An Alternative Look at The 1960's

Bulldog · 12-22-2008, 03:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheCellarTapes

The Electric Prunes - I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night)
(1967)

You posted about the Electric Prunes, so you're cool

Definitely gonna hunt this album down, as the songs I've heard are bleedin' t'riffic. Top-drawer thread this - really looking forward to some more of it

TheCellarTapes · 12-22-2008, 05:50 PM

The Kinks - The Village Green Preservation Society
(1968)

Tracks

1 The Village Green Preservation Society 2:45
2 Do You Remember Walter? 2:23
3 Picture Book 2:34
4 Johnny Thunder 2:28
5 Last of the Steam-Powered Trains 4:03
6 Big Sky 2:49
7 Sitting by the Riverside 2:21
8 Animal Farm 2:57
9 Village Green 2:08
10 Starstruck 2:18
11 Phenomenal Cat 2:34
12 All of My Friends Were There 2:23
13 Wicked Annabella 2:40
14 Monica 2:13
15 People Take Pictures of Each Other 2:10

This album was released in November 1968, while bands around them were going experimental and trippy, The Kinks and Ray Davies went into the studio with a different concept in mind.

Originally the idea was not a Kinks album but a Ray Davies concept, on similar lines to the follow up Arthur, a solo project to write and record a TV/theatre score, but loosely based around the theme of a Village Green. A theme which at the time sat firmly outside of the Bluesy R&B sound that Kinks coinsures were probably more used to.

However in November 1968 after two years of recording sessions with several brick walls being hit on the rocky road of TV concept, and with The Kinks commercial power being perceived to be on the way out. The Kinks released The Village Green Preservation Society on the Reprise/Pye record label. A concept of English Village life, as far removed from Flower Power, Student Protests and Vietnam as you could get.

In this album, Ray Davies pursues themes in a manner which many people have judged as being all part of this Village Green concept, however he goes at these subjects in a way which would be better placed in a Village Green Preservation Manifesto, then you're typical concept album.

This album is even more remarkable when you consider that it was on the back of poor single sales for "Wonderboy", and the hurriedly released compensation single "Days". As a result amazingly none of the original tracks on this album were deemed good enough for single release by record bosses, which gave the album initially a poor start in life. It's remarkable also to think that some of these songs appear on this album by accident, songs like "Do You Remember Walter" and "All of my Friends Were There", were not meant for this manifesto album, but seem to fit like a glove with their inclusion on the final cut, as was the quality of the Kinks work at the time.

After its release, the fact it never became a commercial triumph, ensured the album spent the next 4 decades being a cult classic for those people like you and I who know better. Unfortunately in recent years the album has been jumped upon by advertising agencies, which means we're no longer the wise ones, we're just like everybody else......but don't be too downbeat dear friends, this is only ensuring that the right thing is done and that this album is given the attention it rightly deserves. An album which is filled from start to finish with musical treasures which every human being should know off by heart.

The Village Green Preservation Society ensured that Ray Davies was lofted to the status of esteemed song writer and lyricist, and that The Kinks will always be looked upon as more then just a chart R&B act. This release, along with the follow up Arthur, proved that The Kinks could tell stories and raise issues about modern life in post Empire Britain while still making them a pleasure to listen to, which their counterparts were either overlooking or simply unable to achieve, a tremendous piece of work which sits nicely with the all time great albums.

Bulldog · 12-23-2008, 03:58 AM

Weren't they banned from the US or something by the time they got 'round to recording Village Green, or is that just my dodgy memory?

Fantastic (and massively important) album, and a good review to compliment it

jackhammer · 12-23-2008, 04:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bulldog

Weren't they banned from the US or something by the time they got 'round to recording Village Green, or is that just my dodgy memory?

Fantastic (and massively important) album, and a good review to compliment it

The official line is 'misdemeanours' for the banning. There were two versions of TVGPS released. Brilliant album BTW.

Piss Me Off · 12-23-2008, 04:47 PM

How on earth Picture Book or Johnny Thunder weren't released as singles i will never know. I'll never understand what record companies are thinking sometimes.

jackhammer · 12-23-2008, 04:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Piss Me Off

How on earth Picture Book or Johnny Thunder weren't released as singles i will never know. I'll never understand what record companies are thinking sometimes.

The record company had no faith in the album whatsoever due to the falling sales of previous releases. Our gain though I think.

Akira · 12-23-2008, 04:50 PM

Picture Book is wonderful

Piss Me Off · 12-23-2008, 04:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jackhammer

The record company had no faith in the album whatsoever due to the falling sales of previous releases. Our gain though I think.

If i was a rich little 60's kid i would have bought Picture Book 5 times over. So THERE record companies :p

jackhammer · 12-23-2008, 04:54 PM

Last Of The Steam Powered Trains is one of my favourites which was'nt on the 12 track stereo version

I have both 15 and 12 though

Bulldog · 12-23-2008, 05:09 PM

Picture Book is an ace song, but it's all about Starstruck, Big Sky and Phenomenal Cat for me.

12-22-2008, 05:50 PM	#12 (permalink)
TheCellarTapes Music Addict Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 490	The Kinks - The Village Green Preservation Society *(1968)* Tracks 1 The Village Green Preservation Society 2:45 2 Do You Remember Walter? 2:23 3 Picture Book 2:34 4 Johnny Thunder 2:28 5 Last of the Steam-Powered Trains 4:03 6 Big Sky 2:49 7 Sitting by the Riverside 2:21 8 Animal Farm 2:57 9 Village Green 2:08 10 Starstruck 2:18 11 Phenomenal Cat 2:34 12 All of My Friends Were There 2:23 13 Wicked Annabella 2:40 14 Monica 2:13 15 People Take Pictures of Each Other 2:10 This album was released in November 1968, while bands around them were going experimental and trippy, The Kinks and Ray Davies went into the studio with a different concept in mind. Originally the idea was not a Kinks album but a Ray Davies concept, on similar lines to the follow up Arthur, a solo project to write and record a TV/theatre score, but loosely based around the theme of a Village Green. A theme which at the time sat firmly outside of the Bluesy R&B sound that Kinks coinsures were probably more used to. However in November 1968 after two years of recording sessions with several brick walls being hit on the rocky road of TV concept, and with The Kinks commercial power being perceived to be on the way out. The Kinks released The Village Green Preservation Society on the Reprise/Pye record label. A concept of English Village life, as far removed from Flower Power, Student Protests and Vietnam as you could get. In this album, Ray Davies pursues themes in a manner which many people have judged as being all part of this Village Green concept, however he goes at these subjects in a way which would be better placed in a Village Green Preservation Manifesto, then you're typical concept album. This album is even more remarkable when you consider that it was on the back of poor single sales for "Wonderboy", and the hurriedly released compensation single "Days". As a result amazingly none of the original tracks on this album were deemed good enough for single release by record bosses, which gave the album initially a poor start in life. It's remarkable also to think that some of these songs appear on this album by accident, songs like "Do You Remember Walter" and "All of my Friends Were There", were not meant for this manifesto album, but seem to fit like a glove with their inclusion on the final cut, as was the quality of the Kinks work at the time. After its release, the fact it never became a commercial triumph, ensured the album spent the next 4 decades being a cult classic for those people like you and I who know better. Unfortunately in recent years the album has been jumped upon by advertising agencies, which means we're no longer the wise ones, we're just like everybody else......but don't be too downbeat dear friends, this is only ensuring that the right thing is done and that this album is given the attention it rightly deserves. An album which is filled from start to finish with musical treasures which every human being should know off by heart. The Village Green Preservation Society ensured that Ray Davies was lofted to the status of esteemed song writer and lyricist, and that The Kinks will always be looked upon as more then just a chart R&B act. This release, along with the follow up Arthur, proved that The Kinks could tell stories and raise issues about modern life in post Empire Britain while still making them a pleasure to listen to, which their counterparts were either overlooking or simply unable to achieve, a tremendous piece of work which sits nicely with the all time great albums. Last edited by TheCellarTapes; 06-17-2009 at 08:56 AM.

12-23-2008, 04:47 PM	#15 (permalink)
Piss Me Off Moodswings n' Roundabouts Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: At the corner of Dude and Catastrophe Posts: 4,512	How on earth Picture Book or Johnny Thunder weren't released as singles i will never know. I'll never understand what record companies are thinking sometimes. __________________ Last FM Rate Yr Music Muxtape

12-23-2008, 04:54 PM	#19 (permalink)
jackhammer Ba and Be. Join Date: May 2007 Location: This Is England Posts: 17,331	Last Of The Steam Powered Trains is one of my favourites which was'nt on the 12 track stereo version I have both 15 and 12 though __________________ It be my music and film collection. “A cynic by experience, a romantic by inclination and now a hero by necessity.”

12-23-2008, 03:58 AM	#13 (permalink)
Bulldog why bother? Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: UK Posts: 4,840	Weren't they banned from the US or something by the time they got 'round to recording Village Green, or is that just my dodgy memory? Fantastic (and massively important) album, and a good review to compliment it

12-23-2008, 05:09 PM	#20 (permalink)
Bulldog why bother? Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: UK Posts: 4,840	Picture Book is an ace song, but it's all about Starstruck, Big Sky and Phenomenal Cat for me.