Reminiscin' - Interview - Kid Creole & The Coconuts

In the 80's, Kid Creole and the Coconuts were to reach the pinnacle of their career. Their maiden voyage to the UK saw them release 'Tropical Gangsters'- an album that would spawn hits in the shape of 'Stool Pigeon', 'Annie, I'm not your daddy' and 'I'm a wonderful thing, baby' which would also chart back home in their native United States.

Now, after years of touring, TV and film appearances and even a stint in a West End musical, 'The Kid' is back with 2 shows at London's Jazz Café from the 23rd of January 2006. Reminiscin' caught up with him…

How did you form Kid Creole & The Coconuts?
In the beginning there was a group called Dr. Buzzards Original Savannah Band way back, in what we call the bicentennial in America, which is 1976. We had a golden year and that Savannah band sort of fell apart and I formed another band out of friendship. We had some friends we put in the band and we auditioned the rest of the players. It was really a vision we had to put together a band of eclectic music and eclectic musicians. Cats who could play jazz, RnB, funk, rock n roll, reggae and salsa, the audition was the testing ground, to see who could play all various types of music. We always wanted to a rainbow coalition type of band.

Who designs your suits and the costumes for the coconuts?
Originally, my ex-wife Adriana Kaegi, who started The Coconuts, designed The Coconuts costumes. She would do all the designs and then the girls would put in their own ideas. My zoot suit is basically the Cab Calloway style. My father turned me on those old movies when I was a youngster and I loved the look of the high waist pants and long jackets, so I went to a tailor in New York, a fellow by the name of John Rio he made most of the original clothes and nowadays we go to various tailors to get them made.

Do you have any tours planned in Europe or the USA?
To tell you the truth we are trying to retire. We are trying to go out with one more hit record and then do one big tour. Then, we can retire with a smile on our faces. Right now it would seem as if the world defeated us if we retired now, and we are not defeatists! Which is why we are still playing here at the Jazz Cafe, even though it's a small intimate place and we are used to stadiums of 100,000 people and all, but this is a way back to what we love, the territory of the UK because England made us really, it was our gateway to the world.

Our first fame came really in England & France and we really love Europe for that very reason, we have toured Europe more than we have toured our hometowns. We were so famous in England they thought we were a British band when we went back home to America.

Bongo is from Brooklyn and I am from the Bronx, so we are New York as you can get. We love America as well, but the UK is where we had our major success in the early 80's. But we would like to get back in the mainstream music and we will be doing a lot of these kind of shows, for this year 2006.

What was it like working on 'Oh What A Night' the musical?'
Kid Creole: It was a change for me, because I had not done theatre since my college days. I majored in theatre in my college days and I never went on to pursue it, because I went into the rock n roll industry, which was a very lucrative business. So I had not really thought about theatre for years and I just fell into it. Someone called me up and said "would you like to do a musical theatre piece" and I thought about it for a long time and thought of it scared me at first because I knew would not be my own boss. Once I got into it, I had done over 1000 performances. I played a character called Brutus T Firefly it started in 1997 and did many years of it. I had a great time; it was great getting back into theatre. Speaking of theatre Bongo just informed me he might be going into the theatre....

Bongo Eddy: I did two shows with Martha Reeves and Barry Wilson. I did 'Dancing in the street' which is now in the West End, I did that for two years and then Edwin past away and I sang a tribute to him because he was a very good friend of mine. I may be doing another show, I am just waiting on a call...but, no dough - no Bongo!

Are you planning to do any television appearances?
We would love to get TV appearances. I think it's like anything else...once you get a recognisable record on the charts, they will find you. We did all the television in world in the 80's not only here, but over in America. But it's a tough game out there, especially as the music scene has shifted so radically since our hay day and as an artist you have to choose whether you want to jump on the bandwagon or maintain your individual style. We both choose a long time ago, never to jump on the bandwagon and stay live doing our own thing.

What are your favourite Kid Creole & The Coconuts songs?
Bongo Eddy: 'Caroline was a drop out', 'I'm a Wonderful Thing Baby', 'Dancin' at the Bains Douches'...it just pours out, I love them all.

Do you have any plans to collaborate with other artists?
Kid Creole: So many people are doing it these days, it's become the way forward, for people to say 'lets put that rapper on this record' and it's no longer out of passion. Duets used to be out of passion. There is a passionate combination of Louie Armstrong & Ella Fitzgerald there is no gimmick involved in it. But today it has become a record company gimmick.

Bongo Eddy: I don't think Kid or myself would not mind producing something with artists.

Do you have any plans to release any more of your live shows on DVD?
Kid Creole: We would love to...there has been talk for 10 years....we don't have a DVD with the new line up of the coconuts. We've got quite a few from the old days, but it would be nice to do one.

What can we expect to see at your shows in the London Jazz Cafe?
Kid Creole: There will be quite a few surprises at the show; we don't want to give too much away! The stage is very small, so we are going to take the show into the audience.

Where is your favourite venue you have performed a Kid Creole & The Coconuts Show?
Kid Creole: We have been to so many places it's impossible to name one, because the audiences have been great.

Bongo Eddy: They have kept me in the business.

Kid Creole: That's a good point. Sometimes in this business, it's a roller coaster ride but it's the audience that keep you going. They are so enthusiastic they come out to the shows and when you see their happy faces and you say 'that's why I am in it'.

Bongo Eddy: They sing all the songs...they know the lyrics better than we do! I think the people miss what we do compare to contemporary concerts. They dress it up so much, but if you listen to it you might have 4 people on stage playing. But you got 30 musicians on the track. So its different when you get the honesty of what you hear.