Poll: IN memory of Eddie Van Halen, what are you favorite King Edward performances? I'll go first Little Guitars, Dreams, 5150 the song, Eruption and Mean Streets.
In a Simple Rhyme is one of his finest songwriting efforts (and that's saying something!) I agree with you on Mean Streets, Little Guitars and Dreams. I'd also add Light Up the Sky, Unchained and Panama as career high points and personal favorites.
I actually thought he'd be mentioned as the founder.... I remember watching "it might get loud" so many years ago and the two things that stood out to me from that is Jack White making and electric guitar with a piece of wood, some nails and metal thingie and Page mentioning his mind being blown the first time he listened to Rumble
excellent point. and ike turner’s band too among others. for me at least though the kinks changed the game by combining said distortion with their raw uptempo energy and the use of simple but effective power chords, resulting in the groundbreaking riff rock smash hit. as far as i’m concerned this marked the transition from rock’n’roll to rock. “all day and all of the night” and a 1965 b-side called “i need you” as well for that matter, pure proto-punk gold any way you slice em
Before Link Wray, there was Johnny Burnette & the Rock and Roll Trio whose fuzz guitar sound came by accident when one of the tubes in the amplifier got knocked loose. They liked that sound so they kept that tube loose afterwards. “The Train Kept a Rollin’” was later done by The Yardbirds. Johnny Burnette’s famous rebel yell also came about by accident during a recording session when he backed up into a lit cigarette that burnt him. The engineer loved it and decided to keep in on the recording.
I had the good fortune of seeing the Kinks live in 1977 on the Sleepwalker tour. They opened the set with "You Really Got Me" and after an awesome show that amounted to a rock opera they ended by going back to the YRGM riff. It couldn't have been better. Their opening act was a new band we've all come to know well, Cheap Trick.
I saw them during that tour, in Providence R. I. Was my first concert, they played the civic center, and the opening band was a good band called CHARLIE? I still have the ticket stub!
I interviewed Dave the Rave a couple of times for my radio show. Super great guy and one of the greatest rock guitarists. His great background vocals were underrated too, a huge part of The Kinks sound. The Kinks in concert were amazing.
Not as cosmopolitan in their musical forays as The Beatles, not as rebellious as The Stones, not as technically proficient as The Yardbirds, not as heavy as Cream, not as theatrical or bombastic as The Who, not as weird as Pink Floyd… but still incredible.
I think it was the American ban. It happened not only during their peak, but perhaps the peak of rock and roll music in general. Not being able to tour in the states, sent them to the back of the class, and it also inspired Davies to write more about England. The Beatles, The Stones, and The Who, were all adapting their music to an American audience, as The Kinks became even more British sounding. Like all great artists, he was inspired by where and how he lived. Most hardcore fans believe he had written his finest songs during that time, but to the general American public, it probably alienated him, and the band, even more. Shame.
The quality, quantity and variety of their catalog is really unmatched in the industry, yet somehow they get overlooked despite being relevant across so many decades. It’s a head scratcher, but it makes listening feel more intimate in my opinion. A little less tarnished if you will. Just my opinion
I think a big part of their loss in history is they weren't allowed in America throughout the late 60s. Not sure the exact time frame or reason, musician union? Immigration? But the Kinks barely played in the US. Imagine if the Kinks had played Woodstock or Monterey Pop. To be sure, their recordings, musicianship , song writing were hugely influential.
Seen them at University of Tenn.back in early eighties. Great show. Ray Davies said " alright ! Now we are going to do a Van Halen song!" then launched into You really got me!
I saw the Kinks in concert three times. Each time I got a lesson in uncompromised rock and roll. In each show they played across all catalog and with that all eras of rock. The energy they played with on stage never let up. I'm glad I saw them, and equally glad to have each of their albums.
My 15 y.o. son started liking the Beatles after hearing me play them on their Sirius channel. He has since expanded his taste to more and more 60-70's rock with the Kinks near the top of his favorites. He keeps turning me on to great music I never realized was there! Proud of him!
Hit me like a mack truck yesterday realizing it's been a year all hale EVH. Him and petty still stings. Thank God we still have his music 🎵. Thanks Professor.
"You Really Got Me" is the birth of power chord as we use it today. When I think about power chord, this song comes to my mind as the first in a modern and effective way. A huge contribution not just to Rock, but to all modern music!
Remember telling my daughters boyfriend (who was really into punk) go listen to the Kinks YRGM. That’s the first Punk, Daughter saw him a few years back and he told her to say Hello to me And thank me for turning him onto the Kinks
Must underrated band ever. Period. Their lyrics were out of this world and so much more sophisticated than most other bands. Dave is a very underrated guitar player.
I saw quite a few bands live back in the 70s-90s but one of the best shows was The Kinks. Ray Davies was a master frontman, he had the entire audience singing along and just put on a first rate show! Everyone afterwards was amazed at how much better they were than everyone was expecting, the Kinks were a great band!
Distortion was invented by Link Wray, but Dave Davies became the vehicle that brought it to the masses. The Kinks were a talented British band and it's about time they were featured. Good job POR!! 👍👍🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸
Adam, I want to sincerely thank you for all you do. I've always enjoyed music (who doesn't?). But now that I'm older, I find myself truly intrigued by the stories behind the tunes. I love the "how did that happen?" mystery behind the songs I've always loved, yet taken for granted. I now take great pleasure in watching your videos and actually LEARNING about the history and intricate pieces that weave these songs together. I love the way you so aptly break down the blurring complexities of some of the most mysterious artists and distill it all down in an "easy-to-understand" format for guys like me. Thank you, brother. You are truly a Professor in your chosen field.
Man, that Kinks' song is a classic and packs such a punch. It had something of a "punk sound" before punk music hit the scene. (Shoot, I had forgotten about "All Day and All of the Night" and "Lola". Fantastic works too!)
@@FreezyAbitKT7A “96 Tears” is one of my all time favorites! But “96 Tears” was more “Garage” than “Punk” though it had more of an attitude than most of the Punk rock numbers that would follow. “Garage” was American and peaked in 1966 before “Psychedelic” came shortly afterwards.. “Punk” was a British reaction to “Garage”.
Their "All Day And All Of The Night" has one of the great rock guitar riffs, that must have inspired many! Dave Davies - "Imaginations Real" is a hidden gem from his solo career.
th-cam.com/video/t3HrOHhJMUU/w-d-xo.html Here’s a video of Van Halen covering all day and all of the night in their club days, there’s a few videos on TH-cam of their kinks covers, not the highest quality but they still sound killer
All Day And All Of The Night led me to buy my first guitar and amp at the age of 13. I’m 71 now, still playing and those first two singles changed the music world!
@@ProfessorofRock The first time I heard _Picture Perfect_ was in a commercial for some photo computer product. It didn't take long for the local classic rock station to pick up on that commercial and start playing the whole song. It got me really going.
What I knew of The Kinks was the time I heard “Come Dancing” when the band performed on Saturday Night Live. I asked my sister about the group, she was genius of 50s and 60s music, what they were about. She introduced me to The Kinks discography. What an amazing band. Unique and original sound for the time.
One of my best rock memories, Ray and Dave ripping the roof off Rose Arena at Central Michigan University in 1985 or 86. Amazingly powerful show where every tune flowed through everybody in the audience.
I have to thank this channel for restoring my appreciation of music and the efforts needed to create it. I didn't realize how many Kinks songs I liked. I enjoy learning about the history.
Good job Adam. I first heard this classic in real time. Summer '64. I was 13, and was an aspiring drummer. " You Really Got Me" crushed everything in it's path, and " All Day And All of The Night " was even more powerful. My buddies and I thought that The Kinks would dethrone The Beatles. What an incredible time it was. I lived for nightfall, when the 50,000 Watts stations would come in strong, and bring new sounds from the major cities. , Dean
At the beginning of today’s video, you mentioned playing with the radio to “ hear your rock n roll better” and it reminded me of how my sister and I got the GREATEST IDEA to attach a tin foil tail from our stereo all the way out our bedroom window to get better reception! LOL… those were the days!
@@Terk131 Yep. Coat hangers were essential in the seventies. Then you had to keep endlessly messing with the positioning of the attached piece of wire. And some nights, you just had to face the fact that the reception (usually weather related) was just going to be crap. Great memories! I remember struggling so damn hard to tune into Radio Luxembourg. That was the toughest channel to pick up.
And in another upload you mentioned fixing your broken cassette tape with a pencil, etc. Oh yes! And it was even worse when the tape got crimped or crumpled in the player. Then you had to attempt to flatten & smooth it out. Then you just prayed! (-:
Been a Kinks fan for well over 40 years. As influential as they are underrated. A testament to their influence is the number of bands that have covered them.
Yes am a60 year old 60s music bum.i thought i knew majority of that music era but only last year the kinks song sunny afternoon i heard in a FM station played on Manila.
I think the Kinks were amazing. You're right, they definitely don't get enough credit for what they did. I remember really loving the song Picture Book when I was a kid, but I never heard it on the radio and none of my friends knew it. Then one day a commercial came on TV playing it and boy was I surprised!
Happy birthday to me! I get a POR episode on one of my all-time favorites... The Kinks. One of the most influential bands of all time, certainly due some POR love. Overlooked by many. Ray's song writing / story telling paired with the fine musicianship of brother Dave and the band made for timeless songs. I listen to their catalog regularly. Dozens and dozens of great tunes. Influenced many of the biggest artists that followed such as VH and Billie Joe Armstrong. Thank goodness for The Kinks.
I think the Kinks kind of hurt themselves when Davies made disparaging remarks about VH’s glorious cover of You Really Got Me. To have someone cover your song and keep the feel of the song whilst bringing it forward to a blossoming genre is the perfect tribute and ultimate respect. Hearing how Dave “modified” his amp and knowing how Eddie loved tinkering with his equipment makes this even more awesome when you see the similarities. Great video, Prof!
I don't know why Davies was turned off by Van Halen's version, after all he would be getting song writing credits and $ without having to do anything except listening to the song.
Unfortunately these rock stars have monumental egos to go with their monumental talent. To this day legends like Ian Anderson and Robert Plant don't get along because of something Ian said as a joke about Plant's lyrics.
They were the first rock band to make social commentary. Along with the Who, these guys made it cool to call out people and society long before Neil Young, The Police, Peter Gabriel and Pearl Jam.
Great video!! My wife and I spent an hour talking about how great the Kinks were (despite being glossed over), stories about Van Halen, etc. Love the vids, man. Nice work, please keep it up, you're an inspiration!
The KINKS are definitely one of the most under appreciated/recognized bands. Some of my favorites tunes are Come Dancing, Till The End of the Day, Victoria, Celluloid Heroes, Juke Box Music, Catch Me Now I'm Falling, (Wish I Could Fly Like) Superman, Destroyer, Lost and Found, and of course Father Christmas.... but then, they have so many other great songs! I hope the re-union talk comes to fruition.
I was in a hard rock band in 1974 and "You Really Got Me" was one of our favorite songs to perform. It always went over well. "All Day and All of the Night" was also in our repertoire. It fit right in with the prog rock we were playing. BTW, thanks for your channel! Lots of great background historical information on great artists.
Hard to believe Eddie's done been gone a year, I'm still very saddened, still seems like only yesterday. I've always been a big fan of the Kinks love hearing their pioneering history! Great episode Professor! Thanks for sharing it with us!
I love it, what I love about this channel is that it makes me think about a lot of music that I've enjoyed growing up. Time to go down a Kinks rabbit hole!
Couldn't agree more with what you said about the kinks being overlooked. It is so disrespectful that they are not at or near the top of every greatest band list
You got me professor at "you really got me"! I absolutely loved the Kinks, Ray, and that amazing classic! It heralded us all to get up and dance! What a phenomenal guitarist Ray was ....a true gift! And EVH... he was an incredible extension of Ray Davies talent! 👍
Finally. I love this channel and I love The Kinks. I grew up listening to all their old records in the 90s as a kid, I couldn’t get enough. They definitely don’t get the love they deserve. I’m so glad you did this video. We need more of The Kinks. Their influence can be seen all over rock n roll. God save the Kinks.
I remember reading interviews with members of early heavy band Cream stating the riff for "Sunshine of Your Love" was just "You Really Got Me" with a couple more notes added and it came about by accident also. So yes, definitely widely influential.
“You really got me” is so profound a song precisely because it is cover-able. Teenage kids in a garage can turn out a perfectly respectable cover. The Kinks brought it into this world to be played. The original version still rocks. VH’s version rocks. The kids down the road? Yeah, their version rocks too. Like my uncle told me back in 78, “Your Grandmother is out of the house. To hear that song correctly you need to turn it up.” Shortly, his stereo bought in Japan on his way back from Nam had the dust blown out of it. It was a good lesson.
The Kinks were the first single band concert I ever went to (Cal Jam exception) in 1979. You Really Got Me was fifteen years old and still ahead of the times. When Van Halen covered it and people thought it was new it was still ahead of the times.
The Kinks are one of the greatest rock bands ever! And, YRGM is the chord that was heard round the world. Such a great band. I would love to hear more about them. My first time hearing YRGM was at a school talent show. Some of my classmates had a band and loved the Van Halen cover. Their performance was infectious. People stood up and were singing along. Only later would I catch a Kinks concert and realize that they were the real authors of this song. Soon after I started finding old albums at used record stores (a great idea for a show by the way - I wonder how many of us discovered the bands that came before looking through the bins at used record stores.) Soon, I had a healthy collection of Kinks records (and others). Unfortunately, one of my younger brothers destroyed my entire collection. But, thanks to youtube, I can still go back and enjoy these classic records.
Thank you for this history Professor! I was also in a rock band in the '60's and You Really Got Me was a song we covered. One of the band members had a very small Gibson amp that we would crank up to full volume to get distortion. Oh what fun we could have had with the pedals available today!
Thanks for sharing. The Kinks had a bit of a resurgence around 1980 with their “One For The Road” album. I saw them live that year and was actually my first rock concert. They have some great songs like You Really Got Me, Lola, Superman, All Day and All The Night, Pressure, etc. John Mellencamp was the opening act (at the time he was John Cougar & The Zones). Both put on a fantastic show. Also, EVH, my all time favorite guitarist. RIP Eddie!
My big brother got the first Kinks album when it came out. When he put it on the record player I fell in love, that guitar was something I had never heard before and it blew this 7 year old mind away. I've always loved the Kinks and they have never gotten the acclaim that I think they deserve. I used to love Dedicated Follower Of Fashion when I was a kid also. Those were the days my friend, keep it up man, i love the show
Just WOW. Mind blown. 52 years old and a long time Van Halen fan. Never ever ever would have thought that You Really Got Me was a remake. To me the only song the Kinks ever did was Lola. Add on that the Kinks invented distortion is almost just unbelievable. Thank you for the education. You and Rick Beato have the absolute best music channels on TH-cam. Once again THANK YOU.
Van Halen also covered another Kinks song, “Where Have All The Good Times Gone?”. The Kinks had TONS of great songs, you should at least get a greatest hits.
Thanks bro, getting around to The Kinks may have been overdue but you did a fine POR expose on my boys. Respect! And I rock those Zennis. Badass glasses.
“Rumble” by Link Wray released in 1958. [“Rumble" was a hit in the United States, where it climbed to number 16 on the pop charts and number 11 on the R&B chart in the summer of 1958.]- Wikipedia
Yeah. There were many previous examples of 'some distorted sounds'... But the Kinks made it 'deliberate distorted guitar'. That's a whole different thing. As they made in 1965 with 'controled (and provoked) feedback' with "See My Friends": the first use of eastern drones and raga-rock (when there was none sitars in Great Britain yet).
@@andrespalacios1122 Link Wray Still did it first lol I agree with you The Kinks broadened everything with those Wonderful Eastern dronal tones, Amazing 🎼
@@celebratingtheclassicswithearl - you can go even further back to "Rocket 88" recorded at Sun in 1951. Legend says the guitarist's amp fell off the roof and the speaker cone got ripped so when they got to Sun, they stuff some newspaper in the tears and they got that fuzz distorted sound that's really the bass line..I don't think there even WAS an actual bass on that track.
I was 9 years old when I first became mesmerized by the Kinks. I remember getting my father's Kay acoustic guitar out, dropping the low E down to D so I could play simple bar chords, trying to emulate this song. The first rock song I ever "played!" Thank you Prof of Rock for this ultra nostalgic super band and song!!
When I was in college I went on an LP spending spree. I wanted the vinyl collections of the Hollies, the Yardbirds, and yes. the Kinks. It took awhile but I did it. Still have them too. The Kinks are revolutionary. Great songs, great style! Thanks Professor!
The Kinks, Mott the Hoople and Van Halen all really got me. First heard Van Halen’s version at Tower Records in Chico, CA, on a promotional copy before the album was released. I tried unsuccessfully for the store to sell or give their copy to me. But I had to wait…
Professor, I agree with you. The Kinks are vastly underrated. I think the reason for that was their timing. They came along with the 1964 British Invasion and everyone took a backseat to The Beatles. You could arguably make the case that The Kinks were the first Heavy Metal group and You Really Got Me was the first Heavy Metal song. They clearly influenced the Heavy Metal that followed in the early 1970s with groups like Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, and Deep Purple. The Kinks had a very revolutionary sound that helped shape rock and roll for decades to come.
The Stones and The Who also came along at the same time, but it was The Kinks ban that left them behind. “That ridiculous ban took away the best years of the Kinks’ career when the original band was performing at its peak. By the time the group was allowed to return in 1969, the Woodstock generation had arrived and the Kinks were almost forgotten.” - Ray Davies
This video really means a lot to me. First of all, you think your old, I was in the 4th grade when You Really Got Me came out. My three older brothers and sister along with my mother loved rock music, and we were in a record club and of course got this album by the Kinks. A few years later, I got a used Sears guitar and amp and this was the first song I learned how to play. Great memories.
That music from the mid 60s was the sound of the limited technology of the equipment pushed to the breaking point. That is why no covers are able to capture the magic. Fantastic musicians with incredibly capable equipment but the can't match the sound of someone on the edge of control or the feeling that the band was like a dog fighting a leash with the collar around their neck.
Nothing against the other artists, but the distorted sound, the story and the riff energy was a trifecta of beauty, which is prob the takeaway of this episode
The blues musicians were using distortion long before the Kinks. Records as far back as the early fifties had guitar distortion. When humbucker pickups first came out people started plugging them into old Fender tube amps which were designed for single coil pickups and cranked them up They would distort and sustain. This is the sound the British guys were trying to emulate with their distortion pedals.
This is mad! Only yesterday I had to have a chat with the guitarist in my new band about tone. He's deeply accomplished and highly technical but just didn't get the rough and ready 60s sound I want from him. So we listened to this song, first by one of his heroes and influences, EVH and then by The Kinks. Now he gets it.
More Kinks please! They were undoubtedly the most English of the British invasion. Great songwriting and tunes with attitude. Thanks for honoring this great song and band. Just one correction Professor, the Kinks' drummer was Mick Avory, not Andy.
Seconded, more Kinks please. I've been on deep dive of their discography for a year or so and would love to hear an examination of some other time periods of the band.
The Kinks missed the British Invasion because they were banned from America for something stupid that Ray did.....I forgot what he did, but it happened at customs :(
"You Really Got Me" was a pivotal record, but it was by no means the first use of either guitar distortion in general, or distortion created by a damaged speaker. Distortion was such a fact of life with early amps that it's hard to tell just when it first started to be appreciated, but at least by the late 1940s, guitar amps were coveted by various artists for their distortion characteristics. Ike Turner used a speaker that was damaged in shipping to roughen the sound of the guitar on his iconic hit "Rocket 88" in 1951: th-cam.com/video/Gbfnh1oVTk0/w-d-xo.html Link Wray poked holes in his speaker for the gritty sound of what has been cited by some as the "first heavy metal record", 1958's "Rumble": th-cam.com/video/ucTg6rZJCu4/w-d-xo.html
Throughly agree and while also not the first, here is another early example of distortion, which tragically came true when Hare did indeed kill his wife: th-cam.com/video/E26dBq-98Po/w-d-xo.html Also, in the UK, it would seem that Ray Davies' last name is pronounced "Davis", not "Davees", even thought it is indeed spelled "Davies", not unlike Russell Davies, current host of the radio quiz show, "Brain of Britain", and no relation to Dave or Ray.
It is true that distortion had been used for a while especially in Rockabilly and Surf. A prime example is Dick Dale who is another great influencer on heavy metal. What makes the Kinks "Your Really Got" me so special is that it uses distortion with the Rock attitude. I've always considered this song to be the moment that Rock and Roll, became ROCK.
Link Wray used a pencil and poked holes in the speakers to get that sweet sound for his lead work on his self-titled record. It gave a song like _Fire and Brimstone_ such a smooth distortion sound.
Yes, I do believe Rocket 88, with Ike Turner, is credited with being the first rock & roll record, because of the guitar distortion; that's what they told me at Sun Studios, which had been moved from the original location, according to staff there. Sam Phillips just wasn't the owner of the recording studio, he also made money repairing things like instruments and musical equipment there, too. Ike's speaker cone in his amp had become ripped, somehow ( perhaps it was dropped? ), and Sam Phillips who is also credited for discovering and first signing Elvis ( for a short period of time ), put some tape on the speaker cone. Supposedly the first recorded song with distortion. But they do say there were some Russian brothers named Wright, who did it first. ;-)
Although not so influential or a particularly big hit, Johnny Burnette's 'Train Kept a Rollin' featured a fantaastic distorted guitar solo in 1956, plus Hubert Sumlin did fairly distorted playing on some Howlin' Wolf 45s. No doubt there are many other examples.
Rock and roll, like any other form of 'Roots Music', was not so much invented as it evolved almost organically, and people who never heard of each other discovered things like distortion and liked how it sounded. We'll never know for sure who did it first. Sure sounds good though.
The biggest festival concert I ever went to was the first US festival in 1982. That day's lineup included the likes of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Eddie Money, SANTANA, the Cars ---- but in my opinion, the band that blew them ALL away was the Kinks. I will never forget that night. By then they were seasoned Pro'fessionals and great entertainers, with a long, long list of classic songs. Their latest album was Give the People What They Want, and if you know that one, you know the Kinks were ON FIRE at that time. (To get an idea of what that live experience was like, I would recommend the "One for the Road" live album by the Kinks. Which I believe would have been from the " Low Budget " tour ) Over the years I have tried to collect (or RE collect) the most essential rock albums but it's tough to collect the Kinks. You always wish you had more.
Dave Davies was such a cool Rockstar in his youth...one of the coolest looking and had the snarl to back it up ...the Gallagher and Robinson Brothers in the 90s had nothing on the Davies Brothers of the 60s ,70s and beyond
The guitar riff in this song from the Kinks is great and the lead guitar solo in the middle makes me bounce my head around every time I hear it. The British Invasion was such a positive thing for music.
Dave is underrated as a player, and as an important guitarist. You Really Got Me came out before Satisfaction, before My Generation, before Dylan went electric, way before Cream or Hendrix. He was a really influential, and an excellent all around guitarist.
This was some very cool info. Fascinating story! I'm glad someone has the motivation to do this kind of research! First Kinks song I ever loved was "Tired Of Waiting" (because it was the first I heard). Thanks!
I believe Rocket 88 was one of the first guitars to use distortion, played by Willie Kizart of "Jackie Brenston and his Delta Cats", who were actually Ike Turner and his Kings of Rhythm.
Also released in 1956, was Train Kept a Rollin' by Johnny Burnett and the Rock and Roll Trio. That was recorded after the guitarist had dropped his amp causing the low end distortion heard in the song.
The Kinks! And how they kept moving on, not just doing that first one hit. Sunny Afternoon is so different. And Come Dancing. I remember hearing Come Dancing on the radio, liking it, and when the radio announcer said that it was the Kinks I was like What, the Kinks? That fantastic oldie tune? No way! But it was Yes way! Not the ones to stay in one place, ever. Great band, one of the greatest ever!
IMHO, The greatest Live Album ever produced is " One for the Road" by the Kinks. It's an album where the live versions are as tight as their studio versions but with a twist and often longer. It is and was very unusual for a live performance to sound as good, never mind better, than their studio versions. I've had soo many friends say they didn't like live versions of bands. I was like, listen to this, it's so much better than anything you have ever heard before. The greatest Live Album ever produced
"One for the Road" is a great live album. Some of the songs Ray did live at Glastonbury are also in many ways better than the original studio versions. Love the use of a choir which takes some of the songs to a different level. Also, "To the Bone" album which was live at Konk Studios is also great.
It may sound pathetic… but I literally shed tears when I heard Eddy had passed. He was a truly unique and amazing talent. Thankfully his music lives on… as do the Kinks. Good stuff.💪👍🎸
@@PaulLoughrin I remember I was at my moms house in Maine when I heard of Eddie dying. I went to her front porch and sat down… lit a cigarette to go with my beer… And started weeping. It’s not particularly like me… I fancy myself a hard ass.🙄 But as a guitar player and just a fan in awe of his unique talent… it hit me like a a sledgehammer. Thankfully people who enjoyed his music and his memories can appreciate him in conversation and thoughts. Best wishes.🎸👍🥃
Never pathetic to be devastated when ya lose a (honorary) family member. I'm a 59 year old man and still tear up over it. I loved Eddie. I picked up my 1st guitar at 16 years old because of him. Still playin it 43 years later. Hell, I'm tearing up writing this..... K. I'm done. :(
Great video Professor and really this only scratches the surface of what The Kinks (The Klinks as my schoolmate use to call them) have done musically. While all the early music is great, for me I didn't really dial in until Low Budget, Sleepwalker, State of Confusion and Schoolboy's in Disgrace
IN 1961 Marty Robbins had a hit on the country charts "Don't Worry About Me". The solo is heavy distortion. I remember hearing it on the radio. WTF I thought! 2 years later I played bass on a few gigs for Link Wray. He simply turned every control on the amp up to 10. A wild and crazy guy!
@@davemakarchuk5127 with my comments , that's a pretty good bet however , because I shovel horseshit for a living you may be referring to the 5 yr old mare in stall #2 - she's a pig or what subject are you referring to - I will state when it comes to guitar players and or horses I know my shit - other than that .....
@@tinymoon620 why would he speak about it 40 yrs ago in Guitar magazine ? Also many yrs ago when he and Paul Rogers was promoting "The Firm" He was interviewed on Westwood One by Redbeard - He talked about the different sessions he was involved with and that was the one he detailed? I Know what I read and I Know what I heard - 40 fuckin yrs ago - I sure as hell aint believing some yap on the internet - Page said he played his Dragon tele and made up the solo as he went along - didn't practice it - didn't even think about it because it was so rudimentary - Now- maybe he wasn't lying thru his gapped teeth - until I hear Jim himself lm sticking with what I read and heard That dude who's trying to educate my fuckin ass wasn't even born yet- I've heard him say some other shit that was false - he needs to stick with his contemporary artists like the beebs or Britney what's her name - Don't tell me about shit I know to be true- again if Mr Page wants to clarify I'll back up - but I'm not listening to a fuckin kid until I hear it from the man himself
I grew up in central Ct. The Kinks were actually pretty popular in the skating rinks and bowling alleys. They were popular well into the late 80s. It's still played a bunch. We always considered them part of the original Brittish Invasion.
The first mainstream release to use guitar distortion is widely acknowledged as "Rocket 88", released in 1951, credited to Jackie Brenston, but it is really Ike Turner and The Kings of Rhythm. Ike gets some nasty overdriven amp sounds on that song. This is also credited as the first "rock and roll" single. Lesser known, recorded about 1957, is Art Neville's "Cha-Dooky-Doo", recorded in New Orleans and a big hit in New Orleans and the Gulf area. The guitarist does a full-on distorted guitar solo cause the amp he brought to the recording had a busted tube, but they liked the sound and kept it in the recording. Cha-Dooky-Doo: th-cam.com/video/8IOMIsb63nY/w-d-xo.html Rocket 88: th-cam.com/video/WcFIj8OuIEI/w-d-xo.html
Got to see the Kinks a fewtimes. By far one of the best live bands I have ever seen (I work in the live industry and see 150+ shows a year). Without the kinks you would never have had alt rock and punk. We owe them a lot. Can the brothers please make up and get back together for one more album and a tour...please!
Even before that. Jackie Brenston's "Rocket 88" in 1951. His amp fell off his truck on the way to a gig. The speaker came loose and was damaged. To keep the cone in place, they stuffed it with paper. The vibrating paper and loose cone caused distortion. The first "intentional" use of guitar distortion was the opening note of I Feel Fine by the Beatles. You Really Got Me is the first time an entire song had the guitar intentionally distorted. Davies got the idea from Rocket 88. To get the rattling paper sound, he slashed the speaker with a knife.
They say the song rumble by link Wray also was one of the earliest songs to use distortion in the guitar which led to heavier guitar rock. Also listen to don’t bring me down by the animals, probably the heaviest hit ever with that Hilton valentine buzz saw guitar
I am 68 y.o., and I've seen the The Kinks in concert twice in Philadelphia. Once at the Tower Theater, and once at the Spectrum. I've seen Ray solo at Temple University once, and Dave solo once in Bethlehem PA. I have written them both begging for a reunion album and concert. I will travel anywhere, at anytime, and at any cost just to see them together one more time before it's too late. I despair that tragedy will hit them or me, and ruin this dream of mine.
Poll: IN memory of Eddie Van Halen, what are you favorite King Edward performances? I'll go first Little Guitars, Dreams, 5150 the song, Eruption and Mean Streets.
I love Eddie Van Halen's performance on the song "Beat It" I also love "Eruption".
In a Simple Rhyme is one of his finest songwriting efforts (and that's saying something!) I agree with you on Mean Streets, Little Guitars and Dreams. I'd also add Light Up the Sky, Unchained and Panama as career high points and personal favorites.
mine prob would be "sinners swing"
Definitely Mean Streets followed by Eruption.
Yes. .
I love the Kinks. Especially their older stuff. Let us not forget that Link Wray started the fuzzy distorted sound with Rumble.
Yes! Thanks for the shout out to Link Wray!
I actually thought he'd be mentioned as the founder.... I remember watching "it might get loud" so many years ago and the two things that stood out to me from that is Jack White making and electric guitar with a piece of wood, some nails and metal thingie and Page mentioning his mind being blown the first time he listened to Rumble
"If it hadn't been for Link Wray and 'Rumble,' I would have never picked up a guitar." --Pete Townshend
excellent point. and ike turner’s band too among others. for me at least though the kinks changed the game by combining said distortion with their raw uptempo energy and the use of simple but effective power chords, resulting in the groundbreaking riff rock smash hit. as far as i’m concerned this marked the transition from rock’n’roll to rock. “all day and all of the night” and a 1965 b-side called “i need you” as well for that matter, pure proto-punk gold any way you slice em
Before Link Wray, there was Johnny Burnette & the Rock and Roll Trio whose fuzz guitar sound came by accident when one of the tubes in the amplifier got knocked loose. They liked that sound so they kept that tube loose afterwards.
“The Train Kept a Rollin’” was later done by The Yardbirds.
Johnny Burnette’s famous rebel yell also came about by accident during a recording session when he backed up into a lit cigarette that burnt him. The engineer loved it and decided to keep in on the recording.
I had the good fortune of seeing the Kinks live in 1977 on the Sleepwalker tour. They opened the set with "You Really Got Me" and after an awesome show that amounted to a rock opera they ended by going back to the YRGM riff. It couldn't have been better. Their opening act was a new band we've all come to know well, Cheap Trick.
I saw them during that tour, in Providence R. I. Was my first concert, they played the civic center, and the opening band was a good band called CHARLIE? I still have the ticket stub!
I saw the The Kinks back in 1983 in Worcester, MA. Great Show !!!!
I interviewed Dave the Rave a couple of times for my radio show. Super great guy and one of the greatest rock guitarists. His great background vocals were underrated too, a huge part of The Kinks sound. The Kinks in concert were amazing.
Dave is a truly under-rated player. I love his tone and play style.
I am so glad you finally did a segment of the Kinks! I will never understand why they didn't get more credit for their influence!
Not as cosmopolitan in their musical forays as The Beatles, not as rebellious as The Stones, not as technically proficient as The Yardbirds, not as heavy as Cream, not as theatrical or bombastic as The Who, not as weird as Pink Floyd… but still incredible.
I think it was the American ban. It happened not only during their peak, but perhaps the peak of rock and roll music in general. Not being able to tour in the states, sent them to the back of the class, and it also inspired Davies to write more about England. The Beatles, The Stones, and The Who, were all adapting their music to an American audience, as The Kinks became even more British sounding. Like all great artists, he was inspired by where and how he lived. Most hardcore fans believe he had written his finest songs during that time, but to the general American public, it probably alienated him, and the band, even more. Shame.
The quality, quantity and variety of their catalog is really unmatched in the industry, yet somehow they get overlooked despite being relevant across so many decades. It’s a head scratcher, but it makes listening feel more intimate in my opinion. A little less tarnished if you will. Just my opinion
I think a big part of their loss in history is they weren't allowed in America throughout the late 60s. Not sure the exact time frame or reason, musician union? Immigration? But the Kinks barely played in the US. Imagine if the Kinks had played Woodstock or Monterey Pop. To be sure, their recordings, musicianship , song writing were hugely influential.
Way way way better than the beatles .
Seen them at University of Tenn.back in early eighties. Great show. Ray Davies said " alright ! Now we are going to do a Van Halen song!" then launched into You really got me!
He said it in Chicago in 79 as well.!
I saw the Kinks in concert three times. Each time I got a lesson in uncompromised rock and roll. In each show they played across all catalog and with that all eras of rock. The energy they played with on stage never let up. I'm glad I saw them, and equally glad to have each of their albums.
My 15 y.o. son started liking the Beatles after hearing me play them on their Sirius channel. He has since expanded his taste to more and more 60-70's rock with the Kinks near the top of his favorites. He keeps turning me on to great music I never realized was there! Proud of him!
Hit me like a mack truck yesterday realizing it's been a year all hale EVH. Him and petty still stings. Thank God we still have his music 🎵. Thanks Professor.
I would like to add Dusty Hill and Charlie Watts.
💔💦 ❤🧡💛💚💙💜🤍💥
Can't believe all the greats that passed away Bowie, EVH, Petty, makes me feel old but proud, nothing today even comes close
"You Really Got Me" is the birth of power chord as we use it today. When I think about power chord, this song comes to my mind as the first in a modern and effective way. A huge contribution not just to Rock, but to all modern music!
The beatles - helter skelter
Remember telling my daughters boyfriend (who was really into punk) go listen to the Kinks YRGM. That’s the first Punk, Daughter saw him a few years back and he told her to say Hello to me And thank me for turning him onto the Kinks
Must underrated band ever. Period. Their lyrics were out of this world and so much more sophisticated than most other bands. Dave is a very underrated guitar player.
I saw quite a few bands live back in the 70s-90s but one of the best shows was The Kinks. Ray Davies was a master frontman, he had the entire audience singing along and just put on a first rate show! Everyone afterwards was amazed at how much better they were than everyone was expecting, the Kinks were a great band!
One For The Road
Distortion was invented by Link Wray, but Dave Davies became the vehicle that brought it to the masses. The Kinks were a talented British band and it's about time they were featured. Good job POR!! 👍👍🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸
'Rumble' from 1958!
Love the Kinks but you really blew the "first distortation" part. Not even close, do better research and quit spreading misinformation.
Incorrect. Distortion was done well before Link Wray. It goes back to at least 1954. Guitarist Pat Hare did it on Cotton Crop Blues by James Cotton.
Adam, I want to sincerely thank you for all you do. I've always enjoyed music (who doesn't?). But now that I'm older, I find myself truly intrigued by the stories behind the tunes. I love the "how did that happen?" mystery behind the songs I've always loved, yet taken for granted. I now take great pleasure in watching your videos and actually LEARNING about the history and intricate pieces that weave these songs together.
I love the way you so aptly break down the blurring complexities of some of the most mysterious artists and distill it all down in an "easy-to-understand" format for guys like me.
Thank you, brother. You are truly a Professor in your chosen field.
Man, that Kinks' song is a classic and packs such a punch.
It had something of a "punk sound" before punk music hit the scene.
(Shoot, I had forgotten about "All Day and All of the Night" and "Lola". Fantastic works too!)
For sure. The Kinks rule!
check out ? and the Mysterians-96 Tears
@@FreezyAbitKT7A “96 Tears” is one of my all time favorites! But “96 Tears” was more “Garage” than “Punk” though it had more of an attitude than most of the Punk rock numbers that would follow.
“Garage” was American and peaked in 1966 before “Psychedelic” came shortly afterwards.. “Punk” was a British reaction to “Garage”.
Yes! A lot of the “Garage Revival” of the 2000’s is very much like The Kinks.. The White Stripes etc
Exactly!!
Their "All Day And All Of The Night" has one of the great rock guitar riffs, that must have inspired many! Dave Davies - "Imaginations Real" is a hidden gem from his solo career.
For sure. I love Imaginations Real!
So true. Love that song!
th-cam.com/video/t3HrOHhJMUU/w-d-xo.html
Here’s a video of Van Halen covering all day and all of the night in their club days, there’s a few videos on TH-cam of their kinks covers, not the highest quality but they still sound killer
All Day And All Of The Night led me to buy my first guitar and amp at the age of 13. I’m 71 now, still playing and those first two singles changed the music world!
@@ProfessorofRock The first time I heard _Picture Perfect_ was in a commercial for some photo computer product. It didn't take long for the local classic rock station to pick up on that commercial and start playing the whole song. It got me really going.
What I knew of The Kinks was the time I heard “Come Dancing” when the band performed on Saturday Night Live. I asked my sister about the group, she was genius of 50s and 60s music, what they were about. She introduced me to The Kinks discography. What an amazing band. Unique and original sound for the time.
Same here, as a child of the eighties, 'Come Dancing' is when I found out who they are.
One of my best rock memories, Ray and Dave ripping the roof off Rose Arena at Central Michigan University in 1985 or 86. Amazingly powerful show where every tune flowed through everybody in the audience.
"The word of mouth " says they did the same at Lakeland civic center that same tour !!
I have to thank this channel for restoring my appreciation of music and the efforts needed to create it. I didn't realize how many Kinks songs I liked. I enjoy learning about the history.
Good job Adam. I first heard this classic in real time. Summer '64. I was 13, and was an aspiring drummer. " You Really Got Me" crushed everything in it's path, and " All Day And All of The Night " was even more powerful. My buddies and I thought that The Kinks would dethrone The Beatles. What an incredible time it was. I lived for nightfall, when the 50,000 Watts stations would come in strong, and bring new sounds from the major cities. , Dean
Superman, Lola, Destroyer, Father Christmas. Four of my all-time favorite songs. And of course this one and Where Have All the Good Times Gone
Add Celluloid Heroes to that list, and it's complete.
At the beginning of today’s video, you mentioned playing with the radio to “ hear your rock n roll better” and it reminded me of how my sister and I got the GREATEST IDEA to attach a tin foil tail from our stereo all the way out our bedroom window to get better reception! LOL… those were the days!
Oh ya! I remember doing that exact thing. Thanks for sharing.
We used metal hangers then we put an antenna on the roof without my dad knowing and ran the wire into my room and it worked perfect.
@@Terk131 Yep. Coat hangers were essential in the seventies. Then you had to keep endlessly messing with the positioning of the attached piece of wire. And some nights, you just had to face the fact that the reception (usually weather related) was just going to be crap. Great memories! I remember struggling so damn hard to tune into Radio Luxembourg. That was the toughest channel to pick up.
And in another upload you mentioned fixing your broken cassette tape with a pencil, etc. Oh yes! And it was even worse when the tape got crimped or crumpled in the player. Then you had to attempt to flatten & smooth it out. Then you just prayed! (-:
@ghost mall DJ's are still talking over the start or the finish of songs. Sometimes it gets me really mad!
Been a Kinks fan for well over 40 years. As influential as they are underrated. A testament to their influence is the number of bands that have covered them.
Yes am a60 year old 60s music bum.i thought i knew majority of that music era but only last year the kinks song sunny afternoon i heard in a FM station played on Manila.
I think the Kinks were amazing. You're right, they definitely don't get enough credit for what they did. I remember really loving the song Picture Book when I was a kid, but I never heard it on the radio and none of my friends knew it. Then one day a commercial came on TV playing it and boy was I surprised!
@ghost mall HP printers I think.
Local classic rock radio started playing the song after that commercial came out.
@@billkeithchannel I remember!
Happy birthday to me! I get a POR episode on one of my all-time favorites... The Kinks. One of the most influential bands of all time, certainly due some POR love. Overlooked by many. Ray's song writing / story telling paired with the fine musicianship of brother Dave and the band made for timeless songs. I listen to their catalog regularly. Dozens and dozens of great tunes. Influenced many of the biggest artists that followed such as VH and Billie Joe Armstrong. Thank goodness for The Kinks.
Fun fact: besides the fact you really got me led the way for metal, this song is also considered to be a precursor to punk rock too.
How do you figure that? The roots of punk started with the Who and then in the early 70’s you had Iggy Pop and the MC5.
I think in one shot it led the way for both...
@@Capcoor You Really Got Me has been name checked by many punk artists!
@@ProfessorofRock you mentioned in the video.
@TJ OConnell. No wonder why I like The Kinks.
I think the Kinks kind of hurt themselves when Davies made disparaging remarks about VH’s glorious cover of You Really Got Me. To have someone cover your song and keep the feel of the song whilst bringing it forward to a blossoming genre is the perfect tribute and ultimate respect. Hearing how Dave “modified” his amp and knowing how Eddie loved tinkering with his equipment makes this even more awesome when you see the similarities. Great video, Prof!
I don't know why Davies was turned off by Van Halen's version, after all he would be getting song writing credits and $ without having to do anything except listening to the song.
@@markfryer9880 Weird, huh? It’s not like they were clowning the song or something.
Unfortunately these rock stars have monumental egos to go with their monumental talent. To this day legends like Ian Anderson and Robert Plant don't get along because of something Ian said as a joke about Plant's lyrics.
The Kinks were way ahead of their time. Their tunes still rock. Davies may have later been more infatuated with Lola!😉
They were the first rock band to make social commentary. Along with the Who, these guys made it cool to call out people and society long before Neil Young, The Police, Peter Gabriel and Pearl Jam.
Listen no to their catalogue. You'll hear the influences everywhere. Eddie was listening. 🎸
Oh yeah. With lyrics like "Girl I wanna be with you all of the time, all of the day and every night". HIT
Paranoia will Destroyer
Lola was inspired by their manager hitting on transvestites in a nightclub.
Great video!! My wife and I spent an hour talking about how great the Kinks were (despite being glossed over), stories about Van Halen, etc. Love the vids, man. Nice work, please keep it up, you're an inspiration!
The KINKS are definitely one of the most under appreciated/recognized bands. Some of my favorites tunes are Come Dancing, Till The End of the Day, Victoria, Celluloid Heroes, Juke Box Music, Catch Me Now I'm Falling, (Wish I Could Fly Like) Superman, Destroyer, Lost and Found, and of course Father Christmas.... but then, they have so many other great songs! I hope the re-union talk comes to fruition.
How about Dave's backing vocals on jukebox music? Fantastic!!
Yes. They deserve at least the same degree of notoriety as the Stones, The Beatles, or The Who. Perhaps management is to blame.
Loved ADAAOTN as a kid!
Come dancing makes me cry. Nostalgia dying. Bittersweet.
Saw them live in Seattle years ago, absolutely killed it.
I was in a hard rock band in 1974 and "You Really Got Me" was one of our favorite songs to perform. It always went over well. "All Day and All of the Night" was also in our repertoire. It fit right in with the prog rock we were playing. BTW, thanks for your channel! Lots of great background historical information on great artists.
Thanks for noting Dave he doesnt get enough due IMO. DD did a string of gigs in LA @ 27 years ago, very fun/ breezy.
Hard to believe Eddie's done been gone a year, I'm still very saddened, still seems like only yesterday. I've always been a big fan of the Kinks love hearing their pioneering history! Great episode Professor! Thanks for sharing it with us!
I love it, what I love about this channel is that it makes me think about a lot of music that I've enjoyed growing up. Time to go down a Kinks rabbit hole!
I seen Wolfgang with his band Mammoth and I got all chocked up thinking about how proud his pops would be watching him perform live with his own band.
Saw
Couldn't agree more with what you said about the kinks being overlooked. It is so disrespectful that they are not at or near the top of every greatest band list
You got me professor at "you really got me"! I absolutely loved the Kinks, Ray, and that amazing classic! It heralded us all to get up and dance! What a phenomenal guitarist Ray was ....a true gift! And EVH... he was an incredible extension of Ray Davies talent! 👍
Dave was the guitarist
Finally. I love this channel and I love The Kinks. I grew up listening to all their old records in the 90s as a kid, I couldn’t get enough. They definitely don’t get the love they deserve. I’m so glad you did this video. We need more of The Kinks. Their influence can be seen all over rock n roll. God save the Kinks.
I remember reading interviews with members of early heavy band Cream stating the riff for "Sunshine of Your Love" was just "You Really Got Me" with a couple more notes added and it came about by accident also. So yes, definitely widely influential.
The Kinks are the best. Thanks for doing this vid! Rock on Dave!
The first concert I ever attended. My late oldest brother took me. I will never forget that concert, as the Kinks were amazing. Love you brother.
“You really got me” is so profound a song precisely because it is cover-able. Teenage kids in a garage can turn out a perfectly respectable cover. The Kinks brought it into this world to be played. The original version still rocks. VH’s version rocks. The kids down the road? Yeah, their version rocks too. Like my uncle told me back in 78, “Your Grandmother is out of the house. To hear that song correctly you need to turn it up.” Shortly, his stereo bought in Japan on his way back from Nam had the dust blown out of it. It was a good lesson.
The Kinks were the first single band concert I ever went to (Cal Jam exception) in 1979. You Really Got Me was fifteen years old and still ahead of the times. When Van Halen covered it and people thought it was new it was still ahead of the times.
“Till the end of the Day” by the kinks is also to me one of the earliest punk rock songs
Alongside of my generation
That one is very punk
i was thinking the same thing and wondering how he never mentioned it as one of their hits.
Thank you for clearing up the Page solo rumor. Great episode as usual!
The Kinks are one of the greatest rock bands ever! And, YRGM is the chord that was heard round the world. Such a great band. I would love to hear more about them.
My first time hearing YRGM was at a school talent show. Some of my classmates had a band and loved the Van Halen cover. Their performance was infectious. People stood up and were singing along. Only later would I catch a Kinks concert and realize that they were the real authors of this song. Soon after I started finding old albums at used record stores (a great idea for a show by the way - I wonder how many of us discovered the bands that came before looking through the bins at used record stores.) Soon, I had a healthy collection of Kinks records (and others). Unfortunately, one of my younger brothers destroyed my entire collection. But, thanks to youtube, I can still go back and enjoy these classic records.
Thank you for this history Professor! I was also in a rock band in the '60's and You Really Got Me was a song we covered. One of the band members had a very small Gibson amp that we would crank up to full volume to get distortion.
Oh what fun we could have had with the pedals available today!
What about Link Wray with Rumble in 1958?
That has a pretty distorted sound
I was just about to reply with the same question!
Good point
You Really got me was the first MAJOR hit. is what I said. Rumble barely made the top 20. Great song though.
@@ProfessorofRock Ahhh I see well fair enough!
Rumble - an instrumental - got banned from some radio play. Lol!
Thanks for sharing. The Kinks had a bit of a resurgence around 1980 with their “One For The Road” album. I saw them live that year and was actually my first rock concert. They have some great songs like You Really Got Me, Lola, Superman, All Day and All The Night, Pressure, etc. John Mellencamp was the opening act (at the time he was John Cougar & The Zones). Both put on a fantastic show. Also, EVH, my all time favorite guitarist. RIP Eddie!
Finally!!! Some love for the Kinks!! They were incredible, definitely one of my favorites!!
My big brother got the first Kinks album when it came out. When he put it on the record player I fell in love, that guitar was something I had never heard before and it blew this 7 year old mind away. I've always loved the Kinks and they have never gotten the acclaim that I think they deserve. I used to love Dedicated Follower Of Fashion when I was a kid also. Those were the days my friend, keep it up man, i love the show
Just WOW. Mind blown. 52 years old and a long time Van Halen fan. Never ever ever would have thought that You Really Got Me was a remake. To me the only song the Kinks ever did was Lola. Add on that the Kinks invented distortion is almost just unbelievable. Thank you for the education. You and Rick Beato have the absolute best music channels on TH-cam. Once again THANK YOU.
You must be young because everyone my age knows the kinks not EVH first did "you really got me".
Van Halen also covered another Kinks song, “Where Have All The Good Times Gone?”. The Kinks had TONS of great songs, you should at least get a greatest hits.
Really?
Thanks bro, getting around to The Kinks may have been overdue but you did a fine POR expose on my boys. Respect! And I rock those Zennis. Badass glasses.
“Rumble” by Link Wray released in 1958.
[“Rumble" was a hit in the United States, where it climbed to number 16 on the pop charts and number 11 on the R&B chart in the summer of 1958.]- Wikipedia
Yeah. There were many previous examples of 'some distorted sounds'... But the Kinks made it 'deliberate distorted guitar'.
That's a whole different thing.
As they made in 1965 with 'controled (and provoked) feedback' with "See My Friends": the first use of eastern drones and raga-rock (when there was none sitars in Great Britain yet).
@@andrespalacios1122 Link Wray Still did it first lol I agree with you The Kinks broadened everything with those Wonderful Eastern dronal tones, Amazing 🎼
@@celebratingtheclassicswithearl - you can go even further back to "Rocket 88" recorded at Sun in 1951. Legend says the guitarist's amp fell off the roof and the speaker cone got ripped so when they got to Sun, they stuff some newspaper in the tears and they got that fuzz distorted sound that's really the bass line..I don't think there even WAS an actual bass on that track.
I was 9 years old when I first became mesmerized by the Kinks. I remember getting my father's Kay acoustic guitar out, dropping the low E down to D so I could play simple bar chords, trying to emulate this song. The first rock song I ever "played!" Thank you Prof of Rock for this ultra nostalgic super band and song!!
When I was in college I went on an LP spending spree. I wanted the vinyl collections of the Hollies, the Yardbirds, and yes. the Kinks. It took awhile but I did it. Still have them too. The Kinks are revolutionary. Great songs, great style! Thanks Professor!
Thank you sir!
18:02 It makes me so happy that you chose "She Loves You," out of all possible songs. That song introduced me to the 60's music scene.
The Kinks, Mott the Hoople and Van Halen all really got me. First heard Van Halen’s version at Tower Records in Chico, CA, on a promotional copy before the album was released. I tried unsuccessfully for the store to sell or give their copy to me. But I had to wait…
I never overlook the Kinks - they're awesome!!
Professor, I agree with you. The Kinks are vastly underrated. I think the reason for that was their timing. They came along with the 1964 British Invasion and everyone took a backseat to The Beatles. You could arguably make the case that The Kinks were the first Heavy Metal group and You Really Got Me was the first Heavy Metal song. They clearly influenced the Heavy Metal that followed in the early 1970s with groups like Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, and Deep Purple. The Kinks had a very revolutionary sound that helped shape rock and roll for decades to come.
The Stones and The Who also came along at the same time, but it was The Kinks ban that left them behind. “That ridiculous ban took away the best years of the Kinks’ career when the original band was performing at its peak. By the time the group was allowed to return in 1969, the Woodstock generation had arrived and the Kinks were almost forgotten.” - Ray Davies
This video really means a lot to me. First of all, you think your old, I was in the 4th grade when You Really Got Me came out. My three older brothers and sister along with my mother loved rock music, and we were in a record club and of course got this album by the Kinks. A few years later, I got a used Sears guitar and amp and this was the first song I learned how to play. Great memories.
That music from the mid 60s was the sound of the limited technology of the equipment pushed to the breaking point. That is why no covers are able to capture the magic. Fantastic musicians with incredibly capable equipment but the can't match the sound of someone on the edge of control or the feeling that the band was like a dog fighting a leash with the collar around their neck.
Yes. It was anarchy at its finest.
FINALLY, someone giving the Kinks the fucking recognition they so rightfully deserve.
Amen brother
Chuck Berry's "Come On," and Marty Robbins' "Don't Worry" both had guitar distortion, and both predated the Kinks song.
I came here to point that out!
Shoot even Muddy Waters in the late 40's
Nothing against the other artists, but the distorted sound, the story and the riff energy was a trifecta of beauty, which is prob the takeaway of this episode
I heard Waylon blew a fuse with sanford clark...
The blues musicians were using distortion long before the Kinks. Records as far back as the early fifties had guitar distortion. When humbucker pickups first came out people started plugging them into old Fender tube amps which were designed for single coil pickups and cranked them up They would distort and sustain. This is the sound the British guys were trying to emulate with their distortion pedals.
This is mad! Only yesterday I had to have a chat with the guitarist in my new band about tone. He's deeply accomplished and highly technical but just didn't get the rough and ready 60s sound I want from him. So we listened to this song, first by one of his heroes and influences, EVH and then by The Kinks. Now he gets it.
More Kinks please! They were undoubtedly the most English of the British invasion. Great songwriting and tunes with attitude. Thanks for honoring this great song and band. Just one correction Professor, the Kinks' drummer was Mick Avory, not Andy.
Seconded, more Kinks please. I've been on deep dive of their discography for a year or so and would love to hear an examination of some other time periods of the band.
The Kinks missed the British Invasion because they were banned from America for something stupid that Ray did.....I forgot what he did, but it happened at customs :(
"You Really Got Me" was a pivotal record, but it was by no means the first use of either guitar distortion in general, or distortion created by a damaged speaker. Distortion was such a fact of life with early amps that it's hard to tell just when it first started to be appreciated, but at least by the late 1940s, guitar amps were coveted by various artists for their distortion characteristics. Ike Turner used a speaker that was damaged in shipping to roughen the sound of the guitar on his iconic hit "Rocket 88" in 1951:
th-cam.com/video/Gbfnh1oVTk0/w-d-xo.html
Link Wray poked holes in his speaker for the gritty sound of what has been cited by some as the "first heavy metal record", 1958's "Rumble":
th-cam.com/video/ucTg6rZJCu4/w-d-xo.html
Throughly agree and while also not the first, here is another early example of distortion, which tragically came true when Hare did indeed kill his wife:
th-cam.com/video/E26dBq-98Po/w-d-xo.html
Also, in the UK, it would seem that Ray Davies' last name is pronounced "Davis", not "Davees", even thought it is indeed spelled "Davies", not unlike Russell Davies, current host of the radio quiz show, "Brain of Britain", and no relation to Dave or Ray.
It is true that distortion had been used for a while especially in Rockabilly and Surf. A prime example is Dick Dale who is another great influencer on heavy metal. What makes the Kinks "Your Really Got" me so special is that it uses distortion with the Rock attitude. I've always considered this song to be the moment that Rock and Roll, became ROCK.
Link Wray used a pencil and poked holes in the speakers to get that sweet sound for his lead work on his self-titled record. It gave a song like _Fire and Brimstone_ such a smooth distortion sound.
Yes, I do believe Rocket 88, with Ike Turner, is credited with being the first rock & roll record, because of the guitar distortion; that's what they told me at Sun Studios, which had been moved from the original location, according to staff there. Sam Phillips just wasn't the owner of the recording studio, he also made money repairing things like instruments and musical equipment there, too. Ike's speaker cone in his amp had become ripped, somehow ( perhaps it was dropped? ), and Sam Phillips who is also credited for discovering and first signing Elvis ( for a short period of time ), put some tape on the speaker cone. Supposedly the first recorded song with distortion. But they do say there were some Russian brothers named Wright, who did it first. ;-)
Jackie Breston and His Delta Cats but yes, Ike was a huge part of that band and sound
Although not so influential or a particularly big hit, Johnny Burnette's 'Train Kept a Rollin' featured a fantaastic distorted guitar solo in 1956, plus Hubert Sumlin did fairly distorted playing on some Howlin' Wolf 45s. No doubt there are many other examples.
I've heard Henry Rollins say rocket 88, Ike Turner, was the first song with distorted guitar.. personally I'm not so sure.
@@andrewdzierson2036 I heard the same thing. The amp was damaged after falling off the top of the car.
Also, Grady Martin's bass on Marty Robbins' "Don't Worry About Me" went through a blown mixer channel, thus creating the "fuzz" effect.
@@thesoundchekguy You beat me to it! Rats!!😉
Rock and roll, like any other form of 'Roots Music', was not so much invented as it evolved almost organically, and people who never heard of each other discovered things like distortion and liked how it sounded. We'll never know for sure who did it first. Sure sounds good though.
The biggest festival concert I ever went to was the first US festival in 1982. That day's lineup included the likes of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Eddie Money, SANTANA, the Cars ---- but in my opinion, the band that blew them ALL away was the Kinks. I will never forget that night. By then they were seasoned Pro'fessionals and great entertainers, with a long, long list of classic songs. Their latest album was Give the People What They Want, and if you know that one, you know the Kinks were ON FIRE at that time. (To get an idea of what that live experience was like, I would recommend the "One for the Road" live album by the Kinks. Which I believe would have been from the " Low Budget " tour ) Over the years I have tried to collect (or RE collect) the most essential rock albums but it's tough to collect the Kinks. You always wish you had more.
Dave Davies was such a cool Rockstar in his youth...one of the coolest looking and had the snarl to back it up ...the Gallagher and Robinson Brothers in the 90s had nothing on the Davies Brothers of the 60s ,70s and beyond
The guitar riff in this song from the Kinks is great and the lead guitar solo in the middle makes me bounce my head around every time I hear it. The British Invasion was such a positive thing for music.
It's really quite amazing.
My favorite band, Dave is my favorite guitarist. Dave is an underrated guitar player.
Dave is underrated as a player, and as an important guitarist. You Really Got Me came out before Satisfaction, before My Generation, before Dylan went electric, way before Cream or Hendrix. He was a really influential, and an excellent all around guitarist.
They have soooo many great songs !
This was some very cool info. Fascinating story! I'm glad someone has the motivation to do this kind of research! First Kinks song I ever loved was "Tired Of Waiting" (because it was the first I heard). Thanks!
I believe Rocket 88 was one of the first guitars to use distortion, played by Willie Kizart of "Jackie Brenston and his Delta Cats", who were actually Ike Turner and his Kings of Rhythm.
isnt rocket 88 considered the first rock song?
Also released in 1956, was Train Kept a Rollin' by Johnny Burnett and the Rock and Roll Trio. That was recorded after the guitarist had dropped his amp causing the low end distortion heard in the song.
The Kinks! And how they kept moving on, not just doing that first one hit. Sunny Afternoon is so different. And Come Dancing. I remember hearing Come Dancing on the radio, liking it, and when the radio announcer said that it was the Kinks I was like What, the Kinks? That fantastic oldie tune? No way! But it was Yes way! Not the ones to stay in one place, ever. Great band, one of the greatest ever!
IMHO, The greatest Live Album ever produced is " One for the Road" by the Kinks.
It's an album where the live versions are as tight as their studio versions but with a twist and often longer. It is and was very unusual for a live performance to sound as good, never mind better, than their studio versions.
I've had soo many friends say they didn't like live versions of bands.
I was like, listen to this, it's so much better than anything you have ever heard before.
The greatest Live Album ever produced
Love the version of “Catch Me Now I’m Falling” on that live album.
I love that album!
"One for the Road" is a great live album. Some of the songs Ray did live at Glastonbury are also in many ways better than the original studio versions. Love the use of a choir which takes some of the songs to a different level. Also, "To the Bone" album which was live at Konk Studios is also great.
I've gotta check that album out. Frampton comes alive ain't bad either as far as live performances go.
Right on! The greatest live album ever. I got it for Christmas in 1981. I was 10 years old…I wore that record out!
Professor, please know how much your show is appreciated!
Great band, the Kinks. One of the best rock songs ever made. I love VH's version too.
Hope you'll feature Free,Jethro Tull and Rolling Stones in the near future.Thanks for this of this video of Kinks
It may sound pathetic… but I literally shed tears when I heard Eddy had passed.
He was a truly unique and amazing talent.
Thankfully his music lives on… as do the Kinks.
Good stuff.💪👍🎸
You're not the the only one who shed tears. His death hit me hard, too. King Edward is sorely missed.
@@PaulLoughrin
I remember I was at my moms house in Maine when I heard of Eddie dying.
I went to her front porch and sat down… lit a cigarette to go with my beer…
And started weeping.
It’s not particularly like me… I fancy myself a hard ass.🙄
But as a guitar player and just a fan in awe of his unique talent… it hit me like a a sledgehammer.
Thankfully people who enjoyed his music and his memories can appreciate him in conversation and thoughts.
Best wishes.🎸👍🥃
@@BillMcGirr no better way to celebrate his death by doing exactly what killed him in the first place.
Not pathetic at all. This music is a part of who we are….
Never pathetic to be devastated when ya lose a (honorary) family member.
I'm a 59 year old man and still tear up over it. I loved Eddie. I picked up my 1st guitar at 16 years old because of him. Still playin it 43 years later.
Hell, I'm tearing up writing this..... K. I'm done. :(
Great video Professor and really this only scratches the surface of what The Kinks (The Klinks as my schoolmate use to call them) have done musically. While all the early music is great, for me I didn't really dial in until Low Budget, Sleepwalker, State of Confusion and Schoolboy's in Disgrace
LOVE the Kinks. Trailblazers for sure. Underappreciated. 2 of my 6 yr old son's favorite songs are by them. 😆.
@ghost mall 😁
Which songs??
IN 1961 Marty Robbins had a hit on the country charts "Don't Worry About Me". The solo is heavy distortion. I remember hearing it on the radio. WTF I thought! 2 years later I played bass on a few gigs for Link Wray. He simply turned every control on the amp up to 10. A wild and crazy guy!
Dave is a patron saint of the guitar and is unfortunately very overlooked
That's all Jimmy Page brah - at least on the early records
@@davidrice3337 that's a bunch of horseshit.
@@davemakarchuk5127 with my comments , that's a pretty good bet however , because I shovel horseshit for a living you may be referring to the
5 yr old mare in stall #2 - she's a pig or what subject are you referring to -
I will state when it comes to guitar players and or horses I know my shit - other than that .....
@@davidrice3337 myth, debunked early and often. including by page himself. he played some rhythm but never lead, that was dave
@@tinymoon620 why would he speak about it 40 yrs ago in Guitar magazine ? Also many yrs ago when he and Paul Rogers was promoting "The Firm"
He was interviewed on Westwood One by Redbeard -
He talked about the different sessions he was involved with and that was the one he detailed? I Know what I read and I Know what I heard - 40 fuckin yrs ago - I sure as hell aint believing some yap on the internet - Page said he played his Dragon tele and made up the solo as he went along - didn't practice it - didn't even think about it because it was so rudimentary -
Now- maybe he wasn't lying thru his gapped teeth - until I hear Jim himself lm sticking with what I read and heard
That dude who's trying to educate my fuckin ass wasn't even born yet-
I've heard him say some other shit that was false - he needs to stick with his contemporary artists like the beebs or Britney what's her name -
Don't tell me about shit I know to be true- again if Mr Page wants to clarify I'll back up - but I'm not listening to a fuckin kid until I hear it from the man himself
Elmore James on line one for ya.... dude was distorting an acoustic with hot pick-ups fully twenty years before the kinks existed.
Link Wray was the first to cut up his amp speaker for distortion effect in "Rumble".
I grew up in central Ct. The Kinks were actually pretty popular in the skating rinks and bowling alleys. They were popular well into the late 80s. It's still played a bunch. We always considered them part of the original Brittish Invasion.
Out of his era. That makes me think of Little Richard. Really grabbed your attention and so reflective of youthful energy!
I saw the Kinks open for The Cars in 1982. I think they just came out with Give the People what they Want. Awesome!
The Kinks are an underrated band in my opinion.
Intellectually knew it, but definitely one of those songs my brain has never situated in the 60s decade. Always great. Thanks Professor!
I saw The Kinks in the summer of 1978 & they opened with You Really Got Me , Ray proclaiming " This is our Fuc*ing Song ! "
Ha ha. So Rock and roll.
They used to absolutely smoke live, especially "You really got me" Sped it up to almost thrash and guitar solos to die for
Thanks for a well deserved recognition!
The first mainstream release to use guitar distortion is widely acknowledged as "Rocket 88", released in 1951, credited to Jackie Brenston, but it is really Ike Turner and The Kings of Rhythm. Ike gets some nasty overdriven amp sounds on that song. This is also credited as the first "rock and roll" single. Lesser known, recorded about 1957, is Art Neville's "Cha-Dooky-Doo", recorded in New Orleans and a big hit in New Orleans and the Gulf area. The guitarist does a full-on distorted guitar solo cause the amp he brought to the recording had a busted tube, but they liked the sound and kept it in the recording.
Cha-Dooky-Doo: th-cam.com/video/8IOMIsb63nY/w-d-xo.html
Rocket 88: th-cam.com/video/WcFIj8OuIEI/w-d-xo.html
That's right. You also have Link Wray in 1958 with heavy distortion on Rumble.
Finally someone said it.
@@torah58 Oh yeah, can't forget about him!
Got to see the Kinks a fewtimes. By far one of the best live bands I have ever seen (I work in the live industry and see 150+ shows a year). Without the kinks you would never have had alt rock and punk. We owe them a lot. Can the brothers please make up and get back together for one more album and a tour...please!
Not too sure I'd call You Really Got Me "the first" song to use guitar distortion. What about Link Wray's Rumble from 1958?
Jimmy Page loves Link Wray's dirty distorted style too.
Even before that. Jackie Brenston's "Rocket 88" in 1951. His amp fell off his truck on the way to a gig. The speaker came loose and was damaged. To keep the cone in place, they stuffed it with paper. The vibrating paper and loose cone caused distortion. The first "intentional" use of guitar distortion was the opening note of I Feel Fine by the Beatles. You Really Got Me is the first time an entire song had the guitar intentionally distorted. Davies got the idea from Rocket 88. To get the rattling paper sound, he slashed the speaker with a knife.
@@krkhns The opening note of I Feel Fine is generally regarded as one of the first uses of intentional feedback, not distortion...
@@krkhns that guitar player on Rocket 88 was Willie Kizart
@@ElectricVintage-u1o Yup.
Love The Kinks. Saw them and Ray multiple times from 1985-2000’s. Got to meet Sir Ray and Dave a few times too. Good times…👍✌
They say the song rumble by link Wray also was one of the earliest songs to use distortion in the guitar which led to heavier guitar rock. Also listen to don’t bring me down by the animals, probably the heaviest hit ever with that Hilton valentine buzz saw guitar
Amazing how “Rumble” got banned in some radio markets but had no lyrics! 🤭🤔😆
Heavy Fuzz!
I am 68 y.o., and I've seen the The Kinks in concert twice in Philadelphia. Once at the Tower Theater, and once at the Spectrum. I've seen Ray solo at Temple University once, and Dave solo once in Bethlehem PA. I have written them both begging for a reunion album and concert. I will travel anywhere, at anytime, and at any cost just to see them together one more time before it's too late. I despair that tragedy will hit them or me, and ruin this dream of mine.