Page 61 - 72_11PDF_Searchable

EVERYBODY ' S IN SHOWBIZ Admit that not only have the Kinks terming ) )
lost the desire (they hate the ability) to
THE KINKS rock ' n ' roll, they have alto lost the intimacy
RCA
and onc-toone communication with their
Showbii is a two- record set, complete audience that kept the fans loyal. Ray ’ s songs
with the best cover art ever afforded a Kinks arc much more like little vignettes and
album (early covers were great in context anti-social laments than the personalized
only ). Sides I and 2 are new songs done in the observation and musings which marked hit
*
studio, while 3 and 4 are older numbers done greatest compositions. His tunes and
live. sentiments have always been simple, but now
The Kinks are a difficult band to capture they seem to be so consciously devoid of
bve. They are basically sloppy and alcoholic pretense and heaviness as to render them
and. although the horn section (now a almost simple- minded. He still succeeds in
predominate part of the group) helps to entertaining, however, first because he n a
smooth things over a bit, their live show is great linger, and second because, if he is
better left at the concert hall. For even talking In cliches now. he invented the style
though the writing of Ray Davies (the man and message which the cliches came from.
who puts the kinftc m the Kmks) may be What it amounts to is picking out the
preoccupied with those things in life that are better rvumbcrv Dave Davies ' token cut. "You
”
lasting, his live performances are hardly Don ' t Know My Name. like many of his
designed to be used for posterity. If. in his songs , grows on you. It's also quite revealing
wasting any time trying to find new things to state of genuine or affected drunkeness. he of Dave ' s fnistations about being the brother
worry about; they ' re waiting for the old ones can show you a good time, he is satisfied. But of the star and the guitarist who has been
to sink in. Meanwhile they ie doing new that is not the stuff that great live recordings steadily driven into the background since the
'
superfluous attempts at profundity (Cahoott). a great night, appreciation of his delivery chunky “wall of sound ” nffv (Remember
things (the horns ) but not overreaching in are made of. Besides, even when Ray b having days when the Kinks were known for their
Of course, it s also nice to know that relies on all the subtle nuances of the “You Really Got Me" ?)
'
unlike the Greatful Dead, the Band arc still personality he projects , which are as visual as “Supersonic Rocket Ship " is ihe strongest,
hstcnable when they operate at less than they are audul. most fully conceptualized song on the album
perfection. It’ s even reassuring to know they
still see themselves in some tense as a live
group; they haven't toured in so long you
might begin to wonder
Most importantly. Robbie Robertson docs
not dswmnatc this album. Robertson is great,
sometimes awesome, but the show is not his
alone, as it might have been. The Band are
still, after all. a band, and they know it and
Crecdcncc.
reinforce it. Only among
mainstream bands , has the guts to say the
same thing.
Indeed , there probably isn ’t a group with
more raw courage in all of rock ’ n ' roll. They ' re
still here: the Band, playing the Music. Longer
than almost any one and better, too.
Dave Marsh
•••
ROCK OF AGES The main attribute of the Use set is that it and will most likely be the single. It does rely
-
THE BAND documents Ray' t ever- improving abilities as a rather heavily on political catch all phrases ,
CAPITOL showman. He is not. and may never be. the but the musicianship, including some real nice
consummate craftsman on stage that, say, vibe work, more than compensate * .
You know something, this record would Peter Townshend is. but he is becoming The big finale. “Celluloid Heroes. H a
"
have been a lot better if it had cost, say, increasingly comfortable as master of wistluI. nostalgic stroll with the Kinks down
-
S2.3S. No, but that ain ' t the case though cur ceremonies of a good limey, almost Hollywood boulevard. The second longest
it costs a lot more than that If the damn vaudevillian chow *, as opposed to his old role Kink song ever, at 6:20. it is beautiful enough
thing had cost less. I wouldn ' t be so disap- mcloUscalty and catchy enough lyrically to
pointed. as lead singer of a British rock band. It is an carry through without becoming tedious or
adjustment which has taken years to be made
Dawgonc it. I wish I had the S5.52 I spent in a way that Ray could live with, both in flat, leaving you with a nice afterglow when
for this album; coulda bought some food or terms of general aesthetics and the musk the turntable has gone off.
something. It' s too laic for that now.cuz the itself. He can now do a heartrending version When the Kinks first started making
money ' s gone and IVe got Rock of Aget to of " You Arc My Sunshine ” (my favorite song records , they were among the top three acts
prove iL Gee. I ' m stupid. of all time ), continue with "Alcohol. ” done in rockdom Iwith the Beatles and Stones,
Hey, but listen, you don ' t have to pay partly in 40 ' « Maurice Chcavltcr imitation, natch ). They have continued to make fine
cash for this thing. Just go into the record and follow with a rocker like " Top of the musk, although they have had their
store and hit the person behind the counter Pops, ” and make it work! But on vinyl? Ray commercial and artistic ups and downs. I am
with a stick. Then pick up this nifty two is charming enough to make it fun to listen convinced that when Ray's lyrics , and the
record set and stroll on out. And don ' t forget to , but it stands more as a reference point band s execution of his musical ideas , catch
'
to take Bangla Dcth too. you may have worn than as any kind of cohesive, significant up with his plans for the perfectly stylized,
your first copy out. After you ' ve done all recorded statement. lighthearted ! ) sentimental Kinks show (all
that, the musK on this record might sound Now the studio platter, sport fan * It goes hopefully combined with increased mass-
Cordially yours.
just fine. almost without saying that I like it. I am one audience awareness), they will again emerge as
-
Chester the Conger EgJ of those people who always goes a little soft one of the major forces in music. Gary Kenton
when the singer is Ray Davies. But I gotta
November. 1972 61