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Newsletter 05/2003

English tour in late june

I'm sorry for the delay in writing. recent events (like the discovery of fibrosis in my lungs, an illness that causes shortage of breath, problems climbing stairs and requires me to take in oxygen at least 16 hours a day) have taken the edge off things of late. Fortunately, however, I can still sing with the same power, still think and create like normal. All the shows this year have been well received (particularly Vienna) and the addition of German ace guitarist Andreas Blüml to the live line-up has been a wonderful bonus. My future recording plans include both Andreas and my son Robert. I'm expecting terrific results when we start work in May. Future gigs include shows in London (the Borderline) and Cheltenham Town Hall, all part of a very brief tour of England I'm making in late June. Other shows include Ingolstadt in Germany and Graz in Austria, both in May, and possible appearances in Belgium in early August. The exact details of all these gigs are featured at the end of this piece. My artistic career is still flourishing. I've been painting and drawing like a man possessed this past few months. Some of the results should be on display at a mixed exhibition in Nürnberg later in the year. My Teddy Bear show ended at the Nürnberg Toy museum in March. The response from the public was a delight, the sight of the old and young enjoying the exhibits (my bear collection exhibited in glass cases acting out scenes from their daily lives with backdrops painted by me) was most uplifting. I don't think I've enjoyed myself so much in ages. Finally: plans are in the works to release a lot of my live material from the past twenty odd years on C.D. Keep in touch with the website for further information.
Thanks, as ever, for your support. I hope I get to meet some of you before the year is out.
Take care
Kevin Coyne
P.S. The lung fibrosis is not according to the specialist doctor, caused by smoking ( I was a heavy addict until seven years ago). It seems I'm just an unfortunate victim of an illness that has no known causes.
I'm hopeful of a cure at some point. Cortisone can prove effective. Keep your fingers crossed for me. I'm also told that a house by the sea would help. Keep your fingers crossed for that too, as I know the sea air could do wonders for my breathing.
Finally yet again: A million thanks to Ivan Beavis in London for helping us out on a recent private visit. Ivan, you're a true friend - even though you're a Man United supporter. May the gods smile on you and your family forever.

Newsletter 01/2003

German tour starts on the 14th of february

My December gig and exhibition in Chicago with Mekon Jon Langford was a great success. The gig, at the Old Town Music School, was well attended (probably the best ever crowd for me in the U.S.) and drew a wonderfully warm response. I can't wait to get back there and do some more. Chicago appears (judging by the excellent review in the Chicago Herald Tribune) to have taken me to its heart.

The Teddy bear project in the Nürnberg Toy Museum has turned out to be a real hit with teddy lovers young and old. A twenty minute documentary featuring myself and my wife, Helmi, talking with and about our bear collection is to be shown on Bavarian T.V. some time in the near future. I hope some of you can get to see it, as we think the director, Ernst Gortner, has made a splendidly witty and lighthearted film. We love it.

Our nine date tour of Germany (including shows in Vienna and Switzerland) starts on the 14th of February. My band will be Werner Steinhauser (drums), Harry Hirschmann (bass) and new man Andreas Blüml on guitar. The set will include songs from my latest album "Carnival"(released on February 3 by Ruf ) When I was in Chicago I recorded a number of new songs with Jon Langford and The Pine Valley Cosmonauts. It's my wish that some of them are released later in the year. A new version of "Saviour" is already due to appear on "The Executioner's Last Song" Volume 2 on Bloodshot Records, a collection of anti death penalty tunes. My fingers are firmely crossed, as I've already (unusually for me) developed a real fondness for the new stuff.

New projects keep me interested.
To close, I'd like to thank everybody for their christmas and birthday greetings. We always like to hear from you.
What would we do without your support?
I'll be in touch again soon.
Take care and thanks,
Kevin Coyne

P.S. The November 2002 Kevin Coyne - Brendan Croker tour of Belgium and Holland was incredibly well attended. The response to our largely improvised set of songs from the "Life is almost wonderful" C.D was, in the main, astounding. We must do it again.
The dates for the February German tour are attached to this piece.
Boris Tomschiczek's half hour "One Room Man" documentary, a black and white film of me singing and talking about my work, is proving to be a great success (a January 27th showing at the Rotterdam film festival was a well attended hit).
The film will also be shown at festivals in :
Nyon, Switzerland "Visions du Reel"
Helsinki, Finland "Illumination 2003" and other places. Sorry I haven't got more details, but look out for it.