Conference mr1pst::music

    Well, uh, I'm a pretty big fan of their work up until a few years ago. 
    Have you got "Muswell Hillbillies?"  I think it's probably their most
    perfect album.

    Kink Kronicles is arguabley one of the finest pop albums ever made.
    
    Peter

    yup, Muswell Hillbillies is fun, I always liked Schoolboys in Disgrace
    too...

    Sure, and there's little wrong with "Sleepwalker," "Lola vs...,"
    "Preservation Act I," "The Village Green Preservation Society" (if you
    want to go back quite a ways).
    
    What album is the song "Live Life" on?  Is that "Sleepwalker" or am I
    forgetting one?

    Isn't Kronicles a compilation album?
    

    Beat you all to it!

    Damn, I can't remember the name of the album but from way back one
    that got a lot of air play in my house had 20th Century Man and
    Hollywood boulevard on it. Celluoid Heros maybe?
    
    Anyway,
    
    "I'm a paranoid schizo product of the 20th century"
    
    "I wish my life was a hollywood movie show, a fantasy world
    of celluoid villians and heros"
    
    Jim C.
    
    

    I loved that song they had several years ago called "Don't Forget To
    Dance" and there was another one on the same album called "Come
    Dancing" that I liked, too.  
    
    I can't remember what that album was called, but it's the only Kinks
    album I ever bought, although I've seen them in concert twice and
    enjoyed it.
    
    Lorna
    

    Does anybody else remember (let alone like) "Soap Opera"?
    
    	"She got ducks, ducks on the wall!"
    
    Edd

I've got the compilation CD "Come Dancing with the Kinks" - it's wonderful.
I'd recommend it to anyone starting out with the Kinks.  It includes a
couple of tracks not released on other albums.

				Steve

    The "Soap Opera" LP is another brilliant Kinks album, very much 
    underrated. Some real cool songs..
    FWIW, a group of Boston musicians/dj's/zine people are once again
    doing the Kinks "Preservation Act 2" at the Middle East Cafe in Mid
    Dec....
    Peter 
    

.11 was just what i was looking for.  a very positive review of the 
Great Woods show (written by Jim Sullivan in the Boston Globe July 29, 1993)
revealed that a group of people that call themselves the UNINVITED did 
perform an ACT 2.

thanks for all the other notes.  PLEASE check out PHOBIA, the latest.

see you in December !
lew

    
    One of my all-time favorite bands.  Maybe the best.  Ray Davies is,
    bar-none, the best song-writer in the history of rock and roll.  I
    might give him top honors for stage presence, too!
    
    There's an internet Kinks distribution list if any fans out there like
    to keep up on things.  Send requests to Neil Ottenstein at
    
        otten@quark.umd.edu 
    
    A couple of things...  
    
    1) If anyone has a CD of "Misfits" or "Sleepwalker" on CD, I am 
       desperately looking for them (out of print).
    
    2) The Great Woods show this past summer was phenomenal.  Better than
       I had expected.
    
    3) Here's the results of a survey taken by Kinks fans on the net, if
       you're looking for good stuff.  I generally agree, but I think the
       "SchoolBoys in Disgrace" and "Misfits" should be ranked higher.
    
    Survey
    ------
    
    There were 22 rankings of Kinks albums.  The median #albums reviewed was 
    11 so everyone's #1 album got 12 points, #2 album 11 points and down.
    
    The headings of each column are the total # points given, the average # 
    points per mention, # mentions of each album, and the # times ranked #1.

        Album                       Total	Avg. 	#ment 	#1


	Village Green Pres. Soc.     151	10	15	5
	Lola vs. Powerman...         127	8.46	15	1
    	Arthur                       124	8.85	14	3
	Something Else               115	8.84	13
	Muswell Hillbillies          96		7.38	13	2
    
	The Kink Kronikles           92		8.36	11	
	Sleepwalker                  72		6.54	11	1
	Misfits                      72		5.53	13	2
	State of Confusion           72		5.14	14	1
	Low Budget                   65		5.41	12
    
	Give the People What...      50		5.55	9	2
	Face to Face                 48		6.85	7
	Schoolboys in Disgrace       40		5	8
	One For the Road             39		4.33	9
	You Really Got Me            36		4	9
    
	Kinda Kinks                  35		5	7
	UK Jive                      33		5.5	6
	Word of Mouth                31		2.58	12
	Everybody's in Showbiz       29		2.9	10	1
	Preservation Act I           25		2.5	10
    
	Kinks-Size                   24		4.8	5	1
	Great Lost Kinks Album       23		5.75	4	1
	Think Visual                 22		2.75	8
	Preservation Act II          13		1.85	7
	Kinks Kontroversy            19		3.8	5
    
	Live at Kelvin Hall          19		3.8	5
	Soap Opera                   19		2.37	8	1
        Percy (soundtrack)           18		6	3
	The Road                     7		1.75	4
	Kinks Kinkdom                2		1	2

    
    >> "I'm a paranoid schizo product of the 20th century"
    
    "20th Century Man"... opening cut on "Muswell Hillbillies."
    
    
    
    >> "I wish my life was a hollywood movie show, a fantasy world
    >> of celluoid villians and heros"
    
    "Celluloid Heroes," which was on disk 1 of the double album set, of
    which disk 2 is live.  Note -.1 has an album called "The Road" on it.
    Could that be it??  Doesn't ring a bell to me.
    
    

    
    "Celluloid Heroes" is on a few compilation albums - "Celluloid Heroes:
    Greatest Hits" is the one mentioned a few back that had both
    "Celluloid Heroes" and "20th Century Man."  It also appeard on
    "Everybody's in Show Biz" (the lime green double LP) and live on 
    "One For the Road".
    
    - Sean

    Come Dancing and Don't Forget to Dance are on the "State of Confusion"
    album, if I recall correctly.  I'm fond of these two songs, too,
    especially the latter.
    
    
    kim

    re .13, I really love the way so many people state their *opinions* as
    facts!  :-)   I'm sorry to have to tell you that you are wrong,
    however.  Ray Davies is not the best songwriter in rock'n'roll, bar
    none.  That is Bob Dylan.  Nor, does Ray Davies have the most stage
    presence in rock'n'roll, that honor goes to Bruce Springsteen.  BTW,
    those are my *opinions.*  :-)
    
    
    re .16, yes, that's it, "State of Confusion."  I love both those songs. 
    There's also a song about divorce on that album that I like a lot, too. 
    It goes something like, "you can keep the photographs."
    
    Lorna
    

    I always figure if you don't have enough conviction to state your
    opinion as a fact you should probably keep it to yourself. "IMO" 
    leaves the writer an out that there's no need for. Editorials have
    opinion implied.
    
    This is a fact.
    
    Edd

    As much as i love Rays lyrics, i've got to agree with Lorna on the
    Bob D nod....possibly the finest "English" songwriter...maybe.
    
    Yes, Lorna, the Boss DOES rule.      :*)
    of course all MHO.
    Peter

    Maybe not the greatest songwriter, but one of the greatest
    self-plagarists in the history of R&R.
    
    The greatest songwriter(s), as we all know, were Lennon/McCartney.

    
    Not that I'm in favour of value judgements, but I too think
    Lennon/McCartney would win this contest hands down. It's adarned sight
    easier to put up a case for Ray Davies being a better songwriter than
    Bob Dylan.
    
    Dylan was bound to have a greater global impact ("spokesman for a
    generation", etc.). Davies's songs tend(ed) to be about English (or
    even *southern* English!) issues: class struggle, steam trains, village
    greens, afternoon tea, London, etc. Often parodies of middle class
    English life from a working class point of view.
    
    But if you like a good melody, I'd take the Kinks over Dylan any time!
    Ray Davies has also proved that he can write every type of song (a rare
    skill, perhaps only bettered by Lennon and McCartney). High energy
    rockers, ballads, ragtime, music hall, R&B...the lot! 
    
    Actually, as a long time fan of the Kinks, I'm surprised how many
    previous notes have cited their more recent output. IMO, the Kinks
    post-1975 are a good rock band, but nothing more. The stuff they did in
    the sixties and early seventies is unlikely to be equalled for passion,
    melody and originality. Any newcomer should just buy one of those EP
    collections on CD - not a bad track to be found (from Tired Of Waiting
    to Waterloo Sunset to Dead End Street to I'm Not Like Everybody Else).
    
    Amazing how many of RD's songs have been covered too - enough to fill 5
    or 6 tribute albums!
    
    Dom
         

    I liked their hits back in the '60's when I was in high school.  They
    were fun songs.
    
    And, I definitely agree with Ray's sentiments on the song "Young
    Conservatives."  In fact, I thought he must've written it for the
    Soapboxers at Digital.  :-)
    
    Lorna
    

    
    Beatles - number one band of all time, and I wouldn't try to dispute
    it.  They had so much impact, so much talent, so much *music* in them,
    even I get p.o.'d at a lot of kids today who write them off as so much
    60's nostalgia (and unbelievably, many do!)
    
    But I still think Ray wrote better lyrics.  Maybe he was English-centric,
    but.... if you judge him on how successfull he was at evoking the
    intended emotion and achieving the effect he wanted, he even beats Lennon/
    McCartney.  A lot of Lennon/McCartney stuff was inaccessible,
    partially unfathomable to the layman, sometimes cliche'd (they invented 
    Steely Dan's penchant for "spot the drug reference" lyrics), and second
    to the music.
    
    Ray's lyrics were 1st, his music second.  That's why I stop at "greatest
    songwriter."  And he did extend out past his English roots on a lot of
    pieces.  His words touched you like nobody else's.  The real problem is
    that most people don't *know* his real work.  I agree with you, his
    post-1975 efforts are more famous, and very much less appealing from
    a lyrical standpoint (you're right, they were just a good rock band).
    And that's why people don't rate him as high.
    
    One final comment vs. The Beatles:  While Lennon/McCartney were wishing
    they could "hold your hand," Ray was belting out that he wanted to be
    with you "all day and all of the night" (and way long before even Mick got
    in trouble for wanting to spend "the night together)".  I'll say it
    again, Ray had it over all those guys.
    
    - Sean

    re: .23
    
    >Ray's lyrics were 1st, his music second.  That's why I stop at "greatest
    >songwriter."  And he did extend out past his English roots on a lot of
    >pieces.  His words touched you like nobody else's.  The real problem is
    >that most people don't *know* his real work.  I agree with you, his
    >post-1975 efforts are more famous, and very much less appealing from
    >a lyrical standpoint (you're right, they were just a good rock band).
    >And that's why people don't rate him as high.
    
Agreed. Maybe I overstated the "Englishness" of his lyrics (I think "Till The
End Of The Day" or "You Really Got Me" are pretty accessible to all!); even the
music hall style of "Autumn Almanac" or "Party Line" should be amusing to
non-British audiences. Certainly, there were few wittier lyricists. 

Actually, I wouldn't go as far as to say that the music placed a definite
second to the lyrics. Melodies like "Waterloo Sunset" and "Sunny Afternoon" are
nothing short of memorable. I remember reading an interview with Paul Weller
(ex-Jam and Style Council lead man, and self-confessed Kinks nutcase), in which
he confessed that he practically lived under the shadow of Ray Davies at the
start of his career; each time he wrote a song and made a demo recording, he'd
listen to "Waterloo Sunset" and compare the two. More often than not, he'd end
up dumping his own song and starting again from scratch! 
    
    >One final comment vs. The Beatles:  While Lennon/McCartney were wishing
    >they could "hold your hand," Ray was belting out that he wanted to be
    >with you "all day and all of the night" (and way long before even Mick got
    >in trouble for wanting to spend "the night together)".  I'll say it
    >again, Ray had it over all those guys.
    
Yep. I'm a great Stones fan too - I think the Stones in the sixties had an
overall "sound" that was difficult to equal - but in songwriting terms, there
could be no comparison between Jagger/Richard and Ray Davies. Most of 
Jagger/Richard's songs were off-the-wall R&B compositions; rarely could their
lyrics be described as pointed ("Satisfaction" was maybe an exception), and the
melodies were generally tacked on to standard R&B chord progressions.

I also think that the production on the Kinks' records is underestimated.
French horn, harmonica, acoustic guitar - they always seemed to get a sound
that exactly complimented the song. And they usually sounded very together too.
The introduction to "Tired Of Waiting" is a case in point. The bass/drums are
just perfect as they come on with the initial guitar riff - lovely vocal
harmonies too.

Dom 

    
    Dom, I agree about the Kinks' "music," too!  I just didn't wanna sound
    *too* biased!  ;^)  I think if half the FM stations in the country
    heard most of the stuff off of Preservation Acts or Everybody's in Showbiz,
    they'd wonder what Ray's "old" band was before the Kinks.  A lot of
    musical styles, a lot of risk-taking, and a lot of talent.
    
    I think Paul Weller and John Mendelsohn (music critic) and a lot of
    other plain old Kinks fanatics have one thing in common about our love
    for this band - excessive!.

    >>  French horn, harmonica, acoustic guitar ...
    
    Kazoo

i've confirmed that show dates for Preservation Act II are DEC 10,11
at the Middle East.  ticket prices are $10.  

see you there,
lew

    
    Funny...although I consider the Kinks to be among my top 4-5 favorite
    bands, I've passed over going to see them when I've had the opportunity
    in recent years. I guess I'm just too much in love with their sixties
    sound; for me, there's just no comparison between the "Live At Kelvin
    Hall" live album and the live album that they released a few years back
    ("On The Road" or something similar?). Oh well, I'll have to go and see
    them in concert sooner or later, just for what they represent.
    
    Not to turn this into a boring "musicians chit-chat", but does anyone
    know what guitars (Las Pauls I think?) and amps (Vox? Selmer?) the Kinks 
    were using back in the sixties? I think the guitar sound in songs like
    Tired Of Waiting or Till The End Of The Day is just too good for words.
    
    Dom              

    re .28, I'm not a huge Kinks fan.  Haven't listened to one of their
    albums in years, but I've seen them live twice and they were very good. 
    Anyone who is a fan, and hasn't seen them live, is definitely missing
    out on a good time.
    
    Lorna
    

    On equipment:
    
    I've seen pictures of them with various stuff in the old days:
    Rickenbackers, Guild, Gibson
    
    Who knows what they were actually using on those records.
    
    							Brian

    The one time that I saw them live, Dave was playing a black Les Paul
    custom through a Peavey deuce-II (!?!).
    
    I guess that his real amp must have been broken  ;-)
    
    Cheers,
    Ken
    
    
    

> The one time that I saw them live, Dave was playing a black Les Paul
> custom through a Peavey deuce-II (!?!).

Yup, for the past 20 years or so (since the mid-70's), Dave has been using
PV amps for the most part. he says he usually has stacks of Marshalls or
some other hip amp onstage, but behind them he has his little PV 1x12 
with a mike stuck in front of it, and that's what the audience hears!

alan

i made it to the Friday night show of Preservation Act II.  it was, in
one word, wonderful.  the music was great and so was the performance.
wish i could have made Saturday but, with the change in the weather,
i could not.  i hope they keep doin' it again...lew

    The Kinks seem to be coming to New England in late July.  I'm having
    trouble getting accurate info as to where and when.
    
    I've heard they will play either 7/27, 7/28 or both.  I've heard they
    will be at the South Shore Music Circus.  Is this in Cohasset?  Where
    is Cohasset?  Then, in some notes file today (unless I'm dreaming)
    somebody said they were playing in Hyannis.
    
    All rumors seem to agree that tickets go on sale this coming Saturday.
    
    Any definitive statements regarding time and place appreciated.
    
    							Marc

Yes, in fact, I posted a note in this thread and then read the rules on
where to place concert announcements (see note 4.31).  Sorry for confusion.

South Shore Music Circus (Cohasset(sp?))...7/28

appears to be a definite. ZLX played a little game this morning and gave away 
a pair of front row to the person who could name, Midnight Hour/Wilson Pickett
after giving some verbal hints. Suffice it to say, I'll be on line
tomorrow, for any and all shows !

Ticketmaster also has a listing for the band on 7/27 on the Cape at the 
Melody Tent(Hyannis ?).

I am unfamiliar with either of these venues.  Anyone know if an event like
this is likely to sell out at either venue ?     

WE ARE NOT DREAMING !  and if anyone is interested in carpooling to these shows
from the Littleton area send to SMAUG::BLATT.  

    
    
    These dates have appeared unofficially and unconfirmed in the Kinks
    internet list, but it does look like a Northeast Tour is happening:
    
July 19 The Melody Fair, Buffalo, NY (on sale 6/5); July 20or21
Starlight Music al Theatre, Lantham (Albany) NY (on sale 6/8); July 22
Oakdale Musical Theatre, Wallingford, CT (on sale 6/10?); July 23 Warwick
Musical Theatre, Warwick, RI (on sale 6/10); July 27 Cape Cod Melody Tent,
Hyannis, MA (on sale as of today) ; July 28 South Shore Musical Theatre,
Cohasset, MA (on sale as of today).
    
    - Sean

Thanks for -1.

It was tense but I've got tix for the 27th and 28th.  After redialing
both venues for around 25 minutes, I gave up and hit Ticketmaster.  
If anyone is interested in pooling from the Littleton area to 
either/both shows please post SMAUG::BLATT (lew).  It's gonna be a
great summer ! 

    
    	The South SHore Music Circus is a theater-in-the-round kind of
    place, very small, rotating stage. I don't think there are more than 20
    rows of seats, so I'm surprised they're playing such a small venue.
    They could play unamplified, and everybody could hear, that's how
    small we're talking. On warm nights the tent sides are left off, so it
    cools down nicely. Cohasset is 5 towns south (southeast actually) of
    Boston.
    
    	Scott. 
                                                 

wow !

    
    Warwick Musical Theatre (RI) is the same - I'm going to try for tix there
    when they go on sale the 10th.
    
    I'm totally psyched for this show - I had really great seats at Great Woods
    last year, but this should be fantastic.
    
    Ray Davies is just beyond compare as a lyricist.
    
    - Sean

    I noticed a couple of other Kinks appearances not mentioned in 
    this string yet:
    
       Mon., July 24 at the North Shore Music Theatre in Beverly, Mass
       Wed., July 26 at the Hampton Beach Casino in New Hampshire
    
    				- Paul

Thanks for the posts of those dates.

Anyone happen to check the bins for new music from the band ?
The last one, Phobia, is terrific.  Greedy me is looking for more !

lew

    
    "To The Bone" is out and about at places (bring your checkbook).... 
    redone studio stuff.  I guess they never really released in USA, so
    it's only had by import.
    
    - Sean

    
    Last night was the best Kinks show I ever saw, and that includes
    the Providence Civic Center show they recorded for the "One For the 
    Road" live video and album they did in '80.
    
    ...and any Kinks show is better than 99% of other concerts :^)
    
    - Sean

    I agree. What a great show and they looked like they had a ball too.
    The place (Warwick Musical Theatre) was nice too. A revoving stage
    from the 5th row wasn't too bad either. I want to go again.
    God save the Kinks.

    
    >      I want to go again.
    
    They're playing tonight in MA in a similar type place!  :^)
     

What a wonderful way to start the work week.
There was dancing in the aisles last night at North Shore Music Theatre !
Great show.  I think they like circular venues !   

    Was there an opening act?
    

Yes, there was an opening act but I did not catch the name.  It was a girl 
(on acoustic) and boy (electric lead more or less) team.  They were pretty
well received.

    
    Stacy Wylde (any spelling errors are mine).
    
    She was actually pretty good.  Kind of part Melissa Etheridge, part
    Janis Joplin, but with a much much better voice than either of them.
    
    Opened with Dylan's "Gotta Serve Somebody" and peaked with a song
    called "Standing at the Alter" (imo).
    
    The guy on accompaniment was deceptively and subtley awesome.  
    
    - Sean

I am curious to know what songs they performed.  Anyone have a list (or better
yet, a tape) ?  lew

>I am curious to know what songs they performed.  Anyone have a list (or better
>yet, a tape) ?  lew

All Day and All of the Night, and Lola

    Ray Davies solo at the Pardise in Boston just went on sale today,
    Sept 28th at 3:00. $12. The show is Oct 16th.
    

Holy toledo (among other things)...
It sold out before I even scored a ticket.  If you

a - have a spare
b - know a connection at the Paradise that can donate one to a good cause
c-  knows Ray Davies and can politely suggest that 'since he sold out
    it might be a good time to add some more shows'

please think of me.  Please mail smaug::blatt.

Much thanks and enjoy...lew

Anyone know the venue/date of the place in New Haven  where Ray is playing ?

Called Ticketmaster and tickets are available for the New Haven show.
Never did get venue name.  Paradise remains sold out.

Rumor had it that the show was CANCELLED but Ticketmaster has show going on.
Venue name:Toad's 
Date: 10-22
Ticket price: $20 thru Ticketmaster

Come Dancin'...lew

    Did anybody that ordered tickets for the Pardise over the phone 
    thru Ticketmaster get them yet? I ordered the day they went on sale, 
    Sept 28 and nothing yet.

    hey Manhattan,
    
    please post rumors about upcoming Ray dates for NYC.  thanks.