Somehow, except their unavoidable hits, I managed to go 34 years completely ignoring the Kinks. I blame it on their mid 80's stuff - that song about tearing down the dance hall, especially - I couldn't stand it. Hated it. Lumped it in with Tina Turner and Wang Chung and the rest of the cheese-encrusted 80's pop abominations.
A few years ago, I got the Rushmore soundtrack, which had a couple of really good, old, Kinks songs on it, and my interest was piqued - but only a bit. They were no longer just That Band With A Bunch Of Hits That Turned To Shit (no, not the Rolling Stones) - I got a hint that there might be some depth to this band. And, finally, disgusted with the state of new music these days, I turned to the past: Pink Floyd (got "Wish You Were Here", to replace my beat up vinyl copy) and the Kinks.
So, I just got my first Kinks album: "The Kinks are the Village Green Preservation Society". I'm four songs into it and I realize now where the Lilys, Big Star and Guided By Voices come from: they are direct descendents of the Kinks. Especially the Lilys. It's not that they kinda sound like they heard the Kinks and nicked a bit of the sound on a lark; it's more like they sprouted fully-formed from Ray Davies' forehead. I really like the Lilys, but they sound so much like The Kinks that I'm thankful I heard them first, else I would've dismissed them immediately as mere rip-offs.
I remeber the Kinks from the ’60s. They were good then, but I’ve only seen ’em on retrospective oldies shows lately.
Go read this. Maybe you’ll like it. Pardon the blogflog.
gracias.
will check it out.