I love the Kinks.
A little while back, I posted a Happy Birthday note on Ray Davies’ Facebook page, along with a couple lines from “Better Days”, one of my favorite Kinks’ songs. For those who don’t know, Ray is the lead singer for the Kinks. I was really excited when I went to Facebook the other day and found this:
A little while back, I posted a Happy Birthday note on Ray Davies’ Facebook page, along with a couple lines from “Better Days”, one of my favorite Kinks’ songs. For those who don’t know, Ray is the lead singer for the Kinks. I was really excited when I went to Facebook the other day and found this:
I work in Social Media enough to know that there’s a good chance that someone besides Ray runs his Facebook page. Even so, it still really made my day. What I found troubling was the number of messages I received from people, many of whom should know better, who wanted to know who Ray Davies was. It seems like a crime to me that anyone can tell you who won the last season of “American Idol” or “Dancing With The Stars”, but couldn’t tell you who the Kinks were, or name one of their songs.
I freely admit that I am a music snob. And just because I know a singer or band, and like their music, that doesn’t necessarily mean that you should, too. But you should at least know who they are.
I freely admit that I am a music snob. And just because I know a singer or band, and like their music, that doesn’t necessarily mean that you should, too. But you should at least know who they are.
Of course, there are lots of singers and bands I love, which should be a surprise to no one who has been following me on social media, tuned into my Christmas station or listened to any of the releases from my record label.
I could probably talk for longer than you cared to listen about the Beatles and the Stones. If someone asked me “What light in yonder window breaks…”, my answer would have been one or both of those groups. No offense to Juliet.
And Elvis. Sure I love the hits, but I’ll always stop what I’m doing to hear “Follow That Dream”.
And the Moody Blues. And Bruce Springsteen, Elton John, Billy Joel, the Eagles, the Cars, the Police, et cetera et cetera.
But I think the thing about the Kinks is that they seem to be fading away. I rarely hear them on the radio any more. Oldies stations don’t seem to play any of their 60’s or 70’s stuff, and when my local classic rock station plays “You Really Got Me”, it’s Van Halen’s version, not the Kinks.
I could probably talk for longer than you cared to listen about the Beatles and the Stones. If someone asked me “What light in yonder window breaks…”, my answer would have been one or both of those groups. No offense to Juliet.
And Elvis. Sure I love the hits, but I’ll always stop what I’m doing to hear “Follow That Dream”.
And the Moody Blues. And Bruce Springsteen, Elton John, Billy Joel, the Eagles, the Cars, the Police, et cetera et cetera.
But I think the thing about the Kinks is that they seem to be fading away. I rarely hear them on the radio any more. Oldies stations don’t seem to play any of their 60’s or 70’s stuff, and when my local classic rock station plays “You Really Got Me”, it’s Van Halen’s version, not the Kinks.
I’m not sure how this happened. I mean, I do understand that songs get lost or fade away all the time. One hit wonders are a dime a dozen, and the path to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is littered with the corpses of Flashes in the Pan.
But the Kinks? They’ve had five top ten singles in the U.S., and five more that made it onto the top forty. Only one of their twenty-five studio albums failed to make the album chart.
There have been over thirty official (and legal) compilations of their songs, and four live concert albums.
But the Kinks? They’ve had five top ten singles in the U.S., and five more that made it onto the top forty. Only one of their twenty-five studio albums failed to make the album chart.
There have been over thirty official (and legal) compilations of their songs, and four live concert albums.
Just eight years ago, a 40th anniversary edition of their “You Really Got Me” single was released, and it sold enough to hit #42 on the singles chart, and a few years later, a 40th anniversary edition of “Waterloo Sunset” topped the Indie chart!
Doesn’t seem crazy that they’ve practically vanished from the airwaves? It seems like, as far as radio is concerned, the Kinks never existed.
Doesn’t seem crazy that they’ve practically vanished from the airwaves? It seems like, as far as radio is concerned, the Kinks never existed.
This is one of the things I would be concentrating on, if I won the lottery. Not that I’d become a PR firm for the Kinks. But I’d like to try and do something to, without being too cliché, save the music.
There are several very worthwhile charities that are music-related. Sweet Relief helps musicians financially, and VH-1’s Save The Music helps keep music in our schools. And the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame archives and educates about the history of Rock Music.
These are all great organizations, and I support them all, as I can.
There are several very worthwhile charities that are music-related. Sweet Relief helps musicians financially, and VH-1’s Save The Music helps keep music in our schools. And the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame archives and educates about the history of Rock Music.
These are all great organizations, and I support them all, as I can.
But what about preserving the music? And not just preserving it, but keeping it alive and accessible. Like playing it on a station so others could enjoy it.
These days, I really have my hands full with my Christmas station (http://www.soundsofchristmas.com). If money were no object, I’d have another station up in running before you finish reading this sentence.
These days, I really have my hands full with my Christmas station (http://www.soundsofchristmas.com). If money were no object, I’d have another station up in running before you finish reading this sentence.
As readers of this blog know, I made the decision that I would try to live my life as though I’d already won the lottery. After the initial spending, most of it is attitude, anyway.
So how can I do that here?
Well, I can use the tools I have to try and keep the music alive, to share it with my friends and fans and followers (and those new friends and fans and followers that I haven’t met, yet). That’s why I’ve interspersed so many Kinks’ videos here. I hope you’ll click on at least one, listen to the music, enjoy it and maybe share it with someone else.
So how can I do that here?
Well, I can use the tools I have to try and keep the music alive, to share it with my friends and fans and followers (and those new friends and fans and followers that I haven’t met, yet). That’s why I’ve interspersed so many Kinks’ videos here. I hope you’ll click on at least one, listen to the music, enjoy it and maybe share it with someone else.
Finding that music that I love is disappearing hits me like a disease, and as they say, if you conceal your disease you can’t be cured. So do me a favor. Listen to the Kinks. And cure me.
Ken
P.S. - Hi Marvin! It's all in there (light in yonder window, Dancing with the Stars, and the proverb is "if you conceal your disease you can't be cured)!
Ken
P.S. - Hi Marvin! It's all in there (light in yonder window, Dancing with the Stars, and the proverb is "if you conceal your disease you can't be cured)!