Search - Kinks :: Live Kinks

Having a Rave Up with the Kinks

John Shannon | Alpharetta, GA | 01/28/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This album catches the Kinks at their peak during their initial incarnation of the original prototype heavy, punk, garage band. Unlike the remixed "live" albums that were released by their peers...The Beatles, Rolling Stones, etc....where the crowd was toned down and the magic of the studio brings the music to the forefront, the Kinks mono version shows what a force to be reckoned with...that they were at the time. The sounds are real. The crowd chaos is there in full force. The Kinks' miscues, out of tune notes and incredibly sloppy but gut- wrenched rock and roll chords make you feel the experience of a live 60's gig. The sheer power of the opening chords of "You Really Got Me"....makes you wonder what other bands must have felt like when they had to compete with these guys. The ferocious medley of "Milk Cow Blues", "Tired of Waiting For You" and "Batman"....is creative, exciting and takes the teen angst that Nirvana thrived on in 1991, back 24 years to the originator's of that genre. The Kinks may not have been the most popular band to have come out of the british invasion...but they sure were the most exciting and their catalog, which spans over 30 years of music...lends evidence that they very well may be the best band of the era as well."

The best British Invasion live LP

John Connor | USA | 03/29/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Forget the Stones 'Got Live...' with it's studio songs with live audience dubbed in. The Beatles, never really released a good live album from the Brit Invasion period. No, this is it. OK, don't look for beautiful slick production and perfect playing, this CD is a historical document that rocks! the screaming girls (drowing out the band sometimes), the frantic, if sometimes sloppy, playing just add to the energy that makes this great. The songs are some of the Kinks best, man I love this album!"