Universal continue to trawl back through the archives to bring us yet another box set of recordings and material from iconic British bands. Following the release of the deluxe edition Kinks back catalogue a while back, we now have the lavish 5-disc At The BBC tome (released on 13th August) as, hopefully, the final word on the revered band. An institution, The Kinks are as quintessentially English as Earl Grey tea; their songs a soundtrack for Royal Britannia, the Village Green and Victoriana. Their sound was adopted and copied wide and far as part of the Beat Group era; the proto-punk snarl guitar riff of You Really Got Me alone, responsible for starting a million garage bands from Wapping to the Sunset Strip. The sibling song-writing power-house of Ray and Dave Davis conjured up a whole new way of documenting the life and times of a colourful cast from their home town of London; from the dewy-eyed paean, Waterloo Sunset, to the Soho transvestite clench of Lola.
Known perhaps more fondly for their poetic halcyon tributes to the cricket ground-warm beer drinking-home-made jam landscape of a far simpler time, the band could also take a well-aimed shot across the bows of the establishment, and provoke authority. Here than is, possibly, the most thorough and dedicated tribute to their live sessions, recorded for or commissioned by the beeb; collected from across their whole career with contributions from members of the public who were invited to forward forgotten bygone recordings of performances that had fallen by the wayside: missing from the BBC’s own archives.
The 130-tracks are spread over 5-discs with an additional DVD, designed in the style of, that other British institution, the TV guide, Radio Times. Comprehensive and mouth-watering we received a small sampler of what to expect this week at GIITTV; which included a raucous version of the spirited Till The End Of The Day; a staid announcer’s attempt to have a joke about the opening “Fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa” line from David Watts; a sing-a-long of Dedicated Follower Of Fashion; and a grainy, dirty recorded missing (and unreleased) version of Days.
Take a breathe, here’s the full track list.
CD1
1. Interview: Meet The Kinks – Saturday Club -The Playhouse Theatre, 1964
2. Cadillac – Saturday Club – The Playhouse Theatre, 1964
3. Interview: Ray Talks About ‘You Really Got Me’ – Saturday Club The Playhouse Theatre, 1964
4. You Really Got Me – Saturday Club – The Playhouse Theatre, September 1964
5. Little Queenie – Saturday Club – The Playhouse Theatre, 1964
6. I’m A Lover Not A Fighter – Top Gear – The Playhouse Theatre, 1964
7. Interview: The Shaggy Set – Top Gear – The Playhouse Theatre, 1964
8. You Really Got Me – Top Gear – The Playhouse Theatre, October 1964
9. All Day And All Of The Night – Top Gear – The Playhouse Theatre, 1964
10. I’m A Lover, Not A Fighter – Saturday Club – Piccadilly Studios, 1964
11. Interview: Ray Talks About The USA – Saturday Club – Piccadilly Studios, 1964
12. I’ve Got That Feeling – Saturday Club – Piccadilly Studios, 1964
13. All Day And All Of The Night – Saturday Club – Piccadilly Studios, 1964
14. You Shouldn’t Be Sad – Saturday Club – Maida Vale Studios, 1965
15. Interview: Ray Talks About Records – Saturday Club – Maida Vale Studios, 1965
16. Tired Of Waiting For You – Saturday Club – Maida Vale Studios, 1965
17. Everybody’s Gonna Be Happy – Saturday Club -Maida Vale Studios, 1965
18. This Strange Effect – “You Really Got…” – Aeolian Hall, 1965
19. Interview: Ray Talks About “See My Friends” – “You Really Got…” Aeolian Hall, 1965
20. See My Friends – “You Really Got…” Aeolian Hall, 1965
21. Hide And Seek – “You Really Got…” Aeolian Hall, 1965
22. Milk Cow Blues – Saturday Club – The Playhouse Theatre, 1965
23. Interview: Ray Talks About Songwriting – Saturday Club -The Playhouse Theatre, 1965
24. Never Met A Girl Like You Before – Saturday Club – The Playhouse Theatre, 1965
25. Wonder Where My Baby Is Tonight – Saturday Club,The Playhouse Theatre,1965 26. Interview: Meet Pete Quaife – Saturday Club, The Playhouse Theatre, 1965
27. Till The End Of The Day – Saturday Club, The Playhouse Theatre, 1965
28. A Well Respected Man – Saturday Club, The Playhouse Theatre, 1965
29. Where Have All The Good Times Gone? – Saturday Club,The Playhouse Theatre,1965
30. Love Me Till The Sunshines – Saturday Club -The Playhouse Theatre, 1967
31. Interview: Meet Dave Davies – Saturday Club -The Playhouse Theatre, 1967
32. Death Of A Clown – Saturday Club -The Playhouse Theatre, 1967
33. Good Luck Charm – Saturday Club -The Playhouse Theatre, 1967
34. Sunny Afternoon – Top Gear – Maida Vale Studios, 1967
35. Autumn Almanac – Top Gear – Maida Vale Studios, 1967
36. Harry Rag – Top Gear – Maida Vale Studios, 1967
37. Mr Pleasant – Top Gear – Maida Vale Studios, 1967
CD2
1. Susannah’s Still Alive – Top Gear -Maida Vale Studios, 1967
2. David Watts – Top Gear – Maida Vale Studios, 1967
3. Waterloo Sunset – Top Gear – BBC Piccadilly Studios, 1968
4. Interview: Ray Talks About Working – Top Gear – BBC Piccadilly Studios, 1968
5. Days – Top Gear – BBC Piccadilly Studios, 1968
6. Interview: Ray Talks About Solo Records – Saturday Club – Playhouse Theatre, 1968 7. Love Me Till The Sun Shines – Saturday Club – Playhouse Theatre, 1968
8. Monica – Saturday Club – Playhouse Theatre, 1968
9. Interview: Ray Talks About “Village Green” – Saturday Club – Playhouse Theatre, 1968
10. The Village Green Preservation Society – Saturday Club – Playhouse Theatre, 1968
11. Animal Farm – Saturday Club, Alternative version – Playhouse Theatre, 1968
12. Where Did My Spring Go? – “Where Was Spring?” – The Riverside Studios, 1969
13. When I Turn Off The Living Room Lights – “Where Was Spring?” – The Riverside Studios, 1969
14. Plastic Man – Symonds on Sunday, Alternate Version – Aeolian Hall, 1969
15. King Kong – Symonds on Sunday, Alternate Version – Aeolian Hall, 1969
16. Do You Remember Walter – Symonds on Sunday, Alternate Version – Aeolian Hall, 1969
17. Symonds on Sunday Interview: Ray Talks About Rumours – Aeolian Hall, 1969
18. Victoria – Dave Lee Travis, Alternate Version – Camden Theatre, 1969
19. Mr Churchill Says – Dave Lee Travis, Alternate Version – Camden Theatre, 1969
20. Arthur – Dave Lee Travis, Alternate Version – Camden Theatre, 1969
21. Interview: Ray Talks With Keith Altham – Dave Lee Travis show – Aeolian Hall, 1970
22. Lola – Dave Lee Travis show, Alternate Version – Aeolian Hall, 1970
23. Mindless Child Of Motherhood – Dave Lee Travis show – Aeolian Hall, 1970
24. Days – Dave Lee Travis show, Alternate Version – Aeolian Hall, 1970
25. Apeman – Dave Lee Travis show, Alternate Version – Aeolian Hall, 1970
26. Acute Schizophrenia Paranoia Blues – John Peel Session – Kensington House, 1972
27. Holiday – John Peel Session – Kensington House, 1972
28. Skin And Bone – John Peel Session – Kensington House, 1972
CD3
1. Supersonic Rocket Ship – John Peel Session – Kensington House, 1972
2. Here Comes Yet Another Day – Dave Lee Travis – Alternate Version 1973
3. Demolition – John Peel Session – Langham Studios, 1974
4. Mirror Of Love – John Peel Session – Langham Studios, 1974
5. Money Talks – John Peel Session – Langham Studios, 1974
6. DJ Alan Black Introduces “In Concert at The Hippodrome Theatre”
7. Victoria – In Concert at The Hippodrome Theatre, 1974
8. Here Comes Yet Another Day – In Concert at The Hippodrome Theatre, 1974
9. Mr. Wonderful – In Concert at The Hippodrome Theatre, 1974
10. Money Talks – In Concert at The Hippodrome Theatre, 1974
11. Dedicated Follower Of Fashion – In Concert at The Hippodrome Theatre, 1974
12. Mirror Of Love – In Concert at The Hippodrome Theatre, 1974
13. Celluloid Heroes – In Concert at The Hippodrome Theatre, 1974
14. You Really Got Me / All Day And All Of The Night – In Concert at The Hippodrome Theatre, 1974
15. DJ Alan Black Talks About “Preservation Act 2”
16. Daylight – In Concert at The Hippodrome Theatre, 1974
17. Here Comes Flash – In Concert at The Hippodrome Theatre, 1974
18. Demolition – In Concert at The Hippodrome Theatre, 1974
19. He’s Evil – In Concert at The Hippodrome Theatre, 1974
20. Lola – In Concert at The Hippodrome Theatre, 1974
21. Outro – In Concert at The Hippodrome Theatre, 1974
22. Skin And Bone / Dry Bones – In Concert at The Hippodrome Theatre, 1974
CD4
1. Alan Freeman Introduces “The Kinks Christmas Concert”
2. Juke Box Music – The Kinks Christmas Concert, at the Rainbow, 1977
3. Bob Harris Introduction – The Kinks Christmas Concert, at the Rainbow, 1977
4. Sleepwalker – The Kinks Christmas Concert, Rainbow Theatre, 1977
5. Life On the Road – The Kinks Christmas Concert, Rainbow Theatre, 1977
6. A Well Respected Man – The Kinks Christmas Concert, Rainbow Theatre, 1977
7. Death Of A Clown – The Kinks Christmas Concert, Rainbow Theatre, 1977
8. Sunny Afternoon – The Kinks Christmas Concert, Rainbow Theatre, 1977
9. Waterloo Sunset – The Kinks Christmas Concert, Rainbow Theatre, 1977
10. All Day And All Of The Night – The Kinks Christmas Concert, Rainbow Theatre, 1977
11. Slum Kids – The Kinks Christmas Concert, at the Rainbow Theatre, 1977
12. Celluloid Heroes – The Kinks Christmas Concert, at the Rainbow Theatre, 1977
13. Get Back In The Line – The Kinks Christmas Concert, Rainbow Theatre, 1977
14. The Hard Way – The Kinks Christmas Concert, Rainbow Theatre, 1977
15. Lola – The Kinks Christmas Concert, Rainbow Theatre, 1977
16. Alcohol – The Kinks Christmas Concert, Rainbow Theatre, 1977
17. Skin And Bones / Dry Bones – The Kinks Christmas Concert, Rainbow Theatre, 1977
18. Father Christmas – The Kinks Christmas Concert, Rainbow Theatre, 1977
19. You Really Got Me – The Kinks Christmas Concert, Rainbow Theatre, 1977
20. Interview: Ray Talks To Johnny Walker – Maida Vale Studios, 1994
21. Phobia – Johnny Walker session – Maida Vale Studios, 1994
22. Interview: Ray Introduces “Over The Edge” – Maida Vale Studios, 1994
23. Over The Edge – Johnny Walker session – Maida Vale Studios, 1994
24. Wall Of Fire – Johnny Walker session – Maida Vale Studios, 1994
25. Till The End Of The Day – Johnny Walker session – Maida Vale Studios, 1994
CD5
1. All Day and All The Night – Emma Freud session – Maida Vale Studios, 1994
2. Waterloo Sunset – Emma Freud session – Maida Vale Studios, 1994
3. I’m Not Like Everybody Else – Emma Freud session – Maida Vale Studios, 1994
4. Till The End of the Day – Emma Freud session – Maida Vale Studios, 1994
5. You Really Got Me – Emma Freud session – Maida Vale Studios, 1994
6. Louie Louie – Saturday Club -Live at The Playhouse Theatre, 1964
7. Stop Your Sobbing – Saturday Club – Live at The Playhouse Theatre, 1964
8. Milk Cow Blues – “You Really Got…” -Live at Aeolian Hall, 1965
9. Milk Cow Blues – Saturday Club Live at The Playhouse Theatre, December 1965
10. I Am Free – Saturday Club – Live at The Playhouse Theatre, 1965
11. Susannah’s Still Alive – Saturday Club – Live at The Playhouse Theatre, 1968
12. Days – Saturday Club – Live at The Playhouse Theatre, 1968
13. Dedicated Follower Of Fashion / A Well Respected Man / Death Of A Clown – Late Night Line-Up: Colour Me Pop – Recorded at BBC Televison Centre, 1968
14. Sunny Afternoon – Late Night Line-Up: Colour Me Pop – Alternate Version
15. Two Sisters – Late Night Line-Up: Colour Me Pop – Alternate Version
16. Sitting By The Riverside – Late Night Line-Up:Colour Me Pop – Alternate Version
17. Lincoln County – Late Night Line-Up: Colour Me Pop – Alternate Version
18. Picture Book – Late Night Line-Up: Colour Me Pop – Alternate Version
19. Days – Late Night Line-Up: Colour Me Pop – Alternate Version
