aotw mardi gras 2015: the kinks

[dime in the gutter]

Obvious influence is obvious?

by absolute definition.

[dime in the gutter]

When a Solution Comes

Ray singing from the perspective of Mr. Black. The socialist takeover is underway. Love the acoustic strumming and the pedal steel-sounding keys. Dave lays down some excellent licks. Love the arrangement here - it builds very nicely and showcases several different instruments.
Yeah, I'm gonna change the world
I'm going to use a little manipulation
I'm going to build a new civilization

flipping amazing tune. redonk rock.

the kinks were gods. evidence here.

[cortez the killer]

Final thoughts/reflections on the Preservation project....

There are some good to excellent songs on both releases - Daylight, Sweet Lady Genevieve, One of the Survivors, Preservation, When a Solution Comes, Money Talks, He's Evil, Mirror of Love, Salvation Road, Slum Kids. But did they (or should I say Ray) really need two separate releases spread over three records and two years? The bloat here is incredible and plays a large role in the dismissal of these albums by both critics and fans. The subject matter/story is far too dense and complicated for a "rock opera" to effectively convey. With the benefit of hindsight, I believe Ray and the band would have been far better served if they had kept it more of a loose thematic album like Village Green Preservation Society and/or Arthur (Or the Decline & Fall of the British Empire). But, Ray being Ray, he had his vision and was dead set on telling it the way he wanted to. As an artist, that is completely his right, but I've read several articles that have suggested his stubborn, self-serving approach to these records nearly broke the band. The creative well was still fertile and the band obviously had the chops, but there was no constructive editing to be found. I have grown to appreciate the Preservation records for what they are, but I do understand how others might feel they suck monkey balls. That said, for those willing, there is still plenty of strong material to be found on those records. And I now have a better understanding of why Ray chose to call them "Preservation Acts". It's all about doing whatever it takes to survive. It sounds easier than it is. How far are you willing to go to preserve your own goals, beliefs, and existence? What acts would you commit that perhaps you didn't think you were capable of? While not always clear, I think that's what Ray was trying to tackle with this project.

[dime in the gutter]

international baby mamma-chrissie hynde

[cortez the killer]

And their offspring, Natalie, did her part in preserving the village green.

[Flea]

international baby mamma-chrissie hynde

She played hide the salami with Keef as well.

[cortez the killer]

A few years ago, Adios Lounge did a piece about how Ray was the initial inspiration for "Back on the Chain Gang".

It was from a little photograph of Ray Davies (that) I found in a wallet. We were trying to work the song out in soundchecks for a while, but later when my guitar player died I finished the song off with him in mind.

[dime in the gutter]

(the kinks present) a soap opera

released: may, 1975


*RCA
*16th lp in 11 years (ish)
*recorded at konk studios
*3rd theatrical concept record in a row
*subversive songwriting
*panned by critics and ignored by fans
*deep in ray's ditch
*as with all kinks concept records....headphones make it better

i think this was originally planned and performed as a tv special in granada. kinks then decided to record an album using teleplay as a template.

lots of "concept" in this record.....rock star(maker) (ray davies) becomes bored and mystically/cosmically swaps places with a lowly ordinary dude (norman). sleeps with ordinary dude's wife and then becomes trapped and loses touch with his altered reality......or some shit like that. lp cover art hints at the environs that ray thinks he belongs in or used to belong in or should belong in....or some more shit like that.

i'm not so much into the concept part of the record yet...some voice overs and moving plot lines....those gems will undoubtedly become ingrained in my brain over time.



1. everybody's a star (starmaker): power chords and power horns. great tune. star maker explaining who he is....massive ego. disco bumping and dave shredding to close out the track.

I'm the magic maker,
I'm the image maker,
I can make or break you.
l'm a star maker (gonna make you a star)
Yes, I'm gonna make you a star (gonna make you a star),
Gonna make you a star,
'Cos everybody's a star.

2. ordinary people: golden oldies do wop. would have fit in perfectly on the american graffiti or grease soundtracks. i'm always a sucker for a 50's/60's vibe.



3. rush hour blues: starmaker turned norman is late for work. boogie woogie and nola funky meters.

Soon I'll be just one of the commuters
Waiting for the subway train.
I'll be rushing up the stairs
And in the elevator.
By the time that I get there
I'm gonna feel like a mole in the ground
I'll be caught in the crush
I'll be pushed and be shoved,
And I'll be trying to get the subway train.
I'll be fighting with my brief case
And my umbrella,
Every morning and every night.
Some people do it every day of their lives.

4. nine to five: mundane owns it. pretty meh.

He's caught in a mass of computerised trivia,
Deciphering data for mechanical minds.

5. when work is over: one of 2 drinking songs on the record. the 2nd one is better. and this one is great. reminds of disco andy capp. or the band.


6. have another drink: massive song. dave lays it down swamp style. harmonies.



7. underneath the neon sign: sounds like a paul simon rip off. dig it.



8. holiday romance: ray davies does taco/puttin on the ritz. ding dong.



9. you make it all worthwhile: meh.


10. ducks on the wall: blisters. rock and roll. does not like his wife or the fucking ducks on the wall.



11. a face in the crowd: hints at misfits record. think after the gold rush by ray davies.




12. can't stop the music: fanfuckingtastic. dave channels shakey. loud.



overall, i like this record alot.....some of it, i love.

not a perfect album, by any stretch........but some outstanding, all timer type songs showcasing an uber talented rock and roll band.

dave should have been turned up in the mix.




to be continued......

[cortez the killer]

i think this was originally planned and performed as a tv special in granada. kinks then decided to record an album using teleplay as a template.

lots of "concept" in this record.....rock star(maker) (ray davies) becomes bored and mystically/cosmically swaps places with a lowly ordinary dude (norman). sleeps with ordinary dude's wife and then becomes trapped and loses touch with his altered reality......or some shit like that.

Dated, campy, quirky, uniquely Kinks & well worth the watch.

Perhaps someone across the pond (linkous?) could shed light on what Granada TV is/means.

[dime in the gutter]

oh, not in granada.

great clip. 1st time watching.



kinks: hardest working band in the history of rock?

[dime in the gutter]

this time with the kinks.

punk rock for those willing.

[beantownbubba]

I've never seen Soap Opera described quite that way, dime. You've actually got me enthusiastically looking forward to checking out the album, which I haven't listened to since it first came out and never thought I'd have any interest in again. Excellent job, which will turn into a supercalafragalistic job if it turns out that you're right

[cortez the killer]

kinks: hardest working band in the history of rock?

I'll need confirmation from RevMatt whether or not they schlepped their own gear before I can answer.

[cortez the killer]

milk cow blues: dave davies blisters....and brother ray howls. chaos matching their frantic pressure filled lives.

Even the French couldn't resist. Whippin' that crowd into a frenzy. Punk rock via 1966.

[dime in the gutter]

i was wrong about this awesome song....dave blisters and howls.

unbenonst to me until recently....dave sang lead on a bunch of their early records.

team dave.

[cortez the killer]

and the kinks are most certainly a hard rock band.

Which album would you pick as definitive or most representative of the Kinks as a hard rock band?

(The Kinks Present) Schoolboys in Disgrace (1975)
The band’s second release of 1975 and the final installment of their “theatrical period”. The liner notes lay out the basic premise & directly connect the album to the Preservation records:

Once upon a time there was a naughty little schoolboy. He and his gang were always playing tricks on the teachers and bullying other children in the school. One day he got himself into very serious trouble with a naughty schoolgirl and he was sent to the Headmaster who decided to disgrace the naughty boy and his gang in front of the whole school.

After this punishment the boy turned into a hard and bitter character. Perhaps it was not the punishment that changed him but the fact that he realised people in authority would always be there to kick him down and the Establishment would always put him in his place. He knew that he could not change the past but he vowed that in the future he would always get what he wanted. The naughty little boy grew up... into Mr. Flash.

Interesting record. I'm not sure it is the "most representative" or "definitive" example of a Kinks hard rock album, but it does mark its territory. Legend has it the band members put their collective feet down on this record. They had enough of Ray and his theatrical wanderings. They wanted to get back to their roots as a rock & roll band. They let Ray indulge his thematic/theatrical side a bit, but the music arrangements would be more straightforward, less dramatic, and dime would get his wish – Dave was turned up in the mix. It all results in a tension-filled record with some great stylistic shifts & clashes throughout. Ray, Dave, Mick, John & John were all schoolboys in the disgrace in the 50’s, so the Billy Haley/Elvis influence on several of the songs makes sense. Schoolboys in Disgrace truly serves as the perfect segue from the band's theatrical period to the Arista, arena rock years.

1. Schooldays

Schooldays were the happiest days of your life
But we never appreciate the good times we have
Until it's too late
Piano ballad to kick things off. Very Jackson Browne-sounding song. Tried & true theme of nostalgia mined again.

2. Jack the Idiot Dunce

And the girls go crazy when he starts to move
Jack, Jack the Idiot Dunce
Now Jack's a success he's got nothing to prove
Jack, Jack the Idiot Dunce
Sounds like something one would expect to hear at a sock hop. I get what they’re after, but this one misses the mark for me.

3. Education

Black skin, red skin, yellow or white
Everybody needs to read and write
Everybody needs an education
The band members reassert themselves as a rock band. Dave’s guitar soars. It starts out slows and builds over the course of seven-plus minutes. A grandiose, stretched-out mid-70’s rock track. Female chorus belting it out.

4. The First Time We Fall in Love

Those other romances come and go
But we cherish the memory of
The first time we fall in love
1950’s Elvis influence is obvious. Ray significantly alters his vocals. Another head back the sock hop or something off the Happy Days soundtrack, before Ray can’t help himself midway through and channels his inner Freddie Mercury. The band moves on, undeterred, sticking with their 50’s rock & roll vibe. Fantastic harmonizing on this one.

5. I’m in Disgrace

I'm in disgrace
Because I fell for your pretty face
Starts out sounding like another piano ballad and abruptly transforms into a very catchy rock song. One of the better songs on the album. Power chords rule the day.

6. Headmaster

Headmaster please spare me I beg you
Don't make me take my trousers down
A repentant piano ballad that morphs into a full-blown rock extravaganza. My guess is Ray wanted to keep things quiet while Dave and the boys wanted nothing to do with it. Dave unleashes an excellent pedal-effect blast giving the song some serious bite. Pivotal turning point in the evil transformation of Flash.

7. The Hard Way

One day life's going to turn around and slap you in the face
Then you're gonna find out the hard way
More evidence The Kinks have reasserted themselves as a rock band. Ray makes no attempt to sing with any sense of melody. It works here. Dave rips it up again. My favorite cut on the record.

8. The Last Assembly

As I stand at the last assembly
I just can't keep the tears from my eyes
Organ takes center stage. One last big, happy sing-a-long.

9. No More Looking Back

The past is gone but in my head
You're still walking along beside me
Very different than anything else on the record. Dare I say, the obvious Steely Dan influence is obvious. I absolutely love this tack. Ray’s singing here is top-notch. The perfect way to end the theatrical period – “No more looking back, no more living in the past. Yesterday's gone, that's a fact. Now there's no more looking back.” Ray has officially left The Village Green.

10. Finale

Essentially a reprise of “Education” with the tempo kicked up a bit. It is technically a theatrical album after all.

[ramonz]

This fucking thread continues to blow me away. I love everything about it. One of the all-time great bands that seem to have been mostly forgotten, gets resurrected in this thread by two ridiculously passionate Kinks fans, one new(ish) and one not. If we've been long-time fans, we're reminded and educated and jumping back in. If we don't know the Kinks from Kiss, we're hearing things that no one else has done/can do - and probably having to pick our jaws up off the floor. Good stuff all around gents! Not sure if it's been mentioned, but give Ray's 2009 album Other People's Lives a spin. A superb album, and very Kinks-ish (but how can it not be).

[cortez the killer]

Thanks for the kind words, ramonz. While I've been a casual fan for as long as I can remember, the bulk of their material is very new to me. Shit, the fist time I heard The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society was last summer! Now I consider it to be one of the greatest albums I've ever heard. Participating in his thread with dime has given me a much greater understanding & appreciation for all things Kinks.

[ramonz]

Well, you are certainly a connoisseur today. Nice job.

[beantownbubba]

Other People's Lives is very good (from '06, btw) and Working Man's Cafe (from '07 or '08, depending on source) is at least as good, maybe better. I was going to wait until the gutter twins had gotten further along in the discography before mentioning these, but now that you've broken the cone of silence, these are both worthy additions to the Kinks(ish) canon. While I haven't retained the full level of my initial enthusiasm, i was quite enamored of WMC upon its release and highly recommend it.

[cortez the killer]

Other People's Lives is very good (from '06, btw) and Working Man's Cafe (from '07 or '08, depending on source) is at least as good, maybe better. I was going to wait until the gutter twins had gotten further along in the discography before mentioning these, but now that you've broken the cone of silence, these are both worthy additions to the Kinks(ish) canon. While I haven't retained the full level of my initial enthusiasm, i was quite enamored of WMC upon its release and highly recommend it.

I've been eyeballing both records. Who am I kidding? I'm gonna pick them up at some point soon. Once dime and I wrap things up, it would be nice if you could could cook something up for Working Man's Cafe, bubba. Along those lines, would there be any interest on your part ramonz putting something together for Other People's Lives, too?

[cortez the killer]

can't stop the music: fanfuckingtastic. dave channels shakey. loud.

One of my all-time favorite Kinks songs. Essential.

[dime in the gutter]

I've never seen Soap Opera described quite that way, dime. You've actually got me enthusiastically looking forward to checking out the album, which I haven't listened to since it first came out and never thought I'd have any interest in again. Excellent job, which will turn into a supercalafragalistic job if it turns out that you're right

what were your initial thoughts/recollections about it's release? contemporaneous or something.

[dime in the gutter]

headmaster is obscene. styx to meth lab guitar desert psych riffage and star wars solo....and all the natural points between. fuck.


is angus young the son of arthur and rose?

[dime in the gutter]

per the norm, exemplary job on schoolboys, cortez.

top notch, top notch.

[Iowan]

This truly is a labor of love.

[Iowan]

headmaster is obscene. styx to meth lab guitar desert psych riffage and star wars solo....and all the natural points between. fuck.


is angus young the son of arthur and rose?

Wow.

This is so fucking under appreciated.

[beantownbubba]

I've never seen Soap Opera described quite that way, dime. You've actually got me enthusiastically looking forward to checking out the album, which I haven't listened to since it first came out and never thought I'd have any interest in again. Excellent job, which will turn into a supercalafragalistic job if it turns out that you're right

what were your initial thoughts/recollections about it's release? contemporaneous or something.

To the extent I remember, it was "uh oh, more Preservation" (which was not a good thing). It seemed like RD had gone over the edge of, not quite pretentiousness, more like some cross between ambition and pursuing his own muse to a place I couldn't follow, to say nothing of stubbornness/orneriness since his previous attempts in the same direction (i.e. Preservation) had already alienated a lot of fans. Actually, the orneriness kind of appealed to me, I just wished he had backed it up w/ better songs. It would be fair to say I dismissed the album w/out too much thought or effort - at the time I don't think a single song made an impression on me and as a whole the album confirmed the downward slope the Kinks were mired in as a result of Ray's extended wandering in the land of "narrative music" (call it opera, call it concept albums, call it what u will). I'm virtually certain that all the Kinks fans I knew had pretty similar reactions (which was one reason it was easy to quickly dismiss the album).

[cortez the killer]

headmaster is obscene. styx to meth lab guitar desert psych riffage and star wars solo....and all the natural points between. fuck.


is angus young the son of arthur and rose?

I definitely hear some bubbly queso Styx seeping into things. Good ear. Also, excellent call on the offspring of Arthur & Rose, who is perhaps the ultimate schoolboy in disgrace.

[Iowan]

I'm hearing a lot of Ziggy Stardust on "Headmaster".

Any Bowie/Kink konnection you guys know of? Other than being British rock musicians in the 70's.