Biography
Not to be confused with the Auckland punk venue of the late 70s, or the Suburban Reptiles song of the same name, Coup D’Etat were a tight trouser new wave outfit of the early 80s formed by Hello Sailor‘s Harry Lyon.
Well-remembered for their catchy upstroke white-boy reggae-lite single ‘Doctor I like your medicine’ which got to number 9 on the NZ charts in 1981:
Preston soon left the band to pursue a solo career, and Lyon joined his old bandmate Graham Brazier in The Legionnaires, before Hello Sailor reformed.
Members
- Paul Dunningham (Cruise Lane, Mi-Sex, Otto’s Bavarian Beer Festival Band, drums)
- Neil Hannan (Capel Hopkins Blues Dredge, Country Flyers, Glen Moffatt Band, Hello Sailor, Red Mole, Wolfgang, bass)
- Harry Lyon (Hello Sailor, The Legionnaires, guitar / vocals)
- Jan Preston (Red Mole, The Tribe, Wolfgang, keyboards / vocals)
Discography
- No music on my radio 7″ single (1980, Vertigo, 6036075)
- Doctor I like your medicine 7″ single (1980, Vertigo, 6036 077)
- Permanent hire 7″ single (1981, Vertigo, 6036 081)
- Coup d’Etat (1981, Vertigo, 6456 011)