Ah, never mind on the second keyboard. That's Nick Newall who played sax and second keyboards. I don't think I'd ever seen a video of him on keys before, so it threw me for a loop. Nice find! Good to see this missing footage.
"It (I Want It)": This is a good way to put it. I admire the ambition more than the end product. The lyrics are certainly on target (though they could perhaps be more subtle) and while it will never be a playlist song, it has grown on me a bit. 3/5 Ray's major point about consumerism is still valid of course. It seems to me one thing that has changed since 1987 is the proliferation of media outlets that are eager to feed people's biases to the point of fueling division within the country, all for the sake of corporate greed. This brainwashing/addiction is far more destructive than hypnotizing consumers to buy a miracle mouthwash that will change their lives. We are all being played and the endgame won't be pretty. But the profits will be stupendous!!! Quick takes: "Cliches of the World" – This song is not a favorite but it’s come up a bit. 3/5 "Think Visual" – I love this song, but why is this cut so short??? 3/5 "Living on a Thin Line" – Another song I love but this seems flat compared to the 1987 Chicago version. 3/5 "Lost and Found" – This song hasn’t grabbed me like I wish it would and nothing here changes my opinion. 2/5
Thanks for posting! I enjoy Ray singing "Tired of Waiting for You" on the repeating two-chord bridge of "Sleepwalker."
Dang, I was there, and later bought the original TL tape that didn’t have these, and so…. First time I’ve seen them since that night. Wow!!
Seeing “It” live for the first time was a real head shaker for me. I still find it to be Zappaesque, and not in a good way. It was interminable. It… it…it… Definitely not in my wheelhouse, as others have commented it is for them. Maybe it was admirable as an experiment, but I don’t see how this is in the wheelhouse of either Ray or the Kinks, even if their new rhythm section could cut it. On the other hand, I still really like Art Lover, which everyone seems to be taking an extra swipe at now. so maybe I’m in the minority here. At least most of seem to agree on The Road song itself being a standout.
Lost And Found & The Flood Update 2 days ago my insurance company said they would cover any upstairs ceiling damage though none of the basements flooding rebuild. This in effect is like offering someone (financial) bandaids for a shark bite. However i disputed this finding and was quite verbose in my philibuster being informed my case's decision would be reviewed so today i was phoned and advised they had reversed their decision. Lo$t And found indeed!
Around the Dial. live, stereo mix, recorded 1 Jul, 1987 at Mann Music Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania This seems like a song that is pretty much made for playing live, and it works well in that sense. To some degree the studio version is so punchy in and of itself, that the live version, somewhat, seems to just be on the album.... Not that it is bad or anything, it just doesn't really bring anything new to the party, it's just a solid live version of a good track.
Give the People What they Want. live, stereo mix, recorded 1 Jul, 1987 at Mann Music Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Another track made for the live experience. Again the fact that the band are so tight in this era is probably the highlight in many ways. This is a good song that works well in the live album format.... not sure if it was the right track to close out this mini live album though.
You Really Got Me. live, stereo mix, recorded 1 Jul, 1987 at Mann Music Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania This was released as the b-side of a single coming up in the future here, Down All the Days, but was taken from this show. This is a typically excellent version of the song. Dave gives us a great lead, the verse after the chorus has Ray playing with the audience. Just more great live Kinks.
The Road I like this quite a bit.... The two new tracks are great, and to some degree, when I consider those, and the 80 Days material, it seems like Ray was in an inspired place, after apparently being in a stage of writer's block at some point during the course of Think Visual... even though I enjoy that album quite a lot. I like the live versions of the songs here. There's nothing really to complain about, but for some reason it doesn't feel essential, as a live album. I think the two new tracks are essential, but they are somewhat lost on here to some degree... I think it would have been a better studio cut, particularly if Ray had sequenced it into an album that possibly closed with The Road. I'm not sure if it is song selection or if I am just not familiar enough with this live album, but it feels a little underwhelming. Again though, it isn't the performances, the performances seem pretty top notch. Perhaps it is a sequencing issue... and even more likely that it is just a taster of a concert album, and I generally prefer a full proper live album. If they did release a dvd/bluray of this at some point, I would get it. A hard call for me what to think about this one... some essential elements that I wouldn't want to be without, but it doesn't grab me initially as an essential album.
I like Give The People What They Want. I agree with @Michael Streett 's praises of Bob Henrit's playing on "It". And I also appreciate his Avory-like-but-tighter performance on this last song. Overall, I would keep from The Road a sort of maxi-EP with Face A: The Road/Destroyer/Apeman and Face B: It/Give The People What They Want. It's almost a mini-album in duration, but whatever. There's nothing to be ashamed of on the existing The Road album, but I don't think I will listen to it a lot as a whole in the future. It's nice to have a testimony of this period of the Kinks live act. Is it true that the "Gotta Move" version on the "Did Ya" EP comes from this concert ? If this is the case, I'm impressed by Ian Gibbons' playing. I thought that perhaps it was the ephemeral keyboard player who joined the band around 1990.
Closing a live album with faithful renditions of the first two tracks off a 6 year old LP doesn’t seem the most exciting idea for a finale. I mean I love those songs but as a sign off it says ‘we’re where we were at the start of the decade’: compare to OFTR that climaxed with the frantic and triumphant desecration of a coupla strategically redeployed oldies.
I still enjoy Around the Dial, the Bowie/Moneygoround bridge, Ray’s voice, the breakneck speed, I’m still less excited about Give the People What They Want (though the speed is definitely there too) but I'm sure it was fun live. I agree with @ajsmith that it's an underwhelming finale for the LP. The last three songs (It/Around the Dial/Give the People What they Want) are almost a thematic “suite”, in which Ray’s taking up the social commentator role instead of the social observer. He’s good at the job, I must say, quite funny. But maybe that’s the main thing about this record (and a lot of the eighties stuff): he’s not as moving as he used to be. Certainly doesn't try to either. A live 1987/1988 Kinks concert was perhaps not the place for that. A few random notes - Great find with the One for the Road footage. Some excellent stuff there ! - @TeddyB, I too still love Art Lover. I’ve just realized it’s better for me not to try to “save it” from its dark uncomfortable nature. Therein lies the power of the song. - @Michael Streett : you put me in a dangerous psychological zone. I opened my Zombie Heaven box merrily, hoping to get the extra 30 seconds demo (I seem to remember it was there). But what I got was the first CD MISSING. With not the slightest idea what happened to it. Red Alert !!!!! Panic, mayhem and paranoia in @fortuleo’s home. How could this ever happen? Could someone in the know have stolen the disc because it was indeed the legendary pressing ? Who came to dinner in the last few months ? Did @Michael Streett visit France recently ? Did he send fellow Parisian @The late man on a heist mission ? I'll need the names of all my kid's friends who slept over this year, too. I'll get to the bottom of this ! - I take a lot of pleasure in @Wondergirl’s lonely race at the back to catch up with the thread. That’s what I call dedikation, like a Tour de France racer trying to get back into the pack by himself (herself) in a difficult mountain stage. You’re almost there, friend, keep it up!
Just so everyone knows where we are at, this is the layout for the next couple of weeks. Thursday - Around The World In 80 Days - The Play 80 Days Friday - Ray Davies - 80 Days album (Demos) Saturday - Let It Be Written Monday - 8th August - Our World Tuesday - Well Bred Englishman Wednesday - Against The Tide Thursday - Ladies Of The Night Friday - On The Map Saturday - It Could Have Been Him and Welcome To India Monday - 15th August - Just Passing Through Tuesday - Who Do You Think You Are Wednesday - 80 Days Thursday - Members Of The Club Friday - Conspiracy Saturday - Tell Her, Tell Him and Be Rational ... 80 Days summaries.... Hopefully everyone will be happy to go through this album of demos properly like a fully fledged album, personally I think it will be worth it. I really love this album, in spite of some spots where there is synth that it seems logical that horns and strings would have been used in a full production... but hopefully folks won't be too perturbed about that. It possibly plays better as an album in most ways, but I think there are some really top class songs on it..... Anyway, we'll se how we go with it, and hopefully nobody will be annoyed or bored or whatever, for me it is the find of the thread so far, amongst many great finds that I was unaware of.... I have my fingers crossed that I am not alone in that feeling. I have finished all my write ups, partly due to enthusiasm, and partly due to trying to stay ahead.... with my week vacation coming up in seven weeks, I want to be ahead, so I can post whatever will be coming up around there without holding anything up or derailing the thread. I wouldn't be in a position to do write-ups, but if I have them prepared, I can get up and post them at least.... anyway, I am tentatively excited for the next couple of weeks, and look forward to reading what everyone thinks about this wonderful little album of demos
Give The People What They Want I think this song is a far Kinkier guitar number than the previous Kut so works a bit better live in that regard though as Mark also pondered should it really be the final track?
You Really Got Me They could hardly go wrong with this performance and selection aside from possibly actually deciding to put it on the LP? I wouldn't at all be surprised if much of this couplings singles sales were due to the dangling carrot of a new live version of their premier rock song!
"Around The Dial" and "Give The People" Solid but uninspiring versions of six year old songs. It may seem strange to end with two songs from 1981, but given that the next album opens as if it's 1981, perhaps it's not so strange! "The Road" album Looking at previous Kinks live albums: "Kelvin Hall" - I rarely if ever listen to it "Showbiz" disc 2 - I've only played it once, and it seems too Muswell-heavy for me "One For The Road" - never owned it and don't particularly have any ambition to But this one - I am thinking that if I was to come across a decent copy for a reasonable price I might well pick it up. Two new songs plus a selection that avoids the usual suspects adds up to an album that would probably get played more than all of the above. What might appear as a routine contractual obligation live album has a strangely compelling look about it!
What's your issue with One for the Road? Most people like it. Very important album in the Kinks' career.
First off, "Around The Dial" is a song I enjoy especially live but I have grown accustomed to it as working best as the concert opener. "Give The People What They Want" works live for me too and it was usually slotted in late in the show. As a live album The Road is short on Kink klassics and so putting *You Really Got Me" on the record makes sense because otherwise, it is not a record that accurately documents the Kinks koncert experience as well known songs were regularly featured. The 1980s Kinks, however, did focus on playing newer material to varying degrees so The Road does a pretty good job of showing what the Kinks were like live but the old hits have mostly been pruned. But that's ok with me because I listen to complete shows from each year anyway.
