The Aryballus (The Mirrorball) was in use in ancient Greece. It was a small terracotta vase containing perfumed oils. It was used by athletes during their training, hung on the wrist or on a hook. In fact, it was believed (as is still found today in aromatherapy) that the scent emanating from certain oils had energizing or anti-fatigue properties. Ours is a precious reinterpretation: a jewel in 925 silver or 18k gold with a lava stone inside which, sprayed with perfume, guarantees its persistence for at least 96 hours before a further recharge. It is made in a numbered series by a famous Italian goldsmith commissioned by Daniele Cappello Riguzzi, one of the most famous Italian noses and Brand Ambassador of the Giacomo Casanova Venezia Foundation. It depicts the windows of the noble palaces that hosted the legendary Venetian adventurer. A tribute to the story of his extraordinary life.
In line with the philosophy of recovering an object to make it timeless, we have also created another version of the Aryballus: the Mirror Ball54 in silver or white gold. The mirror ball was an icon of the golden era of disco music featured in the famous Studio 54 in NY City. This version has an extraordinary character as its testimonial: Kid Creole! Very elegant in his “zoot suit” look and legendary interpreter of unforgettable hits such as Stool Pigeon, My Male Curiosity, Endicott, Annie I’m Not Your Daddy, I’m A Wonderful Thing Baby and many others accompanied by his inevitable Coconuts.
With only one in diameter; they are an elegant and “shining” way of wearing your favorite perfume as a pin, pendant on the wrist or neck: in pairs as earrings or cufflinks.
Off The Coast Of Me was Kid Creole and the Coconuts’ first album release in 1980 on ZE Records. The album consisted of 8 songs: Side One: Mister Softee, Maladie d’Amour, Yolanda, Off The Coast Of Me Side Two: Darrio, Lili Marlene, Bogota Affair, Calypso Pan American.
Maladie d’Amour was the only
single released from this album.
The album was then reissued in 2003 by Rainman Records. This version included all the original songs but also had 5 bonus tracks added by Universal Island Records: There But for the Grace of God Go I, He’s Not Such a Bad Guy After All, Darrio (12” B-side), Yolanda (12” Mix) and Maladie d’Amour (Mutant Disco Version).
Off The Coast Of Me received some fantastic reviews. Here’s what they
said the first time round:
Andre S. Grindle 5.0 out of 5 stars On The Coast Of A New Sound During the time I was first becoming aware of Dr. Buzzard’s Original Savannah Band, One of the things I came to understand is that its band leader August Darnell eventually decided to shift the priorities towards actually having a trio of female backup vocalists rather than a female lead singer. The results were the Coconuts. And Darnell apparently re-christened himself Kid Creole. This 1980 album was discussed in the reading I was doing as being an important transitional album. All the same? Took awhile to locate it in a used vinyl bin. And today am very happy I did.
“Mister Softee” starts off the album with an upbeat pop/funk number led by tingly percussion and a low rhythm guitar. “Maladie D’Amour” is a finely orchestrated disco friendly mid tempo soul stomp-with some rhythm guitar and clavinet riffing on the refrains. “Yolanda” and “Darrio” are deeply grooving boogie numbers with some wonderfully processed bass/guitar on the former while the title song is a stripped down calypso with a distant,echoed vocal lead. “Lil Marlene” combines the boogie and calypso influences together while “Bogota Affair” has a strong salsa pop flavor. “Calypso Pan American” ends the album with a vibraphone charged boogie rhythm yet again.
One thing about this album I noticed immediately is that, for the most part it goes right for the jugular of the Afro-Latin, percussive pop/funk sound, with a harder rhythmic stomp than the more sweetly orchestrated music of Darnell’s original group. It was as I’d read a transitional album. There are some disco era elements of this album. But for the most part? This album has a more mic’d and raw production style than the extremely slick studio sound that it very easily could have very well with. In terms of the songwriting? It’s definitely leaning towards shorter pop structures as well. So it comes down to being an excellent introduction for them. ———————————————————- Robert Christgau wrote: Off the Coast of Me [Antilles, 1980] Reformed high school teacher August Darnell having split with black-sheep bro Stoney Browder, the music thins out–Dr. Buzzard’s progressive retro is hard to top, Darnell’s naturally sarcastic voice short on bottom. So the not exactly all-embracing “Calypso Pan-American” and “Off the Coast of Me” neither justify nor transcend their distanced tone (typically, the title tune affects a megaphone filter), while comedy numbers like “Bogota Affair” (the effete Creole as cuckold), “Mr. Softee” (the effete Creole as limp-dick), and “Darrio . . .” (the effete Creole as new-waver) are simple and strong. When clever means this clever, maybe we should settle. B+ ——————————————————————– CC.T said: Oh yeah the music. Shucks, it’s The Kid Guy’s a deity of a band leader. Lyrics with wit, eclectic Disco Caribbe sounds +, for the ear. Dance that defies gravity and showmanship par excellence for the eye. ZE stable studio wizard too. Ok maybe didn’t influence the music world nor broadway BUT didja ever see ’em live in person at a small venue ? Nuff sed! ————————————————————– John Verity wrote: A Zillion Stars, or more An absolutely, positively, totally, and completely great album, one of the best ever released. So smart, such musicianship, such sly lyrics, and what a beat. Listen once and you’ll be hooked, and dancing for the rest of time. No kidding. I ain’t exaggerating. If you disagree, your money back. “Off the Coast of Me” is one of the most delicious and sexy songs you’ll ever hear. It will make you wet, with perspiration. ————————————————————-
This now brings us to 2020, where the Kid and Coati Mundi together decided to celebrate this debut album by releasing a 40th Anniversary Edition.
To be released on 2C2C Musicto the U.S. market, the Kid’s very own record label, this version includes 17 tracks in total. It, of course, includes all the tracks from the original version but has some special never-before-released original demos, plus some cool upbeat Bootlegs by the Kid’s son, artist Youngr.
The first single released was ‘Mister Softee’, and the follow up single, due for release on July 10th, will be the title track ‘Off The Coast Of Me’.
Here’s the track list:
Mister Softee
Maladie d’Amour
Yolanda
Off the Coast of Me
Dario, Can You Get Me into Studio
54
Lili Marlene
Bogota Affair
Calypso Pan American
Adnaloy
He’s Not Such a Bad Guy After All
Off The Coast of Me (Youngr Bootleg)
Yolanda (Youngr Bootleg)
Dario, Can You Get Me Into Studio 54 (Youngr Bootleg)
Dedicated to Stony Browder
Jr., without whom this journey would never have even started
OFF
THE COAST OF ME – 40th ANNIVERSARY EDITION
Produced by August Darnell, Coati Mundi and Adriana Kaegi for 2C2C Music
TRACK LISTING:
Mister Softee
Maladie D’amour
Yolanda
Off the Coast of Me
Dario, Can You Get Me into Studio
54
Lili Marlene
Bogota Affair
Calypso Pan American
Adnaloy
He’s Not Such a Bad Guy After All
Off The Coast of Me (Youngr Bootleg)
Yolanda (Youngr Bootleg)
Dario, Can You Get Me Into Studio 54 (Youngr Bootleg)
Bogota Affair (Youngr Bootleg)
Mister Softee (Live at the Rock Lounge 1981)
Off The Coast of Me (Original Demo)
Bogota Affair (Original Demo)
CREDITS: 1) Engineers: Bob Blank, Julian McBrowne, Lars Henrik Nissen, Dario Darnell 2) Studios: Blank Tapes, Chappell Studios, LN Sound, Llama Land Studios 3) Photography: John Rynski, Eva Tudor-Jones 4) Art Direction: Nadine Ballard
5) The Musicians: August
Darnell, Coati Mundi, Peter Schott, Winston Grennan, Marc Mazur, Stony Browder
Jr., Carol Colman, Andrew Lloyd, Freddie
Harris, Charlie
Lagond, Danny
Kahn, Sam Burtis, Jay
Stovall, Dario Darnell
6) The
Singers: August Darnell, Coati Mundi, Don Armando Bonilla, Adriana Kaegi, Lourdes
Cotto, Lori Eastside, Frank Passalacqua, Fonda
Rae, Brooksie Wells
SPECIAL THANKS:
Ron Rainey, the most honest MANAGER I have ever known Eva Tudor-Jones, my wife, who almost killed me by turning me into a Vegan (for 18 months) My 2020 Band: Dave Imby, Mike Gorman, Oroh Angiama, Mark Anthony Jones, Chris Storr, Barnaby Dickinson, Edgar Jones, Otto Williams, Tim Vine, Jamie McCredie, Lorne Ashley, George Hogg My 2020 Coconuts: Sarah McGrath, Roos Van Rossum, Charlotte De Graaf
Michael Zilkha, who believed in the TRIP long before the Banana Boat left the dock. Maripol, who insisted we be a part of the movie Downtown 81.
TESTIMONIALS:
Adriana: “I guess my greatest contribution to
the band, besides doing all the choreography and designing all the outfits and
providing a European flair to the backing vocals is… I refused to let August
call the band Kid Creole and the Cold Cuts! He thanks me to this day.”
Coati Mundi: “Dr.Buzzard’s Original Savannah Band got me on drugs and Kid Creole & The Coconuts got me off them”.
And a special thank you from Coati Mundi: Grande GRACIAS a mi hermana, Marina y especialmente mis padres, Cruz* y Flora*. Tu amor y apoyo me ha sostenido toda la vida. (*QEPD).
Why did I choose Mister Softeeto be the first single from the OFF THE COAST OF ME (40th Anniversary Edition) album?
Well, I didn’t. That album is chock-full of potential singles. So I went about it in a democratic way (for a change). I reached out to Coati Mundi and the original Coconuts (Adriana Kaegi, Cheryl Poirier and Roni Griffith) and we voted on it.
Mister Softee won by a landslide. I know why. The Coconuts adore the sentiment of the song – cutting the Kid down to size has always been their favorite preoccupation. Hope you enjoy it as much as THEY do. Hachachacha! August Darnell
Mister Softee is the first single release from Off The Coast of Me: 40th Anniversary Edition. The album is set for release on June 11th, with the single being released on April 30th.
The single and the album will be available on 2C2C Music label.
This photo of Coconuts Cheryl Poirier, Roni Griffith and Adriana Kaegi was taken backstage before a show in Florida in October, 1980. The band had launched in January and after numerous raucous New York club dates and some solo northeast gigs, Kid Creole opened for the Talking Heads and then the B-52’s on a brief tour heading down the coast to Florida. The wild crowd response at each of these shows for a wholly unknown opening act was thrilling and told us definitively that this band could reach an audience further than east coast clubs. Coati Mundi shaved his head around this time and began wearing ever more surreal outfits on stage, just as other theatrical elements in the show started to expand. In shooting this photo, as I sometimes did, I turned the camera upside-down so that the flash would light the faces subtly from below, erasing shadows and enhancing the drama and sex appeal. The effect was particularly striking in this image which has long been a favorite of mine – and not only because two of the great loves of my life are in this photo.
– John Rynski, April 2020
MISTER SOFTEE LYRICS
(music and lyric: August Darnell)
You’re no good for
me!
I got a funny feelin’ baby that tonight you wanna sleep with me (don’t say it, you know you shouldn’t say it) But I got a ‘pointment in the mornin’, need at least eleven hours of sleep! (you said it, I asked you not to say it) I’m so sorry, babe
You’re a softee, by trade Mister Softee’s your name You’re a softee and hardly my type
Don’t say that, don’t say that! Don’t you make an issue over somethin’ that’s as small as this I’ll make it up to you tomorrow evenin’ babe if you insist Oh
You’re a softee, by trade Who you talkin’ to? Mister Softee’s your name You’re a softee and hardly my type Don’t say that, don’t say that
I’ve had enough in my life of sweet and sour goodnights I know you can’t satisfy but at least you could try You’re no good for me
Would you rather I forget about my livelihood and stay at home? (don’t say it, you know you shouldn’t say it) Well then you must give up your credit cards, must give up your Maud Frizons (you said it, I asked you not to say it) I’m so sorry, babe
You’re a softee, by trade Who you talkin’ to? Mister Softee’s your name There’s no sense squawkin’ ’bout it You’re a softee and hardly my type Don’t say that, don’t say that
I’ve had enough in my life of sweet and sour goodnight I know you can’t satisfy but at least you could try You’re no good for me
You got a funny way of showin’ me that baby you’re in love with me (don’t say it, you know you shouldn’t say it) Just because I need a little rest, you wanna torture me (you said it, I asked you not to say it)
You’re a softee, by trade Mister Softee’s your name You’re a softee, by trade Mister Softee’s your name
You’re the softee, my friend You’re soft in your head Softee my friend Soft in the head
You’re a softee, by trade Who you talkin’ to? Mister Softee’s your name There’s no sense squawkin’ ’bout it You’re a softee, by trade Don’t say that Mister Softee’s your name Don’t say that You’re the softee, my friend You’re soft, soft in the head You’re a softee, I’m sure Soft to the core
You’re a softee, by trade Who you talkin’ to? Mister Softee’s your name You’re a softee and hardly my type Don’t say that, don’t say that
THE ROOT-TOOT STORY OF KID CREOLE and the COCONUTS Chapter 12
Circa 1978:
TWO frustrated musicians escaped from Los Angeles, California and made their way back to New York City, their home. One guy actually drove a car from coast to coast. His name – August Darnell. The other guy flew in an airplane. His name – SugarCoated Andy. What were they doing in L.A.? Recording an album. Their band – Dr. Buzzard’s Original Savannah Band.
The bandleader, Stony Browder Jr. was a genius. But he was also a delightfully eccentric taskmaster. The album that should have taken 1 month to cut, took 6 months. The name of the album – Dr. Buzzard Meets King Penett! Check it out next time to have a headache.
August and SugarCoated were happy to get out of Dodge.
Once they reached their homes – August in Manhattan and SugarCoatedin Washington Heights – they decided that they had enough of the Dr. Buzzard lunacy. When they were summoned back to L.A. to help with the mix, they refused to go.August’s girlfriend pulled a Lady Macbethon him: “You should start your own band and stop being a splintered stool for your older brother.” (Oh, I neglected to say – Stony was August’s older brother) ‘Splintered stool’? Damn, that hurt!
August and SugarCoated were kindred spirits, you see. They both adhered to a strict teetotal lifestyle. And they both abhorred drugs. This alone made them the object of much abuse and derision from various minions, and especially from the bandleader (who believed that marijuana was more important than scrambled eggs in the morning; who knows, maybe it is!). It was truly time to jump ship. Aaaaah, bye bye good ship lollipop! Speaking of eggs… August was egged on by his Swiss Miss, Adriana Kaegi (aka Dear Addy). He decided to start his own band. But he was frightened. He had been Stony’s right-handman for years. It was scary to be the one who would now make all the decisions. He needed SugarCoated and Adriana to join forces with him. He could not do it alone. By this time, SugarCoated had amassed a quite impressive list of debt and needed to change his moniker to avoid collectors, loan sharks and his ex-girlfriend’s ex-husband (long story). Through a mutual amigo he then met Kerry Kennedy, the daughter of Robert. Kerry shared that the “Coated and Andy” name-parts reminded her of a family pet she grew up with named Andrew who bit her mother Ethel on the leg. Andrew was a mammal called a coatimundi. VOILA!!! SugarCoated morphed into Coati Mundi.
And August’s nickname in High School was Mr. Sunshine. He wanted to call the band Mr. Sunshine and the Cold Cuts. Adriana said she would leave him and return to Zurich, Switzerland if he went ahead with such a stupid idea. Coati said, “I don’t care what we call the band! Let’s make music, not alimony or sandwiches!” That night, as fate would have it, an Elvis Presley film was on tv. August loved swivel-hipped Elvis. The name of the movie – King Creole. The next morning he proudly announced to his Swiss Miss, “The name of the band will be King Creole and the Cold Cuts!”Adriana Kaegi frowned. “Kid not King. Put your ego to rest. Cold Cuts – no fucking way! Try Coconuts!” She had ideas, you see. Ways to get paid. She was no fool.Coati did three knee spins and a split jump. He replied, “Vaya, que la música nos espera ansiosamente!”) The rest is history.
OFF THE COAST OF ME, the 40th Anniversary Edition will be available on the 2C2C Label. Release date = May 28
Brand new single from Kid Creole and the Coconuts Checkin’ My Colonies, out On September 17. Brilliantly produced by Youngr, written by August Darnell and co-written by Youngr and Lorne Ashley. The single is out on our very own label – 2C2C Music
This animated video was created by the super talented Emrah Tumer from Turkey. Fun fact: Emrah also created Youngr’s Stronger video – Stronger
Here’s the official music video for you to enjoy!
The song has already had a fantastic response from BBC Radio DJs who have been playing the track Checkin’ My Colonies on their shows up and down the country. August has been busy over the last month promoting the single and our new record label – 2C2C Music. He did a fabulous interview with Robert Elms – listen here
August also appeared on Lorraine on ITV. He was interviewed by the lovely Christine Lampard. Here’s the link in case you missed it – WATCH NOW
August will be live on BBC Radio 6 on September 18th on Lauren Laverne‘s breakfast show – be sure to tune in!
He’s done it again! August Darnell’s explosive screenplay, PARADISE, MY ASS, has been chosen as a finalist in the Lonely Seal International Film, Screenplay and Music festival. He’s a wonderful thing, baby!
Other Film Festivals August’s screenplays have been chosen for as a finalist include:
Oaxaca FilmFest X – PARADISE, MY ASS, will be competing with 10 other projects for Best Comedy! Also, the script will be competing for the main Award of the 2019 Global Script Challenge” Best Overall Script!! The annual event will take place in Oaxaca City from the 4th-10th of October.
The New Vision International Film Festival NVIFF – PARADISE, MY ASS This script has been selected for the Best Screenplay category along with 7 other scripts. The New Vision International Film Festival is a prestigious film festival, with a strong emphasis on discovering and encouraging new independent talent, supporting visionary films and bringing together all elements of film-making and storytelling, which includes fiction,non-fiction, animation and scripts. We showcase a wide arrange of genres from Drama to Documentary. The festival has a wide range of attendees which include high profile Emmy, Grammy and Tony winners. The International Competition will be held on Thursday the 26th of September 2019. The NVIFF Awards will be held at the Severiano Ballesteros Zaal: Borchlandweg 6 1114 BD Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
If you didn’t get your hands on a copy the first time round but wished you had, or you want a fresh new copy, then look no further! TROPICAL GANGSTERS has just been re-released on vinyl!
Tropical Gangsters was the third album by Kid Creole & the Coconuts, released in the U.S. under the title Wise Guy, Kid Creole being the on-stage persona of August Darnell, the Latin Lothario dressed in a sharp suit and wide-brimmed hat backed by a troupe of female singers dressed for a Caribbean holiday, which included his wife, Adriana Kaegi. It was the thumping bassline and irresistible beat of the song “I’m a Wonderful Thing Baby” that finally broke him through to the big time, but even better was to come as Kid Creole released two of the better fun pop songs of 1982, “Stool Pigeon” and “Annie, I’m Not Your Daddy,” totally irresistible, danceable, easy to sing along to, and guaranteed to bring a smile to the face of pop dominated at the time by synthesizers and good-looking young men who looked more like girls. Darnell brought a cool sense of style to the charts of 1982, hitting number three with the album Tropical Gangsters and remaining in the Top Ten for 11 weeks. Unfortunately, the Coconuts are given little to do, although the female sassiness came through on the track “Loving You Made a Fool Out of Me.” When it was finally released on CD in 2002, six extra tracks were added to the album, although these were mostly the 12″ remixed versions of the hit singles and the track “Double Back,” originally the B-side of “Stool Pigeon.”
Side 1: Annie, I’m Not Your Daddy I’m a Wonderful Thing. baby Imitation I’m Corrupt
Side 2: Loving You Made a Fool Out of Me Stool Pigeon The Love We Have No Fish Today
Hey Music and Movie Lovers, I am very proud to announce that I will be attending this year’s Harlem International Film Festival. My screenplay entitled IVY LEAGUE, written by myself, Peter Schott and Harriett Wichtowski has been selected amongst thousands of entries into the final of the Screenplay Showdown on May 19th.
May the odds be in our favor! and yes IVY LEAGUE is a Musical, in case you were wondering. Perhaps you’ll see it on Netflix soon. Another dream come true!
The Screenplay Showdown takes place on Sunday evening May 19th at 19.30 where a 10 page reading from the script will be presented followed by the awards at 21.30. Both of these will take place at the AMC Magic Johnson theater in Harlem. Free entry to the Showdown.
August Darnell
——————————————————————————————————————
And the winner is….. well we didn’t win, but we came close!
Live in Paris CD – Kid Creole and the Coconuts. Recorded at Le Zenith, Paris, September 10th, 1985.
At the zenith of their career, with the complete original line up of Creoleans, Kid Creole & The Coconuts take the stage in Paris to perform and record one of the hot and unforgettable shows that made them famous. The band loved Europe and Europe loved them right back. You can hear it in the applause and the rebounding energy from the stage. In fact, the band is so tight that they never stop playing and we are pretty sure that the audience never stopped dancing (or smiling). The last beat of every song is also the first beat of the next song and this party is a festive and wild ride. Grab a piece of dance floor and hang on!
The line up: August Darnell, Andy “Coati Mundi” Hernandez, Adriana Kaegi, Cheryl Poirier, Janique Svedberg, Carol Colman (Bass), Peter Schott (Keyboards), Dave Span (Drums), “Bongo” Eddie Folk (Percussion), Jimmi Rippetoe (Guitar), Kenny Fradley (Trumpet), Lee Robertson (Trombone), Charlie Lagond (Saxophone).
The track list: Don’t Take My Coconuts My Male Curiosity
Table Manners
Mr. SoftieAnnie, I’m Not Your Daddy I’m a Wonderful Thing, Baby No Fish Today
Dear Addy
Stool Pigeon
Say Hey
The Lifeboat Party
Endicott
Indiscreet
Caroline Was A Dropout
