are the kinks over-rated on this site?

[The Modernist]

I tend to go more for the directness of the early Kinks stuff up to 67, than the concept albums of the late 60's/early 70's. Still my knowledge of the latter is rather patchy, so I'll shut up now.

[tweetybird]

For those who are only familiar with the big hits, but fear venturing into the albums, I recommend listening first to some of these:


Big Black Smoke (from Face to Face)
Dandy (Face to Face)
Fancy (Face to Face)
Holiday in Waikiki (Face to Face)
Session Man (Face to Face)
Too Much on My Mind (Face to Face)
Rosy Won't You Please Come Home (Face to Face)
House in the Country (Face to Face)
I go to Sleep (demo)
I'm not like Everybody Else (bonus track on Face to Face Castle reissue, or various collections)
This Strange Effect (BBC recordings)
Afternoon Tea (Something Else)
End of the Season (Something Else)
Two Sisters (Something Else)
Did you see his name? (either BBC recordings or the new VGPS reissue, bonus track)
Berkeley Mews (new VGPS reissue bonus track; various collections)
Lavender Hill (VPGS outtake, now on the new VGPS reissue as a bonus track, also various collections. Fantastic track. Like Noel Coward gone psychedelic)
Village Green (VGPS)
Animal Farm (VGPS)
Alcohol (Muswell Hillbillies, but the live version, from Everybody's in Showbiz, is better)
Art Lover (from Give the people what they want)
Mr. Reporter (bonus track on the last reissue of Face to Face; various collections)
My Diary (demo, found on The Singles Collection)
Shangri-La (Arthur)
Some Mother's Son (Arthur)
When I turn off the living room light (even with the anti-semitic line; BBC recordings)

[geoffcowgill]

"Big Black Smoke" isn't on my copy of "Face To Face". Was it a bonus track on a reissue? What's it like? And didn't you forget "Little Miss Queen Of Darkness"?

[Balboa]

"Big Black Smoke" isn't on my copy of "Face To Face". Was it a bonus track on a reissue?

Its a bonus track on the 1998 Castle reissue series (all excellent - of course the Kinks were bloody brilliant).

[tweetybird]

"Big Black Smoke" isn't on my copy of "Face To Face". Was it a bonus track on a reissue? What's it like? And didn't you forget "Little Miss Queen Of Darkness"?

Yes, it's a bonus track. It was the B-side of Dead End Street originally. Amazing when you think of it. I'm pretty sure entire dissertations can be written about this song alone - and probably are.

I had to stop the list somewhere... it's impossible to list all their great songs.

[BARON CORNY DOG]

"Big Black Smoke" isn't on my copy of "Face To Face". Was it a bonus track on a reissue? What's it like? And didn't you forget "Little Miss Queen Of Darkness"?

I recommend hunting down the reissues. The singles and other stuff that gets tacked on are generally quite worthwhile. I know some don't like the sound of the Kinks reissues, but other than that, it seems to be the proper way to reissue records.

[The Write Profile]

Not only to the French... I think that all the foreigners can see how "english" the Kinks really are. Most of their songs are perfect portraits of some different sides to the timeless England. I once tried to find some songs that would represent France as well as the best Kinks' songs represent England. The best one I found was "Il Est Cing Heures, Paris S'Eveille" by Jacques Dutronc.

But it's an England that's long since past, surely?

It's very much a white/working class England, and personally, I'd hazzard a guess (from the other side of the world hazzarding a guess is often dangerous) that the time that the Kinks represented has past into a bygone era. Their eloquence is assuring that this was the England that tourists looked to in guitar pop music.

[chunky]

Grrrr!

I thought I made some salient points there Chunky. And I was not ctitical of the kinks in any way. As I said , I like them well enough, I was looking for reasons why they were not as popular as they might have been.

In england, we call it debate.

Guilty: Chunky, Kinks debate, universally accepted debating measure: Score 1 out of 10. But it was my berfday and there was a lot goin on. Next time I shall destroy you with my logic, demonstrated proofs and wit.
Regards

[The Write Profile]

Anyone think that groups like the Kinks are at the heart of this debate as to whether 'singles' artist have/less more importance than album groups? And don't they serve to make the distinction futile anyway.

Perhaps the Kinks are only over-rated in the sense that they're seen as a template for a certain brand of narrative guitar music, but certainly a lot of what followed as a result of them had moments just as good.

Actually put the Kinks in the sort of group where I play constantly for a short period of time and then forget about them and pull them out a lot later. It's the songs that count.

[Guest]

The Kinks were the first metal band.

[BARON CORNY DOG]

Their Van Halen cover is the balls.

[Guest]

To be honest, discussion of the Kinks music has always fascinated me. To me they are one of those bands that make no apologies and are what they are. I don't know if understanding their background or the making of their records will really help you appreciate anything they did any more than if you just heard them for the first time. One of the main things I love about them is that it's all on the table for you.

I remember seeing Ray on Regis and Kathy Lee in about 1996 and Regis kept asking him questions about his music and Ray just kept giving variations on the 'does it really matter' response. He just kind of smiled with a twinkle in his eye and basically said there were no secrets in his records. He had no hidden message or agenda. It made me love the man and his music even more. Just probably the most honest rock and roll ever made.

That probably made no sense. sorry.

[The Mysterious Doctor Satan's Robot]

They were unbelievably good, but I have no time for them, post-Lola vs. the Powerman & the Money-Go-Round, Pt. 1.

[The Write Profile]

To be honest, discussion of the Kinks music has always fascinated me. To me they are one of those bands that make no apologies and are what they are. I don't know if understanding their background or the making of their records will really help you appreciate anything they did any more than if you just heard them for the first time. One of the main things I love about them is that it's all on the table for you.

.

I thought that was a very nice post Nathan. That's one of their best facets, but it also means that there's occasions where they can get a bit twee and/or gauche ('Apeman' and Plasticman, to me, are too smarmy for their own good). It's their balance.

[Cédric]

Not only to the French... I think that all the foreigners can see how "english" the Kinks really are. Most of their songs are perfect portraits of some different sides to the timeless England. I once tried to find some songs that would represent France as well as the best Kinks' songs represent England. The best one I found was "Il Est Cing Heures, Paris S'Eveille" by Jacques Dutronc.

But it's an England that's long since past, surely?

It's very much a white/working class England, and personally, I'd hazzard a guess (from the other side of the world hazzarding a guess is often dangerous) that the time that the Kinks represented has past into a bygone era. Their eloquence is assuring that this was the England that tourists looked to in guitar pop music.

I don't know if it's a question that has to be thought in terms of past and present. To me, the best Kinks' songs express a certain soul of the "timeless England", like this Dutronc's song expresses a certain idea of "timeless France". Anyway, it's not as much a question of lyrics than something that comes through the melodic style of the song.

Now, is it just for tourists ? Probably, yes. But, then, how many foreigners think that Amélie shows the real Paris ?

[Guest]

Now, is it just for tourists ? Probably, yes. But, then, how many foreigners think that Amélie shows the real Paris ?

My hopes and dreams..... shattered.

[Guest]

it also means that there's occasions where they can get a bit twee and/or gauche ('Apeman' and Plasticman, to me, are too smarmy for their own good). It's their balance.

I love 'Apeman'. It was his big fuck you to stupid consumers like myself. It still makes me laugh.

[Nikki Gradual]

Now, is it just for tourists ? Probably, yes. But, then, how many foreigners think that Amélie shows the real Paris ?

Only a fool would think that. It is obvious to everyone in England that Marc Caro and Jean-Pierre Jeunet portrayed the real France in a much earlier (1991?) film!

[Cédric]

Now, is it just for tourists ? Probably, yes. But, then, how many foreigners think that Amélie shows the real Paris ?

Only a fool would think that.

Well, there are many fools who are surprised to see that the real Paris is slightly "dirtier" than in Jeunet's film.

It is obvious to everyone in England that Marc Caro and Jean-Pierre Jeunet portrayed the real France in a much earlier (1991?) film!

You're talking about Delicatessen, right ? I'm not too fond of their films, but it's much better indeed. Still, it fortunately doesn't look like the country I live in !

[Nikki Gradual]

You're talking about Delicatessen, right ? I'm not too fond of their films, but it's much better indeed. Still, it fortunately doesn't look like the country I live in !

But we think that is the real France. Have you seen any British clowns around recently? No, and that's why. They're all terrified of the French.