Coyne was born in Derby on 27 January 1944 and educated at Joseph Wright School of Art (1957-1961) then Derby College of Art (1961-1965) where he studied graphics and painting, obtaining the N.D.D. in 1965. Early musical influences were Little Richard, Fats Domino, Chuck Berry and later (at art school), Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker and Jimmy Reed.
Coyne's first job was a social therapist at Whittingham Hospital, Lancashire (1965-1968). In late 1968 he moved to London, starting work for the Soho project as a counsellor for drug addicts in 1969. This work was a source for many of his early songs and remains a major influence today.
In 1973 a youthful and idealistic Coyne signed as a solo artist for "Virgin Records" (after a five album spell with Siren on Dandelion Records) proceeding to make eleven LPs over the next eight years. During this period he recorded with the likes of Andy Summers, Zoot Money, Carla Bley (for her album "Silence") and Dagmar Krause. It was a productive time in his career, with tours of Australia, Europe, Canada, the U.S.A. and work in the theatre (the self-composed musicals "Babble" and "England, England"). Life was hectic. Something had to give.
A complete nervous breakdown came in 1981, the main causes being alcoholism and overwork. After leaving "Virgin Records," he created a succession of dark, brooding albums for the label "Cherry Red."
The year 1985 was one of big changes. Coyne left London and resettled in Nuremberg, Germany. The move was a good one, resulting in formation of a German group (The Paradise Band), a fresh recording career and a drastic change in life-style. He quit drinking for good in 1987. Ten albums had been recorded in Germany. The musical future continued to look bright and positive.
Kevin Coyne's writing, painting career had truly blossomed in Germany. Four books had been published with one still in print. (Two, "Show Business" and "The Party Dress", were published by "Serpent's Tail" in London) and numerous exhibition of his visual work have been mounted throughout Europe. The response to his work has often been reassuringly strong. Exhibitions in Berlin, Amsterdam, and Zurich were particularly well reviewed and attended.
Since the mid-eighties the irrepressible Coyne had instigated and been involved in numerous special projects. "Burning Head" (1992) for instance, was a limited edition of one thousand CDs, sold with an exclusive Coyne original picture for each record. "The Adventures of Crazy Frank" (1995) which evolved from a record into an improvised stage musical about the life of English comic Frank Randle featuring Coyne as Randle and Nuremberg dancer, singer Julia Kempken as his wife was performed in Germany and Austria.
"Tough and Sweet" (1993) is a free wheeling collection of over twenty rock and blues influenced songs that just happens to be the first ever Coyne album to use the talents of his musical sons, Robert and Eugene.
"Knocking on Your Brain" is a double album, recorded in Duisburg late 1996 and utilizes the writing and musical talents of top German musicians Ali Neander (Rodgau Montones, Xavier Naidoo), Tom Liwa (Flowerpornos), Ralf Gustke (Gianna Nannini) and Willy Wagner (ex Rio Reiser). Special guest on the CD is guitarist Gary Lucas, formerly with the Magic Band, Jeff Buckley, Joan Osborne (he was nominated for a Grammy Award for his writing on her record), Nick Cave, Lou Reed, and Leonard Bernstein. His slide guitar playing and arrangement of the opening track "Wonderland" is a delight, as are Kevin's vocals, lyrics and improvising. The 20 songs that make up the CD were recorded in just three days.
The years 1998 and '99 had seen Coyne recording and touring constantly. His CD, "Sugar Candy Taxi," included the playing and songwriting talents of his sons Robert and Eugene. A new touring group developed (no longer called the Paradise Band) that featured Robert Coyne on guitar and keyboards with Steve Smith on drums. The 1999 touring schedule included the U.S., Germany, Switzerland, and Holland as well as other locations. Reception was excellent throughout. The change to a new record label in 1999 - from Rockport to Ruf Records - appeared to be a very positive move. With "Sugar Candy Taxi," his first release for Ruf Records, Coyne immediately reached a larger international audience.
Beginning in 2000, the following recordings were released - some posthumously:
• Room Full of Fools (2000)
• Life is Almost Wonderful (with Brendan Croker) (2002)
• Carnival (2002)
• Donut City (2004)
• One Day In Chicago (with Jon Langford) (2005)
• Underground (2006)
Diagnosed with lung fibrosis in 2002, Coyne died peacefully at his home.
He is survived by his wife Helmi and his sons Eugene, Robert and Nico.
White Horse
Kevin Coyne Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Wearing a band of gold around your hooves
Collecting the stars, the glint of the stars
In your great and empty eye
The drink I drink is a drink as strong as
The strongest poison in the land
Riding on the back of my horse with his golden band
His great and empty eye
That had never smiled, never noticed me
I would like to think of that he dreamt of me
When he went to sleep at night
That he thought I was the special thing in his life
But to those great eyes, they see nothing
They don't profess poetry
Don't profess insight into me
Now I stand on empty man
Beside the stable door on the stud farm
And the green and gray attendant
Hands me straw, says, "Go feed the horses"
You know, of course he's a dreaming talking horse
Who wears gold bands around his feet
And dreams of stars, and dreams of stars
In his empty eye, in his empty eye
The song "White Horse" by Kevin Coyne explores the idea of unrequited love and the way it consumes the mind. The white horse is a metaphor for the person the singer is in love with or obsessed with, who they envision riding across their mind. The band of gold around the horse's hooves represents the person's untouchable status, possibly married or in a committed relationship. The horse collects the stars, representing the unrealistic ideals and fantasies the singer has about the person. The horse's empty eye is a symbol of the person's lack of interest or acknowledgement of the singer's love.
The singer expresses their desire to be in the horse's thoughts and dreams, to be seen as special to them, even though they know it will never happen. The drink the singer drinks is so strong it's like poison, suggesting they are numbing themselves to their unfulfilled desires. The singer is left feeling empty and insignificant, standing beside a stable door, being handed straw to feed horses, including the white horse of their obsession.
Overall, "White Horse" is a somber, introspective song that highlights the painful nature of unreciprocated love and the way it can consume thoughts and emotions.
Line by Line Meaning
White horse, riding across my mind
A metaphor for a subconscious thought or idea that's difficult to ignore
Wearing a band of gold around your hooves
The white horse symbolizes something precious and valuable, like a wedding ring on a finger
Collecting the stars, the glint of the stars
Possibly referring to memories, thoughts or experiences - things that shine brightly in the mind
In your great and empty eye
The white horse represents something significant yet incomplete or unfulfilled
The drink I drink is a drink as strong as
The artist drinks something that's as potent and intoxicating as poison
The strongest poison in the land
Highlighting the dangerous nature of their addiction or coping mechanism
Riding on the back of my horse with his golden band
The singer clings to the white horse as a coping mechanism while ignoring its flaws
Who catches the stars in his eye
The white horse represents something that's difficult to ignore and brightens up the artist's life
His great and empty eye
The symbol of the white horse is incomplete and void of emotion
That had never smiled, never noticed me
The white horse doesn't offer comfort or acknowledgement to the artist
I would like to think of that he dreamt of me
The singer desires some attention or affirmation from the white horse
When he went to sleep at night
The artist wishes the white horse had some kind of emotional depth or attachment to them
That he thought I was the special thing in his life
The singer craves a sense of purpose or significance, an assurance of their worth
But to those great eyes, they see nothing
The white horse is incapable of recognizing or valuing the singer's worth
They don't profess poetry
The white horse doesn't offer any kind of romantic, emotional or artistic expression
Don't profess insight into me
The white horse doesn't contribute to understanding the artist's feelings or thoughts
Now I stand on empty man
The artist seems hollow or drained of energy and substance
Beside the stable door on the stud farm
A metaphorical or literal location that highlights the discord between the singer's desires and reality
And the green and gray attendant
An ancillary character who delivers a neutral, almost sedate message
Hands me straw, says, "Go feed the horses"
The attendant offers a mundane task when the artist is in search for excitement or affirmation
You know, of course he's a dreaming talking horse
The white horse represents an ideal or unattainable goal that the artist clings to
Who wears gold bands around his feet
The white horse represents something valuable yet unattainable
And dreams of stars, and dreams of stars
A recurring reference to something unattainable but desired
In his empty eye, in his empty eye
A reminder that the object of the artist's desire isn't complete and unable to fully return the affections
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: LANIER FERGUSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
JoyDivision88
Ah still got the vinyl in the loft. Great stuff. RIP Kevin. Miss Ya.
callywag1
Been searching for this album for years ! cheers mate !
Mista Fab
Thanx for sharing..am only just discovering this genius
Ralf Koch
Case History!!
somethingnoisy
stoic demon ritualizer