Richard Coughlan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Richard Coughlan
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Coughlan (first on right) with
The Wilde Flowers (1966) |
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| Background information | |
| Born | 2 September 1947 Herne Bay, Kent, England |
| Died | 1 December 2013 (aged 66) |
| Genres | Progressive rock, jazz fusion, Canterbury scene, art rock |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instruments | Drummer |
| Years active | 1966–2013 |
Richard Coughlan (born September 2, 1947 – died December 1, 2013) was an English musician. He was famous as the drummer for the band Caravan. Caravan played a type of music called progressive rock. Richard was one of the people who started Caravan in 1968. He stayed with the band for his whole life. A music website, AllMusic, said he was "one of art rock's longest tenured musicians." This means he played this type of music for a very long time.
Contents
Early Life and Music Beginnings
Richard Coughlan was born on September 2, 1947. His hometown was Herne Bay, in Kent, England. He went to Frank Hooker School in Canterbury. When he was ten, he started playing the mouth organ.
Later, Richard joined the Sea Cadets. This is a youth organization. There, he first learned to play the bugle. Then he moved on to marching drums. He became the lead drummer in the Sea Cadets. When he was 16, he got his own drum kit. He joined a local dance band. He said they mostly just practiced and didn't perform much.
Joining The Wilde Flowers
In 1966, Richard met Hugh Hopper. Hugh was the bass player for a band called The Wilde Flowers. Richard met Hugh through a friend from the Sea Cadets. Richard started going to their band practices. He really watched Robert Wyatt, who was the drummer.
In April 1966, Robert Wyatt became the lead singer. So, Richard joined The Wilde Flowers as the new drummer. Later, Robert Wyatt left to start a new band called Soft Machine. But Richard stayed with The Wilde Flowers for another year.
Forming Caravan
Soft Machine got their first record deal. This made The Wilde Flowers want one too. So, they changed their name and became the band Caravan. Richard had been training to be a dental technician. But when Caravan started, he decided to become a full-time musician instead.
Caravan's Music and Success
Caravan played a style of music called art rock. Richard's drumming was a very important part of their sound. He even helped write some of the band's songs. For example, he helped create the song suite "A Hunting We Shall Go/L'Auberge du Sanglier." This song had a special rhythm called a 19/8 time signature. It was on their album For Girls Who Grow Plump in the Night.
Caravan was very active from 1968 until the early 1980s. During this time, they recorded ten albums. They also toured a lot in Europe and North America. After a new music style called punk rock became popular, the band decided to take a break. Richard then started a new job. He began working in the pub business.
Reunions and Later Years
In 1990, Caravan got back together. They played at the Canterbury Festival in June. They also performed a special concert for TV. It was for a new music show called "Bedrock." This concert was in Nottingham. Their performances were very successful. A live album they released also sold well. This made the band decide to keep playing music. But this time, they would only play part-time.
For the next ten years, Richard was still the drummer for Caravan. The band would get together sometimes to record an album. They also played at music festivals. When he wasn't playing with the band, Richard continued his pub business. He later ran a pub called The Sun Inn in Faversham.
In 2005, Richard was diagnosed with a type of rheumatoid arthritis. This health issue stopped Caravan from playing live concerts for a while.
Final Years and Legacy
Caravan started playing live shows again in 2010. Mark Walker joined the band to help with drums. Even with Mark joining, Richard Coughlan remained a member of Caravan. He stayed with the band until he passed away in December 2013.
Richard Coughlan died from pneumonia on December 1, 2013. He passed away at the Queen Victoria Memorial Hospital in Herne Bay. He is remembered by his wife, Sue, and his daughter. Pye Hastings, a bandmate, said that Richard was a great musician. He added that Richard would always be remembered by the band and by fans around the world.
