THE_SIREN

THE 'SIREN' YEARS

The history of the band SIREN is not very clear and recording sessions informations are numerous and doubtful too...
Basically:
- Siren existed beteween 1969 and 1971 with Coyne, Clague, Cudworth and numerous other musicians
- There released two official albums SIREN (1969) and STRANGE LOCOMOTION (1971)
- No-one really knows what the "lost Siren album" exactly was...

- In 1981, Clague issued 6 cassettes of unreleased studio stuff

- In 1994, he issued these 6 cassettes as 3 CDs: RABBITS, LET'S DO IT and THE CLUB RONDO
- In 2005, he issued another CD called RUFFSTUFF
- Other circulating CDs include: THE SIREN YEARS (Excalibur), ROGER & TAT'S and LIVE AT ROBERT'S HOUSE / LIVE AT TAT'S HOUSE. (both boots). More or less, these 3 and Clague's RUFFSTUFF offer the same material.

- In 2006, Cherry Red Records reissued the Siren's singles as part of the COMPLETE DANDELION RECORDS SINGLE COLLECTION (beautiful sound).

- Again, in September 2007, the same Cherry Red reissued most of the Siren stuff in THE DANDELION YEARS 1969-1972 box set (the 2 Siren albums + Kevin's first solo album CASE HISTORY). This box set has a great and very documented essay about the Siren years by Michael Heatley.

Kevin Coyne met Nick Cudworth (piano, acoustic guitar) in Art College in the 60s. Joined by Dave Clague (bass, acoustic guitar, who had been guitarist with The Bonzo Dog Band), they recorded their first demo in 1969 - "with a bus conductor who also happened to play drums". The demo was: The Stride, I Wonder Where, Mandy Lee and Bootle Up And Go (not sure if these demos are unreleased...)

John Chichester (lead guitar), Dave Gibbons (guitar) and Tat Meager (drums) will then join the band soon to be called SIREN.

• The band almost gets a deal with Blue Horizon under the name Coyne Clague.

Mandy Lee (KC/DC), an unissued demo (recorded Mar 12 1969 with two other unknown and unreleased demos at Marquee Studio, London) is now included on disc 3 of the BLUE HORIZON STORY 1965-1970 VOL.1 (3 CDs), Columbia 488992-2, released in 1997. IMAGE

Musicians are Kevin Coyne with Nick Cudworth (piano), Dave Clague (bass), John Chichester (guitar), Dave Gibbons (guitar) and Tat Meager (drums).

By the way, this BLUE HORIZON STORY box set also includes a song by Gordon Smith - a future Kevin Coyne band key member - see here.

The Blue Horizon deal fell through, as did the deal with Harvest Records. They sent Mike Raven (from the BBC and Transatlantic Records) a demo tape (apparently under the Coyne Clague name) - he passed it on to DJ John Peel, who loved it and signed the band to his own fledgling label, Dandelion. Another story tells that the tape was sent to Peel without a return adress so that John Peel actually pasted 'wanted' notices on the lamposts around his home... and finally got in touch with them again!
Elektra's president Jac Holzman was very impressed by the demos and agreed to distribute their subsequent albums in US. (Later, Holzman tried to have Kevin Coyne fill Morrison's shoes in the Doors just after Morrison died... Kevin declined).

Two singles released, almost simultaneously by Dandelion, mistakenly released under the name "Clague"...

• SINGLE: CLAGUE: Mandy Lee (KC/DC) (2:00) / Bottle Up And Go (Trad. arr. KC) (3:00)

Dandelion S4493, 1969

Line up on Mandy Lee same as the Blue Horizon demo although this is a different version (no piano, different key).

On Bottle Up And Go: Kevin Coyne, Clague and Cudworth.

Both songs now appear on RABBITS , the COMPLETE DANDELION RECORDS SINGLE COLLECTION) and THE DANDELION YEARS 1969-1972 box set.

(Clive Product, in his Beautiful Extremes book, says that A-side is Bottle up and Go and B-side is Mandy Lee...?)

• SINGLE: CLAGIE: The Stride (KC/DC) / I Wonder Where (KC/NC) ART

Dandelion S4494, 1969

Line up: Kevin Coyne with Nick Cudworth (piano), Dave Clague (bass), John Chichester (guitar) and Tat Meager (drums).
I Wonder Where : Kevin and Cudworth (acoustic guitar).

The Stride was included on the US version of STRANGE LOCOMOTION LP.

It can now be found on the CD version of of STRANGE LOCOMOTION, on the RABBITS CD and THE DANDELION YEARS 1969-1972 box set.

I Wonder Where is the same as the SIREN LP .
The Stride and I Wonder Where are now included on the COMPLETE DANDELION RECORDS SINGLE COLLECTION .

I once read ('Trouser Press' Jan. 78) that these two singles were the four songs from the original demo... yet, these singles feature a lead guitar when the demo was supposed to be Coyne, Cudworth, Clague and the bus driver on drums...

The Stride single remained one of John Peel's favorites, and one the singles he kept in his legendary "small, battered wooden box [in which] the much-loved DJ kept a precious selection of 7 inch singles that meant more to him than any of the others", a box to be saved in case of emergency...

OFFICIAL LP: SIREN ART

Different artwork for US release

Dandelion 63755 / Elektra D9-104 in USA, 1969

Recorded at Regent Sound Studio, London

Produced by Dave Clague and Tom Allom (executive producers: John Peel and Pig)

Kevin Coyne with Nick Cudworth (piano, guitar), Dave Clague (bass, guitar), John Chichester (guitar), Tat Meager (drums) and Colin Wood (flute*, piano**)

Ze-Ze-Ze-Ze (KC/DC/NC) 3:04

Get Right Church (McDowell, arr. KC) 3:19

Rock Me Baby (King, Josea, arr. KC) 3:29

Wake Up My Children (KC/DC/NC) * 3:36

Wasting My Time (KC/DC/NC) 2:49

Sixteen Women (KC/DC/NC) 2:46

First Time I Saw Your Face (KC/DC/NC) 2:52

Gardner Man (KC/DC/NC) 3:32

And I Wonder (KC/NC) 2:46

The War Is Over (KC/DC) ** 4:48

Asylum (KC/NC) 3:44

Bertha Lee (Petway, arr. KC) 3:17

I Wonder Where (KC/NC) 5:08

45:23

Siren, the band first LP, is an excellent album, on the blues side of the band. The song Asylum is already like a first draft of CASE HISTORY.

First CD release by Green Tree Records, GTR 013, in 1993 including - strangely - an article by John Tobler for Zig-Zag mag from September 1972, article about CASE HISTORY, instead of the original poem called 'My Favorite Zebra' which appeared on the LP sleeve.
Also rereleased as a 2CD SIREN / STRANGE LOCOMOTION minus two songs: The War Is Over and Fetch Me My Woman (See For Miles SEECD 413) released 1994 IMAGE

Third CD release as part of the THE DANDELION YEARS 1969-1972 box set .

In 2008, Airmail Recordings (Japan) rereleased Siren (Airac 1460), Strange Locomotion (Airac 1462) and Case History (Airac 1470), along with 13 other Dandelion artists cds, all presented in facsimile paper sleeves. The cds are also available as three boxed sets - Set A - AIRAC-1455 to AIRAC-1459 Set B - AIRAC-1460 to AIRAC-1465 Set C - AIRAC-1466 to AIRAC-1470

• BOOK: Exit Issue #3 and 4 (The Zoo Issue) (no date, circa 1969), an art and poetry mag with artwork by friend of Kevin Ian Breakwell and poetry by Kevin Coyne.

RADIO: BBC (John Peel, Top Gear), recorded Aug 8 1969, brodcast Sep 24 1969
KC with Nick Cudworth (piano), Dave Clague (bass), Martin Sax* (lead guitar), Tat Meager (drums)
The Stride (KC/DC)
I Wonder Where (KC/NC)
Sixteen Women (KC/DC/NC)
Get Right Church (McDowell, arr. KC)
This BBC session has never been released, official or unofficial. Anyone has that somewhere?
*or Martin "Sachs", who briefly replaced John Chichester and was soon to be replaced by Mick Gratton.

• SINGLE: Ze-Ze-Ze-Ze (KC/DC/NC) / And I Wonder (KC/NC) IMAGE

Elektra, US only, 1970

(both songs from the SIREN LP)

Lead guitarist John Chichester replaced by Mick Gratton.

RADIO: BBC (Stuart Henry; Sound of the Seventies), recorded Aug 20 1970, brodcast Aug 27 1970
KC with Nick Cudworth (piano), Dave Clague (bass), Mick Gratton (lead guitar), Tat Meager (drums)
Cheat Me [KC/DC/NC]
God Bless The Bride [KC/NC]
Lonesome Ride (KC/NC)
Soon (KC/NC)
This BBC session has never been released, official or unofficial. Anyone has that somewhere?

OFFICIAL LP: STRANGE LOCOMOTION IMAGE

DAN 8001, 1971

Recorded at CBS Studio

Produced by Dave Clague

Kevin Coyne with Nick Cudworth (piano, guitar), Dave Clague (bass, guitar), Mick Gratton (guitar) and Tat Meager (drums)

Relaxing With Bonnie Lou (KC/NC) 3:22

Some Dark Day (KC/NC) 3:30

Hot Potato (KC/DC/NC) 4:07 [different form RABBITS]

Soon (KC/NC) 3:45

Gigolo (KC/NC) 4:24 [not on US version]

I'm All Aching (KC/NC) 3:01

Strange Locomotion (KC/DC/NC) 2:58

Shake My Hand 3:17 [not on US version]

Lonesome Ride (KC/NC) 2:20

Fetch Me My Woman (KC/DC/NC) 7:40

Fat Moaning Minnie (KC/NC) 2:50 [not on US version]

Squeeze Me (KC/DC/NC) 2:35 [different form THE SIREN YEARS]

41:27 (?)

Even better than SIREN, the band gracefully mixes blues, boogie and acoustic ballads. Essential. The song Strange locomotion remained a stage favorite thirty years later.

Here is the Dandelion press release for the LP and a Dandelion ad: ""Siren's first album was the biggest bomb we had last year".

Dandelion had released a promotional kit for Stange Locomtion: says Kevin: "[it] was pretty good. definelty a thing to have".

First CD release on Golden Hind/Rockport records CD 388 7014.42 in 1994 with bonus tracks "The Stride" and "Mandy Lee" (the two 1969 singles also available on RABBITS).
Also rereleased as a 2CD SIREN / STRANGE LOCOMOTION minus two songs: The War Is Over and Fetch Me My Woman ( See For Miles SEECD 413) released 1994 IMAGE

Third CD release as part of the THE DANDELION YEARS 1969-1972 box set .

• SINGLE: Strange Locomotion (KC/DC/NC) / I'm All Aching (KC/NC) ART

Dandelion DAN7002 / K 190004, 1971

(both songs from the album)
This single is now included in the COMPLETE DANDELION RECORDS SINGLE COLLECTION

• OFFICIAL LP: STRANGE LOCOMOTION (US) IMAGE

Elektra EKS-74087, 1971 (different artwork with cutout sleeve and tracklist - see below)

Relaxing With Bonnie Lou (KC/NC) 3:22

Some Dark Day (KC/NC) 3:30
Lillian (KC/NC) 2:39 [not on UK version, unavailable anywhere else]

The Stride (KC/DC) 2:30 [single, not on UK version]

I'm All Aching (KC/NC) 3:01

Strange Locomotion (KC/DC/NC) 2:58

Lonesome Ride (KC/NC) 2:20

Fetch Me My Woman (KC/DC/NC) 7:40

Hot Potato (KC/DC/NC) 4:07 [different form RABBITS]

Soon (KC/NC) 3:45

Squeeze Me (KC/DC/NC) 2:35 [different form THE SIREN YEARS]

This US release of Strange Locomotion – and thus the song Lilian – have never been released on CD.

• VARIOUS ARTISTS EP: DANDELION SAMPLER

DAN7001, four-track seven-inch picture sleeve, 1971.

Bands are: Principal Edwards Magic Theater: "The Asmoto Running Band", Stack Waddy: "Mothballs", Siren: "Lonesome Ride" (from the STRANGE LOCOMOTION album), The Way We Live: "King Dick II". All those songs are now included in the COMPLETE DANDELION RECORDS SINGLE COLLECTION.
Here is an ad for the Dandelion sampler

In 1981, Dave Clague released 6 cassettes of unreleased Siren studio recordings: BLUES BEFORE SUNRISE, ROGERS &TATS, THE CLUB RONDO, RABBITS, folllowed by LET'S DO IT and RABBITS TWO.

BLUES BEFORE SUNRISE cassette

Side A

Blues Before Sunrise [Carr. Arr. KC]

I Need You [KC/DC]

John The Baptist

The Lunatic Laughs [KC/NC]

Big Pistol Mama [KC/NC]

Hot Potato [KC/DC/NC]

Side B

Start Walking [KC/DC]

Let's Dance [KC/DC]

Forked Lightning [KC/DC/NC]

Wait Until Dark

Little Old Death [KC/NC]

Old Age [KC/NC]

Personnel: Kevin Coyne (vocals, harmonica), Dave Clague (bass, guitar), Nick Cudworth (piano, guitar), Colin Wood (piano on I Need You), John Chichester (guitar), Mick Sweeney (guitar on John The Baptist and The Lunatic Laughs), Dave Gibbons (guitar on Start Walking, Let's Dance and Forked Lightning), Tat Meager (drums), Pete Phillips (drums on Hot Potato).

All the songs would latter appear on the RABBITS CD, except Little Old Age and Old Age who would appear on the CLUB RONDO. Some of the line-ups listed above differ from those on the Rabbits artwork.

ROGER'S AND TAT'S cassette

Side A

At Roger's

Blues Before Sunrise [Carr. Arr. KC]

Forked Lightning [KC/DC/NC]

That's Nice

Hush Your Mouth

Start Walking [KC/DC]

Side B

At Tat's

West Helena

Grow

Don't Worry

Bottle Up and Go [Trad. Arr. KC]

Squeeze Me [KC/DC/NC]

Blues Is Killing Me

Personnel:

Side A: Kevin Coyne (vocals), Dave Clague (bass), Nick Cudworth (piano), Tat Meager (drums), John Chichester (guitar), Dave Gibbons (guitar). Side B: Kevin Coyne (vocals), Dave Clague (bass), Nick Cudworth (piano), Friends (percussion).

All the songs and more would latter appear on the SIREN YEARS bootleg CD.

THE CLUB RONDO cassette Labelled "9-10 pm Tues. 24th March"

All songs by KC/DC/NC

Side A

Where Are You Going To?

Back To Chuch

Got To Get Right Away

Jack

I'm Alright Here

If Only

Side B

Club Rondo

On Holiday

Brandy In My Tea

Scunthorpe Dictator

Tighten Up

Bennett and Packet

March-Bavaria

Personnel: Kevin Coyne (vocals), Dave Clague (guitar), Nick Cudworth (piano, guitar).

All the songs and more would latter appear on the CLUB RONDO CD.

RABBITS cassette

Side A

Stride [KC/DC]

Mandy Lee [KC/DC]

Marilyn [KC/DC]

Why, Why? [KC/DC]

Cheat Me [KC/DC/NC] single (see The 70s)

Whole Lot of Shaking [Williams/David]

Side B

Flowering Cherry [KC/DC/NC] single (see The 70s)

Trouble In Mind [Jones]

God Bless The Bride [KC/NC]

Till The End Of Time

Bottle Up And Go [Trad. Arr. KC]

Personnel: Kevin Coyne : Vocals Dave Clague : Bass, Guitar Nick Cudworth : Piano, Guitar Colin Wood : Piano on 3, 4 John Chichester : Guitar Dave Gibbons : Guitar on 2 Mick Sweeney : Guitar on 5, 9 Tat Meager : Drums Pete Phillips : Drums on 4, 10.

All the songs and more would latter appear on the RABBITS CD except Till The End Of Time which is on BLUES BEFORE SUNRISE.

Then, in 1994 and 1995, Dave Clague released 3 CDs from his 6 cassettes: RABBITS, LET'S DO IT and THE CLUB RONDO:

OFFICIAL CD: RABBITS IMAGE

DJC 001, released 1994. The songs had appeared on the BLUES BEFORE SURNISE and RABBITS cassettes.

Produced by Dave Clague and Tom Allom. Includes the two first singles.

Kevin Coyne with Nick Cudworth (piano, guitar), Dave Clague (bass, guitar), John Chichester (guitar), Tat Meager (drums), Colin Wood (piano), Mick Sweeney (guitar), Dave Gibbons (guitar), Pete Phillips (drums), Tom Allom (drums).

Date of recording unknown.

Stride (KC/DC) 2:41 [single]

Mandy Lee (KC/DC) 5:05 [single]

Marilyn (KC/DC) 3:45

Why, Why, Why (KC/DC) 3:36
Cheat Me (KC/DC/NC) 3:13 [single (see The 70s) different form MARJORY RAZORBLADE - different credits too...]

Whole Lotta Shaking (Williams/David) 3:42

Flowering Cherry (KC/DC/NC) 2:50 [single (see The 70s) different from THE CLUB RONDO]

Trouble In Mind (Jones) 2:34

God Bless The Bride (KC/NC) 3:50 [different mix from CASE HISTORY]

Bottle Up And Go (Trad. arr. KC) 3:14 [single, different form THE SIREN YEARS]

Blues Before Sunrise (Carr. Arr. KC) 3:14 [different form THE SIREN YEARS]

I Need You (KC/DC) 3:00

John The Baptist 3:04 [different from LET'S DO IT]

The Lunatic Laughs (KC/NC) 3:54

Big Pistol Momma (KC/NC) 2:58

Hot Potato (KC/DC/NC) 4:10 [different form STRANGE LOCOMOTION]

Start Walking (KC/DC) 2:35 [different form THE SIREN YEARS]

Let's Dance (KC/DC) 2:35

Forked Lighting (KC/DC/NC) 6:36 [different form THE SIREN YEARS]

Wait Until Dark 3:10

68:15

In the same good vein as STRANGE LOCOMOTION. This album is sometimes introduced as the "lost third Siren LP" (a journalist from Zig Zag had even heard an accetate). I'm not sure about that: first thing, it is without Mick Gratton, meaning before 71. As I understand it, some of the dates of recording and lineup could be something like this:

- Mandy Lee, Start Walking, Let's Dance, Forked Lighting: early 69 (with the two lead guitars as in the Blue Horizon demo): Kevin Coyne, Nick Cudworth, Dave Clague, John Chichester , Dave Gibbons, Tat Meager.

- Stride: 69, Kevin Coyne, Nick Cudworth, Dave Clague, John Chichester, Tat Meager.

- Bottle Up And Go, Big Pistol Momma: 69?, Kevin Coyne, Nick Cudworth, Dave Clague (guitar).

- I Need You: 69, Kevin Coyne, Nick Cudworth, Dave Clague, John Chichester, Tom Allom (probably from the SIREN sessions).

- Blues Before Sunrise, John The Baptist: date?, Kevin Coyne, Nick Cudworth, Dave Clague, John Chichester, Tat Meager.

- Flowering Cherry: date?, Kevin Coyne, Nick Cudworth (guitar), Dave Clague, John Chichester, Tat Meager.

- Hot Potato, Why, Why, Why: date?, Kevin Coyne, Nick Cudworth, Dave Clague, John Chichester, Pete Phillips.

- Marilyn, Whole Lotta Shaking: date?, Kevin Coyne, Nick Cudworth, Dave Clague, John Chichester, Pete Phillips, Colin Wood.

- Cheat Me, The Lunatic Laughs: date?, Kevin Coyne, Nick Cudworth, Dave Clague, Mick Sweeney, Tat Meager.

- God Bless The Bride: date?, Kevin Coyne, Nick Cudworth (guitar), Dave Clague (guitar), Mick Sweeney, Tat Meager. The drum track was deleted in CASE HISTORY.

- Trouble In Mind: date?, Kevin Coyne, Nick Cudworth (guitar), Dave Clague, Tat Meager.

- Wait Until Dark: date?, Kevin Coyne.

OFFICIAL CD: LET'S DO IT IMAGE

DJC 002, released 1994

Kevin Coyne with Nick Cudworth (piano, guitar), Dave Clague (bass, guitar), John Chichester (guitar), Tat Meager (drums), Mick Gratton (guitar), Pete Phillips (drums)

Produced by Dave Clague

Date of recording unknown (the liner notes say "1969/70")

I'm So Happy (KC/NC) 3:09

What Is Your Name (KC/NC) 3:54

I Drove Your Car (KC/DC/Ferguson) 3:59

In My Room (KC/NC) 3:44

Rabbits 6:11 [spoken/poetry]

Money 1:21

Liver 4:22 [spoken/poetry]

Blue Suit 4:54 [spoken/poetry]

Mr. President 0:54 [spoken/poetry]

Television Life 0:27 [spoken/poetry]

Influence Of The Past 2:02 [spoken/poetry]

Black Minnie 3:01

Set Me Free 3:35

Anybody Know Me 3:47

John The Baptist 3:22 [different from RABBITS]

I'm Going (KC/NC) 2:47

Sandy (KC/NC) 3:11

Once (KC/NC) 2:51

Married Woman (KC/DC/NC) 3:48

Let's Do It (KC/DC/NC) 3:30

64:57

Not as good material as the others, OK though.

Lineup is:

I'm so Happy: Kevin Coyne, Nick Cudworth, Dave Clague (guitar).

What Is Your Name, In My Room, I'm Going, Sandie: Kevin Coyne, Nick Cudworth (guitar).

I Drove Your Car: Kevin Coyne, Dave Clague (guitar).

Once: Kevin Coyne, Nick Cudworth (guitar), Dave Clague, Tat Meager.

Married Woman: Kevin Coyne, Nick Cudworth, Dave Clague, John Chichester, Pete Phillips.

Let's Do It: Kevin Coyne, Nick Cudworth, Dave Clague, Mick Gratton, Tat Meager.

OFFICIAL CD: THE CLUB RONDO IMAGE

DJC 003, released 1995. Some of the songs had appeared on the CLUB RONDO cassette.

Kevin Coyne with Dave Clague (bass, guitar), Nick Cudworth (piano, guitar), Ron Brow (trombone, one track*), John Chichester (guitar, one track*), Tat Meager (drums, one track*).

Produced by Dave Clague.

Date of recording unknown (the cassette said only: "9-10 pm Tues. 24th March")

Flowering Cherry (KC/DC/NC) * 2:31 [different from RABBITS and the 1971 single]

Magdalen (KC/NC) 3:52

Like an Angel (KC/NC) 3:58

Little Old Death (KC/NC) 1:08

Old Age (KC/NC) 3:04

On Holiday (KC/DC/NC) 2:46

The Club Rondo (KC/DC/NC) 7:26

Brandy in My Tea (KC/DC/NC) 2:02

Scunthorpe Dictator (KC/DC/NC) 4:01

Tighten Up (KC/DC/NC) 1:42

Bennett and Packet (KC/DC/NC) 1:56

Bavaria (KC/DC/NC) 1:32

Intro (KC/DC/NC) 0:34 [Instrumental]

Where are you Going to (KC/DC/NC) 5:37

Back to Church (KC/DC/NC) 3:34

Get Right Away (KC/DC/NC) 2:35

Our Jack (KC/DC/NC) 6:22

I'm Alright Here (KC/DC/NC) 4:38

If Only (KC/DC/NC) 5:26

Outro (KC/DC/NC) 0:34 [really Intro again]

66:25

*The track is Flowering Cherry, a different version from the 1971 single, featuring a trombone solo. Rest of the CD is mostly studio improvisation by the three Siren founding fathers. Kevin at his very best. A fascinating – and very funny – glimpse into their way of working in the studio.

SIREN YEARS: In the early 2000s, DJC Records issued a wrapped set of their three SIREN CDs: RABBITS, CLUB RONDO and LET'S DO IT IMAGE (see Dave Clague's website)

Here is the DJC catalogue

Not to be confused with this next release:

• BOOTLEG CDR: THE SIREN YEARS IMAGE

Excalibur 037, released 1999. Some of the songs had appeard on the ROGER & TAT'S cassette.

Previously unreleased or alternate studio stuff; date of recording unknown. Mostly live in the studio improv and jams (no overdubs).

Kevin Coyne with Nick Cudworth (piano), Dave Clague (bass), Tat Meager (drums), Dave Gibbons and John Chichester (guitar): an unusual second electric guitar (as in the Blue Horizon 1969 demos). Songs marked (*): Kevin Coyne with Nick Cudworth (piano) and Dave Clague (guitar). (The exact lineup comes from the bootleg CDR: LIVE AT ROBERT'S HOUSE / LIVE AT TAT'S HOUSE).

No songwriter credits.

Blues before Sunrise (Carr. Arr. KC) 3:30 [different from RABBITS]

Forked Lightning (KC/DC/NC) 7:46 [different from RABBITS]

That's Nice 5:06 [unreleased instrumental]

Hush your Mouth 4:46 [unreleased]

Start Walking (KC/DC) 4:30 [different from RABBITS]

West Helena * 2:43 [unreleased]

Grow * 5:47 [unreleased]

Don't Worry * 5:35 [unreleased]

Bottle up and go (Trad. Arr. KC) * 3:12 [different form RABBITS]

Squeeze me (KC/DC/NC) * 3:46 [different from STRANGE LOCOMOTION]

Blues is Killing me * 5:08 [unreleased]

Till the end of Time 7:17 [unreleased]

Old Folks Home 0:57 [unreleased spoken poetry]

Doctor Lee [Doctor Love] * 3:36 [unreleased, KC solo]

63:44

On the blues side again. Sound is not so good. For die-hard fans only.

• BOOTLEG CDR: LIVE AT ROBERT'S HOUSE / LIVE AT TAT'S HOUSE (a.k.a. ROGER'S AND TAT'S) IMAGE

Artwork by Kevin Coyne, layout by me.

AT ROBERT'S

Blues before Sunrise (Carr. Arr. KC) 3:30 [different form RABBITS]

Forked Lightning (KC/DC/NC) 7:46 [different form RABBITS]

That's Nice 5:06 [unreleased instrumental]

Hush your Mouth 4:46 [unreleased]

Start Walking (KC/DC) 4:30 [different form RABBITS]

AT TAT'S

West Helena * 2:43 [unreleased]

Grow * 5:47 [unreleased]

Don't Worry * 5:35 [unreleased]

Bottle up and go (Trad. Arr. KC) * 3:12 [different form RABBITS]

Squeeze me (KC/DC/NC) * 3:46 [different form STRANGE LOCOMOTION]

Blues is Killing me * 5:08 [unreleased]

Same as THE SIREN YEARS. A CDR made after one of Dave Clague's cassettes from 1981.

• BOOTLEG CDR: AT ROGER'S

Blues before Sunrise (Carr. Arr. KC) 3:30 [different form RABBITS]

Forked Lightning (KC/DC/NC) 7:46 [different form RABBITS]

That's Nice 5:06 [unreleased instrumental]

Hush your Mouth 4:46 [unreleased]

Start Walking (KC/DC) 4:30 [different form RABBITS]

24:36

Same as THE SIREN YEARS and LIVE AT ROBERT'S HOUSE / LIVE AT TAT'S HOUSE. Again, a CDR made after one of Dave Clague's cassettes from 1981.

• BOOTLEG CDR: BLUES BEFORE SUNRISE

Stride (KC/DC) 2:41 [single]

Mandy Lee (KC/DC) 5:05 [single]

Marilyn (KC/DC) 3:45

Why, Why, Why (KC/DC) 3:36
Cheat Me (KC/DC/NC) 3:13 [single (see The 70s) different form MARJORY RAZORBLADE]

Whole Lotta Shaking (Williams/David) 3:42

Flowering Cherry (KC/DC/NC) 2:50 [different from THE CLUB RONDO]

Trouble In Mind (Jones) 2:34

God Bless The Bride (KC/NC) 3:50 [different from CASE HISTORY]

Till the end of Time 7:17 [unreleased]

Bottle Up And Go (Trad. Arr. KC) 3:14 [single?, different form THE SIREN YEARS]

All the songs are the same as RABBITS, except Till the end Of Time, from THE SIREN YEARS. Nothing to do with the BLUES BEFORE SUNRISE cassette.

OFFICIAL CD: RUFFSTUFF ART
Released Jan 2005 (although the liner notes say "2005"?) DJC Records 022. "Original sound recordings 1969 DJC Records"

Most of this CD was already available through boots or in THE SIREN YEARS

1 Mandy Lee (KC/DC/NC) [different credits] 2:12
2 Sixteen Women (KC/DC/NC) 2:32
3 West Helena (Trad. arr KC)* 2:43 [unreleased]

4 Grow (KC/DC/NC)* 5:44 [unreleased]

5 Don't Worry (KC/DC/NC)* 5:01 [unreleased]

6 Bottle up and go (Trad. Arr. KC) * 3:04 [different form RABBITS]

7 Squeeze me (KC/DC/NC) * 3:31 [different form STRANGE LOCOMOTION]

8 Blues is Killing me (Trad. arr KC)* 4:47 [unreleased]
9 You got me Tied (KC/DC/NC) 7:01

10 Blues before Sunrise (Carr. Arr. KC) 3:29 [different form RABBITS]

11 That's Nice 5:06 (KC/DC/NC) [unreleased instrumental] 4:47

12 Hush your Mouth (Trad. arr KC) 4:46 [unreleased] 4:42

13 Start Walking (KC/DC/NC) [different credits]3:54 [different form RABBITS]

14 Soon (KC/NC) 3:14

15 Cheat Me (KC/DC/NC) 3:53 single (see The 70s)
16 The Stride (KC/DC) 2:39
17 Sixteen Women (KC/DC/NC) 2:19
18 Till The End Of Time (KC/DC/NC) 7:01

Here is the interesting blurb by Dave Clague for Ruffstuff: "This collection of recordings goes way back to the early days of Siren. The line-up was the original 1969 6-piece band consisting of Kevin Coyne (vocal, harmonica), Dave Clague (bass), Nick Cudworth (piano), John Chichester (lead guitar), Dave Gibbons (guitar) and Tat Meager (drums).
Tracks 1 & 2 are pre-Dandelion demos of Mandy Lee and Sixteen Women, while some of the other tracks were released by Dave Clague in 1981 as the Roger's & Tat's cassette:
Tracks 10, 11, 12, 13, 18 are the 'At Roger's' session, recorded by Roger Limb early in March 69 just before Kevin moved to London.
Tracks 3, 4, 5 , 6, 7, 8 are the 'At Tat's' session, which was an afternoon jam recorded on cassette in Tat Meager's flat sometime in the summer of '69.
Track 9 is a studio wind-down slow blues from the same period. Then, when John Chichester moved on to form his own band, Martin Sachs stepped in on guitar for tracks 16 &17 and Mick Gratton played lead guitar on 14 & 15, later joining the band for the Strange Locomotion album."

3 CD BOX SET: JOHN PEEL'S DANDELION - COMPLETE DANDELION RECORDS SINGLE COLLECTION 1969-1972 BOX ART CD ART (each cd features Coyne related images)
Cherry Red Records. CRCD BOX1. Issued Oct 2006. The sound has been remastered and all and is much better than most of the previous Siren cds.
This box features all the singles issued on Dandelion Records from 1969 to 1972: feat. Beau, Bridget St John, Principal Edwards Magic Theatre, Clague, Kevin Coyne, Siren, Gene Vincent, Medicine Head, Mike Hart, Bill Oddie, Stackwaddy, The Way We Live, Yamasukis, The Coxhill/Bedford Duo, Will Andy & the Dandylettes, Supersister, Tractor, Clifford T Ward.
Includes:
"CLAGUE":
Mandy Lee/Bottle up and Go single
The Stride/I Wonder Where single

SIREN:
Lonesome Ride (from the Dandelion sampler)

Strange Locomotion/I'm All Aching single

KEVIN COYNE:

Cheat Me/Flowerring Cherry 1972 single (see The 70s)

3 CD BOX SET: KEVIN COYNE THE DANDELION YEARS 1969-1972 ART
Cherry Red Records CRCDMBOX2. Issued Sep 2007.

The box features the SIREN LP + bonus tracks Mandy Lee/Bottle up and go and The Stride (the "Clague" singles) + STRANGE LOCOMOTION LP (Without the US bonus Lilian) + CASE HISTORY + bonus tracks Cheat Me/Flowering Cherry (single - see The 70s)

Order here

Although they share the same artork, this box not to be confused with the 3LP box "THE DANDELION YEARS" from 1982 (Butt Box, But 1) which offered the 3 vinyl, minus the bonus tracks. ART

Miscelanous information about Siren:

1971: the Dandelion Tour of Europe, featuring Lol Coxhill, Bridget St John and Kevin Coyne (with or without Siren?).

I read in a ZIG-ZAG interview (probably from 1971 and which was Kevin's second interview ever - 1st was for ZIG-ZAG too) that, back in 1971, Siren played live at Guildford Town Hall without Dave Clague and with Mike Connell on guitar and Jim Sullivan on bass.

To close this page on the Siren years, beware of a so-called boot called COYNE COLLOSEUM 1971 which is really Kevin Coyne tracks from various albums and a show of the band Colloseum live in Heidelburg 1971. Actually, no live recording of Siren is reported.

This nice page about Dandelion was very helpful

THE 70's

PASCAL's KEVIN COYNE HOME PAGE