Tag Archives: The Kinks

Colored Vinyl, Misc , , , , , 3 Comments

Red Dead Equipment?

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I’ve got a bit of a query, chaps. Do I repurchase the UK reissue of Kinks on beautiful, ruby red vinyl, or upgrade my turntable? She skips like a ruthless gang of 2nd graders in afternoon recess. I recently replaced the needle, so that ain’t it. No earthquakes as of late, though we’re still eagerly anticipating “the big one.” Hmmm. Time to save up for some 1200s? Then there’s the issue of space! WHERE THE HELL AM I GOING TO PUT THEM? I’ve already got a mountain of records squatting on the floor. (The International Voice of Reason voice: “SIGH!” Sounds more like “UHHHHHHH!”) Well anyway, if you own this release and it skips, hit me up, otherwise, it’s time for some new hardware. 

2018 , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Deluxe

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Oh, dear Lord. The deluxe, 50th anniversary release of the coveted, and rarely eclipsed The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society. I’ve been hesitant in posting my excitement about this long-awaited box set for dreadful fear of not properly providing it with the much-needed justice and attention it deserves. So with that, I’ll (with a shameful heart) postpone this journey for another, more appropriate date, safe to say, this box set was well worth the wait, and is well worth the price of admission.

1974 , , , , , Leave a comment

Preserve Your Acts

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For some reason, and I’m certainly not complaining, just observing, I owned, for quite some time, the 8-track of The Kinks’ 1974 album, Preservation Act 2 before I owned the double LP version. Luckily, this pristine copy leaped out at me at my local brick & mortar for a ridiculously reasonable price (something like $5 or $6). Though this era of The Kinks’ library is a little rough (especially considering the flawless six studio albums from ’66 to ’71), we’re one step closer to completing the full Kinks run. I’m looking forward to a back-to-back Preservation spin this evening.

8-track , , , , , , 1 Comment

Odessey 8

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When this shy and elusive beauty popped up on eBay a few weeks ago, I jumped at the opportunity to welcome this seminal album to the ever-growing 8-track collection. Though the white whale is still the 8-track of The Kinks are the Village Green Preservation Society (I’ve been searching for close to five years!), The Zombies’ Odessey & Oracle is a very close second, and greatly deserving of this outdated, and warm-sounding format. This now brings the O&O total to 4x records, and 1x 8-track, for those keeping score (all one of me).

1968, 2018 , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Green Village

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50 years in the making (not really, but sort of), this recent (as of late last month) behemoth of a celebration to The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society comes with everything you see here, and if you were one of the lucky first 1000 to preorder, you received a limited 7″ for Time Song, b/w The Village Green Preservation Society (Preservation Version). If you’ve got the space, this fully-loaded box of essential goodies is a Kinks lover’s dream.

1980 , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

The Make-Believers

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Made famous (in part) for their cover of The Kinks’ Stop Your Sobbin’, Pretenders (or The Pretenders, depending on who you ask… no, not the doo-wop crooners from the 1950s), were a London-based edge-band, forming in 1978. Releasing their eponymous debut for Sire Records (United States) in January of 1980, this self-titled masterwork is an effective mix of pop, rock, and punk, featuring the barking vocals of Chrissie Hynde. You should already own this, but if you don’t, add it to your (ever growing) list.

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Stampede

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Think Southern Rock bluesiness of Brothers and Sisters (The Allman Brothers Band) coupled with that classic masterpiece of imaginative longing for a Southern-American lifestyle not experienced (Muswell Hillbillies by The Kinks), and you sort of get the gist of Stampede by The Doobie Brothers. The Doobies have (seemingly) always showcased the more up-beat, driving side of classic rock (like many, many others), while maintaining a funk not expected from a handful of country-based good ol’ boys. Stampede is undeniable Doobies… heartfelt lyrics, unquestionable harmonies, stellar electric guitar, and it also happens to be the band’s last album with Tom Johnston on lead vocals. He would later be replaced by Michael McDonald on 1976’s Takin’ It to the Streets. However you break it down, Stampede is a worthy spin.

1993, 2018, Colored Vinyl , , , , , , Leave a comment

Phobia

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Man, I need to catch up on my spins. For their 24th studio album, The Kinks released Phobia. A 17-track diddy that would prove to be the band’s last studio effort. For Record Store Day this year, a double LP of Phobia was released on this fancy orange swirl colored wax. What’s better than The Kinks participating in RSD is that Phobia was only previously released on vinyl in Spain upon its original release back in 1993, and with copies going in the $800 range, this beautiful reissue was a no-brainer.

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RSD ’18 Part Two

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Presented here is our loot from this year’s Record Store Day. The big three were acquired (listed in order of necessity).

  • Dr. Octagon – Moosebumpectomy: An Excision of Modern Day Instrumentalization
  • Tim Hardin – Lost in L.A.
  • The Kinks – Phobia
  • Van Morrison – The Alternative Moondance
  • Harry Nilsson – Pussy Cats
  • Arthur Lyman – Bahia
  • Leonard Nimoy – Mr. Spock’s Music from Out Space
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Old at Newbury

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The only other album that I’ve ever heard to legitimately rival The Kinks are the Village Green Preservation Society (1968, The Kinks) is, of course, Odessey and Oracle by The Zombies (1968). Newbury Comics did an exclusive run back in 2015 of 1000 on… let me look it up because, you know, accuracy… “Red, Blue & Yellow Haze” vinyl. It’s no longer available on Newbury’s site (though I highly recommend their limited run exclusives), but as with most anything, it can be found over at Discogs. If you’ve got the green for some red, blue and yellow, we suggest this amazing and limited reissue.

1964 , , , , , , 1 Comment

The HoneyKinks

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Man, ever since finding The Honeycombs’ US debut for $1 at my local b&m, I’ve been obsessed with Have I the Right?. So when I found out that there existed a French, split 7″ with my favorite band (The Kinks), I knew it was only a matter of time. Yesterday, the (relatively) brief hunt subsided, and we’re now the proud owners of this gorgeous split EP. Down side, I’m now on the hunt for other mid-60s French 7″ releases.

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RSD 2017

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Record Store Days are always good days. Spend quality time with friends in line, arm wrestle other local collectors, and (usually) emerge with a good quantity of selects from that year’s list. All but one 7″ was obtained this year, The Zombie’s Rose for Emily. Following the circus, we spent the day spinning everything from The Hustle to pre-Kinks – The Ravens, to The Music Machine, to Young M.C., to Esquivel, to The Claypool Lennon Delirium. Like I said, Record Store Days are always good days.

2016 , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Situation Vacant

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wattsAnother day, another essential, yet overpriced Kinks Record Store Day release. The only one I was unable to acquire from this year’s Black Friday releases was the black and white swirled version of 1977’s Sleepwalker. I mean, Sleepwalker isn’t bad, but they need to start releasing sexy colored versions of Muswell Hillbillies, if you ask me. And since you didn’t, I’d suggest something similar to the 2011 UK rerelease of The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society (green translucent / orange splatter colored vinyl). Well, there’s always next year, I suppose.

2016 , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Till Death…

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tilldeathThere are only two bands whose 7″ Record Store Day overpriced buffoonery I’d throw money at, and one of these bands is The Kinks. Complete with hype sticker (that will never be removed as far as I’m still breathing), this Village Green-era make-shift EP features the classics, Do You Remember Walter? and People Take Pictures of Each Other, both found on the Village Green masterpiece, as well as the brilliant throwaway, Till Death Us Do Part, which was apparently the theme to a film based on a popular British television series. Long story short, one can never go wrong with any Kinks record, and this EP is certainly no exception, regardless of its hefty price tag.