KAJAGOOGOO
(UK, five Top 40 hits, two Top 40 albums)

Trichologically-flamboyant five-piece who had huge success in '83 yet, even mid-era, were being derided and ridiculed as symbols of cheesy naffness by the following year. Initially a respected instrumental prog-rock band called Art Nouveau, they decided to put money before principle and recruit a singer in order to have a stab at the charts. This they did with some gusto, as Christopher Hamill anagrammed his surname and laid down the vocals on debut hit "Too Shy" ("cause you're too shy shy, hush hush") which is quite possibly the worst No.1 of the early decade, barring novelty hits. The rest of '83 was relatively successful but ultra-turbulent, with Limahl sacked over musical differences and bassist Nick Beggs (who had half a car seat cover sewn into his head) taking on the mike. "Ooh To Be Ah", "Hang On Now" and "Big Apple" ("cops en route are hot in pursuit, as windows are shattered") all made the Top 20 but the fans deserted in droves to be loyal to their favourite singer. Basically, Kajagoogoo were an art band until Limahl, but couldn't go back to anonymity once they had binned him. Instead they laughably rebranded themselves as Kaja and tried comebacks in both '84 and '85 which bombed spectacularly. Image wise, they epitomised much of the reason why the 80s have put the needles into the red on the crapometer - vests, T-bag shirts, dyed mullets, ozone- suffocating amounts of hairspray - and the songs still don't ease the indifference to this day. How they expected to stay successful without the singer who turned them into superstars remains one of pop's great mysteries.

Biggest Hit: "Too Shy", No.1, 1983
Defining Moment: "Too shy too shy, hush hush..."

NICK KAMEN
(UK, three Top 40 hits, one Top 40 album)

Ample proof that a lucrative recording contract can be drawn up just for getting your kex off in an undecorated laundromat, male model Kamen did exactly that in '86 for the benefit of Levi's jeans (parodied brilliantly by a naked Arden and Frost for Carling Black Label) and was suddenly a pop star. Madonna had the hots for him too. Sometimes a man can achieve too much, really. Kamen (whom we always assumed was American) put two rather dull poppy soul efforts into the Top 20, the first of which was the gentle if tepid "Each Time You Break My Heart", which hit No.6 as word spread that the bloke who made that old dear's eyes pop out as he stripped over the tumble dryer was on TOTP. The follow up,  "Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever", was poor, and his musical career (which basically consisted of a rather whiny voice and pectoral-exposing photo sessions) was just about over, though Italy loved him, for some reason. One more single made the Top 40 (just) with "Tell Me" peaking at No.40 in '88, but shortly afterwards it was back to doing the full monty again, only this time not plugging denims which have holes in the pockets within three weeks of buying them. Undeniably attractive, unquestionably tuneless. There was an up side to all this - "I Heard It Through The Grapevine", the soundtrack to the ad, went back to the Top 10.

Biggest Hit: "Each Time You Break My Heart", No.6, 1986
Defining Moment: Unfrocking to the sound of Marvin Gaye.

KANE GANG
(UK, two Top 40 hits, one Top 40 album)

Rather good, very dark and hugely underrated three-piece consisting of a tall one alongside two brothers, one of whom always wore a hat. The biggest hit was the dreamy, melodic "Closest Thing To Heaven" ("here they come, a lonely boy and a lonely girl") which climbed slowly but surely to an impressive No.12 in '84. They then did the superb, boisterous "Respect Yourself" ("if you don't respect yourself ain't nobody gonna give a good cahoot") which absolutely destroyed Bruce Willis's shoddy rendition two years later and featured some towering, scary backing vocals from PP Arnold. That was that, really. They kept trying until '88, and we hope they're all doing well.

Biggest Hit: "Closest Thing To Heaven", No.12, 1984
Defining Moment: "If ya disrespect everybody that you run into..."

MORY KANTE
(Guinea, one Top 40 hit, no Top 40 albums)

No idea whatsoever on this one. African bloke releases a song called "Ye Ke Ye Ke" in the turgid '88 and peaked at No.29. We're intrigued, so please bang us a mail.

Biggest Hit: "Ye Ke Ye Ke", No.29, 1988
Defining Moment: None yet.

KAOMA
(France, one Top 40 hit, no Top 40 albums)

One word - "Lambada". It became the dance craze of '89 and was jolly good fun for about three weeks. Now it's bloody awful. It had specific choreography which varied between the usual look-a-prat-but-care-little hand movement idiocy at school discos, or cultured, artistic 'proper' steps if your name was Bruce Forsyth and you were showing off in your tuxedo during the final round of The Generation Game. Either way, it got very irritating very quickly.

Biggest Hit: "Lambada", No.4, 1989
Defining Moment: "La, la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la..." Shut up.

KATRINA AND THE WAVES
(US/UK, two Top 40 hits, one Top 40 album)

As with all such bands (Blondie, Texas, Transvision Vamp, Catatonia), this little lot comprised of a lipsticked, part-glamorous female singer and lots of totally anonymous male backers. Yank frontchick Katrina Lescanich (leather jacket, jeans, boots, huge grin)  mmmmmd and yeeeeahd her way through the super singalong "Walking On Sunshine" ("and don't it feel good!") in the golden summer of '85, with the song deservedly holding up to this day as a wonderful, chuckaway classic of the decade (regular feature during 15 minute retro section in nightclubs etc) helped a little by a video which swapped between Lescanich miming as she strolled along a deserted country dirt-track and the band doing the biz live on stage. One follow-up came along a year later, the far less good "Sun Street" and the band reverted to discerning, mid-rock cameo status which heralded no commercial success at all. Bizarrely, they came out of the woodwork to represent the UK at Eurovision in '97 with "Love Shine A Light" which double-whammyed by winning (the first UK victor since ver Fizz in '81) and then going to No.1. Leskanich has since been in demand as a broadcaster, heard purring away late-night in that slightly Britishised, treacly Yank patter of hers on Radio 2 until early 2000. Hear that massive drumbeat at the start of "Walking On Sunshine" and stamp your feet with a wide smile. It's still very, very ace.

Biggest Hit: "Walking On Sunshine",  No.9, 1985
Defining Moment: "Now I'm walking on sunshine, yeaaaaaaahhh!"

FRANK KELLY
(Ireland, one Top 40 hit, no Top 40 albums)

Was this the loud-mouthed, bigoted, permanently pissed old bastard of a priest from Father Ted? Maybe. Anyway, whoever it was, there was just one single for Christmas '83 (stupidly released on Christmas Eve) which was called "Christmas Countdown" and made No.26. It was re-released a year later and didn't make the Top 40. We can't remember it. Feck.

Biggest Hit: "Christmas Countdown", No.26, 1983
Defining Moment: That may have come on Craggy Island in the next decade.

GERARD KENNY
(US, one Top 40 hit, one Top 40 album)

Nope. The hit was "Fantasy", which wasn't the Earth Wind & Fire classic. It scraped to No.34 in 1980. Assistance would be gratefully received.

Biggest Hit: "Fantasy", No.34, 1980
Defining Moment: None.