You're welcome. The piccy that I was thinking about appeared on p. 74 of Jon Savage's official bio of the Kinks, which also has a couple of piccys of the group w/Mick Grace who briefly replaced Ray during his nervous breakdown in March 1966.
Now that I know it was Dalton in 1966 (I had always been searching for Quaife...), I found this better resolution copy just in case anybody is interested
Plastic Man Far from Ray's greatest lyric or the groups best music, but it all comes together nicely and I can't help but tap my foot and bob my head along with this one. On a side note, I appreciated Mark's comment about adherence to nonconformity becoming itself a form of conformity. I'll add that nonconformists seem to derive a great deal of their identity so if it wasn't for the plastic people, who could they separate the from.... and then who would they be and how would they identify themselves?
It’s Bergen, Norway on June 17th 1966 apparently. A higher res version is on the Unofficial Kinks site link here: https://www.kindakinks.net/images/BergenL.JPG
Apparently, it took a bit of persuading to get Dalton back after Pete Quaife left. He was working in a coal yard at the time not far from Muswell Hill and wasn't too eager to rejoin the band so Ray had to increase his offer. However, it was the chance of playing in America that won him over. I always found that a bit odd. So you are working in a filthy (coal dust gets everywhere) manual environment, you get an offer to be a bass player in one of the most successful bands of the 1960's, with all the opportunities and tv exposure that brings, and you only agree once the chance of playing in the US is mentioned. I suppose there is a possibility that, having played with them before and having seen at first hand all the on-going shenanigans, he was reluctant to go back.
I was wondering where you where! I know it may seem daunting after all the pages, but it’d be amazing if you joined in the discussion (including catching up on what we’ve discussed already)!
Klassic Kinks. I love Plastic Man, especially the fast-paced drums and footstomping verve of the tune in general. Great fun! Only The Kinks could do this kind of thing, which is easy to take for granted.
I used to like "Plastic Man." I thought it was a fun, kind of comical song. Now it just annoys the heck out of me. Everything about this song is obnoxious besides maybe the bass line. The melody, Ray's singing, the lyrics, the band's performance even. We get it, Ray, people are different behind closed doors...they conform and are fake. The song is like a cartoon re-write of "Mr. Pleasant" or like a re-write of "Tin Soldier Man" (another song I do not like at all)...except this time the man is made out of plastic instead of tin (I guess Ray never go to writing a song called "Aluminum Foil Man"?). Did Ray really have no other, better songs at this time to release as an A-side? They couldn't have gone with the b-side ("King Kong")? Or even one of Dave's freshly recorded tracks instead, like "This Man He Weeps Tonight"? Apparently this song is another revival of a 1966 tune, just like "Mr. Reporter." However, "Plastic Man" was originally written as "Yes Man" and presumably Ray completely re-wrote the lyrics. I'd be interested in hearing the original version, if any recordings exist. Poor Pete's Kinks career went out with a whimper...almost..."King Kong" kind of rocks. More on that tomorrow, I guess!
I disagree that it sounded like Avory's speaking voice (at least his voice in the 1960s, his voice now is much deeper). He had a surprisingly soft, high voice back in the 60s (I've only heard two short clips of him speaking from back then). I cannot find the clip right now, but his voice sort of reminded me of young Jimmy Page's. However, I do agree that it seems likely that is him doing the deep voice on "Plastic Man" because, as you said, what other parts are there that could be him? Unless he was contributing to the "doo doop doo da doo da doo da da da" part?
Today's song seems to be getting a pretty mixed reception. Much like the exquisitely wonderful “Wonderboy,” “Plastic Man” has been—historically—unfairly judged in context of its chart performance not cracking the Top 20. That unfortunately buries the fact that “Plastic Man” is a top-tier Kinks performance and a fun recording, albeit it with silly but acceptable lyrics. Its low ranking in the hierarchy of Kink’s stand alone singles is akin to the disappointment of the batter who hits a ground triple after the preceding batters have hit home runs: not every swing is going to send the ball over the fence, but there’s no shame in getting on base. (If you are British, feel free to translate my baseball analogy into cricket!)
Yeah. Ray had Avory reach out to Dalton about rejoining actually, since they had become fast friends in 1966. Ray promised Dalton a share of The Kinks brand/name if he rejoined, but that never happened. That may have partially contributed to him leaving in 1976.
Obviously, his choice was fueled by the opportunity of potentially seeing and touring some of the finest coal mines America has to offer.
Glad you're back. Please feel free to join in.... there's a thread guide last Saturday, and another this Saturday for check checking where we've been. Friday we start Arthur (King Kong bside tomorrow)
Speaking of "Plastic Man"...it was on that "spare tracks" reel that Ray hand delivered to Reprise in 1969, along with Arthur and Dave's solo album. "King Kong" was also on there. As discussed, it formed the nucleus of The Great Lost Kinks Album (which features "Plastic Man") and some of it was cannibalized for Kinks Kronikles (which features "King Kong"). According to Hinman, the tracklisting was: Til Death Do Us Part This is Where I Belong Lavender Hill Plastic Man King Kong Berkeley Mews Rosemary Rose Easy Come There You Went Pictures in the Sand Mr. Songbird When I Turn Out the Living Room Light Where Did My Spring Go? Would've made a nice album in its own right.
My first time hearing this in stereo. It really makes a difference. Another song like "Act Nice And Gentle," that seems to get it's musical inspiration from The Lovin Spoonful's "Lovin' You." I've always found it to be a lot of fun. Frank Zappa's first three albums all contain numerous songs in which the word "Plastic" pops up. Strangely, I can't think of anyplace else where it does. It might not be the greatest thing The Kinks ever recorded, but keep in mind that if it were a Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band record, I think it would be the greatest thing they ever recorded.
This is fantastic! I love this clip. Who knew that "Plastic Man" wouldn't be very well received by this Kinks brigade? I surely didn't. This is a great song that only The Kinks could pull off in 1969. It sounds like it could have been recorded and released much earlier. I would have guessed it was recorded in 1967 around the time of Something Else. You can hear traces of what The Who were going for on Sell Out or A Quick One, but this song is pure Kinks. I always thought it was a classic with great vocals, guitar riff, and lyrics. "And his children wanna be plastic like their dad." brilliant.
