The Kinks were one of the most influential and under played bands of the British Invasion.
Literate, talented, funny, raucous, they helped shape punk, new wave, and mod, and even molded contemporary superstars like The Who and The Doors.
Their popularity has never really taken off, and most people know them only for one of the handful of singles that scored moderate commercial success. We should remember them for more.
They are purely, rabidly English; a band that could have never come from anywhere but England. They reflect the tongue-in-cheek cynicism, the youthful rebellion of '60s Britain effortlessly mixed with a (seemingly) unconscious sense of place.
That place was an England that was rapidly changing, perhaps dying.
The concept album The Kinks are the Village Green Preservation Society seeks to ground rock in the locale of rural UK, capturing a way of life that was fast passing away from the British Isles.
The Kinks connect their music to place in a way usually only seen in folk music.
Their real contribution, aside from pushing "rock n' roll" a good bit closer to "rock," is showcasing the power of rock music as indigenous, local art.
Watch out for "Lola":
(Photo Credit)
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