Nuremberg
Following a nervous breakdown and increasing difficulties with drink, Coyne left the UK in 1985. He settled in Nuremberg, Germany and having given up alcohol, never stopped recording and touring, as well as writing books and exhibiting his paintings. A selection of Coyne's writings, including many of his poems, can be viewed on the internet.
Coyne’s move to Germany saw his writing and painting career truly blossom. He published four books, two of which, Showbusiness and Party Dress, by Serpent's Tail in London. There were numerous exhibition of his visual work throughout Europe and the response was reassuringly strong. Those in Berlin, Amsterdam and Zürich being particularly well reviewed and attended. The paintings gained some notoriety and still attract commercial attention today.
In the late 1980s Coyne acted on stage, playing the small part of a rock star in Linie Eins (Line One), a German musical, at the Nuremberg opera house, but appearing only at the very end of the play. His 1995 album, The Adventures Of Crazy Frank, was based on a stage musical about English comedian Frank Randle - with Coyne in the title role. It also starred the singer Julia Kempken who was erroneously listed in the Guardian obituary as Kevin's wife. Kempken later wrote fondly of this mistake, suggesting that her performance on stage as Randle's wife had been so strong as to transform her, in the eyes of the press, into Kevin's actual wife. In reality Kevin married only twice, first to Lesley and second to Helmi, having another relationship between the two which saw the birth of his son Nico.
In Germany his sons from his first marriage, Eugene and Robert, appeared on recordings such as "Tough And Sweet" (1993) and "Sugar Candy Taxi" (1999), with guitarist and multi-instrumentalist Robert joining his band. His later German recordings, including Knocking On Your Brain (1997) often featured the "Paradise Band". In later years he also collaborated with Brendan Croker on Life Is Almost Wonderful, with Jon Langford of The Mekons (on One Day In Chicago) and with Gary Lucas once of Captain Beefheart's The Magic Band (on Knocking On Your Brain). A reunion with original Siren members Dave Clague and Nick Cudworth happened for a John Peel's Dandelion Records DVD, alongside solo performances by Coyne. Siren performed all material for the film without any prior rehearsals.
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