Anyone remember Kevin Coyne?

Subject: Anyone remember Kevin Coyne?
From: theleveller
Date: 04 Feb 08 - 12:04 PM

Does anyone remember the fantastic singer/songwriter/musician, Kevin Coyne who died in 2004?

I knew Kev in London back in the late sixties/early seventies when he was working as a social worker and had formed Siren with guitarist/pianist, Nick Cudworth. Kev was a great guy, if at times a little lugubrious, and, with him and Nick, a gang of us would often go on pub crawls in Putney, usually ending up at a pub with a piano for a sing-song. Kev gave me a copy of his first solo album, Marjory Razorblade, which I still have – it's quite a disturbing album but demonstrates his superb songwriting ability and strangely haunting voice. Kev was offered the chance to replace Jim Morrison in Doors but wasn't interested, preferring, instead, to tread his own path, eventually living in Germany where he had a big fan base.

Subject: RE: Anyone remember Kevin Coyne?
From: GUEST,Allan at work
Date: 04 Feb 08 - 12:23 PM

Amazing coincidence, I was just listening to Case History yesterday.
I never ever saw him and always regretted it.

I was one of those early Seventies John Peel regulars who was instantly hooked from the moment I heard those early sessions. My vinyl MRB is still in pristine condition with white Virgin label. Those were the days.

Never heard the Doors story, fancy that! I can't actually imagine Kev doing "Riders on the Storm"

Subject: RE: Anyone remember Kevin Coyne?
From: Giant Folk Eyeball (inactive)
Date: 04 Feb 08 - 12:55 PM

'House on the Hill' is one of my all time favourite songs...

Nigel

Subject: RE: Anyone remember Kevin Coyne?
From: Jack Blandiver
Date: 04 Feb 08 - 05:41 PM

Yes I do, and with considerable affection too. I saw him once, solo, supporting John McLaughlin's proto ethno-fusion-world-jazz combo Shakti (featuring L.Shankar) at Newcastle City Hall circa - 1976?? An incongruous pairing, but needless to say Coyne won the day, holding down his bar chords with his thumb whilst holding the guitar nearly flat on his lap. Mesmerising!

Evil Island Home figured, not sure about The River but that remains my favourite.

Check out the duo album he did with Dagmar Krause - Babble. A true genius, and unsung, of course - the real measure of true genius!

Subject: RE: Anyone remember Kevin Coyne?
From: Murray MacLeod
Date: 04 Feb 08 - 06:18 PM

just for Nigel, Kevin Coyne performing "House on the Hill" from the Old Grey Whistle Test, 1973 ...

Subject: RE: Anyone remember Kevin Coyne?
From: Giant Folk Eyeball (inactive)
Date: 04 Feb 08 - 06:32 PM

Cheers, Murray. You're a gent!

Nigel

Subject: RE: Anyone remember Kevin Coyne?
From: The Borchester Echo
Date: 04 Feb 08 - 07:06 PM

Smile Right Back from his last Kershaw session three years ago.

Subject: RE: Anyone remember Kevin Coyne?
From: theleveller
Date: 05 Feb 08 - 08:35 AM

Anyone interested can find out all about Kevin, his music, writing and drawings, details of his over 40 albums and the work of his two sons on www.kevincoyne.de/Biograph.htm.

There's also this little snippet;

"And finally: Was Kevin Coyne really offered the Jim Morrison job in the Doors?
The answer is a very firm "yes". And why, you might ask, did he turn it down?
Well, the rumour is that he didn't fancy wearing the leather trousers.
All very simple really..."

Subject: RE: Anyone remember Kevin Coyne?
From: GUEST,Ralphie
Date: 07 Feb 08 - 05:06 AM

Have just come across this thread.
I was lucky enough to have been the engineer on the last three sessions that Kevin did for Andy Kershaw on the BBC.
The last one involved oxygen cylinders which had to be hauled around the basement of Broadcasting House.
Sadly he died a few weeks later, but, delivered a fine recording for the programme.
A truly self-effacing and gentle man.
I feel honoured to have worked with him.
Ralph

Subject: RE: Anyone remember Kevin Coyne?
From: GUEST,punkfolkrocker
Date: 07 Feb 08 - 06:12 PM

saw him on whistle test..

begged my mum & dad to buy me "Marjory Razorblade" for xmas..
i must have been 14 at the time...........

[vague memories it might have been a special promotion low price double LP]

over the next few years i bought the his follow up LPs
saved up from my pocket money..

about 40p a week..

Subject: RE: Anyone remember Kevin Coyne?
From: GUEST,Alan Haken
Date: 25 Sep 11 - 06:49 AM

Just stumbled across this. I was also at the Kevin Coyne concert at Newcastle City Hall supporting Shakti circa 1976. I had never heard anything by him but was pursuaded by a friend to leave the bar and go and watch the support. What happened in the next 45 minutes astonished me and I have been a huge fan ever since. Good Boy, Fat Girl and Evil Island Home I can remember with great affection to this day. What an incredible voice. I must have seen Kevin about 10 times and every concert was just superb. Sadly missed.

Subject: RE: Anyone remember Kevin Coyne?
From: GUEST,Suibhne Astray
Date: 25 Sep 11 - 07:02 AM

Nice that we were there at the City Hall, Alan - I've still got fond memories of that gig - even Shakti, who I was recently digging on YouTube. Cracking stuff, but after Kevin Coyne it was hard to make the necessary adjustments...

Subject: RE: Anyone remember Kevin Coyne?
From: melodeonboy
Date: 25 Sep 11 - 01:55 PM

The LP, "Blame It On The Night" is exceptional!

Subject: RE: Anyone remember Kevin Coyne?
From: GUEST
Date: 25 Sep 11 - 03:17 PM

Hi thought I would join in the praise for Kevin Coyne. I saw him at Wardour when he launched blame it on the night. I saw him at Newcastle Theatre where he performed on his own. After a long gap I also saw him perform at theDFome at Whitley Bay and he was equally spellbinding. I agree with previous comments one of my favourite songs was Marjorie Razorblade but also close second is house on the hill. Thanks for the great songs and memories Kevin

Subject: RE: Anyone remember Kevin Coyne?
From: GUEST,Vinch
Date: 19 Nov 11 - 05:55 AM

Kevin:Oh Kevin

Subject: RE: Anyone remember Kevin Coyne?
From: Splott Man
Date: 19 Nov 11 - 06:04 AM

The above links are now dead so I couldn't check this.

I remember seeing him on a TV play about a flooded hotel. His band were on a podium isolated by the flood and occasionally sang a song that fitted the story.

Splott Man

Subject: RE: Anyone remember Kevin Coyne?
From: Rob Naylor
Date: 19 Nov 11 - 11:18 AM

Saw him several times at uni and just after...another vote for Marjorie Razorblade!

Subject: RE: Anyone remember Kevin Coyne?
From: GUEST,Mark C.
Date: 01 Aug 12 - 10:05 PM

Here's something to confirm the post above that Kevin once supported McLaughlin's Shakti group ... I got this poster on eBay: http://www.flickr.com/photos/naga3717/7695083032/in/photostream . It shows Kevin's autograph and note to "Graham and Chris" (look at the other photo after this one).

Subject: RE: Anyone remember Kevin Coyne?
From: David C. Carter
Date: 02 Aug 12 - 04:27 AM

Marjorie Razorblade and Blame It On The Night,get my vote too.

Mox did some stage work with him.

Subject: RE: Anyone remember Kevin Coyne?
From: GUEST,Treacle Bolly
Date: 02 Aug 12 - 11:50 AM

Used to drink with him early (to late !) evenings in a Youngs pub called The Plough on Wandsworth Road around 1976/77. Got to know him socially before I knew who he was or that he was involved with music. He often seemed (in retrospect) to prefer the company of non-musicians and talk about non-musical subjects. Last year also met Nick Cudworth (his former colleague in Siren who now paints and runs a gallery in Bath) when he did a series of songs and played keyboards one Saturday in Bath's Octagon Centre to "illustrate" an exhibition of his own paintings on pop music subjects.

Subject: RE: Anyone remember Kevin Coyne?
From: GUEST,Woodsie
Date: 03 Aug 12 - 08:20 AM

saw him at the roundhouse in about 1974. I remember him cavorting around the stage with a plastic chair on his head. I like the miner song "don't smack me jim" John Peel used to feature Coyne Clague around about 1970ish. i had an album by band called Siren/strange locomotion yanks ago but he was much better solo!

Subject: RE: Anyone remember Kevin Coyne?
From: GUEST,brasanski
Date: 17 Aug 13 - 12:05 PM

A true legend, remember buying his MR in Virgin's first shop, a record store above a shoe shop in London's Oxford St., cushions 'n' all. See www.siiye.com (one of the best 'net music mags around) for a couple of features on Kev the true coyne of the realm, and one scheduled on Cherry Red's excellent re-issues including Blame it on the Night, with memories by John Fiddler of Medicine Head fame. Cheers

Subject: RE: Anyone remember Kevin Coyne?
From: Jack Blandiver
Date: 25 May 14 - 04:23 AM

Saw him do this at aforementioned Newcastle City Hall concert in 1977*. Awesome just don't cover it!

Evil Island Home

* Not sure of the date, but there's a ticket from the Edinburgh gig on Ebay just now that says May 1977, which sounds about right. See HERE.