Kevin Coyne

**Kevin Coyne** (27 January 1944 – 2 December 2004) was an English musician, singer, composer, film-maker, and a writer of lyrics, stories and poems. The "anti-star" was born in Derby, Derbyshire, England, and died in his adopted home of Nuremberg, Bavaria, Germany.

Coyne is notable for his unorthodox style of blues-influenced guitar composition, the intense quality of his vocal delivery, and his bold treatment of injustice to the mentally ill in his lyrics. Many influential musicians have described themselves as Coyne fans, among them Sting and John Lydon. In the mid-1970s, prior to the formation of the Police, Coyne's band included guitarist Andy Summers. Prominent BBC disc jockey and world music authority Andy Kershaw described Coyne as "a national treasure who keeps getting better" and as one of the great British blues voices.

Over many years Coyne produced the distinctive art work for many of his own album covers but his move to Germany, in the 1980s, saw his work on full-size paintings blossom in its own right.

## Links to Kershaw

Kershaw once described Kevin Coyne as "a national treasure who keeps getting better" and as one of the great British blues voices. Coyne did many sessions for Kershaw, including his last one in November 2004, where he used a respirator, as he was terminally ill. Tragically he died a month after the session in his home in Germany. On 15 June 2017 Coyne was commemorated with the unveiling of a blue plaque at the University of Derby Art School, which Andy Kershaw was there to pay tribute.

## Sessions

1. Recorded: 1988-08-18. First Broadcast: 01 September 1988. Repeated: 27 October 1988

* The Chairman's Ball / Witch / Rambling Operator / Good Boy

2. Recorded: 1990-03-01. First Broadcast: 25 March 1990

* Daddy / Juliet And Mark / Sunshine Home / Back Home Boogie

3. Recorded: 1991-02-07. First Broadcast: 19 May 1991. Repeated: 29 September 1991

* Victoria Smiles / Dynamite Days / Evil Island Home / Karate King

4. Recorded: unknown. First Broadcast: 01 April 1999

* Bird Brain / My Wife's Best Friend / Lonesome Valley / Lunatic / Happy Little Fat Man

5. Recorded with Brendan Croker: unknown. First Broadcast: 05 April 2002

* Pass Me The Memories / Looking From My Window / Be Your Sugar Daddy / I Want To Sit With The Girls / Life Is Almost Wonderful

6. Recorded: unknown. First Broadcast: 07 November 2004. Repeated: 20 February 2005

* Smile Right Back / Locked Out / Hear Voices / Dark Dancehall / Weirdo

## Other Shows Played

1988
* 23 June 1988: No Revolution (LP - Stumbling On To Paradise) Line

1991
* 03 March 1991: The 17th Floor (album - Romance-Romance) Golden Hind
* 24 March 1991: Poor Swine
* 21 April 1991: Ey Up Me Duck (LP - Peel Sessions) Strange Fruit
* 16 June 1991: Brothers Of Mine
* 25 August 1991: Heaven In My View
* 15 September 1991: Lonesome Valley

1992
* 03 October 1992: American Girls (CD - Wild Tiger Love) Golden Hind
* Andy Kershaw Radio Tracks Tape 4: Burning Head (CD - Burning Head) Edition Multiart

1993
* 16 January 1993: Hope The Devil Don't Come
* 21 August 1993: Baby Blue (CD - Tough And Sweet) Golden Hind
* 11 September 1993: Growing Old

1994
* 27 August 1994: Stand Up For England (CD - Elvira: Songs From The Archives 1979-83) Golden Hind
* 17 September 1994: Stand Up For England (CD - Elvira Songs From The Archives 1979-83) Golden Hind

1995
* 12 March 1995: God Bless The Bride (CD - Case History) See For Miles
* 02 April 1995: God Bless The Bride (album - Case History...Plus) See For Miles Records Ltd. SEECD 410

1999
* 04 March 1999: Lonesome Valley (CD - Marjory Razorblade) Virgin
* 15 April 1999: Sugar Candy Taxi (CD - Sugar Candy Taxi) Ruf
* 13 May 1999: Bird Brain (CD - Sugar Candy Taxi) Ruf
* 20 May 1999: I'm Into Your Game (CD - Sugar Candy Taxi) Ruf
* 08 July 1999: Highway Of Dreams (CD - Sugar Candy Taxi) Ruf

2001
* 21 December 2001: Turpentine (CD - Matching Head And Feet) Virgin

2002
* 29 March 2002: I Want To Sit With The Girls (CD - Life Is Almost Wonderful) Not On Label

2003
* 14 February 2003: Rolling And Tumbling (CD - Carnival) Ruf

2004
* 18 July 2004: Big Fat Bird (CD - Donut City) Turpentine
* 10 October 2004: Smile Right Back (CD - Donut City) Turpentine
* 19 December 2004: Brothers Of Mine (CD - Dynamite Daze) Virgin
* 19 December 2004: Mrs Hooley Go Home (CD - Matching Head And Feet) Virgin
* 19 December 2004: Dynamite Daze (CD - Dynamite Daze) Virgin
* 19 December 2004: Smile Right Back (BBC Recording)
* 19 December 2004: Heaven In My View (CD - Marjory Razorblade) Virgin

2005
* 02 January 2005: House On The Hill (CD - Marjory Razorblade) Virgin
* 13 February 2005: Smile Right Back (CD - Donut City) Turpentine
* 10 April 2005: Smile Right Back (session)
* 07 August 2005: Over Land And Sea (CD - One Day In Chicago) Buried Treasure

2006
* 19 February 2006: Underground (CD - Underground) Turpentine
* 12 March 2006: Baby Billy (CD - Underground) Turpentine
* 02 April 2006: Silence Silence (CD - Underground) Turpentine

2021
* Andy Kershaw Podcast Episode 5: Dynamite Days (CD - Dynamite Daze) Virgin

## External Links

* Wikipedia
* Discogs
* Official Website