Kevin Coyne (1944-2004) was a great artist and a strange guy. He made some great records, he was very sensitive and he had some trouble with the booze. Just like me, minus the artistry, the records and the sensitivity. At least, I am strange, too. The very first song written and performed by him I came to know was "Marlene". It is so wonderful a song that I do not want to say anything about it for fear of destroying the marvellous mood it creates. And I do not feature some of the later versions to be found on UTUBE because I can't stand to look at old Kevin, marked and scarred by life and simply raddled. I once owned the single version of the song (flip side: Sea of love, there were two singles w/h different flip sides), and the first album I did own by Kevin was "Matching Head and Feet", featuring a guy called Andy Summers (of whom you might have heard) on the guitar. There is the nice story that my friend Samir Köck gave my copy of that album (which I had left with him) to Kevin, who did not have one any more, or so. Nevertheless, later on, I bought another copy of that fine album. Furthermore, Nikki Sudden (1956-2006), another one of my Brit-Non-Pop heroes, and another one who has already passed away, is featured with a version of that song about a girl called Marlene on a tribute album to Kevin, released after Sudden's death, at least you can get a glimpse of it here
Cheers for Kevin!
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