I'm just getting into The Kinks and would like to know what's a good starting point in terms of albums, live, etc. Thanks. I am listening to the first album now.

Muswell Hillbillies is their Exile. Also Face to Face and Something elese are great starting points for their mid 60s stuff. Can't go wrong with those three...

But then also Lola vs. the Powerman and the Money-go-Round is a great starting point as well... But Muswell is amazing.

Later stuff...Low Budget was their Somegirls, a big comeback for them. Misfits is wonderful, as is Schoolboys in Disgrace, but might not be a good starting point.

Village Green and Arthur are two musts for Kinks fans, and music fans in general. Two great albums.

Victoria!! My fav. Kink song





"Well my heavy throbbers itchin' just to lay a solid rhythm down"

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Happy Jack
Village Green and Arthur are two musts for Kinks fans, and music fans in general. Two great albums.

So true Happy! I didn't put Arthur for a first timer in Kinkdome, but one of my favs. And Village Green is another good starting point.

Start with The Singles Collection, then get Celluloid Heroes and Come Dancing. This will give you a nice overview of the first twenty years and let you decide which albums to focus on first. They are a band with many key album tracks so hits were only good as an introduction to me. They are at once both a cousin to the Stones and more of a cult band with many forgettable or frustrating moments as well gems only diehard fans have heard. At their best, they were the equal or better than any of their peers.

Kinks fans are the greatest in the world and will give their heros a welcome like none other. Love to see just one pic of Ray with Mick or Keith... There doesn't seem to be one in existence.

Is Kinks Kronicles still in print? That's a good compilation. And you should find something with all their 60s singles, some that have been forgotten, like Everybody's Gonna Be Happy, Wonderboy, etc...

Also Kinks Kontroversy, Face To Face, Something Else, and Village Green.

Once you hear Village Green, you'll fall in love with it like everyone else.

Also Live at Kelvin Hall is a fun live album from 1967.

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I love the Kinks. I got into them because, back in the 70s, somebody gave me a compilation called 'Golden Hour of the Kinks' and then I started buying albums. Personally I prefer the RCA period (starting with Muswell Hillbillies) because that is when I started buying their albums but all eras had something going for them.

Their albums are often inconsistent so I'd recommend starting with a few compilations. I agree that the singles collections is a great start although Ultimate Collection is also excellent. However I'd also add this that I found on Amazon as it covers the later period.

Greatest Hits 1970-86 (2CD/DVD)

Sleepwalker, Misfits (especially) and Low Budget - all done in the late 1970's - is their peak for me, though can't deny the power of their earlier hits (or some of the ones that came later).

"The Kinks are the Village Green Preservation Society" ('68), "Something Else by the Kinks" ('67), "Arthur" ('69) and "Face to Face" ('66) stand up to anything the Stones, Beatle or the Who were doing at the same time. Somebody said their albums are hit-and-miss. Not these albums! There isn't a duff track on any of them.

I have the good fortune to have been on a Ray Davies tribute record ("This is Where I Belong: The Songs of Ray Davies" I covered "Picture Book" as a duet with Bill Lloyd) and thru that I got to meet Ray. Wonderful guy.

Tommy

1)Something else by the kinks
2)Village green preservation society
3)Face to face
4)Arthur
5)Muswell hillibies
6)Misfits
7)Low budget
8)Lola
9)Sleepwalker

Live:One for the road, absolutely!!!

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mailexile67
1)Something else by the kinks
2)Village green preservation society
3)Face to face
4)Arthur
5)Muswell hillibies
6)Misfits
7)Low budget
8)Lola
9)Sleepwalker

Live:One for the road, absolutely!!!

May I add Soap Opera? There are alot of nice songs on that album.

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Carnaby
May I add Soap Opera? There are alot of nice songs on that album.

I agree. It's a favourite of mine along with Schoolboys in Disgrace.

I think ONE FOR THE ROAD, the live album from (1980?) is fantastic!!!

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UGot2Rollme
Sleepwalker, Misfits (especially) and Low Budget - all done in the late 1970's - is their peak for me, .

And I'd call it their nadir. Deliberate move to corporate arena rock. Love everything prior to that.

Great band..saw them many times in the 70's/80's..always a tremendous performance!

The Kinks Ultimate Collection is a good set. Disc 1 is the hit singles, while disc 2 has album cuts. The only disappointing thing about this album is that the RCA period is non existant (save for Celluloid Hero's), as well as some of the latter stuff. So for that, I'd get the double disc Kinks set that was released a couple years ago. Disc 1 is the CD edition of Celluloid Hero's greatest hits (which has the RCA Material), and disc 2 is Come Dancing (which has the Arista Material). Sadly after that the Kinks music sucked in the 80's when they went to Universal. Their last good album was the unplugged/live album To The Bone from 96 I think.

Love the Kinks!Their early hits were what first made me a fan, but all the albums they recorded from '66 - '71 are amazing. What brilliant songwriting...some of the very best stuff in the history of rock 'n' roll.

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From4tilLate

I have the good fortune to have been on a Ray Davies tribute record ("This is Where I Belong: The Songs of Ray Davies" I covered "Picture Book" as a duet with Bill Lloyd) and thru that I got to meet Ray. Wonderful guy.

Tommy

cool, man! Nice choice of track, too... as for Ray's personality, I don't think his brother would agree!

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mailexile67
1)Something else by the kinks
2)Village green preservation society
3)Face to face
4)Arthur
5)Muswell hillibies
6)Misfits
7)Low budget
8)Lola
9)Sleepwalker

Live:One for the road, absolutely!!!

All of this top. One for the Road as well as Arthur would be my own choice to start with. Listen to " Celluloid Heoes" on One for The Road. Ray Davies is to issue on November 2 a new live album with friends among which is featured Bruce Springsteen, Bon Jovi...

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UGot2Rollme
Sleepwalker, Misfits (especially) and Low Budget - all done in the late 1970's - is their peak for me, though can't deny the power of their earlier hits (or some of the ones that came later).

Yeah that's how I first heard of them then discovered the earlier stuff. I love Misfits. Quirky as hell but great.

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loog droog

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UGot2Rollme
Sleepwalker, Misfits (especially) and Low Budget - all done in the late 1970's - is their peak for me, .

And I'd call it their nadir. Deliberate move to corporate arena rock. Love everything prior to that.

Interesting to see you post that, because it seemed like the Kinks had a difficult time making it to the "arena" rock market from being a Swinging London band. Anyway, I know what you mean, yet the Who and the Stones were able to successfully pull it off.

Great band live.

Listen to Waterloo Sunset - Fantastic song!

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Midnight Toker
Great band live.

Absolutely!!!

I first saw the Kinks in Lowell MA back in the late 70's early 80's still one of the best shows I've ever seen. Great live band and they were much like the Stones in the late 70's a lot of people wrote them off and they had a string of fine albums. Low Budget, Give the People What They Want, State of Confusion and Word of Mouth. I think I might like those better than the early stuff.

Great band and never mentioned in the panteon of great bands. Overlooked for some reason.

Kinks at Winterland in SF in "77" was one of the best shows I've ever seen.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2010-10-16 04:13 by No Expectations.

Always sadly underrated by many. It was such a pity they could not tour the USA because of union problems in the years that would have been huge for them. To their credit though they came back and did lots of great albums and tours. Were always solid if a bit attractively sloppy at times on stage. The unpredictable nature of this band made them a must see for me. I always loved their concerts. Ray used to give front fans the beer splash during Demon Alcohol. Dave would give Ray these awful glares at times, and then just completely crack up. These are guys I would have loved to go out for a pint with. For starters The Singles Collection is a monster. A must have in that it shows just how many incredible songs this band recored just as singles! Kinks Kronikles an old fave. Arthur, VGPS, Muswell Hillbillies, Lola vs Powerman and the Moneyground, man the list is long. So many great songs. Ray rates in the top end of all time great writers. Would be wonderful to see this band get back together, but Ray and Dave just can't seem to get it together. I would try and catch multiple shows if they ever go for it. RIP Pete.