The Kinks - Album by Album (song by song)

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

  1. ARL

    ARL Forum Resident

    Location:
    England
    I'm not that big on live albums to begin with - especially double live albums! - and this one seems to be the peak of the arena/shouty phase and has no "new" songs. I just feel that it would be unlikely for me to want to listen to it ahead of any of the studio albums. I understand why others see it as so important, though.
     
  2. croquetlawns

    croquetlawns Forum Resident

    Location:
    Scotland
    That encapsulates my feelings about it perfectly!
     
  3. mark winstanley

    mark winstanley Certified dinosaur, who likes physical product Thread Starter

    Obviously everyone has different perspectives, but for me, no One For The Road, no Kinks, so even if I didn't love it, I would love it.... we certainly wouldn't be doing this thread if it didn't exist lol
     
  4. DISKOJOE

    DISKOJOE Boredom That You Can Afford!

    Location:
    Salem, MA
    “Around The Dial” & “Give The People What They Want”: So The Road ends w/a flurry in a pair of songs from GTPWTW (too hot to fully spell again :laugh:). Again, two serviceable live renditions. In fact, that’s what I consider The Road as, “serviceable”, despite the fact that there’s two new songs on it. I consider it more of a “souvenir” live album rather than a “gateway” live album like One From The Road, which led our poor innocent Aussie Headmaster into the depths of Kink Kultdom :laugh:.

    “You Really Got Me (1987 live version)”: I find it ironic that this live version of the Kinks’ most timeless song ended up as the B side of their most dated song, in more ways than one, for reasons that I will give when we talk about the A side. Suffice to say that this should have been the closer for The Road and that it’s presence, as well as “I Gotta Move”, would have improved the album considerably.

    To Avid All Down The Line: Congratulations on staring down the insurance company in the same spirit that your ancestors did in Gallipoi and North Africa, although I think you probably threatened to come to their office and pun them to death! :laugh:

    To Avid Fortuleo: Too bad about losing Disc 1 of Zombie Heaven, one of the best box sets of all time. This actually happened to me a few years ago. I happened to pull out a Move box set to play and Disc 1 was missing. I was wondering where it went, because I never leant it or even take it out of the room. I then looked behind my stereo and there it was, a bit dusty, but still there. Perhaps your Disc 1 shared the same fate. Look behind your stereo.
     
  5. pyrrhicvictory

    pyrrhicvictory Forum Resident

    Location:
    Manhattan
    The energy level rises with the arrival of Around the Dial and Give the People What They Want, which in this context sound like classics (they’re not). The latter song features Bob Henrit’s galloping drums and some exceptional fretwork by DD. You Really got Me, left off of The Road, sounds fine, but it’s unfortunate this live album couldn’t have been drawn from the Chicago concert, which featured some incredible performances in the encores.
     
  6. Michael Streett

    Michael Streett Senior Member

    Location:
    Florence, SC
    Very good news!

    Yes, "I Gotta Move" on the EP is from the same July 1, 1987 show that most of The Road is taken from so it should be Gibbons on that track, but since it was actually released a few years later after he had left the band, who knows if Ray (or Haley) didn't go back in and add keys himself as studio overdubs. At the time of that EP's release (Oct 1991) they didn't know Gibbons would return to the band later in the decade. Remember on One For The Road they replaced Gordon Edwards parts on the tracks recorded while he was still around with new studio overdubs after he was canned so there was precedent. One way to maybe find out is to compare the keys on that EP version to the version in that live Chicago 1987 video posted earlier which was a few months earlier in the year, as presumably the parts by the player wouldn't change that much especially the keyboards. That sounds like an assignment for me, actually, so I'll get on it soon. Hmm - that live You Really Got Me B-side was released after Gibbons departure too. Now you've got curious!

    (Mark Haley is only credited on one studio track that was released and no live tracks that I'm aware of in the official canon)


    Oh no! Now that you're bothering trying to find it, it's not there! I hope you find this. If you have that early press, that's pretty valuable. And for the record, a long-time fellow forum member came through and generously provided that track for me yesterday.
     
    Last edited: Aug 3, 2022
  7. mark winstanley

    mark winstanley Certified dinosaur, who likes physical product Thread Starter

  8. Fortuleo

    Fortuleo Used to be a Forum Resident

    I can’t help thinking I would’ve been disappointed to go see the Kinks in 1987/1988 and get dancers, prog jams and Low Budget / GTPWTW providing the bulk of the "oldies" department. If Dave was indeed singing the rare sixties nuggets like Too Much on My Mind, I’m sure I would’ve felt Ray was taking the piss, somehow. Around that time, I caught Dylan in one of his bad nights, where he “reinvented” every song as 12 minutes boogie jams, applying his "never ending " concept to guitar solos, and I swear I didn’t go to the bathroom (I'm like @Mark, I organize myself) but walked out of the room. pure and simple. I’ve never even regretted it… There's a fine (thin) line between refusing nostalgia and being openly flippant about… everything.
    But of course, I share the general appreciation of the Kinks deciding to remain a vivid contemporary act, not merely a legacy one. I think it's the most beautiful thing about that band, being one of the longest lasting ones and never resorting to that easy route (pun intended). Just a couple of years later, McCartney would resume his touring career with his first Beatles-heavy set list, the Stones would do the Greatest Hits Steel Wheels tour, the Who would revive Tommy…
    The Road
    seems to come from a completely different universe and this record’s a fine (if incomplete) document of it.
     
  9. Zeki

    Zeki Forum Resident

    I burst out laughing and have been chuckling non-stop. (When we moved to Tokyo in ‘01, I discovered that the first disc (of three) of Taj Mahal was missing. Despite an in-depth, forensic investigation, the disc remains missing. Seeking a fall-guy, I place blame on the movers.)
     
  10. ajsmith

    ajsmith Senior Member

    Location:
    Glasgow
    Have you heard Dave’s version? He sings it beautifully!
     
  11. The late man

    The late man Forum Resident

    Location:
    France
    I hope Avid @Fortuleo doesn't connect the dots...




    (No seriously, I'm not the aforementioned fellow forum member)

    @Michael Streett : which studio song has Mark Haley as a keybordist? is it Did Ya?
     
  12. mark winstanley

    mark winstanley Certified dinosaur, who likes physical product Thread Starter

    Just an update on that schedule

    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....

    Monday August 22nd - The 1988 and 1989 Kompilations
    Tuesday - UK Jive

    I have decided to put those Kompilations in on the Monday, because I am assuming that the 80 Days wrap up may need space to breathe, being a sort of oddity, and likely very new to everybody.
    1989 Particularly had a lot of compilations and there are a few interesting ones in there.
    Then as far as I can tell the Tuesday will be the start of the UK Jive discussions

    Cheers
    Mark
     
  13. pyrrhicvictory

    pyrrhicvictory Forum Resident

    Location:
    Manhattan
    I’ll say! When performed at Kinks shows from the late-eighties on it was often a highlight. Here’s one of my favorite versions from Dave’s solo years.
     
  14. Zeki

    Zeki Forum Resident

    Brilliant!
     
  15. Michael Streett

    Michael Streett Senior Member

    Location:
    Florence, SC
    "Down All The Days (Till 1992)"

    He's credited with the main horn-like synth fanfare riff that occurs throughout the song, but that same synth sound is heard in various other places in between the riffs so I assume that's him too. The eighth note rhythm backing synth/electric piano, bell sound effects, and some various other synths should be Ray and were recorded along with the backing track which was recorded along with the rest of UK Jive before Haley started with them. I think Gibbons was gone by the time they did the last few album tracks which includes this one.
     
    Last edited: Aug 3, 2022
  16. Smiler

    Smiler Forum Resident

    Location:
    Houston TX
    "Around the Dial" and "Give the People What They Want" - Both are energetic and my favorite tracks on the album (ultimately, despite its strengths, I think "The Road"'s melody-to-word ratio is too low to elevate the song to playlist status). They aren't major upgrades from their studio counterparts but that's not a denigration, more a tribute to how well the band's live sound was captured on GTPWTW.

    "You Really Got Me" - Very good version.

    The Road -
    Agree. I've kind of beaten to death the Chicago concert in my posts, but that recording rekindled my Kinks love, and I was underwhelmed and disappointed when I finally heard this album. It's OK, but it could have been better IMO. Still, we got two new songs and the rest is at minimum serviceable, so I'm glad it's in the katalogue. EDIT: And I appreciate that there isn't overlap with OFTR.

    EDIT: Congrats @All Down The Line on your victory! Hope all goes well with your construction.
     
    Last edited: Aug 3, 2022
  17. palisantrancho

    palisantrancho Forum Resident

    Dave is nailing it!
     
  18. donstemple

    donstemple Member of the Club

    Location:
    Maplewood, NJ
    Around the Dial / Give the People What They Want

    I think I have the same complaint today as I did the other day. These live versions are recorded great, but Ray sounds almost exactly like he did on the studio recordings. I think it goes back to these two songs being recorded in that sort of raw way on the studio album, like they were a band recording in a literal garage.

    These don't seem special, like most of the One for the Road tracks do. Where's the re-imagined 20th Century Man? Where's the revved up Victoria? Remember, Victoria (in 1980) was only 11 years old! Not much older than today's songs were in 1987! The fast-paced songs on this album were already fast-paced originally. And the slower ballads on this album were already slower ballads. I think that's what it comes down to for me. What makes listening to this album a unique experience? Just The Road and what seems like an improv/jam session. That's It! :)


    You Really Got Me

    This should have been included again. Why not? Could have boosted sales a bit as a recognizable song. But again, to me, this rendition doesn't seem as unique as the one from One for the Road.
     
    Last edited: Aug 3, 2022
  19. palisantrancho

    palisantrancho Forum Resident

    I can't find much enthusiasm for today's live songs. They are a couple of songs that seem tailor-made to take on The Road, so it makes sense that they made the album. I actually really like this version of "Give The People What They Want". Dave is amping up the Chuck style guitars, and Ray is delivering the goods. Neither of the songs are favorites of mine, I would have much rather heard Dave sing "Too Much On My Mind"!

    Aside from the title track, I will not be re-visiting "The Road" anytime soon. It's not a bad live album, but there isn't much here to keep me interested. I don't think this album was necessary. "The Road" should have just been a single.

    Now I better do my homework and start listening to 80 Days! I never even knew it existed.
     
  20. Michael Streett

    Michael Streett Senior Member

    Location:
    Florence, SC
    The Road

    I've stated many times I prefer studio albums to live albums with just a few live albums from a few different bands that I can say stand with the best work of said band. None of The Kinks live albums reach that level for me.

    Not counting the song "The Road" since it is a studio recording, for me these live versions serve as most live albums do in my world as moments in time of when and where the band was at in their various eras and I'm happy they exist. If it didn't, we would want it to just as we now want more archival live material from the eras and shows in the gaps that have yet to see official releases outside of a few odd tracks here and there (mid to late RCA albums for example, maybe early 80s Arista).

    For the live tracks on The Road, I do like the fact that Ray choose a lot of unusual choices even though he could have just as easily put out yet more versions of the same songs that had appeared on earlier live albums or a greatest hits live set. Ray never takes that easy road though. A new multipart studio recording to start things and later an ambitious track (let's call "It (I Want It)" art-rock instead of progressive rock) written and rehearsed while actually in the middle of a tour while being on the road while never having a studio recording counterpart gives this album points for me too. But no live version here will come close to replacing it's studio parent and that goes for every live Kinks recording that has been officially released on any of their albums/singles/comps. Except for possibly one or two that will be coming up on To The Bone, but I will save that for then.

    Live At Kelvin Hall is simply part of the collection because it is part of the band's catalog. Everybody's In Showbiz is a strange beast to digest being part studio, part live and I always listen to whole albums plus their bonus tracks/alternate mixes/versions so it's hard to compare this to a true live album in my world since it's so eclectic, especially the original version with the half-assed live portion I'll call it (the expanded Legacy Edition improves things greatly). To The Bone is yet another true animal being part live-in-the -studio and live in concert and likewise cannot be separated as a true live in concert album as a listening experience.

    The Road
    has issues documented in my earlier posts this week, but then again One For The Road also has issues for me that were documented back during that discussion so I won't regurgitate that here. Both of these albums occupy the same space in the canon for me. They are the albums in between whatever studio albums I listen to when going through the catalog with neither being better or worse than the other. They get their share of listens but not their share of love.

    So I guess once more I'm taking the middle of the road in regards to whatever road we are on at the moment.
     
    Last edited: Aug 3, 2022
  21. LX200GPS

    LX200GPS Forum Resident

    Location:
    Somewhere Else
    Never forget that insurance companies make their money by not giving it away in claims. The will always try it on and look for a way to avoid paying out on a claim so well done for sticking to your guns.
     
  22. Wondergirl

    Wondergirl Forum Resident

    Location:
    Massachusetts, USA
    :laugh: If it's a show that I'm really into, you would never, ever catch me in the bathroom. However, throw in the fact that I had two kids and of a "certain age", I would say "never say never". Depends! (LOL...will Americans get that?)
     
  23. mark winstanley

    mark winstanley Certified dinosaur, who likes physical product Thread Starter

    I understand completely mate...
    Ladies have a very different situation...
    It wasn't directed towards you, you just reminded me
     
  24. Wondergirl

    Wondergirl Forum Resident

    Location:
    Massachusetts, USA
    Oh I know it wasn't. :love:
     
  25. Wondergirl

    Wondergirl Forum Resident

    Location:
    Massachusetts, USA
    It (I Want It)
    Okay, Ray - you got my attention.
    I love the attempt at an almost American accent. Ray is good at this sort of thing.

    I'm feeling Preservation mixed up with Soap Opera here.

    I haven't read anyone's thoughts on this song other than Mark's...and I am NOT a fan of musicals,but I'm hearing a riff stolen from West Side Story, right? I believe Dave was a fan of this musical(if I remember correctly). it's used effectively though, so go for it!

    I think Ray nails the US consumer stuff pretty well. Yes, generalizing...but not too far off.

    I love this whole thing. It's experimental and totally unexpected. It's great to see the rebel is still within Ray at this point. I'm on board!
     

Share This Page

molar-endocrine