Jez Strode
Encyclopedia
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
for the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
band
Band (music)
In music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform music. The following articles concern types of musical bands:* All-female band* Big band* Boy band* Christian band* Church band* Concert band* Cover band...
, Kajagoogoo
Kajagoogoo
Kajagoogoo are a British pop band, best known for their hit single, "Too Shy", which reached No. 1 in the UK Singles Chart and No. 5 on the U.S...
.
Strode began his musical career in a band called Art Nouveau, with future Kajagoogoo bandmates Nick Beggs
Nick Beggs
Nick Beggs is a British musician, noted for playing the bass guitar and the Chapman Stick; he is a member of Kajagoogoo and formerly Iona and Ellis, Beggs, & Howard.-Personal life:...
, Steve Askew
Steve Askew
Steve Askew was born on December 9, 1957 in Middlesex.Later he moved with his family to Leighton Buzzard in 1962/63 and attended Beaudesert primary school, Pulford junior school and Brooklands School....
and Stuart Croxford Neale.
He left Kajagoogoo after their album Islands
Islands (Kajagoogoo album)
Islands is the second album by the British pop band Kajagoogoo, released in May 1984 on the EMI label. It was recorded without singer Limahl, who had been fired by the band in mid-1983 and went on to pursue a solo career. Bass player Nick Beggs, already the group's main backing singer, took over...
was released, subsequently setting up the company Atlantic Hire, operated from his home in Hampstead, hiring synthesizers and other studio electronics to the music industry. At this time he also constructed his own recording studio in a converted garage in North London.
The members of Kajagoogoo, including Strode were later brought back together in 2003, by VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
's Bands Reunited
Bands Reunited
Bands Reunited is a television program produced by VH1 in 2004. Hosted by Aamer Haleem, the show documented the attempted reuniting of a formerly popular musical ensemble for a special concert in either London or Los Angeles....
. However, this reunion of all five original members was very short-lived, and the band has continued as a three piece without Strode or original lead singer, Limahl
Limahl
Christopher Hamill better known by his stage name Limahl 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 "The NeverEnding Story", taken from the film of...
.
Jez Strode is now back with original bandmates Beggs, Limahl, Askew and Croxford-Neale thanks to their new manager Bradley Snelling. Kajagoogoo are playing dates in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
during the course of 2008 including Retrofest in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
and at The Stables in Milton Keynes in early December.