The Kinks are Koming!

It wouldn't be a new year without rumors of a reunion - and with Coachella still in the planning stages, perhaps THIS is the year for The Smiths? - but one big one has just been announced: One of the original British Invasion monsters is rising from the long dead: The Kinks.

Yeah, with Pete Quaife on bass, even - the original Kinks - Ray, Dave, Mick Avory and Pete. Their first time together since 1969, when they recorded the brilliant concept album Arthur, home of "Victoria." Of course, they went on without Pete, and made a couple more great records - "Lola Vs. Powerman and the Money-Go-Round" and "Muswell Hillbillies" - but by that point, their glory days were almost over.

But back in the day. Whew!



The notorious battling Davies brothers, Ray and Dave, may have mellowed a bit - a stroke (Dave's) may do that to you - but that remains to be seen. After all, the Eagles and Pink Floyd reunited, and they seemed at some points more likely to be drinking each others' blood than ever playing together again.

Anyway, this is from the only magazine Encore, and there aren't many details to be had regarding dates or anything else, except that there may be a retrospective CD box - cleverly entitled Retrospective - in the offing. No word on new recordings.

For those under 35 or so, listen here: The Kinks were nearly as important as the Beatles, and arguably right there with the Stones and the Who. Their singles had a combination of visceral power - Van Halen didn't cover "You Really Got Me" for laughs - and a deep lyrical sophistication, courtesy of Ray Davies. Their albums with the original line-up, from 1964-69, included some of the best rock albums ever made, including "Face to Face," "Something Else," "We Are the Village Green Preservation Society" and "Arthur." And the singles were even better.

So, in honor of their history, and in anticipation of their reunion, here are some fine little Klassic Kinks Klips from YouTube...

"All Day and All of the Night" live in 1965 on the U.S. TV show "Shindig!":



And "Tired of Waiting" again from TV...



And "See My Friends."



OK, those are the early, British Invasion days. Then there were a string of less-successful singles that were even better, but YouTube has very few clips from back in the day that weren't promo, lip-synched travesties. This blog aims to include only actual, live performances. But I couldn't resist including one of the band's greatest songs, veracity be damned. Here's "Waterloo Sunset."