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Newsletter 11/2002

New CD: Carnival

Our trip to America turned out to be a real delight, with lots of laughter, lots of travel and some outstanding performances by my rock solid band of Robert Coyne, Michael Lipton and James Little.

'Shubas' in Chicago was the best gig, although an afternoon's performance in an old folk's home in Fredericksburg, Virginia (where I was mistakenly taken for a resident) was probably the most memorable. The life of a rock starlet has many twists and turns.

My new C.D 'Carnival' will be released by Ruf records around this time. It's a record that features heavily the innovative and often startling talents of my son Robert ably assisted by Werner Steinhauser (drums) and the melodically gifted guitarist Michael Lipton. I'm pleased with the result. Hope you like it too.

This December will see my return to the U.S with Robert to perform alongside artist Mekon Jon Langford at the Old Town School,Chicago. An exhibition of my work (together with Jon's) will also take place. The concert's on the 14th of December. It should be quite an event. My November duo shows in Belgium and Holland with Brendan Croker are proving to be a genuine success, with excellent attendances and a wonderfully warm response from everybody. It appears the mixtures of improvised lyrics and strong songs (with a dash of humour) really works. Expext more of the same in the new year. A band tour of Germany and Switzerland (featuring Werner Steinhause, Harry Hirschmann and new guitarist Andreas Blüml) is planned for February 2003. The gigs will feature material from the 'Carnival' C.D and some old favourites. Check this website regularly for more details.

And finally....! The 'Teddy Coyne Cosmos', an exhibition of large paintings of teddy bears plus cabinets full of bears from the Coyne private collection 'in action' is running at the Nürnberg Toy Museum from Nov 19th to March 23rd 2003. The show's already received high praise from the press and is being heralded as 'a delight for young and old'. Self designed coffee mugs and postcards of the bears can be purchased ( a CD of bear songs, four have already been written, is also planned). Once again, check the website for additional details. So, that's about all for now.

Hope everyone has a wonderful christmas and new year. I'll be keeping in touch. Thanks for your support.
Kevin Coyne

Newsletter 06/2002

Limited Edition: "Life is almost wonderful" - American Tour - August 2002

Dear Friends,
This year has been a little more relaxed than usual ... less touring, fewer nights in dark hotels. My eight gig English tour in March 2002 with Brendan Croker (an excellent guitarist and songwriter from Leeds) proved to be a genuine success. We had lots of fun. Playing and singing with Brendan was one of the more pleasurable things I've done in the past few years. Our appearance together on BBC's Andy Kershaw show received lots of positive feedback too. Andy's passion for what we do made everything go with the swing. There was much laughter around.

More gigs with Brendan are being organised for October/November in Belgium, Holland and possibly France. A limited edition CD of our show, called "Life is almost wonderful" is available at gigs and on this website.

My art career continues to prosper. A recent exhibition at the Max Beck Gallery in Erlangen, Germany got excellent reviews and I've just heard from Jon Langford (founder member of the Mekons and noted artist) of the possibility of exhibitions and shows together in Chicago and Austin, Texas in December 2002. I'm looking forward to taking part in the latter. It should be a fine thing to do.

A tour of selected American cities takes place throughout the month of August 2002. Details of venues should be appearing on the site soon.

My website is currently being thoroughly overhauled and you should be seeing the results in the very near future. The site will include lots of new paintings and hopefully more writings plus some music to download.

This month has seen the completion of the next Kevin Coyne CD, tentatively called "Blue Carnival", recorded in Nürnberg and London. The whole package should be available in September/October 2002 on Ruf Records.

My multi instrumentalist son Robert and one of my favourite drummers, Werner Steinhauser, are featured heavily on the new record. I'm really pleased with it.

I'm sad to report the untimely death of Steve Smith from London, highly talented drummer and stalwart of recent concerts and records. His natural talent will be sorely missed. God bless his soul.

This is all for now. I just hope England win the World Cup and I get a knighthood at some point in the future (hahahahahaha).

All the best, Kevin

P.S.: Thanks for your support. Keep listening and looking.