musicloverThe Kinks: Where's all the fuss?
September 18th 2006 08:07
There is no shortage of bands towards whom the phrase "What's all the fuss about?" can be justifiably applied. Bands about whom not enough fuss is made however, are few and far between. When looking for such a band, look no further than The Kinks.
Their main problem was bad timing. Their careers rose at more or less the same time as The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Who et al., but there are only so many bands that the public can fawn over . Initially, they also posessed a very similar sound to that of The Beatles, which didn't help. However, roughly 40 years after they formed, it is easy to look back at their work and wonder why they aren't mentioned in the same breath as the bands mentioned above.
Great bands songs' share two characteristics:
1) They are instantly recognizable.
2) They get covered a lot.
If your songs fit these two categories, it suggests that not only do they posess a timeless quality, but they are also widely appreciated.
The Kinks are certainly not found wanting in this regard. After all, they are responsible for, among others, "All Day and All of the Night", "You Really Got Me" , "Lola", "Everybody's Gonna Be Happy", and "Sunny Afternoon", a sample of which can be seen below:
As far as their appeal goes, they have been covered by a diverse set of bands ranging from The Jam , to Oasis, to Supergrass. In fact, Queens of The Stone Age have made a habit of including at least one Kinks cover on every album of theirs.
Take the lyrical qualities of The Beatles, the attitude of The Stones, and the superior musicianship of The Who, and you have The Kinks. Surely they are worth as much fanfare? After all, Pete Townshend is a lifelong fan , and anyone who has watched "Almost Famous" will know that:
"No-one can explain rock n' roll. Except maybe Pete Townshend."
If Pete likes them, then everyone should.
"Ramble On" by Led Zeppelin, was blaring away as I wrote this.
Their main problem was bad timing. Their careers rose at more or less the same time as The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Who et al., but there are only so many bands that the public can fawn over . Initially, they also posessed a very similar sound to that of The Beatles, which didn't help. However, roughly 40 years after they formed, it is easy to look back at their work and wonder why they aren't mentioned in the same breath as the bands mentioned above.
Great bands songs' share two characteristics:
1) They are instantly recognizable.
2) They get covered a lot.
If your songs fit these two categories, it suggests that not only do they posess a timeless quality, but they are also widely appreciated.
The Kinks are certainly not found wanting in this regard. After all, they are responsible for, among others, "All Day and All of the Night", "You Really Got Me" , "Lola", "Everybody's Gonna Be Happy", and "Sunny Afternoon", a sample of which can be seen below:
As far as their appeal goes, they have been covered by a diverse set of bands ranging from The Jam , to Oasis, to Supergrass. In fact, Queens of The Stone Age have made a habit of including at least one Kinks cover on every album of theirs.
Take the lyrical qualities of The Beatles, the attitude of The Stones, and the superior musicianship of The Who, and you have The Kinks. Surely they are worth as much fanfare? After all, Pete Townshend is a lifelong fan , and anyone who has watched "Almost Famous" will know that:
"No-one can explain rock n' roll. Except maybe Pete Townshend."
If Pete likes them, then everyone should.
"Ramble On" by Led Zeppelin, was blaring away as I wrote this.
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