11.05.04

The OK Magazine's Article

Big hair, big ideas and big hits – in the ‘80s Kajagoogoo shot to international success with their debut single Too Shy. They had the world at their feet but then it all went wrong – arguments and disputes led to the lead singer Limahl getting sacked. Lead guitarist Nick Beggs took over as front man but the band never scaled the dizzy heights of their initial success.

Now the band have got back together for vh1’s Bands Reunited. Nick has continued to work in the music industry and is currently developing a new girl band, Industrial Salt. He invited OK! Into his home to meet his wife Ann and their five children – Lula, 12, from his first marriage, Olivia, 10, twins Callum and Jake, 7, from Ann’s first marriage, and their 2 year old daughter Willow.

We discover what happened when the couple met at a Howard Jones gig, how a dramatic fire led to a marriage proposal, and hear all about young Ann’s request for Jimmy Savile to arrange a meeting with her dream pop band Kajagoogoo.

How did the two of you first meet?

Ann - I was a Kajagoogoo fan when I was about 12 and I saw Nick play. But I was a big Howard Jones fan in the ‘80s. Five years ago I spotted that Howard Jones was doing a tour and I forced my brother to go with me. Nick was playing in Howard’s band and I clocked him straight away.

When did you meet again?

Ann - Six months later I found Howard was doing another tour. My brother refused to go so I bought 2 tickets and told my sister-in-law they were her birthday present. We turned up and Nick was in the band again. We went to the bar afterwards and Nick came looking for me.

Nick - I did, because she was sitting next to the stage and I couldn’t miss her. I asked Ann if she had come to see us in Manchester.

Ann - I couldn’t speak but just managed to mumble a few words. Nick bought me a drink and we talked for most of the night.

Nick, why did you decide to go and talk to Ann?

I had just split up with somebody and there was this beautiful woman staring at me but their was this bloke with her, who turned out to be her brother. Then 6 months later she appeared and was sitting next to the stage. She was really looking at me. This is no lie but I looked into her eyes and I knew she was divorced and had children. I made up my mind that I had to go and speak to her.

What happened next?

Ann - we started having a long distance relationship as I was in the Wirral, Merseyside and Nick was in Leighton Buzzard in Bedfordshire. On the weekends my children went to their Dad and I drove down here. It was a very old fashioned courtship.

Nick - I went off on tour with different people. Sometimes Ann would just come down for a few hours and that went on for 3 years.

How did it develop from a long distance relationship into the two of you living together?

Nick - Ann came to see me play solo and she became pregnant that night! Everything changed when we found out Ann was pregnant. But we had to find the right time and place. Ann’s Mum also decided to move down.

How did the children react when they heard of the move?

Ann -We had to consider how the children felt as they saw a lot of their Dad every week. We didn’t want to move them right away, so it was done very gradually to make it easier for them.

Nick - Lula, my eldest daughter had been used to having me to herself and suddenly she had to get used to a baby sister, two stepbrothers and a stepsister. It was a huge upheaval and we didn’t think it would work. Lula went into meltdown, she couldn’t cope at all – but now they get on very well.

Ann – We didn’t rush it and it has paid off. There were so many peoples lives involved in the move and we had to take our time. It had the potential to be a nightmare.

Nick – It’s worked out better than we could have hoped and we still love each other very much.

When did you decide to get married?

Nick – I said I was never going to get married, live with anyone again or have another baby. I told Ann that from the first time we met.

Ann – I thought, that’s fine, I can deal with it. I have three kids and I’m divorced myself.

What changed your mind Nick?

The pivotal moment came when Lula and her mother were in a house fire. The night of the blaze I had a big anxiety attack. I didn’t know what was happening. The following morning I had a call from Lula telling me they were alright. Before that happened Ann and I had been thinking about one of us being sterilized. Ann was on antibiotics because she had pneumonia. These made the pill ineffective and Ann got pregnant. It was because of these two events that I started to change my mind.

Ann – Nick proposed to me on Christmas Day after Willow was born.

Tell us about the wedding….

Nick – I said I would get married on one condition, no big razzmatazz – the register office and then the pub. We turned up at the register office and I told everybody we would see them down the pub and they just started laughing – Ann had organised this massive reception at a friend’s house.

Ann – I had to do it all in secret. Nick doesn’t like fuss but once you face him with it he loves it. He was totally gobsmacked and loved the day. It was the most relaxed, beautiful day.

Nick – All the kids had a ball but we did have a romantic wedding night in a hotel.

Ann, is it strange thinking back to when you were a fan now that you have married one of the band?

Ann – It’s so weird

Nick – Ann showed me her exercise book from when she was at school. When she was 12 she wrote that one of her ambitions was to meet Kajagoogoo.

Ann – I bumped into an old school friend of mine after Nick and I got together. She reminded me about the time we wrote to Jim’ll Fix It asking to meet Kajagoogoo. I had completely forgotten about it. I remember going to the Liverpool Empire to see them.

Nick, how did it feel to get back together as Kajagoogoo for vh1’s Bands reunited Show?

We had made a couple of attempts before but Limahl and Jez were making requests we didn’t think were reasonable. But the whole experience of getting back together for the show was wonderful.

Have you heard anything from Limahl and Jez since the show?

Yes, we had dinner. After the documentary a promoter offered significant touring work for the band. I put this to them and Limahl brought out a letter with his demands on it and I thought we were back to square one.

Will the band get back together?

Limahl is still welcome to join us but he was sacked for plenty of good reasons. I wish him all the best. He was a great frontman but he has made his choices.