God Bless Ray Davies

Just to be frustratingly maddening (where others may say simply a prick), I've decided to revamp God Save The Kinks into a more concise and personal set list called God Bless Ray Davies. While revisiting GSTK, Pts.1&2, (as well as the now never-to-be-published Pt.3, all of which were actually assembled over a year ago), I realized that perhaps I was trying too hard to fit in absolutely everything that I felt represented Davies craft, actually diminishing the very power of the material I'd originally hoped to substantiate. To do that would be a sin for which I could never forgive myself. It probably all makes no difference to you whatsoever, but having license to redesign my past work by virtue of being my own editor and publisher in a virtual medium, I decided to exercise my authority to reconstruct GSTK.

My love for Davies music should be evident by now, but rather than attempt to showcase phases of his career, the subject matter of his musical portraits, or even attempting to present a well balanced compilation, these songs are very simply my singular favorites from his vast songbook. Some are repeats, others new (which are marked with an asterisk) like the romping 'Berkley Mews,' and the rollicking 'Victoria.' You'll also find the hilarious 'All Of My Friends Were There,' a rare acoustic version of 'Dedicated Follower Of Fashion,' and the wonderful 'David Watts' among others. And of course I could never forgive myself, nor could I ever be forgiven if I didn't include Davies sublime masterpiece once again, his gorgeous 'Waterloo Sunset.' These are the songs that make me the happiest, and the ones that make me thankful that my years have run parallel with the lifetime of Ray Davies and his music. The takeaway lesson for me: K.I.S.S. The takeaway for you? What I believe are some damn fine tunes.

1) Sunny Afternoon

2) End Of The Season
3) Until Death Do Us Part
4) Look A Little On The Sunnyside*
5) Lavander Hill
6) Rosemary Rose
7) Misty Water
8) Holiday
9) Waterloo Sunset
10) When I Turn Off The Living Room Light
11) Did You See His Name?*
12) 9 To 5*
13) I Need You
14) You Really Got Me
15) Berkley Mews*
16) Where Did My Spring Go?
17) Dedicated Follower Of Fashion (Acoustic)*
18) Little Miss Queen Of Darkness
19) David Watts*
20) All Of My Friends Were There*
21) Oklahoma U.S.A.
22) Wonderboy
23) Where Did All The Good Times Go?
24) The Village Green Preservation Society
25) Acute Schizophrenia Paranoia Blues
26) Victoria*
27) The Way Love Used To Be
28) Pictures In The Sand
29) Alcohol
30) 20th Century Man

To download, click here.

God Save The Kinks, Pt.2

'Muswell Hillbillies' back-to-the-roots formula was all the vogue when it was released in 1971. Although the National steel guitar and Salvation Army horns nicely complimented Ray Davies themes, they were still a bit jarring to long time fans who first heard slashing guitars in The Kinks early recordings, and then grew to love the delicate harpsichords and lilting melodies in the releases that followed. Contributing to what seemed a surprising turnabout to the casual fan was the fact that the LP's previously singled out last week went largely unheard by American audiences. With the band unable to tour these shores, radio airplay of their recordings during that period fell by the wayside as well. It's a shame, because those recordings I believe, firmly stand among Ray Davies finest moments, and the transition from dandies to organic gardeners was almost a quite natural one. Now that the band was finally able to return to American stages, those casual fans only remembered the raw, sloppy proto-punk of 'All Day And All Of The Night' and 'I Need You' played by angry young mop tops dressed for a fox hunt in maroon velvet. The Kinks were now 'down home,' blue jeaned, and bewhiskered. And to make matters worse, the band seemingly never bothered to even rehearse before embarking on their trip across the pond in 4 years. The new Kinks were something entirely different. Something different was also beginning to appear in Davies songwriting as the band entered into this new phase. With subsequent releases like 'Everybody's In Showbiz,' and 'Preservation, Acts 1&2,' his astute observation and charming wit turned increasingly bitter, soured and dulled no doubt by the fact that now, the band was actually living the rock and roll warrior life with endless touring schedules. The isolation that had so previously sparked Davies imagination and creativity was replaced with early morning radio interviews, midday magazine interviews, late afternoon sound checks, a quick and unsatisfying meal before showtime, then on to the stage only to repeat it all the following day.

Ray Davies attempted to satisfy his theatrical aspirations by fashioning 'rock operas' long after the genre had died out. The three above-mentioned recordings although successful, came with overblown stage shows and overwrought arrangements that "made 'Quadrophenia' look like an exercise in restraint."* Gone was Davies compassion for the common man, replaced by whining, self pity, and contempt for the poor quality of road food. Ah, to be a rock star. "Look what I have to go through to entertain my adoring audience." Admittedly, playing civic auditoriums and hockey rinks can't be the most conducive environment for making music, but it was now the age of 'arena rock,' and The Kinks were deep in the trenches; platoon commanders in the rock and roll army.

God Save The Kinks, Pt.2

1) Where Have All The Gone Times Gone?
2) A Well Respected Man
3) Until Death Us Do Part
4) Holloway Jail
5) Australia
6) Something Better Beginning
7) Set Me Free
8) Rosemary Rose
9) God's Children
10) I'm Not Like Everybody Else
11) Stop Your Sobbing
12) Wonderboy
13) Starstruck
14) Two Sisters
15) Rainy Day In June
16) You Really Got Me
17) Complicated Life
18) Lavender Hill
19) Rosy Won't You Please Come Home?
20) Too Much On My Mind
21) Drivin'
22) Situation Vacant
23) Mountain Woman
24) Dedicated Follower Of Fashion
25) Moments
26) Who'll Be The Next In Line?
27) Waterloo Sunset
28) Tired Of Waiting
29) People Take Pictures Of Each Others
30) Dreams

To download, click here.

*Courtesy of J. Kordosh

God Save The Kinks, Pt.1

Rounding out the month of August and into early September, I'll be showcasing the song craft of Ray Davies and the music of The Kinks. Select tracks from their extensive, though spotty catalog will be presented over three installments with a focus on Davies keen wit and astute portrayal of the common man. The selections I've compiled are not intended to be considered a definitive Kinks collection as there will be holes large enough to drive a semi-truck through. They'll merely reflect my own personal favorites from the mind and pen of songwriter, Ray Davies. Additionally, they will not be presented in any organized fashion ie: chronological, top 100, etcetera. The only real criteria applied is my liking for the song and arranged in a flow that sounds good to my ear, and hopefully to yours as well.

Artists who embrace change and growth will end up fashioning careers that are marked in several distinct phases, some good, others bad. The Kinks were no exception to this rule. From their early beginnings as a ruckus beat group, their first recordings were steeped in American blues which slid easily into the gritty rock and roll of early hits like, 'You Really Got Me' and 'Where Have All The Good Times Gone?' Releasing no less than 4 LP's in 1965 alone should give one an idea of the temporal nature of those early sides, recordings that resulted in a kind of raw excitement both on and off stage. That excitement also served to banish them from American shores for several years, a subject which the band likely would sooner forget. This may have been a blessing in disguise however, as the belligerent guitar work and sneering vocals (and who could forget the red velvet hunting garb?) that accompanied these dates quickly gave way to the more mature, experimental, and quasi-psychedelic recordings of 'Face To Face,' 'Something Else,' and 'The Village Green Preservation Society.' Perhaps it was precisely because they were not spending their time endlessly traversing the highways of America that The Kinks were able to reinvent themselves so completely and gracefully. Additionally, it was also during this period that Ray Davies' songwriting genius became increasingly apparent, as his compositions reached new heights by virtue of his ability to linger in his own thoughts for more than a few hours at a time. And for a time, what noble thoughts they were. Always wary of emotional entanglement, and prone to observing people from afar, this became an opportunity for Davies to craft meaningful music from the results of his societal study and that of his own inner world --- a world in which he longed for an England that had ceased to exist --- and in the process he became rock music's "most loyal advocate of the little working people who are marooned by virtue of humble birth on the dead end streets, and whose existence the architects of the great middle-class refuse to own up to."* As The Kink's principle songwriter, Ray Davies became the socially conscious champion of England's simple, ordinary, and forgotten people while creating some of the strongest and most memorable music of his career. With an acute insight to human nature and a wit like that of a "bastard child of Oscar Wilde,"* Davies wrote with incisive perception, biting humor and profound humanism. Demonstrating his love for the British music hall form, his compositions began to echo the sound of working class pubs as he crafted wonderful character sketches of the English 'everyman.' Always the satirist, he also took occasional aim at the empty lives of the idly rich with merciless results. These familiar themes continued into The Kinks next phase of recordings beginning with, 'Arthur ...Or The Decline Of The British Empire,' through 'Lola vs. Powerman and The Moneygoround,' and his back-to-the-roots, 'Muswell Hillbillies.' But before discussing those, we'll begin with the first set of the series, God Save The Kinks.

Again, as a heads up for those expecting to find something resembling a Kinks career boxed set, the majority of the selections featured in the God Save The Kinks series are taken primarily from the releases pictured below, although a few others predate these titles. These nine recordings I believe, represent the golden years for Ray Davies and The Kinks.

God Save The Kinks, Pt.1

1) Acute Schizophrenia Paranoia Blues
2) Apeman
3) Animals In The Zoo
4) When I Turn Off The Living Room Light
5) The Village Green Preservation Society
6) Do You Remember Walter?
7) Days
8) Oklahoma U.S.A.
9) Shangri-La
10) Pictures In The Sand
11) Dandy
12) Lola
13) 20th Century Man
14) The Way Love Used To Be
15) Alcohol
16) Holiday
17) Sitting By The Riverside
18) I'm On An Island
19) Mr. Songbird
20) End Of The Season
21) No Return
22) Village Green
23) Afternoon Tea
24) Where Did My Spring Go?
25) Misty Water
26) Little Miss Queen Of Darkness
27) Picture Book
28) Kentucky Moon
29) Sunny Afternoon
30) Funny Face

To download, click here.



*Courtesy of Kinks Kronikler, John Mendelssohn.

6 X 6 (In The Long Form)

No.#3 in a series

1) Xibaba/Donald Byrd

with Jerry Dodgion, Frank Foster, Lew Tabackin. Pepper Adams, Bill Campbell,
Hermeto Pascoal, Duke Pearson, Wally Richardson, Ron Carter, Micky Roker & Airto Moreira
Taken from 'Electric Byrd'/Blue Note Records

Donald's foray into fusion, with a much more organic result than some of his contemporaries,
largely due to the earthiness brought to it by percussionist, Airto Moreira.

2) Slightly All The Time/Soft Machine
with Mike Ratledge, Hugh Hopper, Robert Wyatt,
Nick Evans, Elton Dean, Lyn Dobson & Rab Spall
Taken from 'Third'/Columbia Records

Soft Machine hit their stride with the release of Three, then Robert Wyatt left and the band

 became something altogether different. Though possibly the most poorly engineered LP 

in the history of recording, it was eventually remastered, improving it only slightly, 

but revealing a bit more of the musicianship involved.
The creativity and imagination however were already there from the beginning.

3) You'll Know When You Get There/Herbie Hancock
with Bennie Maupin, Julian Priester, Eddie Henderson,
Buster Williams & Billy Hart
Taken from 'Mwandishi'/Warner Brothers Records

A largely atmospheric piece from The Herbie Hancock Sextet, alternatively referred to as
the 'Mwandishi' band. One of my favorites from that period of his outstanding career.

4) Return To Forever/Chick Corea
with Joe Farrell, Stanley Clarke, Flora Purim & Airto Moreira
Taken from 'Return To Forever'/ECM Records

As with Xibaba, it is the thrust of percussionist Airto Moreira that propels this song
and helps in keeping it interesting from beginning to end.

5) De Pois Do Amor, O Vazio (After Love, Emptiness)/Wayne Shorter
with Dave Friedman, Gene Bertoncini, Ron Carter, Cecil McBee,
Billy Hart, Al Mouzon & Frank Cuomo
Taken from 'Odyssey Of Iska'/Blue Note Records

A wonderfully evocative song, aiding by a strong arrangement,
again with masterful drumming ending the piece like the rattling of bones.

6) Before The Dawn/Patrice Rushen
with Hubert Laws, George Bohannon, Oscar Brashear,
Lee Ritenour, Charles Meeks, Leon Chancler & Kenneth Nash
Taken from 'Before The Dawn'/Prestige Records

All of age 19 or something at the time of this recording, Patrice wore her Herbie Hancock influence 

on her sleeve, but who could blame her. After all, he had chops, flare, skill,

and the greatest band of the day.
If you were a young jazz musician looking to emulate somebody in 1974,

 I couldn't think of a better place to start than with Herbie.
Patrice however demonstrated some flare of her own with strong compositions

 and not so shabby a band of her own.

To download, click here.

The Last Genuine Texas Groover (Doug Sham)

There is no other musician as synonymous with the Lone Star state as the late Doug Sham, the last genuine Texas groover, and man, they just don't make 'em like Doug anymore. He was the real deal, as American as baseball and as Texan as the Alamo. A flamboyant personality and powerful musical force to be reckoned with, and when we lost him, we also lost a big chunk of true blue American music.

Born and raised in the tri-cultural society of San Antonio, Sahm's hometown was the only major Texas city during the 1940's and 50's where whites were the minority. To his benefit however, growing up alongside his Chicano and African-American neighbors helped shape the soulful, all embracing, and musically diverse man that he grew to be. As a boy, Sahm lived nearby two of the city's most prominent rhythm and blues nightspots, The Eastwood Country Club and The Ebony Lounge. It was there where he gained exposure to the likes of Bobby 'Blue' Bland, T-Bone Walker, James Brown, and other R&B greats who passed through while playing the Southern circuit. Meanwhile across town in the largely Mexican neighborhoods, Sahm found clubs like the The Tiffany Lounge where he heard the strains of Norteño, Mariachi, and other Mexican forms from the city's many Latino masters. Yet before receiving all this new musical education, 'Little' Doug Sahm had already appeared alongside stars like Faron Young, Webb Pierce, and even Hank Williams on Country Western stages throughout Texas singing, playing fiddle and steel guitar. He also was a featured regular on radio's Louisiana Hayride. The culmination of these varied experiences early in his life, along with the added benefit of coming of age during the very heady 1960's, led to the birth of The Genuine Texas Groover.

In '64 at the bequest of record producer, Huey P. Meaux, Sahm assembled a band of musicians to mimic the new sounds that were washing up on American shores from the U.K. The group was comprised of the precocious Texan, several Chicanos, and one Indian, but Meaux gave them the unlikely, though decidedly English sounding name of 'The Sir Douglas Quintet.' In a promotional tactic much like managers from the other side of the pond frequently dreamed up, Meaux attempted to fool the record buying public into thinking the group were actually members of that fabled music invasion. Publicity photos found the band members hidden in dark shadows in order to conceal their true ethnic and cultural identities. But after their first single, 'She's About A Mover' became a bona fide hit, their cover was forever blown. Besides, how could anyone have truly believed that this Texas hybrid music could have came from the minds and experiences of pasty Brits? The song after all was basically a Cajun Two-Step with a Farfisa organ substituting for an accordion, and all played with the ragged, unrefined sound of a suburban teenage garage band.

After an arrest in 1966 for possession of marijuana, Sahm fled his home state, following the flow of other young Texans to San Francisco's Haight Ashbury. It was there in this druggy new mecca for free thinking youth that Doug Sahm unquestionably found his groove. Forming a new band, 'The Sir Douglas Quintet + 2,' he began to unveil the first of his several (and authentic) musical incarnations, and to understand these persona's (which merely showcased the many sides of his musical personality) is key to understanding the more mysterious whole of the man. Sahm had absorbed much along the road to California, and now he distilled all the music that had inspired him along the way --- from Western Swing to Lightnin' Hopkins, Tex-Mex to Cajun Polkas, Hank Ballard to Rock and Roll, plus everything in between --- and created something that was singularly his own; a unique voice and style that can only be described as Doug Sahm. In the naively optimistic blush of the Haight Ashbury's pre-Summer of Love days when good vibes really did prevail, Sahm reinvented himself as the quintessential Psychedelic Cowboy and became a regular at early venues like the Avalon Ballroom. Later, recruiting his former band mates from San Antonio, Sahm assembled a streamlined version of the quintet who recorded a string of LP's for the Mercury label, further showcasing his varied influences. In addition to the Psychedelic Cowboy, we met Doug, the Soul Shouter, Doug, the smooth Rhythm and Blues balladeer, and Doug, the Cajun Fiddler. There was also T-Bone Doug, the heavy Bluesman, Doug Saldaña, the Norteño Conjunto and honorary Chicano. Also in the mix we heard from Doug, the Jazz Cat, and finally Wayne Douglas, the Country Crooner. All of Sahm's experiences of a lifetime found their way into his new music, resulting in wonderful records that sound nothing like those made today. They were absolutely all over the map stylistically, and lacked anything that resembled polish or sheen. No post production tweaking for this 'keep it real' musician. Instead we heard frayed guitars, a drummer sometimes slipping off the beat, occasional harmonies that never quite hit the note, bass strings slightly out of tune, and horn players flubbing notes here and there. In other words, honest to goodness real music made by real people who may not have been the most technically proficient players, but sure as hell had a lot of soul.

But music was not the only quality that made Sahm both uncommon and unforgettable, for he was also the consummate hipster and optimist. If having been 'vaccinated with a phonograph needle' could ever be applied to anyone, it would certainly be Doug Sahm. Capable of speaking a mile a minute, Sahm was a virtual Texas tornado --- spinning tales, information, phone numbers, statistics, random thoughts and recollections --- all seemingly without pausing for breath. The great Freddie Fender reportedly once told him, "Doug, if you can't stop talking, can you at least slow it down?" He could be overwhelming at times, but he was always entertaining. Then to add even more color to the picture, Sahm's stream of conscious delivery was peppered with all manner of hipster's lingo from the 1960's. Though you might think this would be annoying, the result was actually endearing, as Sahm was more than capable of pulling it off due to his warmth, easy smile, and all around 'good vibes.' Filled with unceasing wonder, unbridled enthusiasm, and brimming with genuine bonhomie, Sahm was not one to complain, deride or dwell on the negative. Rather, he described most people and places in his life as either "beautiful" or "groovy." In fact, each town became more "beautiful" than the last, whether it be San Antonio, Amarillo, Sante Fe or Albuquerque, San Bernadino, Mendocino, or the most unlikely, Prunedale, CA where he briefly called home. That was just the way he was, always finding the silver lining. And because of that colorful personality, boundless energy, and ability to make friends wherever he went, Sahm's conversations were able to include oddities that most others might find impossible; like the use of two improbable phrases such as 'good karma' and 'kick ass' in the same sentence and somehow making it work, or being the only man who could ever get away with calling the fabled City By The Bay, 'Frisco.' Somehow coming out of his mouth, it just sounded natural, even downright acceptable.

Doug eventually returned to his hometown of San Antonio, where he continued to create his unique brand of Americana. After dissolving The Sir Douglas Quintet, Sahm was given the opportunity to make an all star recording with the many friends and musical admirers that he'd made through the years. Those friends who come out to participate included, Bob Dylan, Dr. John, David Bromberg, Charlie Owens, and David 'Fathead' Newman to name a few. He later formed another all star conglomeration of regional giants with Flaco Jimenez, Augie Meyers, and Freddie Fender, appropriately called 'The Texas Tornados.' In his last years, he worked out with 'The Last Real Texas Blues Band,' a roadhouse combo that played like a dream jukebox of Blues and R&B favorites, unfortunately releasing only one recording before his passing.

Sahm sadly moved on to groover's paradise on November 18, 1999 after suffering a fatal heart attack while chasing his muse in New Mexico. He was truly one of a kind, and his breed now seems almost an anomaly. The world today could use a few more people like Doug Sahm. His rich and personalized hybrid of Southern music may not have always produced brilliance, but it was certainly filled with a whole lot of heart and soul, and for my money, that's what counts the most.

Set No.#1

1) My Dearest Darling
2) Mendocino
3) In The Dark
4) I Wanna' Be Your Mama Again
5) Too Little, Too Late
6) The Gypsy
7) When I Fall In Love
8) Catch A Man On The Rise
9) Daydreaming At Midnight
10) Blue Horizon
11) I Don't Want
12) Be Real
13) I'm Glad For Your Sake, But I'm Sorry For Mine
14) I Get Off
15) The Image Of Me
16) Twisted World
17) Wasted Days And Wasted Nights
18) Ain't That Lovin' You?

Set No.#2

1) If You Really Want Me To, I'll Go
2) Hard Way To Go
3) You Never Get Too Big, And You Sure Don't Get Too Heavy,
That You Don't Have To Stop And Pay Some Dues Sometimes
4) At The Crossroads
5) Sunday Sunny Mill Valley Groove Day
6) It Didn't Even Bring Me Down
7) Tell Me The Truth
8) Box Car Hobo
9) Tennessee Blues
10) What About Tomorrow?
11) Song Of Everything
12) Texas Me
13) I Don't Want To Go Home
14) (Is Anyone Going To) San Antone
15) Yesterday Got In The Way
16) Chicano
17) Nice Song
18) Stoned Faces Don't Lie

To download Set No.#1, click here. For Set No.#2, click here.