The Kinks were a truly wonderful group from around 1966 to 1972. Several landmark albums, tons of terrific songs, and pointedly droll observations by Ray Davies. “Celluloid Heroes” would be their last great tune for a long time because Davies pushed the group into several odd and half-baked concept albums through the ’70s.
Here’s an amusing 1966 video prepared for “Dead End Street”. The BBC was hesitant to show it at the time because of the morbid theme. I wonder if this was the inspiration for Monty Python’s undertaker sketches. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0WPC-N3UYE
I actually found a bootleg DVD of the whole show @ a consignment store down the street from my office. It’s oddly satisfying to me, more so than many of the Kinks concerts that I attended.
I also picked up a bootleg DVD of what was supposed to be a BBC Ronnie Lane documentary, but what turned out to be his In Concert performance w/Slim Chance. I could have returned it for a refund, but I figured that it was a better way to remember him.
Finally, here’s a modern “reinterperation” of that Dead End Street by a newer generation of Battling British Brothers:
Hey, Machinery — if what you’re saying is that the “Lola” *album* isn’t any good, I beg you to reconsider! For me, the band mostly lost it after that one, but that album is awesome! Don’t let the title track fool you — it’s a really superb, tightly knit collection of songs. Kind of a completely disillusioned, very angry counterpart to the pastoral hopefulness of “Village Green.” Seriously, check it out. It’s become one my fave Kinks albums.
The song “Lola” still gives me the chills. I’m surprised machinery doesn’t like that one – in case he does mean the album, with the long title. I don’t rate that album as high as HVB does, but it’s a good mess, if you ask me. What’s that song “Get Back in Line”? Love it. The problem for me with the album is that it sounds like the worst engineering of their early albums mixed with the worst engineering of Muswell Hillbillies’ low points. Did they have monitors in the studio when they mixed that album?
What are Muswell Hillbillies’ lowpoints and how low are they? To my ears, even a “lesser” song in the context of the record like Here Come the People in Grey or Holloway Jail are just terrific.
I got a copy of the dvd a few years ago. It’s really good, and, as far as that goes, the only thing close to a representation of them performing before their post-Muswell decline.
Odd thought: Michael Nesmith Monkees songs always reminded me of early Kinks.
As I like both, I’m curious if any particular songs come to mind for this comparison.
What are Muswell Hillbillies’ lowpoints and how low are they? To my ears, even a “lesser” song in the context of the record like Here Come the People in Grey or Holloway Jail are just terrific.
Holloway Jail might be my favorite song on the album, even.
I don’t have beefs with the material, misterioso, but the production in stretches. I’m not a hi-fi guy, but “20th Century Man,” for instance, sounds like a wet cardboard rhythm section with boomy acoustic guitars. I have to fight to hear that song for what it should be. The quieter songs work a lot better; it’s when they rock out on that album that I feel I’m missing something. The lowpoints are not terribly low, but I wish the rocking songs has some of the pleasing, warm qualities and space of “Victoria.”
Yeah, I knew that any song I mentioned was going to be someone’s fave. It’s that good a record. I understand now what Mod meant, though it does not bother me much: but I don’t like that the vocals on the verses are so buried in 20th Century Man. It is a major song and the lyrics are significant and should be more audible.
Unfortunately, mediocre sound wasn’t uncommon in those days. Listen to Rod Stewart’s Every Picture Tells a Story album. I think it’s a fine album overall, but there’s no question that the audio quality could have been much better. The record sounds like it was recorded in a stuffy closet with cardboard boxes for drums.
do you know the title of this Kinks DVD (official release or boot?) What an amazing performance. For a band that was on top of the world (musically at least) from 66-71 or so, they sure went into the crapper after that. I heard Low Budget on XM yesterday and was sure it had to be a demo, no way that take was the “best” or “final” take. I think I got Soap Opera for $2 when Media Play went out of business, Pretty sure I played it once and threw it out of the car window on the highway.
It’s a boot & I think it’s called Kinks Live 1972 (although it was actually recorded in 1973 for the BBC as part of the In Concert series).
As for their post-1971 output, although I can’t say that anything ranks up there w/VGPS, albums like Sleepwaker, Misfits & Word of Mouth were pretty solid & you can find half-decent songs in nearly every other album. Soap Opera was one of my 1st Kinks albums which I 1st picked up @ an Ann & Hope bargain bin for $1.99 (Speaking of which, I remember seeing plenty of copies of Muswell Hillbilllies there; RCA signed them in the hopes that they were getting another “Lola”; how wrong they were!).
Has anyone seen the Ian Dury biopic, Sex & Drugs & Rock ‘n Roll, if extremely short-term memory serves? I just watched it. It wasn’t bad – not nearly enough music making, way too much stylistic cinematography, and plenty of typically unsatisfying (to my tastes) Dury music and Duryisms, but the intended heart of the movie beat through. The guy who played Golem in those Lord of the Rings movies was Dury, which made for some interesting casting.
Tonyola: Production problems on Every Picture Tells a Story? Jeez, I don’t think anyone, anywhere ever got simple acoustic guitar + drums to sound so “rock” as on “Every Picture…”, “I’m Losing You” and “Cut Across Shorty” on Gasoline Alley.
I didn’t know Texas Rangers’ pitcher C.J. Wilson identified himself as “straight edge.” In fact, I didn’t know that term was still in use. I’ve noticed the guy’s got pretty rockin’ hair and sideburns for a modern-day baseball player. Now I have to wonder if he’s into Fugazi, or whatever. As an AL pitcher I guess he doesn’t have much use for walk-up music, but I’ll have to see if he has a warm-up theme song prior to his home starts. Interesting…
Sorry – I think that should be the “Straight-edge Savior.” He leads a sort of straight-edge cult, and delights in taunting the fat, beer-swilling, pill-popping weaklings that constitute the WWE fan base.
Really?!?!? That’s hilarious. I’ve tuned out professional wrestling since it lost its “scientific” edge, in the early ’80s. Has C.M. Punk also brought science back into the sport?
Yuck! I’m all for keeping it straight, but if this is the kind of music he’s listening to he might want to get off the wagon for a day.
I can’t read the (relative) youth of today. I quickly scrolled through his blog and a Sports Illustrated interview. I didn’t see anything about music or wrasslin’, just stuff about race cars and supermodels he wishes he could date.
The Kinks were a truly wonderful group from around 1966 to 1972. Several landmark albums, tons of terrific songs, and pointedly droll observations by Ray Davies. “Celluloid Heroes” would be their last great tune for a long time because Davies pushed the group into several odd and half-baked concept albums through the ’70s.
Here’s an amusing 1966 video prepared for “Dead End Street”. The BBC was hesitant to show it at the time because of the morbid theme. I wonder if this was the inspiration for Monty Python’s undertaker sketches.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0WPC-N3UYE
Odd thought: Michael Nesmith Monkees songs always reminded me of early Kinks.
Sorry for the digression.
The Kinks lost me at Lola. Before that, awesome.
I actually found a bootleg DVD of the whole show @ a consignment store down the street from my office. It’s oddly satisfying to me, more so than many of the Kinks concerts that I attended.
I also picked up a bootleg DVD of what was supposed to be a BBC Ronnie Lane documentary, but what turned out to be his In Concert performance w/Slim Chance. I could have returned it for a refund, but I figured that it was a better way to remember him.
Finally, here’s a modern “reinterperation” of that Dead End Street by a newer generation of Battling British Brothers:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jySfU10IQu4
Hey, Machinery — if what you’re saying is that the “Lola” *album* isn’t any good, I beg you to reconsider! For me, the band mostly lost it after that one, but that album is awesome! Don’t let the title track fool you — it’s a really superb, tightly knit collection of songs. Kind of a completely disillusioned, very angry counterpart to the pastoral hopefulness of “Village Green.” Seriously, check it out. It’s become one my fave Kinks albums.
The song “Lola” still gives me the chills. I’m surprised machinery doesn’t like that one – in case he does mean the album, with the long title. I don’t rate that album as high as HVB does, but it’s a good mess, if you ask me. What’s that song “Get Back in Line”? Love it. The problem for me with the album is that it sounds like the worst engineering of their early albums mixed with the worst engineering of Muswell Hillbillies’ low points. Did they have monitors in the studio when they mixed that album?
What are Muswell Hillbillies’ lowpoints and how low are they? To my ears, even a “lesser” song in the context of the record like Here Come the People in Grey or Holloway Jail are just terrific.
I got a copy of the dvd a few years ago. It’s really good, and, as far as that goes, the only thing close to a representation of them performing before their post-Muswell decline.
As I like both, I’m curious if any particular songs come to mind for this comparison.
Holloway Jail might be my favorite song on the album, even.
I don’t have beefs with the material, misterioso, but the production in stretches. I’m not a hi-fi guy, but “20th Century Man,” for instance, sounds like a wet cardboard rhythm section with boomy acoustic guitars. I have to fight to hear that song for what it should be. The quieter songs work a lot better; it’s when they rock out on that album that I feel I’m missing something. The lowpoints are not terribly low, but I wish the rocking songs has some of the pleasing, warm qualities and space of “Victoria.”
Here’s a video of “The Moneygoround”, which appears to be done live in the studio. Please note that the guitarist is Dave Davies & not Charles Manson:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCkmbD75a6U
Wow, I’d never seen this clip – nor that Dave Look.
Yeah, I knew that any song I mentioned was going to be someone’s fave. It’s that good a record. I understand now what Mod meant, though it does not bother me much: but I don’t like that the vocals on the verses are so buried in 20th Century Man. It is a major song and the lyrics are significant and should be more audible.
Very cool. “Why aren’t there more such things?” Misterioso asked, pondering the injustice of the world.
Unfortunately, mediocre sound wasn’t uncommon in those days. Listen to Rod Stewart’s Every Picture Tells a Story album. I think it’s a fine album overall, but there’s no question that the audio quality could have been much better. The record sounds like it was recorded in a stuffy closet with cardboard boxes for drums.
Wow that’s a rare one. Nice to see Dave playing the resonator guitar.
do you know the title of this Kinks DVD (official release or boot?) What an amazing performance. For a band that was on top of the world (musically at least) from 66-71 or so, they sure went into the crapper after that. I heard Low Budget on XM yesterday and was sure it had to be a demo, no way that take was the “best” or “final” take. I think I got Soap Opera for $2 when Media Play went out of business, Pretty sure I played it once and threw it out of the car window on the highway.
It’s a boot & I think it’s called Kinks Live 1972 (although it was actually recorded in 1973 for the BBC as part of the In Concert series).
As for their post-1971 output, although I can’t say that anything ranks up there w/VGPS, albums like Sleepwaker, Misfits & Word of Mouth were pretty solid & you can find half-decent songs in nearly every other album. Soap Opera was one of my 1st Kinks albums which I 1st picked up @ an Ann & Hope bargain bin for $1.99 (Speaking of which, I remember seeing plenty of copies of Muswell Hillbilllies there; RCA signed them in the hopes that they were getting another “Lola”; how wrong they were!).
I don’t know guys — Lola and Apeman, in particular (with that caribbean vibe) feel kinda show-tuney to me.
Ah, that’s right, you can’t stand showtunes. I love when you used to complain about that late-period XTC song, from their penultimate album.
Has anyone seen the Ian Dury biopic, Sex & Drugs & Rock ‘n Roll, if extremely short-term memory serves? I just watched it. It wasn’t bad – not nearly enough music making, way too much stylistic cinematography, and plenty of typically unsatisfying (to my tastes) Dury music and Duryisms, but the intended heart of the movie beat through. The guy who played Golem in those Lord of the Rings movies was Dury, which made for some interesting casting.
Tonyola: Production problems on Every Picture Tells a Story? Jeez, I don’t think anyone, anywhere ever got simple acoustic guitar + drums to sound so “rock” as on “Every Picture…”, “I’m Losing You” and “Cut Across Shorty” on Gasoline Alley.
Yeah, I know the instrumentation is similar, but the execution on Every Picture… is perfect, if you ask me.
High Five K! I love the sound of Every Picture.
Oats has a new blog:
http://noir-rock.tumblr.com/
“Watching the Detectives,” anyone?
Thanks, Mr. Mod! Could you add it to the blogroll, and remove the blog I lost interest in — There She Goes…?
I didn’t know Texas Rangers’ pitcher C.J. Wilson identified himself as “straight edge.” In fact, I didn’t know that term was still in use. I’ve noticed the guy’s got pretty rockin’ hair and sideburns for a modern-day baseball player. Now I have to wonder if he’s into Fugazi, or whatever. As an AL pitcher I guess he doesn’t have much use for walk-up music, but I’ll have to see if he has a warm-up theme song prior to his home starts. Interesting…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C._J._Wilson_(baseball)
He could also just be a fan of WWE wrestler “C.M. Punk,” the “Straight-edge Superstar” — recently known as the “Swami of Straight-edge.”
Sorry – I think that should be the “Straight-edge Savior.” He leads a sort of straight-edge cult, and delights in taunting the fat, beer-swilling, pill-popping weaklings that constitute the WWE fan base.
Really?!?!? That’s hilarious. I’ve tuned out professional wrestling since it lost its “scientific” edge, in the early ’80s. Has C.M. Punk also brought science back into the sport?
In 2008, when Wilson was still a closer, he entered games to “Iron Man”:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uo9Lkd46pFg&feature=related
But it seems like he’s now using something by Chromeo:
http://shaboomin.blogspot.com/2011/04/are-rangers-best-team-in-baseball.html
Yuck! I’m all for keeping it straight, but if this is the kind of music he’s listening to he might want to get off the wagon for a day.
I can’t read the (relative) youth of today. I quickly scrolled through his blog and a Sports Illustrated interview. I didn’t see anything about music or wrasslin’, just stuff about race cars and supermodels he wishes he could date.
The musician behind rock’s great piccolo trumpet solo, on The Beatles’ “Penny Lane,” David Mason (not the former Traffic founder), has died at 85.
http://www.spinner.com/2011/05/09/david-mason-penny-lane-trumpeter-dies/
He was a great…man.
Funny:
http://www.theonion.com/articles/bob-marley-rises-from-grave-to-free-frat-boys-from,1808/
Found an 8-song concert of James Blood Ulmer and his Odyssey-era band on YouTube, live in Poland!
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=james+blood+ulmer+-+odyssey+live&aq=f
If you’re into that kind of thing…