The Kinks, "One for the Road"
CJ steps out for a cherry cola, C-O-L-A, cola
CJ’s Pitch:
I used to go to the Providence Civic Center on Friday nights to watch the Bruins’ AHL affiliate. Five bucks to get in, lots of scoring and nearly always a bench-clearing brawl.
The Lowell Memorial Auditorium is where my daughter had her cheerleading competitions. Unfortunately, they didn’t sell alcohol at those 8-hour screaming and tumbling marathons.
I randomly saw a very good college basketball game at the RAC (Rutgers Athletic Center) with my sons and father-in-law. Rutgers won in triple overtime and the students stormed the court.
Why do I mention these mid-tier venues in second city locations? Because for some reason the Kinks decided to record the majority of the One for the Road live album at these three arenas.
Did Ray Davies turn to his brother Dave and say, “You know what’s one of the USA’s most glamorous cities? Lowell, MA.” And did Dave reply, “Fuck you, Ray! (Ray and Dave famously did not get along.) Nothing beats New Brunswick, NJ.”
Surely they could’ve chosen some more impressive tour stops, right?
The answer to that question is why this record works as well today as it did in 1980.
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Following a puzzling theatre-rock phase in the early to mid-70s, The Kinks got back to doing what they do best, making rock ‘n’ roll music. Sleepwalker in 1977 was followed by Misfits in ‘78 and the best of the trilogy, Low Budget in ‘79. All of which precipitated the One For The Road Tour in 1980.
The strength of a Kinks concert is how they engage the crowd right from the jump. You know you’re getting “You Really Got Me,” likely as an encore, but they tease it with a jazzed-up instrumental to open the show. And then they’re off to the races.
There are six songs from Low Budget in this set and they are all better than the studio versions. “Catch Me Now I’m Falling” and “Superman” are almost ballads on the record, but performed live they transform into up-tempo sing-a-longs. “Pressure” and “Attitude” were already bangers, but they absolutely sizzle on stage. While “National Health” and the title track shine as masterful pop songs.
The fourteen remaining songs in the set come from thirteen different albums. Think about that for a second. The Kinks had such an incredible songbook at the time that they barely needed to repeat themselves. Highlights include “All Day And All Of The Night”, “20th Century Man”, “Stop Your Sobbing” and “Celluloid Heroes.” All songs that any classic rock fan knows by heart.
There is a glorious moment at the beginning of “Where Have All The Good Times Gone?” when Ray plays the first few notes of “Lola” and then stops saying, “No, you’re not ready for that.” From the crowd comes the voice of a woman with a phenomenal Cranston accent (IYKYK) who retorts, “Yiss we ah!”
“Lola” itself is a showstopper. Once again, the crowd is the star, belting out the chorus and basically doing everything Ray tells them to do. If you’ve heard this song on the radio in the last 40 years, this is the version they always play.
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The Kinks were always a working-class band singing about timeless working-class tropes: Money woes, unemployment, disappointment, heartbreak and resilience. Now you know why they chose Providence, Lowell and New Brunswick. These are blue collar towns whose citizens relate to everything The Kinks represent. These were their people. There’s no pretense or preciousness to the music. Just a shared experience and the joy of a band who really gets you. And that’s why One for the Road still kicks.
So, are we ready to let these scruffy punks track mud on the high-polish halls of Newbury St.?
Yiss we ah!
Ken’s Response:
The Kinks’ One for the Road captures the raw energy of a live performance, but it unknowingly exposes the band’s limitations more than it highlights their strengths. While The Kinks are part of the famous British Invasion of the 1960s, I’ve always thought they were kept below deck on that battleship while The Beatles, Stones, and Who got the well-deserved glory. And this particular record captures a band that sounds more tired than timeless, validating my long-standing views. The performances are competent but competence feels like the ceiling here.
While other garage rock bands like Creedence Clearwater Revival thrive on 3 and 4 chord pieces, The Kinks struggle with consistency in songwriting. CCR’s catalog is packed with chuggly, simple rock songs that still manage to have some weight and depth in both sound and lyric. The Kinks, on the other hand, are sloppy with their instruments, a weird guitar lick here and an odd drum beat there, and their lyrics paint a picture of…well, not much actually. Well-known tracks like “Lola” and “All Day and All of the Night” come off more like bar band nostalgia. There’s plenty of grit that you look for in a garage band, but nothing behind it to give it life.
And speaking of “Lola”, I’ve always found it to be a bit of a novelty song. Maybe that’s an unpopular take, but it’s been mine for over 40 years.
One for the Road isn’t all bad, but it’s a far cry from greatness. It feels more like a really good band that your cousin’s girlfriend’s brother plays in at some seaside bar on a Friday night.
Pitch Failed (I’d still like to Come Dancing with your sister)
Don’s Response:
Last weekend, I met my three siblings in San Francisco to celebrate my father’s 80th birthday. It was our first time together in a decade. Far too long. As soon as we reunited, it was like old times. Inside jokes, fun and games, and well-intentioned ribbing. Where had all the good times gone?
As the weekend progressed, there was some crying, eye rolling, and unnecessary defensiveness. Just a bit, not much. Alas, we were spending too much time in close quarters. After all, family gatherings are best experienced in small doses.
Which brings me to The Kinks’ One for the Road, featuring the notorious sibling rivals, the Davies brothers. Like our family’s reunion, it gets off to a strong start, with a nostalgic taste of their biggest hit, “You Really Got Me.” Along the way, there are beautiful moments, especially the instrumental intro to “Celluloid Heroes” and the ironically sentimental “Misfits.” The latter evoking feelings I’m sure each of the four Lane siblings experienced at times over the weekend, not to mention during our decades together (and, too often, apart).
One for the Road is not without awkward moments. From dorky stage banter and strained vocals to several skippable songs and a flat-out rip-off of The Rolling Stones “Jumpin’ Jack Flash/Satisfaction” riff in “Catch Me Now I’m Falling.” At times, it’s a slog. But taken in small doses, the album is quite fun, even endearing, warts and all. With great tunes like “Lola” and “All Day and All of the Night,” there’s a lot to love.
Maybe CJ caught me at a vulnerable moment. Sometimes it just feels good to be in a welcome place, among kindred spirits, remembering the good times, overlooking the annoyances, and hugging it out with your family.
Pitch Successful (too bad the Davies couldn’t permanently iron out their Kinks)
Mitch’s Response:
I’ve always wondered what happened to The Kinks. Of all of the British Invasion bands their legacy seems to have fallen off the most. You hardly ever hear them on the radio (and by “radio” I mean “the supermarket Muzak”) and you never see kids wearing their shirts. They’ve all but disappeared.
And yet, they had all the ingredients of a legendary, iconic rock band. They had the early “cups and cakes” period. They had the Little Richard covers. They had the “battling brothers” narrative. They had memorable hits. They had a controversial touring ban. They were covered by cooler, younger rock bands. They came back in the ‘80s with accessible hits. And then…they just disappeared from our collective cultural memory.
Listening to One for the Road reveals a band that is definitely doing something different than their peerage peers. They’re more energetic, more aggressive, and practically a punk band. The Kinks’ influence on heavy, party rock bands like Van Halen is apparent. So why did they disappear?
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There’s nothing wrong with being a second-tier city. Lowell gave us Jack Kerouac and that Dead show where I drank way too many Mike’s Hard Lemonades and had to take a nap during drums/space. Providence gave us Buddy Cianci and that weird Boston/New York hybrid accent. Second-tier cities have their charms but they’re second-tier cities for a reason.
The mystery of what happened to The Kinks is pretty obvious after all: they are a second-tier British Invasion band because they write second-tier songs. Outside of the 5 big hits on this album there are 14 songs that range from harmless filler to hot garbage. Maybe they found their rightful place after all: a low budget band best suited for second-tier cities.
Pitch Failed (you almost got me)
CJ’s pitch was unsuccessful and The Kinks’ One for the Road has been exiled back to a mid-tier venue in a second-city somewhere North of London. What’s your take on The Kinks and flavored colas? Please let us know in the comments section.
Please join us next week as Mitch shakes the Genesis family tree one more time with a pitch for Peter Gabriel Plays Live.
So, let me get this straight. Because they actually retired when they should've and didn't do eleven rounds of farewell tours like their contemporaries the Stones and the Who, they "disappeared?" I don't know how to break this to you fellas, but the Kinks weren't a novelty act or a wedding band. They sold over 50 million albums, had four gold records (including this one), were a first ballot HOF inductee and are listed as one of the most influential bands of their generation. And their biggest crime was playing good-time music that was fun to sing along to with a pint in your hand at your favorite bar. Sheesh!
This is an embarrassment. You guys decided to just do LIVE albums and One for the Road doesn't make it? I'm sorry CJ. You deserved better here.