5 comments about One for the Road.

1. The Kinks are one of the legendary bands of rocknroll - Beatles, Stones, The Kinks - then came everyone else. Who doesn't know the opening of "You Really Got Me"? I've seen The Kinks a number of times and I recall a show at the Nassau Colosseum: the crowd was younger and Ray Davies announces, "...we're gonna do a Van Halen song now" - and the young crowd seemed genuinely stunned to learn the Kinks did it in 1964.
   
   The Kinks body of work is quite remarkable if one takes the time to travel through time with them... Ray Davies writes the most interesting lyrics. And the music: before there was metal, before there was punk, there was The Kinks. Dave's guitar playing is excellent! Somehow, legend has it that Jimmy Page is responsible for the early Kinks guitar: NOT TRUE! Dave's guitar is the driving force of The Kinks. I know Dave didn't invent the power chord, but since it's almost Christmas: listen to the opening of "Father Christmas" sometime and the lyric to that song - this epitomizes the energy and sentiments of The Kinks. (I wish that was performed here).
   
   The DVD: the production could have been much better. The lighting is just a bit dark, the arena seems a bit cold, and as the other reviewer said, the editing could be better. But the crowd is energetic and enthusiastic as they sing along and grab and paw at Dave's guitar. The band is in good form and having fun. The set list draws from the early years and from what I'd call the "comeback" years: Misfits and Low Budget. Even Dave comments that some of the songs are played at fast tempo - faster than normal. But on the whole: great performance.
   
   If you're a fan, or just curious about The Kinks, then buy this dvd. It's such a shame that this seems to be all there is.



2. The Kinks are one of the Top 5 seminal rock-n-roll bands of all time. That being said, there is shamefully almost no live video footage available commercially other than "One For The Road". This is the only commercial video release available of The Kinks in the 1970s, and this was filmed September 23, 1979 (you would not know that because the concert date is not given on the DVD)! This concert was filmed at the Providence Civic Center, Providence, RI, which is now piggishly named the "Dunkin' Donuts Center" (catch me now i'm falling indeed)!
   The editing on this DVD is horrible as the concert is joined in progress (wha?) and clipped! For some wierd reason, the producers decided to begin the film showing The Kinks playing their encore "All Day And All Of The Night"; Ray Davies is soaked with sweat, his open shirt barely clinging to his body, and you're wondering why Ray is sweating so profusley and looking exhausted when the show has just started, LOL! THEN, it shows the band doing "Lola" and Ray is suddenly clean, dry, wearing his suit coat, bowtie and looking fresh (too surreal)! Besides the extremely poor editing, the concert is FANTASTIC! The Kinks put on a show for the ages! Ray is in top form strutting around and haming it up for the enthusiastic and rollicking Rhode Island crowd. The band consists of only three original members (Ray, Dave and Mick Avory), with Jim Redford (b), Ian Gibbons(k) and Nick Newell(k) making up the other half. The band makes a few errors, but Ray is able to keep the groove going with his expert frontman abilities. The setlist for this DVD is:
   All Day And All Of The Night
   Lola
   Low Budget
   Superman
   Attitude
   Celluloid Heroes
   The Hard Way
   Where Have All the Good Times Gone
   You Really Got Me
   Pressure
   Catch Me Now I'm Falling
   Victoria
   During "Celluloid Heroes", footage of the band getting ready backstage is shown, and during "Where Have All the Good Times Gone", some early footage of the band in '60s is shown. As I said before, the concert is great! The band and audience feed off each other's energy and the peformance is classic! Shamefully, this is not the complete concert. The CD companion to this DVD has alot of additional music recorded from this tour at other sites, which makes it a must have in order to get the complete set list The Kinks performed during this tour. The DVD has a small interactive menu in which you are able to tour famous Kinks locations; in studio video commentary by Dave Davies on "Lola" and "The Hard Way", and a Kinks trivia game where the prize for winning is an additional clip of Dave Davies in studio commenting and reviewing the "Celluloid Hereos" performance. The Dave Davies commentary is OK, there is some interesting information from Dave as well as the usual Dave funny stuff. I do not know why Ray was not involved with Dave for this DVD release, I guess there was some brotherly animosity betwixt the two. It is interesting seeing on this DVD how at the end of the concert the band leaves the stage, while Ray lingers on the stage giving solo thank yous and bows. I mean c'mon guys, this is (or was) a BAND, a team if you will, where it takes EVERYONE working together to make a show. There is no Kinks without a band to play the music. Ray might think he is The Kinks, but Ray going onstage with a tape deck, speaker and mic and doing a karaoke version of Kinks songs is NOT The Kinks. Regardless, this is indeed a terrific performance by the Kinks, as well as being a classic document of late '70s Kinks. Highly recommended! Oh yeah, watching the Rhode Island audience sing along to Ray's pro-England paean "Victoria" is a real LFOL moment! Cheers!



3. The Kinks are one of the Top 5 seminal rock-n-roll bands of all time. That being said, there is shamefully almost no live video footage available commercially other than "One For The Road". This is the only commercial video release available of The Kinks in the 1970s, and this was filmed September 23, 1979 (you would not know that because the concert date is not given on the DVD)! This concert was filmed at the Providence Civic Center, Providence, RI, which is now piggishly named the "Dunkin' Donuts Center" (catch me now i'm falling indeed)!
   The editing on this DVD is horrible as the concert is joined in progress (wha?) and clipped! For some wierd reason, the producers decided to begin the film showing The Kinks playing their encore "All Day And All Of The Night"; Ray Davies is soaked with sweat, his open shirt barely clinging to his body, and you're wondering why Ray is sweating so profusley and looking exhausted when the show has just started, LOL! THEN, it shows the band doing "Lola" and Ray is suddenly clean, dry, wearing his suit coat, bowtie and looking fresh (too surreal)! Besides the extremely poor editing, the concert is FANTASTIC! The Kinks put on a show for the ages! Ray is in top form strutting around and haming it up for the enthusiastic and rollicking Rhode Island crowd. The band consists of only three original members (Ray, Dave and Mick Avory), with Jim Redford (b), Ian Gibbons(k) and Nick Newell(k) making up the other half. The band makes a few errors, but Ray is able to keep the groove going with his expert frontman abilities. The setlist for this DVD is:
   All Day And All Of The Night
   Lola
   Low Budget
   Superman
   Attitude
   Celluloid Heroes
   The Hard Way
   Where Have All the Good Times Gone
   You Really Got Me
   Pressure
   Catch Me Now I'm Falling
   Victoria
   During "Celluloid Heroes", footage of the band getting ready backstage is shown, and during "Where Have All the Good Times Gone", some early footage of the band in '60s is shown. As I said before, the concert is great! The band and audience feed off each other's energy and the peformance is classic! Shamefully, this is not the complete concert. The CD companion to this DVD has alot of additional music recorded from this tour at other sites, which makes it a must have in order to get the complete set list The Kinks performed during this tour. The DVD has a small interactive menu in which you are able to tour famous Kinks locations; in studio video commentary by Dave Davies on "Lola" and "The Hard Way", and a Kinks trivia game where the prize for winning is an additional clip of Dave Davies in studio commenting and reviewing the "Celluloid Hereos" performance. The Dave Davies commentary is OK, there is some interesting information from Dave as well as the usual Dave funny stuff. I do not know why Ray was not involved with Dave for this DVD release, I guess there was some brotherly animosity betwixt the two. It is interesting seeing on this DVD how at the end of the concert the band leaves the stage, while Ray lingers on the stage giving solo thank yous and bows. I mean c'mon guys, this is (or was) a BAND, a team if you will, where it takes EVERYONE working together to make a show. There is no Kinks without a band to play the music. Ray might think he is The Kinks, but Ray going onstage with a tape deck, speaker and mic and doing a karaoke version of Kinks songs is NOT The Kinks. Regardless, this is indeed a terrific performance by the Kinks, as well as being a classic document of late '70s Kinks. Highly recommended! Oh yeah, watching the Rhode Island audience sing along to Ray's pro-England paean "Victoria" is a real LFOL moment! Cheers!



4. Dave Davies nails it in his commentary: this period of Kinks history seems like a dream. The video documents that strange time in the 80s when the group found arena-rock fame, particularly in the U.S., and was playing to large houses --- complete with Spinal Tap moves. For those who prefer the cultish days of the 60s, or Ray Davies's ambitious concepts of the 70s, it's not a treasured era. At times, the Kinks come off as just another rock band. Yet Ray's songs are still in there, and he was in peak performing shape, so this DVD is worth owning as a period piece.
   Unfortunately, the editing is ham-fisted. Songs are out of sequence, plenty of material from the show is missing and the beginning of Catch Me Now I'm Falling is just chopped right off. The audio commentary by Dave Davies is hit and miss: sometimes funny but more often of the "Oh, yeah. I remember this song! I used to love playing that!" variety. The brief tour through the Kinks London is fun, but the trivia quiz is lame.
   All in all, a must for fans. Others should wait for a more definitive history.



5. "One For The Road" shows the Kinks performing at the Providence Civic Center circa 1980. This is not an overproduced, slick concert with dazzling special effects filmed in a cavernous arena. It's a no frills, genuine rock and roll concert filmed in a fairly intimate, mid-size venue. You can almost smell the sweat and smoke. "All Day And All Of The Night" gets things off to a rocking start and whips the crowd into a frenzy. "Lola" is a definite crowd pleaser; who doesn't like a love song about a transvestite? Of course, several selections were taken from their most recent album at the time, "Low Budget." On one hand, that's one of their best albums, which makes for a very enjoyable concert. On the other hand, since there's only a dozen songs, many older classics from their vast repertoire were not included. Fortunately, a moving version of "Celluloid Heroes" and a blistering "You Really Got Me" are featured. The quintessential English song "Victoria" closes the concert out on a high note. Dave Davies provides humorous, if not always insightful, commentary. When talking about his physique back then he remarked, "I had the muscles. Ray had the bruises!" Being the only Kinks concert available on DVD at present, it is an essential purchase for every Kinks fan.

2 comments about Kinda Kinks.

1. 'Kinda Kinks', released in March 1965 is often unfairly slagged for its rushed production and supposed mediocre songwriting. I feel this is unfair, though some of the songs are definitely far below the quality of subsequent Kinks releases. This is where the REAL Ray Davies emerged as an introspective writer. While the debut was a typical British debut with many R&B covers, the second is dominated by originals. As with the first, a major hit single, "Tired of Waiting for You", appeared on the record just as "You Really Got Me" was on the debut. This was rare for British only releases which did not often feature singles. Other standouts include the "Tired" b-side, "Come On Now", another showcase for Dave's wild guitar and vocal style. My favorites are ths quieter tunes such as "Don't Ever Change", probably my fav early album track, "Nothin' in This World" (featured in the film 'Rushmore') and "So Long". Probably the most famous album track on 'Kinda' would be "Something Better Beginning", another great ballad in the tradition of "Stop Your Sobbin'". Lowlights would include a pitiful cover of "Dancing in the Streets", obviously the band was desperate to fill record space, and such subpar tunes as "You Shouldn't Sad" and "Wonder Where My Baby Is Tonight". The Castle release includes some of the Kinks greatest singles and their 2nd ep of original album material and for this reason alone does THIS 'Kinda Kinks' get 5 stars as opposed to maybe 3 for the original album. "Set Me Free", "I Need You", "See My Friends", "Who'll Be the Next in Line", "Such a Shame" and "A Well Respected Man" among others display the pop brilliance of Davies and the Kinks circa mid to late 1965. As album artists however the best was yet to come!



2. Though critics often slag the Kinks second album as generic British Invasion, it's the album's look at Ray Davies emergence (rather than arrival) as a songwriter within the confines of the invasion that's so compelling. Musically the Kinks hadn't progressed from the minimalist rock 'n' roll of their 1964 debut, but with ten of the original UK album's dozen tracks penned by Davies, the band was beginning to develop their own unique voice.
   
   The hit single, "Tired of Waiting for You," and its powerhouse flip, "Come on Now" show both sides of Davies' genius. The first is a forlorn plea that points to the personal songs that would become Davies' forte, while the latter is a rave-up with a wicked guitar riff that surely set London dance floors ablaze. Davies' pen sticks to spurned and cheating lovers for the foot-stomping "Look For Me Baby" the confessional "Nothin' in the World Can Stop Me Worryin' 'Bout that Girl," and the bluesy "Wonder Where My Baby is Tonight." His nostalgic and sentimental streaks reveal themselves in the folky "So Long," and he lightens up for the Brill Building styled "Don't Ever Change," the Merseybeat "You Shouldn't Be Sad," and the hesitant, melancholy "Something Better Beginning."
   
   Sanctuary's 23-track reissue adds a full eleven bonus tracks, gathered primarily from UK singles and EPs. "Who'll Be the Next in Line" is as scathing as any kiss-off of the British Invasion, "Set Me Free" is a superb mid-tempo example of the Kinks' beat-era playing and Davies' heartbroken anger, "I Need You" is a grade-A garage-rocker with a classic Dave Davies guitar solo, the droning "See My Friends" adds early Eastern influences, the country-tinged "Wait Till the Summer Comes Along" suggests the band's future Muswell Hillbillies phase, and "A Well Respected Man" is one of the jewels of Davies' songwriting catalog. A previously unreleased demo of "I Go to Sleep" (a song better known in its cover by The Pretenders) closes the CD with Davies accompanied only by piano.
   
   The delicacy and depth that Davies would develop as a songwriter is only beginning to emerge here, but even among the seemingly by-the-numbers lost-love lyrics, his uniquely introspective and nostalgic voice is loud and clear. The production is still quite rudimentary and the arrangements simple (amplified, no doubt, by the speed with which they had to record a second album), but the variety of styles with which the band dabbles suggests the depth of their future efforts. This is a superb introduction to the Kinks early work, and will be an eye-opener for those weaned on their subsequent resurgences as rock opera and arena rock stars. This crisply remastered 23-track mono reissue on Sanctuary (not Rhino as Amazon mistakenly lists it) is the version to get. [©2006 redtunictroll at hotmail dot com]

No comments about Good Golly Miss Molly: The EMI Years 1963-1969.

5 comments about Magic Bus.

1. Righfully regarded as the weakest Record that The Who released in The Swinging Sixties, it is a lot of Fun to listen to. Decca USA, wanted something by The Who in the Record Bins for Christmas Time 1968. It was thought that Pete's new project "Deaf,Dumb and Blind Boy", would be ready for the Holidays, but this Epic was still in the early stages of Production. So, they did what Record Companies do, they found Songs from Old records; A Quick One" & "Sell Out". Singles from Sweden, B-Sides and {Well, You get the Idea}. And: "Magic Bus, The Who On Tour", was born. The English Record, was called: "Direct Hits" and is very different from this, it's American 2nd Cousin.
   
   As the Music that The Who was making in the Sixties was so different from everybody else. From The Pop-Art-On-Acid Cover to the 11 tracks inside this is a Strange Little Curio of it's day.
   
   John Entwistle gets Major exposure on: "Magic Bus" with three selections included: "Doctor,Doctor", "Somebody's Coming" and "Dr, Jeckell & Mr. Hyde". Keith gets to live his Surf Fantasy with: "Bucket T" & "Call Me Lightning". Some of Pete's Best is right here as well: "I Can't Reach You","Our Love Was" & "Disguises".
   
   Was this an important Record for the Band? ....No
   Is it everybody's favorite Who Album? ....Nope
   Is it a lot of Fun? ....You Betcha !!!



2. I love The Who more than anyone. I am the biggest fan, but I have a bone to pick with the first reviewer on here who said this is a "classic live" album. It is NOT a live CD, even though many people continue to claim this. Every song on here is a studio version, just like the original 1968 LP and the first CD version released in the 1980s. I wonder if the first reviewer even listended to this CD, or the original LP for that matter.
   
   Peace, and long live the mighty WHO!



3. This Japanese mini-lp replica version of Who, Magic Bus, the most classic live album released by The Who, is simply a work of art! Very beautifully designed with all the lyrics included and with a sound quality remastered 24-BIT to perfection. Wonderful Japanese OBI strip, really a work of art!
   This is by far the best version of this album that is out there; great sound quality, great packaging! A must have in any CD collector's library.



4. Sure it's hard to think of this as being much of an album. But since it wasn't even conceived as one, you can't necessarily just write this off as "Magic Bus" and a bunch of filler, either. Granted,including the already available "Run Run Run" and "Pictures of Lily" isn't helping my argument, but I'd hate to see some of the others lost to the obscurity of some rarities collection -- if ever released at all.
   
   Chief amonst them, for me, has got to be Entwistle's "Doctor, Doctor." Does anyone else not see and hear the genius in this? Recorded in April '67 soon after "Pictures of Lilly" and appearing as its b-side, it's a lovably goofy and psychedelic testament to the way things were back in Mod London in the greatest year in rock history. Townshend's heavily distorted guitar crashes and burns, as it often did literally back then. Entwistle sings the words of this miserable mess of a patient (is it real, or is he just a hypochondriac?) in a wonderful falsetto and, if my ears do me right, I would swear that's Moonie joining in on the doubled parts -- it's the perfect song for him, too.



5. This cd was released after THE WHO SELL OUT did not do for the WHO what it should have. This cd contains some "A" and "B" sides and also songs included on THE WHO s' second and third albums (A QUICK ONE and SELLS OUT). At the moment of its release THE WHO had enough songs recorded for a follow up to SELLS OUT (Faith in Something Bigger, Jaguar, Glow Girl, Dogs, Magic Bus, Doctor Jeckyl and Mr. Hide, Girls Eyes and some others). The story says that Keith Lambert (the Who s' great manager and producer), wanted to release a record with a name like "Who s' for Tennis" (horrible name for an album). So someone at DECCA/MCA (their record company), decided to do "this" including their then new 45 "Magic Bus". This cd includes some songs recorded for WHO SELLS OUT in a different mix. Also 3 John Entwistle compositions: "Doctor Doctor", "Someone is Coming", "Doctor Jeckyl & Mr. Hide, this one has not yet appeared on any other cd, mix or version and is one of his best songs (sadly they never played in concert).
   
   It also includes the horrible "Buckett T" (a number one single in Sweden--they have bad taste there). The also not favorite of mine 45 Who single "Call me lightning" is here (a number 54 in the US charts) and of course "Pictures of Lily" (a number 4 in England), and "Magic Bus" (a number 25 in US charts). From the Who s' second album "Run, Run, Run" and a strage mix of "Disguises" (it sounds as a razor edge in Roger s' mic).
   
   If you are a real WHO fan, then you should have this because of "Jeckyl and Hide) and "Magic Bus", and also the other songs that have different mixes.
   
   
   

5 comments about Live at the BBC.

1. In my opinion this is for serious fans only. This is a series of TV programs (in black and white) with few if any of the popular songs we know about Dusty. While she is an amazing singer, if you expect the hits and a color video, look somewhere else. There are a couple of pieces in the extras of good sound and color images, but the BW TV shows are ok if you are looking for any material by Dusty, and the sound is just ok also.



2. I have been a fan of Dusty from the time of the initial British invasion of the 60's thru the Pet Shop Boys of the 80's and was saddened to hear of her death in 1999, however I knew little about her so I purchased the DVD out of curiosity and it was a marvelous investment. It further motivated me to research her personal life. Unfortunately, the technology of the day is what it was, but it nonetheless left me wanting to hear more. A good investment for any fan.



3. What a great DVD release. I've been a Dusty fan for quite a while and have seen most of the compilation / documentary videos of her that are out there, much of which consists of either lip-synced performances or clutzily-edited snippets. Finally, we have what we've been waiting for and what she deserves; excerpts from her late 60s eponymous BBC show. Here we get to see Dusty Springfield looking and sounding her very best. For those who remember and love her from this period or for young people who should be introduced to a gifted song stylist, who didn't need backup dancers or jarring camera and light effects to mesmerize an audience, you can't go wrong buying this very generous (more than two-and-a-half hours) DVD which shows off Dusty's ability to sing almost any genre of popular music better than just about anyone. Best of all, there's no unwanted filler to have to click past; it's all Dusty and it's all good.
   
   The DVD extras, all from shows of the 70s, are real gems too, demonstrating how a truly great singer, even as time and cigarettes diminish her instrument, can become an even greater interpreter of song. I only wish the sound and picture could have been better (more like the old Judy Garland TV show DVDs, recorded several years earlier but with obviously much better technology), but we're fortunate to have this invaluable document of a superb talent who faded too quickly and left us too soon.



4. A must for Dusty fans. Rare footage of Dusty at her best -- and an extended interview of her at her most vulnerable.
   
   Worth it all for the clip of her singing, "I Am Woman" with the ludicrously corporate amended lyric about how much she loves men.



5. This is must if you are a fan like me. I was brought up in this era, and remember seeing all these shows, and I have most of the songs. I was very fortunate to see her live on stage twice, before she died too young at only 59. A sensational peformer, this DVD is a celebration of her early years of solo stardom and is well worth the 5 stars I gave it

5 comments about 50 Golden Greats.

1. This is an excellent cd for anyone who enjoys The Shadows style of music.It had all the songs that I had hoped for & then some.I have enjoyed the many hours I have passed listening to this wonderful cd.



2. I grew up in Britain with the Shadows' music and kind of took them for granted. When the Shadows weren't backing Cliff Richard they were making hits of their own. Apache, Wonderful Land and Foot Tapper were played on the radio often enough that it wasn't a crime that I didn't have a record player to actually play the records. The Shadows were on television quite a bit as well. Then in the late seventies the 20 Golden Greats album was issued, the Shadows were on tour. I bought the album played it every day at college. The day I didn't play it, I got complaints. Then I went to see the Shadows in concert. The audience included people of all ages, there was an electric buzz of excitement, we were not disappointed. Hank and the boys put on a wonderful show, with lots of fun and humor, with music made in heaven. After the concert, somebody said to me "You really liked Foot Tapper didn't you?" I wondered why the comment, and was told that I was standing on the seat cheering like a goal had been scored in a soccer game. Frankly, I hadn't realized that I had got so excited, and still have the memory of perhaps the most enjoyable and joyful concert I have ever had the privilege of attending.
   
   I give the album four stars because the covered tracks in the second disc are not the same as the original music that had Britain rocking along before and after the Beatles arrived. As it was, the Beatles were at Shadows concerts as a learning experience. However, in the second disc, as pointed out in another review, the Shadows version of "Going Home" by Mark Knopfler is absolutely sublime. If you buy this album you won't regret it, especially as this music played all over the world, and by all accounts has influenced many household names, is seldom heard in the United States.



3. This is a two cd set, with the 1st cd containing early tunes of the Shadows. They are all here, Apache, Man of Mystery, Midnight, Kon-tiki etc... Good surf stuff and is The Shadows at their best.
   
   The second cd are mostly remakes of standards, (Riders in the Sky, God only knows, Imagine etc...). I really like their version of "Albatross". The 2nd cd is "ok", but I got the "Shadows are go!" cd and really, all their best original work is on that one cd. They play the cuts well here, but really...some of it almost sounds like elevator musak.
   
   I would not have bought this cd set, knowing that all my favorites of the Shadows were already here from my initial purchase. But there are 50 tunes here and it rounds out the collection.
   
   Joe



4. A great compilation...but there's so much more! (that's
   why I only gave four stars). Both the original Shadows' stuff and their masterful covers never fail to please. These CDs are a teriffic addition to any collection...even if you've heard most of them before.
   
   (By the way, the cover of Mark Knopfler's marvellous 'Going Home' is in and of itself worth the price of the album. Enjoy.)



5. In the early sixties, instrumental hits were a regular feature of the pop charts in Britain and America. There were several great instrumental artists around. America had Duane Eddy, Floyd Cramer, B Bumble and the Stingers and the Ventures, to name a few. Britain had the Shadows and the Tornados. While the Tornados were very successful at the time, most notably with Telstar, the Shadows remained successful for the rest of the century.

   The Shadows were also Cliff Richard's backing band and played on most of his hits in the fifties and sixties. Like Cliff, they made little impact in America but any Americans who enjoy the Ventures and Duane Eddy ought to give the Shadows a listen.

   This compilation has all their big UK instrumental hits of the sixties and seventies including Apache, Man of mystery, FBI, Wonderful land, Dance on, Foot tapper and Don't cry for me Argentina. They also experimenting by doing a few vocal tracks and some of those are included here, among them being Mary Anne (a UK top ten hit), Don't make my blue, I met a girl, Dreams I dream and Let me be the one (their 1975 Eurovision song - like so many other Brits, they came second). The vocal tracks are good but it is their instrumental skills on which their reputation is built.

   Most of their big hits came early in their career. In the eighties and nineties, they gave up worrying about hits and contented themselves with making albums of cover versions. A few covers selected from these albums round off this excellent collection. Among them is Albatross, an early Fleetwood Mac tune that always sounded very like a Shadows track, so it was an obvious tune for them to cover.

   The Shadows, like most pop groups, has had its share of line-up changes. Hank Marvin and Bruce Welch , two of the original members, remained with the group throughout. The other two original members, Jet Harris and Tony Meehan, left early on, They teamed up as a duo and had some UK hits of their own including Diamonds. Of the other members that came and went, John Farrar is perhaps the most famous. He joined in 1970 but eventually had to leave because of other commitments - he became producer and songwriter for Olivia Newton John.

   If you enjoy guitar instrumental music of the sixties, you'll love the Shadows. This compilation contains all the essentials, though a lot of Shadows music is available on CD for those who wish to explore further.

3 comments about The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society.

1. Like many great artists, Ray Davies was a slave to his muse in the late Sixties and this muse commanded him to follow his own heart and commercial rock music be damned! This particular obsession was the bucolic, ideal English countryside first introduced in verse in a late 1966 recording "Village Green", with its beautiful use of harpsichord and gentle though slightly melancholic melody. Almost two years later, in the late fall of 1968, Davies and the Kinks completed what is generally considered to be their magnum opus, 'The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society' and it was a flop. A collection of quaint, vaguely related songs which rhapsodize on the nostalgia of a simple time, 'Village Green' represented a major shift in fortunes for the band and it was also the end of an era of sorts as orignal bassist Peter Qualife left the band soon after the LP's release. Critics loved the record, especially in Britain, but the record buyers on both sides of the Atlantic couldn't care less! The album kicks off with the title track which is instantly memorable and ranks right up there with any of the Kinks finest. The song was one of the last recorded and served as a narrative overview of the major themes presented on vinyl. Wicked witches and phenominal cats, old friends and photo albums, steam trains and returning pop stars all help recreate an England which didn't really ever exist. This Castle release includes both the final 15 song LP in mono and the 12 song stereo version that was intended to be the orignal release but was pulled back by Pye at the request of the young producer whose first solo production chore this was. Ray Davies wasn't fully satisfied until close to the album's release as his obsessions with the themes presented still had not been hammered out to his full approval. It is amazing the response this LP has provoked almost forty years later and how it is still seen as the apex of the genius of Raymond Douglas Davies.



2. 'The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society' find the Kinks musically and lyrically in fine form. Topically, it seems to draw and contrast the pastoral setting of the country as a placid anchor and a source for metaphors. Musically, it is diverse, but still relies on intricate guitar, the melodic pub tradition, and Victorian accents. 'Village Green' is mostly a quiet masterpiece with able social commentary and fine character portraitures. It is the third articulate masterpiece from the singer songwriting helm of Ray Davies. It also seems more modern than 'Something Else' and 'Face to Face' with its spare production.
   
   It is sometimes difficult to discern when he is straightforward here and when tongue-in-cheek, but there is certainly an affinity to the serene country with the title track, "Village Green," and "Animal Farm". Certainly, the contrast presented is flattering when he injects tales involving the glamour of success in the city. His funny takes from show business, "Starstruck" and "All of My Friends Were There," are enough evidence that he holds the rustic setting dear.
   
   Nevertheless, Davies is more than a nature lover. He uses the landscape and his characters often to describe alienation. He does this well on the riveting "Last of the Steam Powered Trains" and "Johnny Thunder". Then there is the brilliant and intricate masterpiece "Big Sky," which has been called a communist anthem, but I vote for a more Dickens' interpretation against aloof aristocratic authority. The spirit of English poet Shelly is presented in this song, but it is a thoroughly Davies' original nonetheless. "Do You Remember, Walter?" is a fanciful and mesmerizing song that pensively speculates about people who are able to live happy, conventional lives. Then, there are beautiful songs that do connect to people and nature. "Sitting by the Riverside" is romantic in nature and courtship. The expansive "Animal Farm" should be the best piece of evidence for unveiling the serene beauty of nature.
   
   Conceptually, the album is very cohesive, even if he stretches to other stories and themes. "Phenomenal Cat" is a spare and beautiful song with an engaging story that should appeal to adults as well as children. Similarly, "Wicked Annabella" is an entertaining portrait of someone who truly lives up to the title. Other numbers are more playful, like "Picture Book," which rips off any notions of sentimentality, as does the irreverent reprise, "People Take Pictures of Each Other". Also, "Monica" is an exotic and engaging portrait of a woman who is stuck up and may represent the aristocracy.
   
   'Village Green Preservation Society' is a beautiful Kink's masterpiece that is entertaining lyrically and mesmerizing musically. It remains a classic and is one of their best works ever.



3. If you are viewing this item right now you probably already know about the significance of this album. I wrote a review for 'Lola vs. Powerman and the Moneygoround' and I will state many of the same things about this album. I have owned the old domestic Reprise edition for years now and just recently picked up this pressing. The mono sound quality is superior and the booklet is handsome and much more informative. The stereo versions on this CD are a bit lousy in comparison to the first 15 tracks, but who cares? You will not regret buying this import in lieu of the older, more common Reprise pressing. I have not, however, heard the 3-CD Special Edition, nor do I plan to. This version is very pleasing for those who don't want two extra CDs that are likely to be stored away to collect dust.

5 comments about Ultimate!.

1. This was on my Wish List for a long time. Figured I'd include it with a recent order. I'm glad I did because not only did it have all the hits like "Heart Full of Soul" and "For your Love", but also tunes I haven't heard like "Drinking Muddy Water" and "A Certain Girl". All eras and areas were covered: Live stuff, Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, and even a few solo Kieth Relf. Fantastic collection!!!



2. I am not a fanatical fan of the Yardbirds. In fact I hardly know the names of all the members. But, I do know that they created some fantastic rock and roll in the mid-60's. I am old enough to remember hearing their songs on AM radio. Hearing them today sounds terrific and reminds how today's music is badly lacking in creativity. Many of the Yardbirds greatest hits packages always seemed to be missing one or two of their hits. This one has it all! "For Your Love", "I'm a Man', "Shapes of Things", "Heart Full of Soul", "Still I'm Sad", "Happenings 10 Years Time Ago", "Little Games", and even "Over Under Sideways Down" !! Plus about 22 more tracks that true fans will enjoy. I feel that there are many tracks on this CD that I would not consider Ultimate. But, if you want to hear the Yardbirds through all of their various iterations, this is the one compilation you need. It's the best batch of Yardbirds tunes that you will find in one package. You'll hear the great guitar work of Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page and Eric Clapton. And the rhythm section isn't too shabby either. The sound and engineering is top notch. Highly recommended.



3. The Yardbirds are famous for, among other things, having three different guitarists, each of whom was legendary: Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, and Jimmy Page. And, to continue, Jimmy Page, the third of these great guitar players, took the remnants of the Yardbirds and reconstituted them Led Zeppelin.
   
   This group was an early popularizer of blues, but their repertoire really covered a lot of territory, with some strange songs represented here (including an Italian song, "Questa Volta"). There are covers of many famous blues singers (e.g., Slim Harpo, John Lee Hooker, and Bo Diddley).
   
   Some cuts covered in a bit of detail to illustrate:
   
   "Boom Boom": This great John Lee Hooker song is nicely covered (but go to Hooker himself for the definitive version). There is nice harmonica work and a decent blues sensibility. Vocals are pretty light and vanilla compared with Hooker. Guitar is okay, but Clapton is not yet Clapton at this point.
   
   "I Got Love if You Want It": A fine Slim Harpo song. The harmonica is well played here. This live performance is raw and has a heavy blues sound. The vocals are bluesier than with "Boom Boom." This has much more of a blues sensibility.
   
   "I'm a Man": One of my favorite Bo Diddley songs. . . . And one of my favorite Yardbirds' songs. . . . The band plays most nicely. The vocals are okay (but not Diddleyan). This is an animated, manic version of the song--and that is good! Harmonica and guitar are well played. The instruments close this out in a raw and raucous and foot thumping manner.
   
   "Jeff's Boogie": This song is instruments--no vocals. It features the playing of Jeff Beck. Good rock and roll! This is an extended jam session more than anything else, but it is fun!
   
   "Happening 10 Years Time Ago": The reason I chose to spend a bit of time on this is that it features BOTH Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page. Intriguingly, John Paul Jones (later of Led Zeppelin) plays bass. The two guitarists play well off of one another (no surprise there). This is kind of an interesting tune. There are some weird musical effects and some interesting, offbeat vocal effects. This is a lot of fun to listen to, and I suspect that the band had a lot of fun making this.
   
   This is a 2 CD set with 52 cuts in all (25 in CD # 1 and 27 on CD # 2). Some are not up to the quality of others; a number are live performances that were recorded. In the final analysis, this does a nice job of capturing the work of the Yardbirds. Even though there is some unevenness across the cuts, this is a must buy product for those who want to explore the early days of rock and roll and the effect of the blues on English groups.



4. This is the one to get, to hear how it all started, with the super group of the 60's, with Beck, Clapton, Page, etc. This has the most music for the $'s



5. It's a funny thing, that just about any rock and roller knows about The Yardbirds someway or another. Blues rock band from the sixties England that brought the light of not one, but three legendary guitarists. Clapton, Beck and Page respectively. But how much do you really know?
   
   I heard their ripping version of TRAIN KEPT A ROLLIN' the other night for the first time on the radio and went out immediately and picked this set up. How awesome were The Yardbirds? Frikin' real, kid... I haven't stopped listening to this thing since I picked it up. The meatiest guitar sound out of any of the British Invasion bands, hands down! This is the perfect set, because it features virtually every Yardbirds recording out there (sans probably live stuff, and I'd guess BBC tracks) .. but the studio cuts are all here (and they're goods too, ... Yardbirds had some cool sound...)
   
   Disc one covers the hey-day obviously. Clapton years had the most balls, I'd say. Heavy bluesers and doo-wap takes, HONEY IN THE HIPS, AINT GOT YOU, and Claptons GOOD MORNING LITTLE SCHOOL GIRL is probably the most rockin' version I can think of. Clapton is replaced by Jeff Beck, who enters on high note with the single HEART FULL OF SOUL, and during his tenure with the band really built up the sound.
   
   Roger The Engineer from '66, which futher highlights the talents of Jeff Beck, contains a few goofy sixties pop tunes, but is actually all in good fun. And you will come to notice that even the goofiest lyrics don't matter much here, because the way the guitars work is killer. Nobody has ever put this much power into a three minute single before or since. My faves from this album are HE'S ALWAYS THERE, RACKIN MY MIND and LOST WOMAN. But get ready for the scorchin' late sixtie-six, early sixtie-seven line up that included both Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page in the same line-up! Page's first single is easily identifieable as his HAPPENINGS TEN YEARS TIME AGO is like the prototype to Zeppelin II. Amazing!... Then the band even recorded a new version of TRAIN just so Page could sink his teeth in... Keith Relfs new lyrics are awful, but the licks blow me away!
   
   Then theres the ultra rare '67 album Little Games. This is very hard to find these days, but must be heard, especially if you are a fan of Jimmy Page. This is the one with him in the drivers seat, and you can see where his Zeppelin roots are coming from on tunes like GOODNIGHT JOSEPHINE and the very Black Mountain-esque WHITE MOUNTAIN. Too bad Relfs lyrics really hit the fan on this one, and basically marked the end of The Yardbirds, before their next line-up change would turn them into Led Zeppelin... but still the guitar prowess injected into cheesy bubblegum tunes like PUZZLES is really something to behold.
   
   In full, this is how to learn The Yardbirds, start to finish, for under thirty bucks. And if you are like me, you may want to put the speakers in the windows, let the Yardbirds out, and teach the whole neighborhood about 'em too! Some amazingly cool rock and roll!

5 comments about The Best of the Walker Brothers.

1. I am very pleased with this purchase, it's wonderful to hear songs from my Junior High years.



2. The Walker Brothers: After the Lights Go Out is a collection of "the best of 1965 - 1967." Since I am primarily a devotee of Scott Walker/Engel's music this CD perfectly satisfies my need. It contains Scott's earlier pieces, such as Archangel and Orpheus, as well as The Walker Brothers' hit pieces, such as The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore and Make It Easy on Yourself. This CD is highly recommended for those who love both Scott Walker's and The Walker Brothers' music. Although most Americans seem unfamiliar with Scott Walker or The Walker Brothers, I can say here unequivocally that Scott Walker/Engel is one of the greatest musicians of the last half of the 20th Century, and that this CD functions as an introduction to his earlier work. As some people said, to listen to his voice is to be enchanted by it.



3. I've been a Walker Brother fan since the fall of '65 when I first heard "Make It Easy On Yourself" on the radio. These guys did their best work from '65 til '67 -then self destruction. They were always more popular in England than the U.S. but I don't know why. There are lots of Walker cds available on the inet now with most of them being imported from England. I say from experience if you're going to buy just one Walker Bros. cd this is the one. It's contains all their hits and some really good less familiar work as well. If some jerk wants to sell you his copy for forty something dollars turn and walk. If you do your research you can get one new for under $20. Highly recommended for Walker fans!



4. I can't say I know terribly much about the Walker Brothers, but a quick scan of their discography suggests there may not be all that much to know. An American vocal trio who enjoyed a string of British hits from 1965-67 and a brief comeback a decade later, they would seem the sort of act amply served by compilations. AFTER THE LIGHTS GO OUT must surely rank as a good one, at least as far as the Walkers' early work is concerned.
   Merging - at times even overlapping - Motown and Phil Spector sensibilities with grand theatrical frills and heartrending delivery, the Walker Brothers crafted some of the sixties' most dramatic ballads, the best of which have lost nothing after forty years. Scott Engels/Walker's full, clear low tenor, a compellingly effective instrument even when interpreting outright schmaltz, generally takes the lead (with good reason), though the other "Walkers," John and Gary, provide more than worthy support and (in John's case) occasional solos. To be sure, not everything works: there's some truly over-the-top stuff here, with soap opera lyrics, swirling horror-movie organs, hair-curling violins and an ambience worthy of Broadway at its brightest. But when these guys are good, they're unbeatable. The Drifters-influenced title track, "Love Her," "Make It Easy on Yourself," "The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore" and "Don't Say Goodbye" are all masterpieces, big and brash with just enough weeping melodrama to stick them permanently into the listener's memory after one or two plays. A number of other winners are in here too, as well as a few fairly laughable tracks; all fit, nevertheless. This is superlative mid-sixties pop, and I doubt that anyone, of whatever age, couldn't find something to love on this disc.



5. While certainly a decent Walker Brother's collection, I'd have to say you'd be better off buying their "Images" and "Portrait" cds which contain generous bonus tracks and numerous excellent songs not found here (such as Scott's "Geneieve"). The Walker Brothers (incidently they aren't brothers nor are any of them named Walker) recorded legacy is not that large so I'm not so sure that a greatest hits package is really the right way to go. If you just want "The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore" you could probably find that on any one of numerous sixties compilations, if you want to dig deeper you should go to their albums.

   I always like to think of the Walker Brothers as the Righteous Brothers meet Edgar A. Poe. They share that orchestrated white soulish type sound of the Righteous Brothers but with a darker more adventurish edge.

   The best known Walker Brother songs are all here, along with some lesser known gems like "After the Lights Go Out" or "Mrs Murphy". There are also a few amazing Scott Walker compositions, most notably "Archangel" that equal the standard of his solo work.

   Since the Walker Brothers are still pretty hazy to most people a more enlightening set of liner notes would probably have been helpful as well.

3 comments about The Kinks Greatest 1970-1986 (2 CDs plus bonus DVD).

1. This picks up the Kinks greatest hits very nicely
   If you combine this set with the Ultimate Collection you wil have a very very nice Kinks collection.
   The DVD has been OOP for a while, so its inclusion here makes a good bonus.



2. Watch out: if you want the complete 1977 or so version of Kinks Greatest Celluloid Heroes, this isn't it. The original cover art shown on this CD is deceptive.I thought I was getting the complete KGCHeroes, but this version is missing four songs from the LP, two of which, Holiday and Sitting in My Hotel, are winners. I had a heck of time returning this to Barnes and Noble -- really put up a stink with manager -- but got my money back. I'll continue to play my LP now. Buyer beware: check out CD and track listings before you buy. You shouldn't have to when the CD shows original cover from 70s LP. But ...



3. info from another site
   
   This deluxe collector`s edition contains 36 tracks from two complete Best Of Albums; Come Dancing and Celluloid Heroes, plus the complete DVD concert film One For The Road. Packaged in a deluxe collectible digitpack. (Velvel Records)