The Kinks - Album by Album (song by song)

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by mark winstanley, Apr 4, 2021.

  1. croquetlawns

    croquetlawns Forum Resident

    Location:
    Scotland
    I really like Opening and the overall energy, but if Ray sings in this way throughout the album I don’t think I will be getting it. Fortunately Dave’s guitar is great.
     
  2. mark winstanley

    mark winstanley Certified dinosaur, who likes physical product Thread Starter

    For some reason I can't find the video for the Opening, but the rest of the videos are available, so fear not fellow "avids"
     
  3. Why the weird rebranding from "The Hard Way" to "Hardway?"
     
  4. And why is "Opening" listed on the LP label but not the sleeve?
     
  5. mark winstanley

    mark winstanley Certified dinosaur, who likes physical product Thread Starter

    I have no idea
     
  6. ajsmith

    ajsmith Senior Member

    Location:
    Glasgow
    Is it cos the Opening isn't included on the video, and The Hard Way instead appears mid-programme on the tape? Sorry to jump the gun, but here's the Hard Way OFTR video:

     
  7. mark winstanley

    mark winstanley Certified dinosaur, who likes physical product Thread Starter

    I'm confusing myself. Had a bad night, work started with a bang, and I haven't had a coffee yet.
    Cheers mate
     
    Last edited: Apr 22, 2022
  8. stewedandkeefed

    stewedandkeefed Came Ashore In The Dead Of The Night

    A great opening to a rock n roll show - "The Hard Way" - rock n roll with pure power pop hooks. Ray wore the Head Master's mask and performed in character. Live versions of this song that I have heard often feature crowd reaction before the vocal as Ray emerges in the mask and poses in character. The energy of this song is in tune with the era. It also hints what hidden treasures might be found on a Kinks record if you explore their catalogue as "The Hard Way" was never a hit (a mere B-side) but it still packs a wallop.
     
  9. I don't think the Kinks themselves know.
     
  10. Zeki

    Zeki Forum Resident

    Opening/Hard Way:
    The live album starts out with a roar…fortunately, because this jaded music fan looked at the credits and assumed Opening would be a local DJ or celebrity introducing the band, “and now let’s hear it for The Kinks!” and then crowd noise. But, no, it’s a thought out opening segment.

    Of course, having been burned by the ‘Lola’ snippet on the prior live album, I was deeply suspicious, wondering if this was gonna be it for ‘You Really Got Me.’ (In which case, I’d be pissed off! But it isn’t.)

    The segue into The Hard Way is perfect, no messing around, no long tunings, no frivolous banter (“are you having a good time?” “Yeah!!!” “I can’t hear you!” “Yeah!”), just blasting the music.

    A good start.
     
  11. Vangro

    Vangro Forum Resident

    Location:
    London
    Live is the right context for Shouty Ray, tends to sounds a bit silly and contrived in the studio.
     
  12. ARL

    ARL Forum Resident

    Location:
    England
    Opening/The Hard Way

    A good energetic opening with the band and Ray sounding on form. Had The Knack released their version of "The Hard Way" by the time that this was released?
     
  13. Steve62

    Steve62 Vinyl hunter

    Location:
    Murrumbateman
    Opening/ Hard Way
    This is a great way to open a concert - and a live album. The familiar YRGM riff used as an instrumental warm up followed by a fast version of Hard Way. I bought this album before I heard Schoolboys in Disgrace so I was pretty surprised when I discovered the studio version of this song was so measured and crisp in comparison to the frantic live performance.
     
  14. mark winstanley

    mark winstanley Certified dinosaur, who likes physical product Thread Starter

    I don't think so.... and Van Halen's Where Have All The Good Times Gone was two years away
     
  15. Martyj

    Martyj Who dares to wake me from my slumber? -- Mr. Flash

    Location:
    Maryland, USA
    Yes, the Knacks version came out earlier in the year. I often wondered if "The Hard Way," "Stop Your Sobbing" and "David Watts" were appropriated for this project as a reaction to successful, high profile covers, as a way of reclaiming it. Same, I suppose, for YRGM, which unfortunately many newcomers in 1980 assumed was a Van Halen original. Although YRGM was a standard in the Kinks setlist regardless.

    I saw the Kinks twice during the One For the Road tour, and opening was included as the show starter, albeit in a more truncated form than it does here.
     
    Last edited: Apr 22, 2022
  16. Martyj

    Martyj Who dares to wake me from my slumber? -- Mr. Flash

    Location:
    Maryland, USA
    The Opening leading into Hard Way works so well it almost seems like its a single track, meant to be digested as one...a bit like Money and Corruption/I'm your Man from Preservation. Perhaps that's why Opening isn't always accounted for in set lists or on the sleeve? It's also possible Opening was a last minute addition to the LP, after the sleeve had already been designed and printed.

    FWIW, jumping ahead, Phobia also has a track called Opening which segues into the first "proper" song. While they are delineated as two separate things, in my mind they exist as one.
     
  17. DISKOJOE

    DISKOJOE Boredom That You Can Afford!

    Location:
    Salem, MA
    "Opening/The Hard Way": One From The Road begins w/an instrumental vamp of "You Really Got Me", probably for the band to acclimatize w/themselves and the venue and also to whet the audiences' appitite for what's to come. It's also a reminder of what the Kinks were and also about to come. Then it segues into "The Hard Way", an appropriate but interesting choice for a concert opener since it's not one of their hits but a song from their "concept album" period of 4 yrs. previously. However it works as a concert opener since it was one of the few songs of that period that really rocks, which it does so here. The video version, w/Ray masked up as Mark, erm, the Headmaster, is the last vestige of the 70s costume party of the Preservation era.
     
  18. Zack

    Zack Senior Member

    Location:
    Easton, MD
    I have a comment on the Hard Way. Can I say "masturbate" on this forum? :hide:. For some reason, this version of a very common chord progression reminded me of Can't Explain from the Kids Are Alright soundtrack. Guess it's safe to say the schoolmaster mask is the last gasp of the "theatrical era" wardrobe. Also the song was dropped from the setlist shortly after this tour. My first Kinks show was in 82-3 and I never got the song live in more than a dozen concerts up till 94 or so.
     
  19. mark winstanley

    mark winstanley Certified dinosaur, who likes physical product Thread Starter

    Lol
    Apparently saying wanking and masterbating is fine, but correctly naming the er .... idk bits, is not kosha lol
     
  20. All Down The Line

    All Down The Line The Under Asst East Coast White Label Promo Man

    Location:
    Australia
    Played this tonight

    One For The Road 1980
    The Kinks

    White Label Promo
    Japanese 2LP Arista Cat: 18RS-50~51
    Fold out Insert

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
  21. markelis

    markelis Forum Resident

    Location:
    Miami Beach FL
    I know we are not there yet, but I have been totally digging Bernadette as I have been listening to some of the songs I don’t know as well off if GTPWTW and State of Confusion in anticipation. I think that song is a great little rocker and I love the contrast between Dave’s anguished high pitched howl and Ray’s more measured vocals. … But that’s jumping ahead (I just wanted to defend the song briefly).
     
  22. pyrrhicvictory

    pyrrhicvictory Forum Resident

    Location:
    Manhattan
    Opening/The Hard Way

    I wish the Kinks had continued using that opening on future tours. It’s quite effective at setting a tone for the evening. Not long after this they started using that taped warm-up for Ray to shadow-box to and get himself up for the show. Anyway, it’s a great kick-off to the album.
    Dave’s pealing guitar licks make this one of the best versions of The Hard Way. Has any ‘lesser’ song by the Kinks gotten more live mileage than this one? It was played on every tour from this point on. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a Kinks show without this song being played. From the mid-eighties on virtually every Kinks concert began:
    Do It Again/Around The Dial
    The Hard Way
    Low Budget
    Sure, it’s a direct tune and a good energy song but the boys (or Ray) must’ve really had a thing for this one.

    Two side notes:

    One For The Road (album)
    Ray claims the biggest problem he had mixing this album was the drum sound. It’s the sound that, show to show, varied most. He talked about setting up huge speakers over a drum kit at Konk and having Mick (presumably) play along. Now I don’t blame Mick for how his drums were recorded at each gig, but again I will throw out there: Imagine a powerhouse like Bob Henrit sitting in on these concerts. Just my two rupees. We’d have to wait four more years to call him a Kink.

    One For The Road (video)
    Time/Life ran out of money for this project, forcing Ray to rent three tape machines and one crude editing machine from Arista. He did the rough cut of the show in his New York apartment with help from editor Wayne Hyde.
     
  23. ajsmith

    ajsmith Senior Member

    Location:
    Glasgow
    According to Setlist.fm (and @pyrrhicvictory ) above it was actually played regularly for the rest of their career! The Kinks Tour Statistics | setlist.fm .. you must've just been unlucky with the shows you attended, 'Hard Way' wise at least.

    As for why this one endured so much.. I think it's cos it's a direct rocker that serves the same function as their earlier hits but it's not as played out/familiar as YRGM et al so it may have seemed fresher to them, even after playing it regularly for 20 years.
     
  24. ajsmith

    ajsmith Senior Member

    Location:
    Glasgow
    Maybe The Kinks should have kept Mick as their studio drummer and used Henrit for live appearances.. I have to say one (of several) reasons I'm down on the post Arista Kinks albums is Henrit's drumming.. but on the other hand.. latterly live Avory did often look like he was uncomfortably struggling to keep up with the pace.
     
  25. Martyj

    Martyj Who dares to wake me from my slumber? -- Mr. Flash

    Location:
    Maryland, USA
    One thing I always noted about Hard Way as either first or second song is that the Who used the similarly chorded "I Can't Explain" as the 1st or 2nd song for most of their set lists through the late 70's and 80's. Apparently, something about that chord sequence just "felt right" to both bands as far as setting a tone for the show that followed.
     

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