Coachee is a ceramic blue boy wall-hanging you would have seen in a statuary shop in the late 70’s. We met backstage at Sonic Youth’s set, Sunday at Coachella 2003. When I first met him I was thinking what is this thing? Then, when Sonic Youth came off the stage I asked drummer Lee Ranaldo to take a picture with him. And he accepted with a smile on his face. At that moment I knew what my mission was, a friend and I came up with the name “Coachee” and proclaimed him the “official unofficial mascot” of the Coachella festival. I proceeded to seek out more people to take pictures with Coachee and spread his love. He ended up returning home with me and lives with me still.

After the festival, I posted all the pictures on the Coachella message board. Surprisingly I got an email from a Goldenvoice employee that simply said “Goldenvoice loves Coachee. Just wanted you to know. Thanks for this. You rule, whoever you are.”

Coachee was lucky enough to have another stint in 2005. That year I met Mary Ann who was the one who bought him at a thrift store, and she remembered buying him. Mary Ann decorates the artists RV trailers with the props she finds. She said she didn’t know how Coachee made his way all the way backstage to the main stage, but was glad he was making the rounds. That year was even more successful than the first. Unfortunatly that was also the year that Dynamite MC of Roni Size fame went to hand him back and dropped him into 3 pieces. He was all “Oh no i broke your lil man!”. Luckily we were able to take a cart back to the artist area where we had to perform an operation and mounted little Coachee to a board. Did that stop him? NO! Coachee got more pics with Danny Devito & the Prodigy. We will see what 2008 has in store for Coachee. It’s a three day festival so I hope he can go the distance.

Coachee Facts

• He is 11.5″ x 4.5″
• He is 32 years old, and has a ©1975 Marisguy on his foot and a price tag of $1.50 dated 4/20 on the back.
• He is back in one piece again with a glued cardboard splint to hold him together.
• He loves to party
• He loves the ladies
• Oh… and HE LOVES YOU!!