Where to get started with the Kinks?

[bojendyk]

Lately, I've been listening a lot to a two-cd Kinks comp I've got. I think it's high time I actually pick up a few of their albums. What would you recommend? I should note that I prefer the late-60s stuff ("Victoria," "Waterloo Sunset," etc.)

[JPH]

The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society...start there.

[cosmosRIP]

Something Else

[655321]

Face to Face is really good, too...

[nancyb]

Review of Re-Released Village Green... (http://pitchforkmedia.com/record-reviews/k/kinks/village-green-preservation-society.shtml)

[Benito]

Their lead singer was a very rude guy. They were appearing on a local TV show in NYC in the 70's. Clay Coles "Cole Bin" I went with some friends of mine and my female cousin Rosey. Some might say Rosey was a knock out at that time. Their lead singer thought so Ray Davies.

He grabs her bottom right in front of us. So he got what rude people get when they have no respect for others. We were all ejected from the show.

[yellowbismark]

Muswell Hillbillies is a great Kinks album from the late 60s.

[CHICO13]

True Kinks story......

I went and saw the Kinks in the early 80's at Warner Theatre in DC. Towards the end of their show the bass player walks over to the drummer and hocks a loogie at him. They finish their set and as they're walking off the stage the drummer pops the bass player in the side of the head. From my seat I could see them tagging each other off the side of the stage. The roadies break it up and they come out for one angry encore and split. :D

[Lanky134]

The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society...start there.
Either that or Arthur And The Decline And Fall Of The British Empire. It was meant as a soundtrack for a TV movie, but the film never got made but the music is excellent, and it's better produced than VGPS.

[obie]

Aside: Ray & Dave with some hired help played a half-hourish set at the Earth Day concert in Foxboro in 1992 that remains one of my favorite all-time concert memories. Acoustic versions with just the two of them of Well Respected Man, Apeman, Days a capella by Ray, and Dedicated Follower, then Lola started acostic with the band coming out mid-song. Finish Lola with the full band, then they play All Day & All Of The Night, Destroyer, Low Budget, and Really Got Me to close. The absolute perfect Kinks festival setlist.

[fatbastard]

I like One for the Road, but that's live stuff, it has pluses and minuses over the studio albums. I'm gonna have to check out Arthur ...
I used to work with a guy named Dave Davies ... everytime I saw him I'd ask how his brother Ray was doing .... he never laughed, but I kept trying ....

[bojendyk]

Thanks for the advice. I ordered Village Green, since it also has a few other personal favorites (Big Sky and Picture Book).

[655321]

Either that or Arthur And The Decline And Fall Of The British Empire. It was meant as a soundtrack for a TV movie, but the film never got made but the music is excellent, and it's better produced than VGPS.


Arthur could be my favorite Kinks album. It changes from time to time...

[655321]

This is the first Kinks album I ever bought...

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000007V26.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

The point where they stopped being a "british invasion" garage band and stepped into the role of serious songwriters. A really great album...

[bojendyk]

Listening to Village Green right now. Great album. Thanks for the advice.

[nancyb]

This is the first Kinks album I ever bought...

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000007V26.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

The point where they stopped being a "british invasion" garage band and stepped into the role of serious songwriters. A really great album...

Just scored this one at the used cd store. It has bonus tracks, including my out-of-the-mainstream favorite Kinks song, Well Respected Follower of Fashion, two versions. The first is the mono, b-side single and the second is a stereo version with this nice little piano bit towards the end. I'm very happy now.