The Kinks

mitosis

Where would they stand in your pantheon of British bands of the 1960s?

IMO their songwriting was extraordinary - superior on a case by case basis to any other band of the era. And though they are best known for their rough RnB rock sound, they were also innovators - eg the first band to use Indian influences in their playing; "See my friends" had a sitar sound.

Along with The Who, I think they were the most quintessential of British bands of the era. I would place them joint top with The Who, ahead of the Rolling Stones.

Lyaiera

A genius band. Pretty much the foundation of the whole Britpop/Britrock scene. Probably the most lyrically interesting and intelligent of their generation and their music is quintessential pop.

Washington Irving

Sure they're a pop band






:pac:

Personally, I think the only reason The Kinks aren't held in the same esteem as, say, The Stones is because they were banned from playing in the US in the mid 60's.

Although this may have led them to hone their quintessential English style.

Something Else by The Kinks, Village Green Preservation Society, Lola vs Powerman, and Muswell Hillbillies are all class.

Matt_Trakker

Deleted User wrote: »

I think the only reason The Kinks aren't held in the same esteem as, say, The Stones is because they were banned from playing in the US in the mid 60's..

I didn't know that, why were they banned?

Also...quintessential....just coz everyone else has used it

Lyaiera

Matt_Trakker wrote: »

Also...quintessential....just coz everyone else has used it

It is a very classic rock word. Beards, real ale and classic rock!

mike65

The Kinks were banned for about 4 years which killed their chances of being really big a la the Stones, the Who though they did have a sunny afternoon in the late 70s/early 80s when they tweaked the sound for stadium rock and they became a popular band to cover - Van Halen, Pretenders, the Jam

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEw0ZYlpYXE

from wiki

Following a mid-year tour of the United States, the American Federation of Musicians refused permits for the group to appear in concerts there for the next four years, effectively cutting off The Kinks from the main market for rock music at the height of the British Invasion.[1][32] Although neither The Kinks nor the union gave a specific reason for the ban, at the time it was widely attributed to their rowdy on-stage behaviour.[32]

The drummer, Mick Avory, and Dave Davies didn't get on too well.

During one show Dave Davies was supposed to let Avory know when to count the next song in. He, apparently, turned to him and told Avory to use his knob to do it because it might sound better.

Avory hit Davies over the head with a symbol stand and left the stage. That was the end of the show. They tried to say it was part of the act but it went wrong.

BrensBenz

Deleted User wrote: »

The drummer, Mick Avory, and Dave Davies didn't get on too well.

During one show Dave Davies was supposed to let Avory know when to count the next song in. He, apparently, turned to him and told Avory to use his knob to do it because it might sound better.

Avory hit Davies over the head with a symbol and left the stage. That was the end of the show. They tried to say it was part of the act but it went wrong.

I thought the main tension was between brothers Ray and Dave Davies with Ray regularly mucking up Dave's solo effort on his Death of a Clown on stage(?)
Anyway, The Kinks produced some wonderful tracks, edgy (maybe the original punks?) (Dead End Street; I'm Not Like Everybody Else), lyrical (Waterloo Sunset; I Go To Sleep); melodic (Sunny Afternoon; Days); satirical (Lola; Dandy; Dedicated Follower).
There was substantial competition in the charts at that time but I think the music of The Kinks has aged well.
Other, sometimes neglected, British bands of that period should also get a mention - Small Faces, Hollies; (Peter Green's) Fleetwood Mac; Marmalade (mock not!); Spencer Davis Group, etc. All well worth a listen.

quickbeam

Absolutely class band. I'd rate them right up top as far as British 60s music goes. Much, much higher than the over-rated Beatles or Stones, and only just pipping The Who. They have been seriously overlooked as far as being considered one of the great bands in history.

I've been lucky enough to see Ray Davies perform several times. Would love a re-union, but I think Jim Morrison rising from the grave and rejoining The Doors would be more likely than The Kinks getting back

BrensBenz

BrensBenz wrote: »

I thought the main tension was between brothers Ray and Dave Davies with Ray regularly mucking up Dave's solo effort on his Death of a Clown on stage(?).

Hadn't heard that but there was certainly a rivalry between the two. From what I gather Ray was supportive enough of Dave Davies doing solo work but Dave never really bothered to get anything together.

A cd of tracks from the Death of a Clown\Susannah's Still Alive period was released recently. They were going to be on his first solo album. It includes some Kinks b-sides and album tracks.

Roanmore

I saw them in the Cork Opera house in 1994 (I think). Ray Davies came on first and did and acoustic set for 30 mins and was then joined by the rest of the band for an electric set. Placed was full and it was a cracking concert, got a great reception.

loyatemu

Deleted User wrote: »

Something Else by The Kinks, Village Green Preservation Society, Lola vs Powerman, and Muswell Hillbillies are all class.

you left out "Arthur" from that sequence - 5 consecutive albums with barely a bad track on any of them. I'd put them ahead of the Who, only really the Stones and the Beatles were better.

Despite their lack of US success in the 60s they were actually more popular there in the 70s than they were in the UK as they adopted an increasingly harder-edged sound.

They also did a great line in songs about mundane topics - tea ("Have a cup of tea"), fags ("Harry Rag"), booze ("Alcohol"), dieting ("Skin and Bone"), and of course the crushing banality of suburban life:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4DJ9YUYshE