I think the Stones had a great deal of competition in the sixties, for sure, and of course the Beatles aside, the Who and the Kinks feature heavily. I love them both to a degree but i've always preferred the Kinks. Maybe it's the fact that i've always found the Who a little overblown,or maybe bombastic and perhaps taking themselves a little too seriously for my tastes. The Kinks certainly in the sixties were always a little quirky and i always enjoyed their englishness. Their theme of returning to a simpler time with The Village Green Preservation Society went very much against the grain of the pop culture of the time. A brave thing to do, but in the sixties they were banned from touring the US, so who knows how their music may have developed if the US market was more readily available. Plus i like the fact that they were amongst the first groups to introduce a real heavy guitar riff on You Really Got Me.

How do you think the two groups compare?

I've seen them both a number of times. Difficult for me if the 4 original Who members were still around, but they are not, so if they were both playing a one-off in my town the same day, the Kinks would be the show you would find me at.

Also, I find myself listening to the Kinks these days a lot more than the Who.

The Who were better drinkers.

I prefer "the kinks", by far!

under the boardwalk---down by the sea

the kinks were much better than the who and led zeppelin

They both are/were great. I probably prefer the Who but it really depends on my mood.

Kinks all the way!

I love the Who and they've written some of the greatest rock anthems BUT,

1) The Who were far less prolific than the Kinks (let alone the Stones)

2) Ray Davies is probably the greatest lyricist of that era. His songs are so complex and their are clear themes and ideas that he constantly revisits without being repetitive.

3) One word for you: Victoria

Also, Pete Townsend has said that he took the "I Can't Explain" riff from the Kinks early songs like All day and all of the night and Tired of Waiting, etc.

I don't go in for judging who-was-better-than-who (or better-than-The-Who in this case) - but it's the Kinks show you would find me at.

hmm very close, I think the Kinks by an inch

It's a source of complete frustration that I've never seen the Kinks, Ray Davies individually loads of times, but but never the Kinks. As for the Who, seen them innumerable times as well. I love them both in equal measure.

So for those lucky bastards that HAVE seen the Kinks, come on. Ruin my Saturday. Tell me what I've missed. I can well imagine they were dynamite ?

both!

kinks are friendly and likeable great songs i like them saw them in 1965
who is more arrogant, mor rebels more cool
my conclusion both great but in different ways..

the who, its not even an issue IMO, the body of work is not even comparable



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2009-12-19 18:22 by melillo.

It's the same comparing the Beatles and the Stones (Pop/Rock) Both great but I prefer The Kinks

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Both great! It depends on my mood. I have everything both bands have released and love 'em both. At the moment in a Kinks mood listening to Everybody's in Show Biz a lot lately....But then again also have been listening a lot to Quadrophenia. Both are great!

the who

like em both, but if only one, the who.

The Who...not even close

the shoot 'em dead, brainbell jangler!

If I have to choose : The Who

The Who by a country mile.

The Kinks by a light year or two....

saw them both live and they rocked. tie goes to the runner on this one.

sure--the Kinks

under the boardwalk---down by the sea

How can you pick one over the other? All of us are lucky that these amazing groups came together at the same time as The Stones, The Beatles, Motown, Zepp, Stax etc.

Kinks

THE WHO.

can't live without either.

Seen both groups MANY Times, I love them both for what they do ... Rock n Roll

Kinks for The MEZ slightly! MEZ

Kinks by a fricking mile