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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZKID CREOLE & THE COCONUTSDisco band formed by Kid Creole (aka Argyl Knepf, August Darnell; b Thomas August Darnell Browder, '51, Montreal). With brother Stoney Browder (b '49 NYC), "Sugar-Coated' Ray Hernandez (aka Coati Mundi; b '50 NYC), others formed Dr Savannah's Original Buzzard Band playing eclectic "mulatto music' NYC mid-'70s; cult success on dance floor had one top 40 hit USA '76. Darnell signed to Ze label, prod. others' records (incl. Coati Mundi); formed Kid Creole and the Coconuts '79 without brother but with Hernandez as co-composer, lovely dancing/singing Coconuts trio incl. Darnell's wife. LPs incl. Off The Coast Of Me '80, Fresh Fruit In Foreign Places '81, Wise Guy '82. No pop chart entries in USA but Spanish rap "Me No Pop I' no. 32 UK '81 (also a hit in Argentina, elsewhere); "I'm A Wonderful Thing Baby' no. 4 UK '82, "Stool Pigeon', "Annie, I'm Not Your Daddy' also UK hits '82 due to UK interest in style over content, though Darnell had more to offer than most in genre: his own flamboyant wit, ebullient frontman Hernandez, talented trio (all made solo LPs), costumes and nonsense made sensational live act (e.g. '83 tour "The Lifeboat Party'). LP Tropical Gangsters '82 incl. the hits; Doppleganger '83 incl. "Lifeboat Party', "Seven Year Itch'. UK's Granada TV commissioned film Something Wrong In Paradise, seen late '84 to wide praise. Darnell split up with wife, took stock and came back with single "Endicott' mid-'85; played at Montreux Jazz Festival '85; In Praise Of Older Women And Other Crimes '86 on Sire retained flamboyance, also addressed social issues; Best Of '84 collected hits; I, Too, Have Seen The Woods '87 incl. single "Dancin' At The Bains Douches'. Coati Mundi took part in Madonna film Who's That Girl; Coconuts jumped ship and formed their own group Boomerang. |