Portland, Oregon-based songwriter, performer and producer Mike Coykendall's new record, Chasing Away The Dots, is the latest in a long and winding musical journey that has taken him from the rural farmlands of Kansas to television and concert stages around the world. If integrity, experience and artistry still count for anything, this record will be his most well-received to date. Over the years, Coykendall has been critically acclaimed as a musician, engineer and producer for his work with well-known artists such as M. Ward, She & Him, Blitzen Trapper, Bright Eyes, the Old Joe Clarks, Tin Hat, Sallie Ford, Richmond Fontaine and Jolie Holland, to name but a few.
Coykendall's own compositions are wildly rich and varied, with and unpretentious and organically unpredictable quality, immediately drawing the listener in, then continuing to reward over repeated listens. On Chasing Away The Dots, Coykendall is joined by a star-studded cast of special guests, including M. Ward, Zooey Deschanel, Ben Gibbard, Eric Earley (Blitzen Trapper), Rob Burger (Tin Hat, Iron & Wine), Scott McPherson (Eliott Smith, Beck), and a long list from Portland's rich musical community.
The sounds contained within the grooves of Chasing Away The Dots range from earnest to irreverent, wistful to scorching, direct to oblique, always with an underpinning of subtle psychedelia. The mood lifts and falls while Coykendall's distinctly American voice casually narrates the whole affair. Lyrically, the album takes on such universal subjects as loss, love, alienation, separation, longing, aging, infatuation, kindness, and other human conditions. These themes emerge, filtered through the eyes and ears of someone who has bee around long enough to live through it, and return, several times over--a man who knows that the sun will rise, and so will the moon.
Coykendall will be touring nationally and internationally in support of the record beginning in September. The record is being released both in CD format, and as a special limited-edition vinyl package, The vinyl edition will include, as a bonus, an exclusive copy (on CD) of the album in an expanded double record edition featuring 11 extra tracks. A Daytrotter session was recorded, and has recently been posted, highlighting four of the tracks from the new record (as performed by Coykendall with help from M. Ward, Chris Scruggs, Scott McPherson, and Carlos Forster).
IN MIKE'S WORDS:
"I was born Michael Revere Coykendall in rural Kansas, September of 1963. There is a lot of confusion as to how my last name is pronounced. My heritage pronounces it as "Kirk-in-doll." I can't explain the spelling. I don't know. There must have been trouble somewhere. So, I'll answer to about anything. Nice to meet you.
Chasing Away The Dots (Fluff and Gravy Records, 2012) is the culmination of 48 years of living and negotiating the slippery slopes of this intangible thing called music. The journey began in rural Norwich, Kansas at age two when I would sing at local grocery stores, banks, hair salons, restaurants, etc... I was the freakish child who would belt out a long multi-versed songs (that I had learned from my mother) upon request. I wised up and stopped this foolishness by age four, but the music bug was always there. As a child I spent my mornings at the breakfast table listening to Country Western radio with my father, but rock and roll found a way into my heart as well, much to my father's dismay.
I had my first band in high school—we played Beatles and Stones covers. Since then, it's been many performances, records, successes, failures, laughs, late nights, and mornings that come too early. I've been writing songs since the early ‘80s and have made many a wild recording since that time. Over the last 10 years or so, as an engineer/producer/musician, I have had the good fortune to finally be able to make music my sole focus, working with M. Ward, Blitzen Trapper, Tin Hat Trio, She & Him, Sallie Ford & the Sound Outside, Fernando, Richmond Fontaine, Beth Orton and Bright Eyes, just to name a few. Chasing Away The Dots would not exist without every life experience (good and bad) that led up to it.
The album took four years to complete. I would fill books full of lyrics and then start putting them to music, recording basic takes, mostly improvisations, onto a cassette 4-track. I filled hundreds of these cassettes. There were no rules--straight songs or pure avant-indulgence. The editing would come later. The best, most promising bits, were then transferred from the 4-track cassette to the 8-track 1/2" machine. Overdubs were added. Friends were invited in to add their talents. Many quick mixes were made along the way; hours and hours of playtime and problem-solving, being careful not to belabor anything. All of my characters (good and bad) were invited to the party. The shy/melancholy one, the philosopher/preacher, the playful chaser, the dreamer/escapist, and the reckless believer--they all had plenty of time to assert their influence. Chasing Away The Dots is the only room in the house in which they all felt comfortable."
MIKE COYKENDALL TIMELINE:
Michael Revere Coykendall:
1963 - Born in Harper, KS.
1968 - Listens to the "Jungle Book Soundtrack" obsessively till he knows every sound on it. Favorite song = I Wanna Be Like You.
1969 – Kindergarten. Gets in trouble more than the other kids. Listens to ‘40s & ‘50s country music compilation. Favorite song = "Walkin' the Floor Over You" by Ernest Tubb.
1976 - Takes piano lessons but doesn't like reading music off the page. Stops taking piano lessons. Beatles. Beatles. Beatles. Favorite song = "I Am the Walrus".
1977 - Starts learning how to play the drum set. That goes well. Practices to Beatles, McCartney, and T. Rex 8-track cartridges. Favorite song = "Mr. Blue Sky" by ELO.
1978 - Starts learning guitar. Gets a chance to play in a band for the first time. Hooked! Nothing is more fun. Favorite song = "Imagine" by John Lennon.
1981 - Graduates high school. Goes to Dodge City Community College on a music scholarship. Mostly just wants to get in another band. Does. Listens to lots of Syd Barrett & Pink Floyd.
1982 - Travels around the mid-west playing various bars with college band. Writes a couple of original songs but mostly they just play covers. Keep'm dancing'! Listens to everything: classic rock to punk/new wave. Favorite song = "Pretty in Pink" by the Psychedelic Furs.
1983 - Hears Rain Parade & REM. Feels a connection and gets inspired. Starts writing more songs. Makes first "professional" recordings in a home studio onto a 8-track machine. Fun!! Crazy fun!! Buys a Fender Telecaster.
1984 - Decides to quit college since all he wants to do is play music. Gets a job filing stuff at Savings & Loan. Gets his own pad with two other musician friends. Buys used Tascam 144 for $500. Starts writing / recording. Wears out the Tascam in a matter of months. Favorite albums = After the Goldrush / Reckoning / Desire.
1985 - Eats a little piece of paper on New Years Day. More recording. Becomes a basement hermit. Works / goes home / records / sleeps. Repeat process. Starts listening to Velvet Underground.
1986 - Some of his original recordings start getting played on local college radio. Wow! Crazy. Has to form live band. This band is called Klyde Konnor.
1989 - Klyde Konnor records and releases "Wallpaper." Things are a little edgier on this one. Less jangle / more screech, more artsy. Meets future wife Jill McClelland.
1990 - Marries Jill. :) She inspires creative streak. Klyde Konnor double record "Hypnopotamus" is released. Much gigging. Most popular period for the band.
1991 - Moves to San Francisco to give it a try in a larger music scene. Gets a bookkeeping job that requires 60+ hours per week. Buys studio time and music gear with earnings.
1994 - Convinces Jill that she should take up the bass (she had always played classical music / clarinet). They start The Old Joe Clarks and release two albums (on cassette). Quirky / cool band. Meets and becomes friends with Richard Buckner who helps the Old Joes get their start.
1996 - Meets Kurt Stevenson who joins the Old Joe Clarks (now a 3-piece). They record "Town of Ten" which gets released independently. The record is considered an Americana classic to those in the know. Starts getting back into rock via Beck and other folk based rockers.
1997 - Checkered Past Records re-releases "Town of Ten." Things look promising. The band struggles to work jobs and still tour. It doesn't happen. Adds Mark Orton to the OJC lineup as drummer. Now a quartet. Meets Johnny Cash.
1998 - The band adds two more members (Rob Burger & Pat Campbell). Sextet! They record a new record called "Metal Shed Blues." An underground masterpiece, but doesn't do as well as the prior.
1999 - Jill and Mike decide to leave San Francisco and move to Portland in hopes that it will be an easier existence and allow more time for music. Meets M. Ward. They immediately start working together.
2000 - Old Joe Clarks continue playing as much as possible and begin recording "November." Less country and more pop elements on this one.
2001 - More work on "November." Starts doing more recording work for other artists such as Fernando, M Ward, etc...
2002 - "November" released (only in Europe). Not as "country" as the prior releases. Lush & hypnotic. Getting busier with recording for other artists. Still working the day job. 24/7... as usual.
2003 - More recording for other artists. Old Joe Clarks tour Europe. Day job ends when company closes. Turns 40 recording Beth Orton in a haunted silent movie star mansion in LA. Starts work on first "solo" album.
2004 - More recording for others. More work on "solo" record. Working alone mostly. Fun... and torturous. Forms band The Golden Shag.
2005 - Releases first solo record titled "Hello Hello Hello." Tours Europe with Richmond Fontaine. Tours the states a little. Mostly West coast. More recording for others.
2006 - Goes on tour supporting M. Ward. Late Night with David Letterman and other TV appearances. Father sees this and finally decides that music is OK. :) Meets Ravi Shankar.
2007 - More recording and touring (w/ She and Him). TV, etc... Starts recording what will become Chasing Away The Dots
2008 - More recording and touring (w/ M Ward). Continues working on "Chasing Away The Dots." It's now intended to be a double record.
2009 - More recording and touring (w/ M Ward). Austin City Limits. Still plugging away on "... Dots." Plays many live shows with The Golden Shag.
2010 – Releases "The Unbearable Being of Likeness" on Field Hymn Records. It is a collection of outtakes from "Hello x3." More recording and touring (w/ She and Him). Plugging away on "... Dots." Finishes the double record version.
2011 – Plays many solo shows. West coast solo touring with old SF friends Carlos Forster & Brian Belknap.
2012 - More recording and touring (w/ M Ward). Meets Brian Wilson. Meets Ringo Starr. Chasing Away The Dots to be released by Fluff & Gravy records as a single as a single record, with a download card for the original double-length version.
