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 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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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)!