Give The People What They Want

Sure, I may be the only person to own (and play) the last two Kinks (propper) releases. Phobia anyone? UK Jive????? Actually both discs were a helluva lot better than the previous "Think Visual". Ray Davies may be rock and roll's most inconsistant artist ever. Think about it. Schoolboys in Disgrace . . . 50 percent Great and I mean GREAT . . . 50 percent crap. Same for
"Low Budget" . . . "Misfits" and "Sleepwalker" fair better with 75 percent great material.

Ray Davies (long overdue) solo LP "Other People's Lives" arrives with little fanfair and mostly
decent reviews. There are no surprises here. No one will be converted who doesn't already love Uncle Ray's English Dancehall sensibilities. The one thing I can't help notice here (90 percent great by the way, all killer save for the title track which could have been called "Give The People What They wwwant.com" and one other stinker) I can't help but hear all the bands that have been charmed by this English gentlemen and influenced by him . . . from Frank Black to Blurr, Franz Ferdinand to The Shins. Ray Davies may (Hopefully) live to see the day when rock's most under rated genius gets his due.