Nick Beggs
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Nick Beggs (born Nicholas Beggs, 15 December 1961, Winslow, Buckinghamshire, England) is a British pop musician, noted for playing the bass guitar and the Chapman Stick; he is a member of Kajagoogoo and Iona (formerly).
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[edit] Personal life
His parents were Herby and Joan Beggs, and he has a younger sister, Jacqueline. In November 1979 Beggs' mother died, leaving Beggs to care for his sister, who was then 15. He took a job as a dustman upon leaving school.
Nick's daughter Lula was born in 1991, and his first marriage ended in 1994. He had a daughter, Willow, in 2002 by his girlfriend Ann, whom he married in 2003. He is now also step father to Ann's children Olivia, Jake and Callum. Nick currently lives in Leighton Buzzard Bedfordshire.
[edit] Career
Beggs' first band Johnny and the Martians (formed when he was 10) consisted of two friends on trumpet and acoustic guitar and Beggs on drums.
After attending art school, in 1979 Beggs formed the band Art Nouveau, with Steve Askew, Stuart Croxford Neale and Jez Strode. Later, Chris Hamill (Limahl) joined the band and at Beggs' suggestion it was renamed Kajagoogoo. The release of the first single, "Too Shy", in January 1983 saw the band on a promotional tour as the record reached number 1 in the UK Singles Chart.
Limahl was subsequently dismissed from Kajagoogoo and, following a split with Strode, the three remaining band members reformed as 'Kaja'.
Between 1985 and 1987, Beggs concentrated on writing with various other songwriters and finally formed Ellis, Beggs, & Howard in March 1987. Ellis, Beggs and Howard split in 1989, and in 1990 Beggs joined the progessive folk band, Iona. He recorded two albums with them, The Book of Kells and Beyond These Shores.
He continued working with various artists and bands including Alphaville, Belinda Carlisle and Led Zeppelin’s former bass player, John Paul Jones. In 1996, Beggs met Howard Jones on a flight from the United States and a friendship was established. Jones invited Beggs to tour as part of his band.
Beggs became a contributor to various guitar publications and is now a staff writer for Bass Guitar Magazine. He is also a patron of London based guitar and bass school, Guitar-X.
He has worked with: ABC, Alphaville, Belinda Carlisle, China Crisis, Cliff Richard, Cozi, Curiosity Killed The Cat, D:Ream, Engelbert Humperdinck, Gary Numan, Go West, Howard Jones, Keke, Kim Wilde, Maddy Prior, Mark Shaw, Michael Bolton, Midge Ure, Nena, Nick Heyward, Polysics, Rick Waller, Right Said Fred, Seal, Steve Howe, T'Pau, Terl Bryant, Then Jerico, Tina Turner, Tom McRae, Tony Hadley, Toyah Willcox, Troy Donockley and Warren Cuccurullo.
He has recorded and released a solo album, Stick Insect, and this was followed by The Maverick Helmsman in 2004.
A reformed Kajagoogoo (Beggs, Askew and Croxford Neale) toured in 2004.
Beggs and Askew have been heavily involved with a new duo called Industrial Salt, which has been successful in Japan. They have also written material for Claudia Mills, a finalist on the BBC TV talent show, Let Me Entertain You.
Beggs' primary instruments are bass guitar including an Aria SB (during Art Nouveau), a Wal ProE2, Kramer and a Musicman Stingray and Chapman Stick. His bass playing can be heard Emma Bunton's album Life In Mono.
[edit] Discography
[edit] Ellis, Beggs & Howard
[edit] Singles
- "Big Bubbles No Troubles" - RCA PB 42089 - June 88 - # 59 UK
- "Bad Times" - RCA PB 42041 - August 88
- "Where Did Tomorrow Go?" - RCA PB42317 - November 1988
- "Big Bubbles No Troubles" remix - RCA PB 42089 - February 89 - # 41 UK
- "Big Bubbles No Troubles" remix - RCA PB 42788 - April 1989
[edit] Albums
- Homelands - RCA - 1988
- The Lost Years Volume One - available from Nick Beggs website
[edit] Solo
[edit] Albums
- Stick Insect, 2002 CD Stick Enterprises
- The Maverick Helmsman, 2004 CD Stick Enterprises
