interim. In other words, he’s earned a do-over, and although this is as close as he’s going to get, it’s a darned catchy do-over that’s worth a listen, as is the best-of playlist that we’ve also provided for your Limahl listening enjoyment.