Give The People What We Want - Songs Of The Kinks

Release info:

Produced by: various
Release date: 6 Nov, 2001
Record label & catalog #: Burn, Burn, Burn/Right Now Records/Sub Pop Records SPCD575
Country: USA
Format: CD
Release type: Tribute album

Tracks:

1. Revenge		stereo mix, by C Average, recorded 2001 at Uptone Studios, Tacoma, Washington
2. Gotta Get The First Plane Home		stereo mix, by Young Fresh Fellows, recorded 2001 at Egg Studios, Seattle, Washington
3. Nothin' In The World Can Stop Me Worryin' 'Bout That Girl		stereo mix, by Mark Lanegan, recorded 2001 at 11AD Studios, Los Angeles, California
4. Who'll Be The Next In Line		stereo mix, by Mudhoney, recorded 2001 at Jupiter Studios, Seattle, Washington
5. Ring The Bells		stereo mix, by Model Rockets, recorded 2001 at Egg Studios, Seattle, Washington
6. This Man He Weeps Tonight		stereo mix, by The Fallouts, recorded 2001 at Egg Studios, Seattle, Washington
7. The Way Love Used To Be		stereo mix, by Heather Duby, recorded 2001 at Egg Studios, Seattle, Washington
8. Sunny Afternoon		stereo mix, by Baby Gramps, recorded 2001 at Egg Studios, Seattle, Washington
9. Alcohol		stereo mix, by The Murder City Devils, recorded 2001 at Egg Studios, Seattle, Washington
10. Session Man		stereo mix, by The Congratulators, recorded 2001 at Egg Studios, Seattle, Washington
11. Tin Soldier Man		stereo mix, by Love As Laughter, recorded 2001 at Egg Studios, Seattle, Washington
12. Waterloo Sunset		stereo mix, by The Fastbacks, recorded 2001 at Egg Studios, Seattle, Washington
13. Fancy		stereo mix, by Jon Auer, recorded 2001 at Hall of Justice, Seattle, Washington
14. Brainwashed		stereo mix, by The Pinkos, recorded 2001 at Egg Studios, Seattle, Washington
15. Act Nice & Gentle		stereo mix, by Larry Barrett, recorded 2001 at Egg Studios, Seattle, Washington
16. Wicked Annabella		stereo mix, by The Minus 5, recorded 2001 at Low Beat and The Fuselage
17. Strangers		stereo mix, by The Makers, recorded 2001 at Egg Studios, Seattle, Washington
18. Come Dancing		stereo mix, by The Briefs, recorded 2001 at Egg Studios, Seattle, Washington
19. I Go To Sleep		stereo mix, by Nikol Kollars, recorded 2001 at Egg Studios, Seattle, Washington

Liner Notes:

Give the People What We Want: Songs of the Kinks
(Various Artists)
release date: November 6, 2001

The impetus for putting together a Kinks tribute album is that The Kinks are the best band in the world. Everyone knows it. There is documentation, but that is neither here nor there. The important thing is Give the People What We Want is here; right here - the exact spot where art meets irreverence. You'll miss it if you blink, so pay attention...

In the 1960s The Kinks hit number one on the UK charts with their 3rd single "You Really Got Me," aided by their astonishing performance on the British TV pop show Ready Steady Go. From that auspicious beginning, and spanning four decades (read a Kinks bio - we won't tell), The Kinks have faked right and gone left on several occasions, driven by the eccentric, maniacal brilliance of Ray Davies. The resulting body of work is some of the most remarkable music to ever contribute to the history of rock music. The music itself is as diverse as the artists in this collection, frequently reflecting on a time when life was simpler and culture was not so mass-produced and monolithic.

"I miss the village green and all the simple people/ I miss the village green the church, the clock, the steeple/ I miss the morning dew, fresh air and Sunday school" - "Village Green"

The Kinks as a band represent all that is fun and important about Rock and Roll. From the early singles to the complex and sometimes over-indulgent concept records, to the arena-rock excursions and reflective songs of the later albums, they have stayed consistent to their working class roots and punk ethos in a way that very few bands from that period have. The Kinks are always the underdog of British rock, always mentioned after their better-selling peers, yet the impressions they left (and continue to leave) have persevered beyond most of their contemporaries. Obviously, because we're here talking about them.

"I know a place not far away/ and we'll find a way through the city streets/ we'll find a way through the mad rushing crowd/ and we'll talk about the way love used to be" - "The Way Love Used To Be"

Seattle, the Pacific Northwest... it coughed once in the early nineties, resulting in what could now be the Baby Huey music industry incident known as grunge. The subsequent over-development of the city and the scene in Seattle caused the baby to be thrown out with the bath water but the music community - whether under scrutiny or not - continues to create vital and important works, much like The Kinks.

"They're putting us in identical little boxes/ no character just uniformity/ they're trying to build a computerized community/ but they'll never make a zombie out of me" - "Muswell Hillbilly"

Hence, Burn Burn Burn, Right Now Records and Sub Pop Records bring forth: GIVE THE PEOPLE WHAT WE WANT: Songs of the Kinks.

A song by song Kronology of
Give The People What We Want: Songs of The Kinks

C AVERAGE "Revenge"
C Average is a 2-piece band (guitar and drums) from Olympia. They have 2 LPs and a 7" out on Kill Rock Stars. The instrumental "Revenge" here is turned into heavy-metal, complete with double-bass drumming(!).

"Revenge" first appeared on the UK version of the Kinks first album in 1964. It is the only Kinks song co-written by Ray Davies and (then) manager, Larry Page.

YOUNG FRESH FELLOWS "Gotta Get the First Plane Home"
"The past is important because it shows us who we would have been. The future is dimwitted and dull, the present languorous and sticky with the smug scent of hibiscus." - Scott McCaughey of the Young Fresh Fellows, Sept. 2000.

"They are extremely talented and extremely unfocused." - Rolling Stone, 1992.

"If you think we're good, they're the best band in the world." - Paul Westerberg, Creem, 1987.

"They are still the greatest rock and roll band on the planet." - Cohen/Krugman, Seattle Weekly, 2000.

This song was an album track on 1966's The Kink Kontroversy.

MARK LANEGAN "Nothin' in the World Can Stop Me Worryin' ' bout That Girl"
Mark Lanegan has consistently made awe-inspiring music both on his own (over the course of five albums) and with his band, Screaming Trees. His latest record Field Songs is his most beautiful and haunting yet. This cut features the stellar production and instrumentation of Alain Johannes of Eleven and Chris Cornell.

This track was first on The Kinks' 2nd full-length, Kinda Kinks. This is one of the songs Ray played at the SXSW festival in March, 2001 and said it was one of the first songs he ever wrote. It was included in the soundtrack to the film Rushmore.

MUDHONEY "Who Will Be the Next in Line"
Mudhoney invented the grunge and went on to become gigantic international stars. It's a wonder there isn't a Mudhoney tribute album yet (hmmm...). This is Mudhoney's only release with Steel Wool's bass-player, Steve Dukich filling in for Matt Lukin.

"Who Will Be the Next in Line" first appeared as the B-side to the UK "Everybodys Gonna Be Happy" single in 1965. When the single didn't do as well as hoped ("only" breaking the top 20), their American label, Reprise, opted to "flip" it and make WWBTNIL the A-side. It later ended up on the record, Kinkdom. It was also a minor hit for the Sir Douglas Quintet.

MODEL ROCKETS "Ring the Bells"
Fronted by ex-Stumpy Joe superstar John Ramberg, Model Rockets are a fantastic pop-rock band with a southern tinge. John writes amazing songs and the Rockets are typically under-appreciated by most of the music industry. (Now who does that remind you of?)

Another album track from Kink Kontroversy.

THE FALLOUTS "This Man He Weeps Tonight"
Since 1985, The Fallouts have reigned as the world's best garage band. This recording is the first with new bass-player, Zaac Aubrey.

This track, an obscure and beautiful Dave Davies song, was originally recorded during the sessions for 1969's Arthur album and released as a B-side to the "Shangri-La" single. It was intended to be released on a Dave Davies solo record that never saw the light of day. Later, it became part of the 1973 Reprise rarities LP, The Great Lost Kinks Album, and turned up as a bonus track on the CD reissue of Arthur.

HEATHER DUBY "The Way Love Used to Be"
Heather's debut record, 1999's Post To Wire, provided an ethereal and mesmerizing foundation for an increasingly eclectic career. This year's collaboration with Seattle drum and bass experts Elemental branches her sound out in an electronic direction. On "The Way Love Used to Be," she takes a more roots-oriented approach with her brand-new band. The cut features the always-fabulous Steve Fisk on the mellotron.

The song is from The Kinks 1971 soundtrack to the film Percy.

BABY GRAMPS "Sunny Afternoon"
"He's entertained everywhere from the streets and medicine shows to Bob Dylan's dressing room. In this day and age, seeing the Seattle based singer-songwriter-guitarist who calls himself Baby Gramps is the closest you'll ever get to experiencing Harry Smith's Anthology of American Folk Music in person. He sings in a voice that is somewhere between Cliff "Ukulele Ike" Edwards' and Blind Willie Johnson's, and his style evokes long dead pickers such as Charlie Patton and Riley Puckett. He plays with metal finger-picks on a battered National Steel that at last count had four useable frets left on it and an old clamp wrench holding one of the tuning pegs on. With a long, flowing beard and mannerisms that recall early Popeye, Baby Gramps is something of a national treasure, the final repository of an entire era of pop culture. Gramps draws from thousands of Paleozoic jazz, blues, hillbilly, and pop tunes. He is a genuine eccentric talent, an old-time songster and an incredible entertainer." - Time Out New York

"Sunny Afternoon" was a single from 1966 and a track from Face To Face. It was the last #1 single the Kinks had until 1970's "Lola." It should be noted that #1 here refers to the UK charts. The Kinks never had an American #1.

THE MURDER CITY DEVILS "Alcohol"
The Devils have been leveling every club they play since they started their rampage in 1997. Their latest EP Thelema marks a shift from their previous full-lengths. With Thelema, their oft-cited influences have given way to a vitality and style entirely their own - more lyrically mature and melodic in tone. On this recording, Leslie moves from the usual Farfisa to a bar-room piano. And, let's just say that "Alcohol" is an appropriate choice for the band.

The song "Alcohol" is from the 1971 album, Muswell Hillbillies. The album marked a roots-country direction for the band, and an insistence on using the tuba.

THE CONGRATULATORS "Session Man"
Another one for the "appropriate" file... Led by producer extraordinaire, Johnny Sangster (Makers, Murder City Devils, Kent 3, Posies, Gerald Collier, Fireballs of Freedom) and his brother Jim who plays in both the Young Fresh Fellows and sometimes the Minus 5.

This tune was said by Ray to be partly inspired by Nicky Hopkins, a prolific Session Man who played keyboards with the Who, The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin and, of course, on the original recording of the song which appeared on Face to Face.

LOVE AS LAUGHTER "Tin Soldier Man"
L/A/L was spawned from deep within one of the mysterious corners of the mind of a curious chap known to most as Sam Jayne. Jayne started in Olympia developing an experimental lo-fi sound and collaborating with future superstars like Beck and James Bertram. Sea To Shining Sea is L/A/L's latest and greatest. This tune features our hero, Sam with a trumpet and a psychedelic chip on his shoulder.

This weird song is from 1967's Something Else.

THE FASTBACKS "Waterloo Sunset"
What more needs to be said about the Fastbacks? What more doesn't need to be said? The last FBX record, The Day That Didn't Exist is an absolute masterpiece and should be purchased immediately. On this track, Kim does a beautiful take on the world's most beautiful song. Kurt and Lulu do the obligatory la-la-las and it's the last recording with 128th drummer, Mike Musburger.

"Waterloo Sunset" was a 1967 single, also on Something Else. It remains the best song written by anybody ever.

JON AUER "Fancy"
He was in the Posies.

"Fancy" is from Face To Face and features the lyrics: "Fancy, just look around thee, if you will fancy all the girls you see, always oooh oooh oooh oooh"

THE PINKOS "Brainwashed"
Vanessa from Bell and Steve from The Gits. Acoustic garage-punk with propulsive drums and snotty vocal delivery. Obnoxious in the best possible way!

This song is from 1969's Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire).

LARRY BARRETT "Act Nice and Gentle"
World-class songwriter and manager of local watering hole, Hattie's Hat, Larry has four records out on Glitterhouse, most notably last year's The Big Slowdown. This cut features Lori Goldston (Black Cat Orchestra, Nirvana) and Emily Marsh (Faster Tiger, Black Cat Orchestra, The Kwabs). Also, the recording makes me think of trains and things of that nature.

This song was originally a B-side to "Waterloo Sunset". It was the first country-sounding Kinks song.

THE MINUS 5 "Wicked Annabella"
Whenever McCaughey (or McCoy as he's often pronounced) is not jaunting jauntily around the world with R.E.M. (playing guitar, keyboards, bass, popping corks, etc.), or raising hell (albeit middle-aged hell, which is still quite hellish, and more embarrassing) with the Young Fresh Fellows, it is likely that he will be gathering some version of the Minus 5 together to make rude and beautiful noises. This one features vocals by Ken Stringfellow (he was also in the Posies) and drums by Jason Finn (who I don't like one bit).

This song was written by Ray but sung by Dave on The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society. A weird tune about witches and stuff.

THE MAKERS "Strangers"
The Makers, led by brothers Michael and Donny, started out with abrasive mod, an outpouring of the frustration of their working class Spokane upbringing. They went on to become the Northwest's foremost purveyors of trashy garage-rock and most recently put out a monumental concept album Rock Star God, which was both critically acclaimed and misunderstood (now, who does that remind you of?).

"Strangers" was the second song on 1970's Lola vs. the Powerman and Money-Go-Round Part 1. It is one of Dave Davies' greatest songs, with lyrics that are both strange and sad.

THE BRIEFS "Come Dancing"
It's fast, it's wacky, it's Seattle's newest pop-punk sensations, The Briefs! The lead vocal is yelled by drummer, young Chris Brief.

"Come Dancing" was a 1982 single and appeared on 1983's State of Confusion album. Probably due to lots of MTV rotation, the song reached #6 in the US and #12 in the UK (I feel like Casey Kasem).

NIKOL KOLLARS "I Go to Sleep"
Seattle's sultry trip-hop diva closes the record with a smoothed-out R&B take on the Ray-penned song made famous by the Pretenders in the '80s. Ray's demo of "I Go to Sleep" recently surfaced on the CD reissue of Kinda Kinks.

- Kwab Copeland, Vice President of Burn Burn Burn and Warehouse President of Sub Pop Records.

(It should be noted that Dave Emlen clarified my trivia and that everyone should visit his Kinks web site http://hobbes.it.rit.edu/)

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E-mail Dave Emlen