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Former Corrie star’s tribute for tragic pal

Susannah Wright
6/ 3/2008

FORMER Coronation Street star Kevin Kennedy is reforming his band to perform a tribute concert following the tragic death of the lead singer.

Kevin, who is best known for playing Curly Watts in the popular soap, was also the rhythm guitarist in The Borderline for twelve years until 1998.

But last year, Kevin, who lives in West Didsbury, met up again with his former band-mates in tragic circumstances for the funeral of Brendan Forkan from Stretford.

Brendan was only 43 when he died from a sudden heart attack and the remaining five members decided to do something as a tribute for their friend.

Kevin, along with bandmates, Ged Graham, Dave Meagh, Jimmy Prendergast, and Pete Corbet have been re-recording tracks from their albums, The Borderline, and People Like You, as well as writing two new tracks for a compilation CD.

The band, who play a mix of rock ‘n’ roll and Irish country and western music, are also to play a special one-off gig during the Manchester Irish Festival.

Kevin, 46, said: "When Brendan died it was a terrible shock to us all and we kept thinking about him and the good times that we had together as a band. Some of us didn’t even have copies of our albums so it seemed like a good idea to record them again and add a couple of new tracks for a compilation CD."

He added: "This is a very personal project for us, and the new stuff particularly is a reflection of what Brendan meant to us."

Although Kevin is best known for playing Curly Watts in Coronation Street from 1982 to 2003, he has alwayshad a love of music.

Before joining Corrie, he was in the Paris Valentinos, with pre-Smiths legends, Johnny Marr and Andy Rourke.

Kevin said: "I learned classical guitar at school, but playing rock ‘n’ roll is a lot more fun and interesting.

"I’m really excited about starting up The Borderline again and re-recording our old tracks. We had such a good laugh when we originally had the band, that it’ll be good to get back on stage."

Kevin, who lives in West Didsbury with wife, Clare, and daughters, Katy May, four, and Grace, nearly two - and has a grown-up son, Ryan, from his first marriage - has also had success as a solo artist.

In 2000 he released an album, Bulldog Nation, and a single of the same name which reached number 35 in the UK charts. Kevin left Coronation Street in 2003, to film several series’ of travel programmes around Spain, called Kevin’s Spanish Capers.

The past few months have also seen him star in a touring production of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. The Borderline will play at The Southern Hotel on Mauldeth Road West, Chorlton, on Sunday, March 16. Tickets are available by calling 0161 881 7049 or online at www.thesouthernhotel.co. uk, priced £7. The band’s compilation CD will be available on the night, priced £10.