The Kinks

noiseradio · Post by **noiseradio** » Fri Jan 09, 2004 1:04 pm

I'm listening at the very moment to Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneygoround by the Kinks. And it's smashing. I knew Lola, Apeman, and Top of the Pops, but the rest of the album was brand new to me. It's all just tremendous. This is my most recent purchase of Kinks material. The others I've bought are Arthur, Village Green Preservation Society and a collection of early Kinks singles called Well Respected Kinks (it includes obligatory cuts like You Really Got Me and All Day and All of the Night). Before these purchases, I'm afraid I was woefully unfamiliar with the music of the Kinks. Other than the obvious cuts that have been played on the radio for decades, I just didn't know their stuff. So here's the point of this post:

All the CD's I've bought are fantastic, but the Kinks have a huge catalogue, and I want to know if there are other essentials I need to snatch up. I'm already informed by Blue Chair that I must have Muswell Hillbillies, so that's the next purchase. But what else? Face to Face? Something Else By The Kinks? At what point (either earlier or later) does the material get weak? Because based on the strength of the albums I have, I can't understand why the Kinks aren't every bit as big as the Who or the Stones. I greatly prefer these albums to some of the most lauded Stones records. And I like Arthur as much as Who's Next (which I adore).

All you Kinks fans in the know, help a brother out.

Post by **BlueChair** » Fri Jan 09, 2004 1:11 pm

I dunno if I was the one who told you about Muswell Hillbillies. That's one of the few "essentials" left that I still need.

Of the albums you don't have, I'd suggest Something Else By The Kinks next. It was my first Kinks album, and it's worth it for "Waterloo Sunset" alone (what a bonus that the rest of the album kicks ass as well)

noiseradio · Post by **noiseradio** » Fri Jan 09, 2004 1:16 pm

Sorry. Whoever told me may not have been from this board. It might have been my guitarist (or am I his singer...). Whoever it was goes on about it enough that I've actually recommended it to others without having heard it myself.

Thanks for the tip. It's on my Amazon wish list right now.

Alpal · Post by **Alpal** » Sat Jan 10, 2004 4:36 am

I bought the Kinks' Lost and Found 1986-1989, a best of for the period, because I saw it really cheap. It might be the most unlistenable purchase I've ever made. Definitely pass on this era.

Boy With A Problem · Post by **Boy With A Problem** » Sun Jan 11, 2004 8:44 am

Something Else is probably the best one you don't have. Muswell Hillbillies is fantastic, but it is a "country" record. The last released material I own is Come Dancing With The Kinks - a greatest hits compilation of stuff recorded between 1977 and 1986. The latter is worth it, if just for "Better Things". I've never been able to get into the Preservation Act records.

johnfoyle · Post by **johnfoyle** » Sun Jan 11, 2004 5:15 pm

Dave Davis ` Creepin Jean is a big fave of mine -

Creepin' Jean
Written by: D. Davies

Lyrics:
You're not leaving so descreet,
Just creeping out on me.
Your dizzy head, and smoky eyes,
You'll find some other's bed to sleep.
So don't look back, it is too late,
No story to be told.
This creepin' mess you left for me,
Promising that you'd be home.

You don't know what I mean,
Creepin' Jean's a disease.
You don't know what I mean,
Creepin' Jean's a disease.
You don't know what I mean,
Creepin' Jean's a disease.
You don't know what I mean,
Creepin' Jean's a disease.

Your dirty friends and underwear,
Keep hanging 'round my room.
The lonely pictures that you paint
Are creepin' to their doom.
So don't look back it is too late,
No story to be told.
These creepin' friends you left for me,
Saying your promise to be home.

You don't know what I mean,
Creepin' Jean's a disease.
You don't know what I mean,
Creepin' Jean's a disease.
You don't know what I mean,
Creepin' Jean's a disease.
You don't know what I mean,
Creepin' Jean's a disease.

see also

http://kinks.it.rit.edu/cgi-bin/MusicSe ... ng-creepin

noiseradio · Post by **noiseradio** » Sun Jan 11, 2004 6:35 pm

I ordered "Something Else" and "Muswell Hillbillies." I tried to order "Face to Face," but it's out of print and used copies are ridiculously expensive. I got ahold of a copy of it, as well as of Kink Kontroversy and Kinda Kinks. That ought to keep me busy for a while.

Post by **BlueChair** » Sun Jan 11, 2004 6:38 pm

noise, you krazy kinksaholic!

noiseradio · Post by **noiseradio** » Sun Jan 11, 2004 6:40 pm

I'm not sure if I'm a Kinksaholic, but I'm Not Like Everybody Else...

HungupStrungup · Post by **HungupStrungup** » Mon Jan 12, 2004 12:46 pm

I'm not that much of a Kinks fan, because they were a godawful band live. At leat they never impressed me the few times I happened to see them.

However, that's not the point of my post. I just want people to learn the two main guys' last name. It's my understanding that Brits pronounce Ray and Dave's last name the same way we pronounce "Davis" (DAY-viss). In case you Across the Ponders aren't aware of our transgression, Americans pronounce this name DAY-veez.

So practice the correct pronunciation on your peers, fellow boarders. Maybe we can start a trend. If it helps, think of Dave and Ray as being from the extended family that includes Gray, Bette and Sammy Jr.

Post by **BlueChair** » Mon Jan 12, 2004 2:46 pm

When did you see the Kinks live, Hungup?

I have a few bootlegs.. one show from '74 and one from '77, and both are great. Their live album To The Bone from 1993 (or is it '94?) is also great.

With that said, The Kinks are definitely more of a studio band, much like The Beatles, rather than more of a live band like The Who or The Rolling Stones.

Boy With A Problem · Post by **Boy With A Problem** » Mon Jan 12, 2004 6:57 pm

I wouldn't go as far to say that the Kinks were a "godawful" live band - but the three shows I saw all left me disappointed. At the end they were basically a greatest hits band and Ray would have to change his shirt (hello Cher) about four times during the show. I saw them in a bar once in Providence and they were clearly unhappy to be playing such a dive (though the place was completely packed - and the crowd was totally behind them - although the crowd was comprised almost entirely of idiots). It just seemed to me that they neglected a lot of their best material and had too much of a rock n' roll pose - and a lot of overlong solos.

On the other hand, I saw Ray perform his "Twentieth Century Man" solo show and was totally blown away.

Post by **BlueChair** » Mon Jan 12, 2004 7:19 pm

Maybe you just caught them on bad tours? I mean even great live bands like The Who have had their fair share of bad tours.

HungupStrungup · Post by **HungupStrungup** » Mon Jan 12, 2004 9:26 pm

I can't say exactly which tours we're talking about - it was perhaps three times in the late '70s to early '80s. It seemed to me that Ray and Dave weren't getting along, or at least were working at cross-purposes up there. It was highly unprofessional, it seemed to me, to be working out your sibling rivalries in front of the paying customers.

laughingcrow · Post by **laughingcrow** » Tue Jan 13, 2004 6:39 am

Yeah HS, Ray Davies is 'Day-viss'.....if it was 'Day-veez'...dunno why though, doing that to 'ies' is the exception rather than the rule.