The Kinks Trio of Musical Masterpieces

[@terryzobeck3978]

Face to Face through Lola vs the Powerman is one of the greatest run of albums by anyone ever. Waterloo Sunset alone puts The Kinks into the pantheon of great rock bands let alone all of their other classic tracks from this period. The finest compilation ever released has to be the US Reprise The Kinks Kronicles. It contains the cream of this period, with several tracks not readily available in the US. Terrific video.

[@thirdcoast5755]

Agree. Face to Face through Lola, either deluxe editions or with Kronikles and Great Lost Kinks Album to pick up all the nonreleased, EP and non album single tracks.

[@danieleyre8913]

To be honest; I never thought that much of Lola vs Powerman & Moneygoround. The songwriting is weaker and it seems more rushed. Dave’s vocals on “strangers” is terrible and the song deserved better. The following album Muswell Hillbillies is much better in my opinion.

[@andrewholliday251]

@@danieleyre8913 Tend to agree - LvP&M is the runt of the litter for that run. Unless the Percy soundtrack counts.... Mind you I'd start the 'golden run' with side two of Kink Kontroversy - instead of a concept album, Ray came up with a concept side 2!

[@marguskiis7711]

Downhill

[@juanvaldez7633]

@@danieleyre8913 Totally agree - Lola vs Powerman was pretty much a misfire with IMHO only two worthy tracks - "Lola" itself and "Get Back In Line". Also very much prefer Muswell...

[@doodledangernoodle2517]

I’m proud to say that my three most prized LPs in my collection are related to the Kinks: -An original 1968 Village Green album I got for pennies that genuinely sounds great, -A sealed copy of Arthur -The Great Lost Kinks album signed by Kinks Drummer Mick Avory.

[@PFNel]

I'm so happy that you've branched out to the Kinks. Now you have my favourite and second favourite groups covered!

[@denniswood1437]

Ray Davies was certainly at the top of his game during this period. His songs seem to catch people's humanity, all the tragic-comic quirks they have with incredible insight, empathy & compassion. Great presentation, well researched with fine attention to detail!

[@Parlogram]

Thank you, Dennis. Glad you enjoyed it!

[@ChetAziz]

The Beatles, The Who & The Jam managed to reach their creative & commercial peaks concurrently. The fact The Kinks did not was tragic. Their best albums are just as great as any of their peers.

[@charliestoops8815]

Such an underrated group (well, at least this period.) As much as I love their early hard rock and proto-punk, it’s this era of the Kinks I’m most fond of. Great video as always!

[@SkageXL5]

Something Else by the Kinks was, and remains my jam. Opening on David Watts and closing on Waterlook Sunset with no filler. Just so good.

[@cavanmccann2134]

Totally agree

[@janicejohnson2744]

Great reviews

[@theshivers1967]

Thank you so much for this. In « fantasy record land » had Autumn Almanac been paired with Shangri-La as a single, it would be talked about as often as Strawberry Fields/Penny Lane. Your observations about nostalgia are extremely astute. God save The Kinks!

[@Billthemusicman]

Just about as creative as pop music ever got.

[@J-Loe]

There will never be a time when The KinKs get enough love and respect. They are the high point.

[@krycklund]

I find it fascinating how The Kinks Arthur was released on the exact same day as both Frank Zappa's Hot Rats and King Crimson's In The Court Of The Crimson King. What a day for album releases.

[@markearnestfromreno613]

Wow! Talk about a great day for musical innovation.

[@NewFalconerRecords]

Likewise, 'Village Green' was released on the same day as the Beatles' White Album.

[@drewgeraci8434]

It breaks my heart that here in the states, The Kinks are pretty much forgotten. And if someone thinks of them, it's only Come Dancing from the MTV video. The Kinks are so fantastic.

[@markboyd9275]

One of the most rewarding compilations of any group in existence is the us (reprise) Kinks Kronikles. It covers the post beat, pre rock-opera years discussed here. Truly their golden era, & great sounding to these ears.

[@jameswilson7084]

Definitely their finest work. And what a shame these albums were so commercially unsuccessful at the time. Good thing they're appreciated now.

[@soulagent79]

While "Village Green" has become a modern classic over the years, "Arthur" is still very underrated. It's just amazing how coherent, well written and produced it is. It's astonishing how much artistic freedom Ray was granted by PYE, especially after the previous LPs didn't sell well at all.

[@danieleyre8913]

Yes I think that Village Green preservation society is their strongest album. Even though it’s dated; the songs are all very well written and the recordings are so well polished. And so are most of the songs that Ray and Dave wrote from that time that didn’t end up on the album.

[@simonhodgetts6530]

Yep, I have both of these albums - and they are superb!

[@MicroChirp]

And the first to sound good in stereo.

[@michaelraiger623]

Looks like you really hit the sweet spot Andrew with some of your more astute followers, with this wonderful journey through British culture in late 60s, seen through the prism of the Kinks’ great music. While I love the Beatles content you make, I hope the enthusiasm some of us loyal watchers have shown here persuades you to continue to make more videos on some of the other great British bands of the 60s.

[@Parlogram]

Thanks for you support, Michael. So much to do, so little time!

[@alexandermagnis]

Great video Andrew. The golden age of The kinks at its finest. For me, the one that has always stood out is Something Else. In a year where the summer of love and psychedelia set the tone, this record is the complete opposite, reflecting some stunning observations on British society. The Kinks were going their own way, with their mastermind, Ray Davies, only heeding the dictates of his melodic inspiration and the daring whims of his ironic intelligence, thus turning their backs almost completely on the lysergic onslaught that dominated the scene to make a new pop record of almost unreal melodic ease, with an elegant beat sound that was caressed by rock, and which contained enough personality to be considered their own and their trademark. Too bad that getting an original edition (both mono and stereo) is a lottery. Greetings from Colombia.

[@Parlogram]

Glad you enjoyed it, Alex!

[@joebloggs396]

Lazy Old Sun has a psychedelic sound.

[@JacobKMusics]

This is, without a doubt, my favorite video you’ve ever done, Andrew! For those of you who missed last week’s video: The Kinks are my favorite British group (followed by Faces, then The Beatles and finally The Who), and I consider the run from Kink Kontroversy up to Everybody’s In Showbiz, including the French Mr Pleasant EP, Dave’s aborted solo album and all the period singles to be one of the greatest runs of albums by anyone ever. My favorite album is Village Green Preservation Society and I couldn’t tell you why, but I think Andrew did better than I ever could. (And shameless self promotion: head over to my channel to see how myself and two fellow KZbinrs paid tribute to the Kinks’ 60th Anniversary, all of you!) It’s been a real joy to follow you the last three years, and I’m proud to be a channel member because I support content creators who do good work, and you excel at what you do. The videos keep getting better and better each week. This is peak Parlogram right here, folks!

[@Parlogram]

Thank you very much, Jacob. I really appreciate your support!

[@mda5003]

Yes, The Who were arguably one of the best bands of the 60s and 70s with numerous hits but never had a number one single.

[@kandigloss6438]

I never really listened to The Kinks pre-70s stuff before now and when I was younger thought of them as "that band dad liked but I didn't care for much", as I said in my previous comment. They may be becoming one of my favorite bands now though, just finished Face to Face and liked it a lot. I'm sorry though, since I did try Kontroversy but it didn't really do much for me and couldn't sit through it. I'll probably be listening to the rest of their 60s albums in the next few days.

[@liampaterson3424]

You could get unsold copies of many Kinks 60s LPs even in the 1980s. I bought them all and wow they were a revelation. Plus let;s not forget 45 tracks like 'Ev'rybody's Gonna Be Happy' or 'I'm Not Like Everybody Else',

[@KevinTheCaravanner]

Given the poor performance of so many of their releases, it’s a wonder PYE continued to release their material at all and that the Kinks didn’t fade to obscurity in the mid 60s. These videos have inspired me to listen to these albums which though I’ve been aware of the Kinks for 50 years, I’ve never previously listened to before. Thank you Andrew.

[@Parlogram]

You're welcome, Kevin!

[@johnbuzz]

Another great presentation Andrew, well done. Village Green and Arthur remain as two of my favourite Kinks' albums. I'm really looking forward to part 3, in the future, as that era of the band's music is fantastic ,too.

[@williamhild1793]

A great group, and a fantastic series, Andrew. Hope you continue to explore other great British Pop/Rock groups of the 1960s and 1970s.

[@DavidFell]

Fascinating. I am privileged to have seen The Kinks twice in concert.

[@DavidFell]

And the 60’s student cover band of which I am a part, recently covered ‘Lazy Afternoon.”

[@jesserussell7242]

Now, here’s a band I am not familiar with their catalog at all, I am only familiar with three songs from the kinks, and they are tired of waiting for you, Lola and You really got me thank you and her for shedding light on all of the kinks albums. I think I should definitely get their entire catalog. I think I might see count the album the journey that would be a good place to start.

[@alanlinfield8207]

Subscribed! Face To Face is my favorite -- er, favourite -- Kinks album! Along with the four albums that followed it, you have one of the most consistently excellent runs by any artist. I think it was John Mendelsohn who wrote that while the quality of the Kinks' output increased with every successive album during this period, their popularity and sales went in an inverse proportionate direction. If not for the enduring sales success of albums and compilations released both before and after this period, these classics might have been lost to obscurity. I didn't discover these gems myself until they were re-released on CD in the 1980s. (Yes, Kinks Kronikles is an amazing kollection, but there are several fantastic tracks from this period which they couldn't fit onto this 2 LP set. End Of The Season, Do You Remember Walter, Strangers, The Way Love Used To Be, etc.) I encourage new collectors to seek out, at the very least, the 2 CD deluxe edition versions of all the Kinks' sixties and early seventies masterpieces. They gather up all the single and EP tracks which are a vital part of the Kinks history!

[@Parlogram]

Thanks Alan. Welcome aboard!

[@danielreichberg9860]

I love the two Preservation Acts, released in 73 and 74. Folk melodies, swinging rock n roll - the lot, all in a spectacular musical theatre. Those albums ought to be mentioned among the great concept albums.

[@lennon_9dream133]

I love Preservation Act 1 & 2. Pure Opera Rock!!!

[@pyenapple]

I swear that by the early 90s “Village Green” was all but forgotten. It was unavailable in print anywhere in the US. And I only heard of it in 1993 via interviews with Damon and Graham about the major influences on Blur’s “Modern Life Is Rubbish”. It’s extremely satisfying that it’s now seen as Ray’s masterpiece.

[@childrenofminervaofficial4316]

It was available on CD here in the US in the late 1980s when Reprise issued the back catalog on that format.

[@figure4facelock239]

I remember much the same (late 80s - early 90s), I think the copy I found around that time was a German import, maybe Japanese.

[@pyenapple]

@@childrenofminervaofficial4316 yeah i think I eventually found a copy used, but the kinks weren’t very popular by late 80s/early 90s except for their early riffy hits, so no record stores were truly stocking anything but greatest hits compilations and the occasional used copy of UK Jive or something. It was extremely unusual to come across any actual kinks albums on CD (or cassette) until late 90s or 2000s

[@TigerRogers0660]

Another great video Andrew!! "Arthur" is the best Kinks album IMO, & "Victoria" is their very best song. In fact "Victoria" is my second fave song of all time!!

[@clivefernthecamper7831]

I was lucky to see them in a very small venue in the mid 90s (Clacton town hall). Around that time they released my favourite Kinks album, ‘To the bone’. It’s a mix of live, acoustic and studio recordings that are truly magnificent. Ray has never sounded so good, Dave’s backing vocals on ‘Days’ are just incredible, and his guitar work is astonishing. Check out the version of ‘I’m not like everybody else’ with superb atmospheric guitar work from Dave, and vocals from Ray that go from whimsical to threatening. It’s absolute magic, and I strongly recommend the double cd version.

[@theglavine]

Love the two new tracks on To The Bone, their last originals, To The Bone and Animal. Also, I loved Phobia!

[@moreheff]

It never ceases to amaze me how little commercial (undeserved) success The Kinks garnered originally which is in direct contrast to how revered they are today. Truly timeless and ahead of their time. Great stuff. Thanks Andrew

[@Parlogram]

Cheers Heff!

[@moreheff]

Reading that back that looks wrong. When I say undeserved I meant that their lack of success was undeserved. They should have got so much more of a return than they did at the time. There, I feel better now LOL

[@moondogaudiojones1146]

Excellent! It was Village Green that put the final nail in my heart for the kinks…in a good way! I’d love the kinks edginess and ballad prowess in the prior LPs…when this one came out I couldn’t stop playing it even till today. The song Phenomenal Cat became my all time favorite track. Beautifully written, played, sung and recorded it was Ray at his magical best. Picture Book, People Take Pictures Of Each Other, Animal Farm other tracks (that appeared on the weird U.S. but, by itself, an excellent Lp The Great Kinks Lost Album) that put you in such an imaginative landscape you never wanted to leave. I highly recommend this Lp as a Kinks album to own. Great show! Looking forward to next week!

[@Parlogram]

Cheers Brian, glad you enjoyed it!

[@lennon_9dream133]

To say that all the works from the different musical stages of The Kinks are essential. They are one of the Top 3 greatest composers in history within the world of classic rock. Sir Raymond Douglas Davies.

[@edwardmulholland7912]

“Something Else” is just incredible - a brilliant album, both then and now, astonishing songwriting and performances by the band. Mojo magazine released a really good compilation round 2017 of SE which of definitely worth getting hold of. “Village Green”? What can I say about this beautiful album? It took me years to get into it as friends and critics raved about it - it grew on me slowly, that’s The Kinks curse, their music is a slow burn which gives The Kinks their longevity ironically. “Arthur” is incredibly another leap forward with still more to come. This may sound like heresy to fans of this channel, of which I am one - but The Kinks are arguably greater than The Beatles, as is Scott Walker’s 1967-1970 period. Trolls are welcome to debate me on this lol. That’s just my opinion - which is subjective. Great video!

[@memory-nownow-anticipation7087]

1966 was the year of The Kink Kontroversy, their first LP perfection, a run that lasted until 1972's Everybody's in Showbiz.

[@markuspboeddeker5930]

That was 65 actually)

[@dougcesario3098]

I had loved the singles, but never bought an album other than their Greatest Hits on Reprise. I ran inti Kinks Kronikles while going thru the stacks at a record store during my first year a college. Victoria just blew me away, as did many of the songs that you mentioned in this video, especially Waterloo Sunset. That 2 record set started me trying to collect all of their albums. I'm am 99% sure Village Green Preservation Society was the first, and I have a very soft spot for that one. My only regret is that I never saw them live.

[@delthorpe223]

I read a little tidbit somewhere that Ray assumed that the rest of the band wouldn't like his songs for Village Green and planned it as a solo project - but luckily they all reacted enthusiastically.

[@segugustavo4787]

My favorite kins record is Village Green. Thank you!

[@BGC75]

Another excellent video! Thanks for doing this! I’ve been a fan of the Kinks for several years now, and it blows my mind that the LPs from this period met with indifference from the UK public at the time. Better late than never, I guess. It just occurred to me that if the topics are being switched away from the Beatles to explore different bands and things like that (which is completely fine and welcome), there’s nothing stopping you from exploring their solo work? Perhaps, taking a look at seminal LPs, such as John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band, Band On The Run, Ringo, All Things Must Pass, etc. (and SO many more) might be something worth getting into. I certainly would enjoy explorations of their solo work. Regardless, we all appreciate the time and effort that go into making these excellent and informative videos. Truly fantastic work.

[@Musicradio77Network]

In addition to the UK albums, in 1966, The Kinks released their “Greatest Hits” compilation album on the Reprise label, but sadly, it was only in the US, not in the UK.

[@moxievision]

It's a great collection of their early singles, but if you buy a copy on Reprise, make sure you get a mono copy, the stereo copies are drenched in added reverb. Weirdly, it was also released in Canada on Pye (Pye's Canadian distributor Allied Recording Co. released both the UK and US albums, on the Pye Records imprint), but your choices are either fake stereo, or a mono fold down of the fake stereo, which sounds even worse. They did the same thing with Something Else, and shortly after, Pye switched distributors to Phonodisc, who handled their LPs from VGPS through Percy, which got a Canadian release, but not a U.S. one, oddly enough.

[@stationminute]

Digging your deep dive into the Kinks! They were on a fantastic run during this period, with "Village Green" being my particular favorite. Loved it the first time I heard it, and its nostalgic POV has only made it more resonant as the years go by. I mean, who doesn't have a "Walter" of their own, that childhood best friend who is an absolute stranger now? Or a longing for the world we grew up in, which was far from perfect, but at least wasn't _this_.

[@jonathanmurphy3141]

I became a true Kinks Kompanion, in the early 80's, when I bought The Kinks Khronicles, double lp. My brother had their live album from 1979, due to Lola and Celluloid Heroes. And, he had Low Budget. I gravitated towards their Sixties work first. I was an adolescent, born in 1969, and an Anglophile. I did get the range of albums on LP, from Face to Face, through Arthur, at our local records stores - most were Pye, and I still have those.

[@nawbus]

Nice to see the reference to the Ladybird book Tootles the Taxi! A childhood favourite!

[@ChuckRoast-r5m]

I spent 1981-1983 buying every album The Kinks ever made up to that point. The first one I bought was "Village Green Preservation Society." I bought it purely on the strength of the only Kinks music I'd ever heard, which was on "The Kinks Greatest Hits!" album issued in 1966 by Reprise. Once I heard the "...Village Green..." album, it became necessary for me to hear everything that came before and after it. After buying all of them and the "Kink Kronikles" album as well, it became very clear to me that 1966-1971 was their absolute best period! "Face to Face" is a great album! I find it impossible to say which album from '67-'69 is their best. I find "Something Else," "Village Green Preservation Society" and "Arthur" to be incredible! I simply can't place one over another. "Kronikles" and "The Great Lost Kinks Album" went a long, long way in bringing the depth of the quality of the Davies brothers songwriting during this period fully into focus. Reprise continued releasing their albums and singles, but with no promotion, they quietly fell by the wayside. Thank goodness they hired John Mendelsohn, he really brought those of us in the U.S up to speed on what we hadn't bought, as well as being the one responsible for putting the whole "God Save The Kinks" promotion into gear! In 1969 a specially prepared L.P. was put together by Reprise in anticipation of their first U.S. visit in four years called: "Then, Now and Inbetween," available for purchase through music magazine ads. Initially, it came as a kit including the album, a puzzle of the Village Green album cover, a baggie of grass from the "Village Green," a Union Jack, a "God Save The Kinks" metal badge, sticker and post card, a "Consumer's Guide to The Kinks," and a two-page hype letter from Warner Bros. Later versions also included a "Just Released" insert promoting the "Arthur" album, a glossy 8x10 of The Kinks and an 11x17 sheet containing a reproduction of Rolling Stone's November, 1969 review of "Arthur" on one side, with the U.S. tour schedule printed on the reverse. In addition to the "God Save The Kinks" promotion, Mendelsohn also compiled and wrote the liner notes to both "Kronikles" and "The Great Lost Kinks Album." I have to admit, I find "Lola vs. Powerman and the Moneygoround" to be a bit of a step down after the three previous albums. And when I heard the "Percy" soundtrack, it sounded to me as though that album should have followed "Arthur." "Percy" has some great Ray Davies songs on it! "God's Children," "Dreams" and "Moments," which I find to be one of his most beautiful songs! I also like "Muswell Hillbillies" very much, but after that, I find their next four albums to be good enough, but not up to the caliber of the previous albums. Each album has some real standout tracks though, such as "Hot Potatoes," "Sitting in the Midday Sun," Sweet Lady Genevieve" and "Holiday Romance." But, I'm pulling too far ahead of you. I'm so glad that you're taking a look at these albums, because they really are so worthy of any attention shown them! When I bought them in the early '80s, there didn't seem to be much interest in them. I think the internet has done an awful lot in bringing more attention to their music! I'm sure that your videos are going to do a lot more in that regard. Very well done Andrew!

[@dominicmeakin]

Another great video! Another reason The Kinks are the Village Green Preservation Society flopped was due to it being released on the same day as the White album (22nd November 1968). A good way to get a 1st pressing disc of both Arthur & Lola for cheap, if you don't mind missing the cover sleeve, is by getting the 'All the good times' box set. Pye released it in the early 70s using unsold stock together with the compilation double album.

[@RobAtTheRocks]

Great video. I have some PRT German reissues of the albums discussed here. My favourite is Arthur. The lyric 'I was born, lucky me' is typical of Rays understated humour. Great band, for me number 4 in the hierarchy of the British 60s invasion.

[@Parlogram]

Glad your enjoyed it. Love those PRT pressings!

[@stephenlang8279]

Village Green is a total classic...and the outtakes are excellent two, there was a great triple cd expanded edition a few years back.

[@WillCate]

Very nice! The Lola, Powerman, etc. album in 1970 was my first Kinks album as a young teenager in middle-America. I played it constantly. "Yes, it's number one, it's Top of the Pops."

[@stevekirk7066]

Those "Marble Arch" lps of The Kinks with just 10 tracks were tremendous value for money. I have played mine a huge number of times but they are still in excellent condition. Good songs as well not just throw aways. Superb pair of videos for Kinks, Beatles and 60s music fans generally.

[@Parlogram]

Thanks Steve. Glad you enjoyed them!

[@ianhughes9928]

Hi Andrew, Really enjoyed these Kinks videos recently Some wonderful songs on these albums,Ian

[@Parlogram]

Thank you, Ian. Glad you enjoyed them.

[@michaelrochester48]

I recently saw a guy supposedly performing an original song at a club near me. It sounded suspiciously like the opening cords of “dead-end street.” I asked the guy, “was that song somewhat influenced by the kinks?” and he admitted “yeah it was an obscure song”. Well it wasn’t obscure to me

[@ordpsyke6773]

Thanks Andrew, always nice to listen to you, good comments and sharp observations about the music and its time, not the least in this video!🙏 By the way, Face to Face is the Kinks album I’ve listened most to through the years. Got it in 1967 as a bonus, when I sold a couple of Philips Electronic Engineer kits by knockin’ doors before christmas.

[@Parlogram]

God times! Glad you enjoyed the video!

[@joerizzo884]

Another great video, Andrew. Thank you!

[@Parlogram]

Thanks Joe. Glad you enjoyed it!

[@michaelcarpenter2498]

Just listened to Waterloo. Great song and it is amazing to me how many songs I know by them. Thank you Andrew for these videos.

[@Parlogram]

Thanks for watching and for your support.

[@robertlipshutz8611]

I've heard all The Kinks' albums and it's a toss up between Face to Face and Something Else for which is my favorite. Face to Face is so creative and sticks together from start to finish. But it has just one hit: Sunny Afternoon. Something Else has Waterloo Sunset, David Watts and Death of a Clown, but feels more like a collection of songs than a statement. The US comp The Kink Kronikles introduced me to so many great songs and it has much in common with the new collection The Journey, which sounds amazing on vinyl!

[@craigcavaliere6744]

I gave Village Green a try two years ago and wound up getting all the Pye era albums. Great stuff. Even my 10 year old likes a lot of their stuff.

[@750drums]

Another great video, Andrew. From Face to Face to Lola Vs...., the best series of Kinks albums.

[@angelrising8589]

So nice to hear clips from the songs🎸🤘❤️

[@Stumptonian1]

I have enjoyed your look at The Kinks - Arthur is one of my favourite albums, not just a favourite of The Kinks. Hope to see more like these.

[@anthonyvigliotti6560]

Another excellent video, Andrew! I am immensely enjoying this dive (2 dives!) into The Kinks early albums. I think this period covered on this latest video was their creative peak. My #1 Kinks LP? Ask me today, it's Village Green, but ask me tomorrow, it's Something Else. And I think you make an excellent point re Something Else: terrible (and I think depressing) LP cover. Even Village Green's cover looks like not much thought was put into it. A cover possibly fitting the theme of the LP would have made the package much more interesting. A lot has been made of the stories these songs (both albums) tell and I agree. But for me, Ray's melody writing is simply beautiful during this period. PS: A sidenote...IMHO, one of the best compilation LPs of all time is Kink Kronikles.

[@Parlogram]

Thanks Anthony, glad you enjoyed it.

[@aamember07]

thank you for covering the kinks...i seen them 4 time and had every album...school boys was great ..soap opera was great...sleepwalker was great....i could name 20 more but i shoundnt need to. The kinks and ray and dave were the best.

[@jayneptune2568]

Really outstanding video series on The Kinks, one of the best I have seen! The Kevin Gray work on the early albums from 'Kinks' through to 'Arthur' is truly the best of any vinyl reissue work I have in my collection. It will be interesting to see how this 'Journey' series fares. I agree with other comments here that highlight 'The Kink Kronikles' as being one of the best compilations, not just of The Kinks but of any Classic Rock band. Looking forward to your other next videos on this band!

[@Parlogram]

Glad you enjoyed them, Jay!

[@jlspindler]

Very well done! My favorite Kinks records. Thank you!

[@nrod66]

I have most of theKinks albums on my collection, Andrew. Thanks for the video. Nelio.

[@blackvinylgrooves]

I am glad to hear you talk about the scarcity of the original UK Pye pressings. I'm in the US, and I've been digging for vinyl since I was a child in mid-1960s. There was a time, mostly in the 70s and 80s, when UK original pressings from the 60s turned up from time to time in used record shops. I have UK original pressings of albums from this period, by The Rolling Stones, Yardbirds, Zombies (Original UK pressings of Oddyssey & Oracle have become insanely expensive.), Hollies, etc. But I have never seen an original 60s UK Pye pressing Kinks LP. The ones in my collection are US, Australian, and German pressings. Any thoughts on sound quality of non-UK 60s pressings of these records? I highly recommend the ITV documentary done for the 50th anniversary of The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society, available on KZbin. Your reviews are great. You might consider doing one on this particular Zombies album, Ogden's Nut Gone Flake, and Roger The Engineer. The latter being a highly under rated record in 2023. Do you plan to do videos on The Kinks later output from the 70s and 80s?

[@herbstencil]

The Kink Kronikles (US) one of the best hits/ comp albums ever released. Great intro to the Kinks. Right up there with Hot Rocks.

[@Louisejames23]

The reissues are excellently done and very reasonably priced, nice video as usual Andrew ❤😊👍

[@Parlogram]

Agreed Louise and thank you!

[@bulldogdave]

I'd never heard Waterloo Sunset before but the bit heard in your video immediately reminded me of "Do You Feel Like We Do" by Peter Frampton.

[@total.stranger]

When you get a chance, look up "Laughter In The Rain" (1975) by Neil Sedaka. The melody of its verses is similar to "Waterloo Sunset" (1967).

[@dmitrysobolin5158]

Will not to be original, but these are my favorite albums. Real gems. Thank you, Andrew

[@bengtl331]

I'm lucky to have the original Swedish 12 track version of the Village Green LP in my collection. With it I have kept a cutting from the 21 sept. 1968 issue of New Musical Express where Keith Altham reviews the 12 track LP, side 1 and side 2 track by track, but they are not in the same order as on the actual LP. Was there originally a planned different playing order? There are also many rare tracks from the late 60's on the 1973 US Reprise LP The Great Lost Kinks Album (withdrawn two years later as it was not approved by Ray Davies) which is my favourite Kinks compilation.

[@moxievision]

Very lucky indeed! The 12-track version is a holy grail for Kinks collectors, I have dozens of Kinks albums myself, but have never come across one. That version of the album also came out in France, New Zealand and Mexico, with different covers in each country. I'm sure there are dedicated collectors who have all of them, I'd be happy with just one!

[@andrewholliday251]

Great video - but I may be a little biased - I once travelled over 1000km by bus to chase down a copy of Preservation Act 2 (it was once as rare as hen's teeth) - and one of the follow-ups to my favourite Kinks album which is - unsurprisingly - VGPS. Although, going back even further I was very fond of one of Pye's (near endless) compilation albums - a double album going by the self-explanatory title of 'Lola, Percy & The Apeman Come Face To Face With The Village Green Preservation Society ... Something Else! - which was exactly what it said on the tin!

[@chrisbotelho7212]

1966-1971, Face to Face through Muswell Hillbillies are an unparalleled run unsurpassed by any band of the period. Their later l.p.'s may not be as profound but every one has songs that go right through me. I play the Kinks every day.

[@48musicfan]

I enjoy the Kinks, however, they are far from being a favorite. The Beatles, The Stones and The Who are my top three. My favorite Kinks album would probably be Village Green. Thank you for another wonderful episode, Andrew!

[@Parlogram]

Thanks again, Roger. Glad you enjoyed it.

[@jakechat2716]

I got a mono re-issue of Something Else the other day and I'm so pleased with how it sounds, especially Love Me Till The Sun Shines and End Of The Season...... This video educated me very well on the post-Face to Face albums so thanks!!

[@Parlogram]

Thanks for watching. Glad it was helpful!

[@joashtunison351]

Arthur may be, in my humble opinion, one of the best produced Kinks albums. Its always stood out to me as very clear. Great clean guitar tones from Dave on much of the album, and bass up front in the mix.

[@tschieding]

I don't know why you didn't include Face to Face as part of this set. The social commentary of Something else is surely a continuation of songs on Face to Face--songs such as "Dandy", "House in the Country", "Most Exclusive Residence For Sale", "Fancy" and "Sunny Afternoon", certainly fit the design of these later albums.

[@alabhaois]

Just discovered your channel! New subscriber here. The Kinks rule!!! 🇬🇧

[@Parlogram]

Thank you and welcome aboard!

[@barrymargolis5369]

Both "Something Else" and "Arthur" albums were issued on double CDs with extra tracks and they sound great. "Village Green" was issued as 3 CDs. There was even a "Village Green" multi disc boxset. I have all of these and are the best way to get 'em. I'm not a consumer of current vinyl rereleases. All 3 sound best in stereo.

[@Russell__Smith]

Andrew, Its interesting you prefer the stereo of Waterloo Sunset. I was present when someone was talking at Ray about the stereo mix of that track, he just sat there and listened to this chap espouse about the mix - at the end Ray just said "I had nothing to do with it" and got up and walked away - even when stereo was available to Ray and the Kinks later the recordings never had a wide sound stage - also when Ray compiled the "The Black Album" he chose all mono tracks when stereo was available to him. BtW, the Black Album is the best sounding 4 sides of vinyl ever pressed. Shel Talmy was around the Kinks in 1967 although his role was steadily diminishing (he did did get a producer credit on the US version of Something Else) and worked on some of the singles of that year. Work on recording on the VGPS started in late 1966, Ray was initially working up (perhaps as a solo project) in parallel with other Kinks projects as a separate piece of work. The Kinks did indeed record Arthur in Pye No1, but that was the bigger of the two studios at Pye and was capable or recording large orchestras. The Kinks preferred the much smaller studio No2, which was not available at the time, as it was being refurbished, including the installation of 8 track - Studio 1 had already been converted. I'm not sure if I caught you correctly but Dave's Mindless Child of Motherhood was never ever destined for the Arthur album, it was a track for his aborted '60s solo album. I believe the error stems from a period NME column filler which erroneously states that Dave was writing songs for Arthur, he was not he was finishing up his solo album in down time between recording Arthur. As always good to see you give time for the Kinks.

[@Parlogram]

Thanks for watching, Russell and for the great info.

[@total.stranger]

Ray once stated, in regards to "Waterloo Sunset", that if he'd had a do-over on the mix, he'd have boosted the bass.

[@JeffreyOakarPhotos]

Face to Face, Something Else, Village Green, Arthur, Lola and Muswell Hillbillies makes 6 with a sprinkle of Showbiz genius added on. Let's call it 6 and a half incredible albums. What a treasure. A gift England gave to the Solar System.

[@jimcabezola3051]

I must investigate the Kinks further. Your video encourages me to delve into the "Britishness" of pieces that weren't heard that often in America. 'Round these parts, I have only Apple Music and streaming services, but it's a start. Also...mahalo for that short startup video on your Tara Bordeaux channel! Great to see you and her again. Please enjoy driving those switchbacks in Austria. Never drove there myself, but I went there on any number of motorcoaches from England and Germany when I lived in those places. Aloha...und Auf Wiederseh'n.

[@Parlogram]

We had a great trip out in Tara this weekend, Jim. Look our for a few more shorts from that trip. Hope you enjoy discovering the Kinks albums!

[@jimcabezola3051]

@@Parlogram I am certain I will enjoy more of their music than I've already heard, mahalo!

[@moxievision]

Glad you gave the "Black Album" a mention, it is one of the best sounding Kinks releases you can get, with Ray-approved mono mixes (his preference for the singles and LPs through VGPS) and a superb pressing. I've heard it was supposed to be a more deluxe package, with an illustrated book which might have been incorporated into the front cover design, but penny-pinching Pye changed its mind at the last minute and released it with the bare bones black cover that is nearly impossible to find without ringwear these days. One of the best ways to get beautiful sounding original Pye copies of the Black Album, Arthur and Lola Vs. Powerman is to seek out the one-time bargain-priced 4-LP box set titled All the Good Times, which includes dead stock copies of those albums in a cardboard box. Pye put it out in 1973, a couple of years after the Kinks had signed with RCA, and the artwork is nothing to write home about, but it's a cheap-as-chips way to get original pressings of the albums in one easy package.

[@tonycrosbie3846]

Excellent video! 3 brilliant studio albums my favourite being Village Green. They also released some beautiful outtakes from this period, 'Till Death Us Do Part' and the beautiful 'Time Song'. Right i'm off to roll a Harry Rag and put myself to bed. I' d love to know what 60s instrumental music is used during the old London footage?

[@michaelryan5364]

I bought Village Green, having never heard both Face to Face and Something Else which showed up soon after in bargain bins. This is my favorite Kinks period.

[@timfisher5925]

Another great upload Andrew, I always loved the kinks but very much was a greatest hits guy until I heard Village Green which I agree is their creative peak its my favourite. It evokes that same nostalgic feeling I get when I hear God Only Knows or Penny Lane a true timeless classic sound. I am amazed at the low chart placings and low sales for all three of these amazing albums which are fantastic. I guess they have a storybook quality that some people did not latch onto until later but what great songs! I think Ray is the quintessential voice of being British post the second world war and his songs capture that mood superbly. For me Village green is their finest work followed by Arthur and Something Else which is very good but not quite in the league of the next two. Cant wait for the next one. Tim

[@Parlogram]

Glad you enjoyed it, Tim!

[@TheGroovySideOftheTube]

Brilliant overview of the Kinks 60s output! I'd recommend anyone who doesn't already have Kinks in their collection to grab the Kinks Mono Box Set if you see it anywhere - all of the albums Andrew mentioned over these two videos are available in crisp mono and also with an excellent book. It's a great way to get the lot! Personally I've been digging their early 70s stuff Muswell Hillbillies and Everyone's in Showbiz.

[@NatureOkie]

😢 I discovered The Kinks upon SLEEPWALKER as a 16 yr old. (Though I'd somehow heard Something Better Beginning as a child, and thought it beyond sublime. How I heard it in Oklahoma USA is beyond me) I developed a voracious appetite for their music which unfortunately record compilations provided tons of 2nd heloings.

[@recordtime4923]

Thank you for the historical context here, it really puts things in perspective. I wonder if the USA ban made Ray (at least subconsciously) double down on his heritage and make the Kinks the quintessential British band. Interesting how he later really embraced the US and wrote about it in his very excellent book “Americana”. That’s a great read by the way! Thanks, Andrew. P.S I love The Journey Pt. I. ❤

[@MIB_63]

Very informative and enjoyable video. Two thumbs up from me👍👍

[@Parlogram]

Thanks. Glad you enjoyed it!

[@bookashkin]

Bought Arthur (used LP) back in the 1980s and was blown away. Saw the Kinks live half dozen times. Was sad they kicked out Mick Avory. Favorite cuts from the 3 featured LPs: Funny Face, Big Sky, Mr. Churchill Says. And of course Waterloo Sunset!

[@nicknikipediacaulkin5943]

These three Kinks albums to me were definitely the band at their most creative in my opinion and it's hard to say which one of the three I like the best but if pressed I would go for Village Green because it has great songs which are served by great playing and production. I have really enjoyed this video and the other KInks one, Andrew. You never disappoint!

[@Parlogram]

Thanks Nick. Glad you enjoyed it.

[@nonsuch]

The Village Green Preservation Society is my favorite Kinks album by far.

[@Hektormydog]

I go back and forth between Something Else and VGPS as my favorite Kinks album. I'm kind of shocked that you didn't mention more about the 2nd side of Something Else with those amazing tracks; Love me till the Sun Shines, Lazy Old Sun, Afternoon Tea, and Funny Face.

[@calebwright6151]

Hi Andrew Enjoyed this video too... Ray Davis was in his prime in the late 60's & earlier 70's with Village Green, great album especially the track Picture Book plus the non album singles Autumn Almanac, Days & Plastic Man... Also Lola & Apeman from Lola Versus Powerman & The Moneygoround Part One. Not forgetting Come Dancing in the 80's as well.

[@RobertsRecordCorner]

Enjoyed this! My favorite Kinks is "Arthur." I actually prefer "Face to Face" over "Something Else" or "Village Green" (ducks) on the whole, but consider "Face to Face" through "Muswell Hillbillies" to be all unimpeachably legendary albums.

[@MarkmanOTW]

In the montage at the beginning showing modern office blocks, I saw my old office where I started work in the 1980s. It was on London Wall and often featured as a backdrop to 60s TV show and films, because it represented 'modern London'. It's since been replaced with a new building.

[@karstenpost1477]

Thank you for this insightful overview on The Kinks‘ peaktime! For my ears Village Green and Arthur need a photo finish to find out the winner. Maybe Arthur takes the medal for it’s lovely written characteristics of that person and it’s fortune in Australia. And Shangri La is my best beloved Kinks tune after Waterloo Sunset 🌅

[@benbrennan104]

Enjoying the Kinks reviews. Thank you. Would be good to carry it on . Some underrated Kinks albums through the 70 s. Sleepwalker , Muswell hillbillies. Lola And The Powerman. 👍

[@Jason-br5ow]

One funny thing (maybe not funny to Ray) is that The Village Green was released on the same day as the White Album. Funny that while the Beatles were (aesthetically, anyway) the epitome of the "new ways" The Kinks were literally singing about preserving the old ones. Today my favorite song from it is All Of My Friends Were There. What a wonderful album.

[@wufane]

great video the most british sounding group in the 60s in my opinion.

[@Musicradio77Network]

9:38 is a self-titles 2-LP compilation set was released on the PYE label in 1970, but it never got a US release since Reprise already put out their “Greatest Hits” album in 1966, excluding some of their earlier and later stuff that were never included on a US release which was a shame.