The Kinks - Most Underrated Band

[imported_The Vibesman]

Inspired by the ongoing, constant Beatles-are-the-most-overrated argument:

I think the Kinks are the most underrated group ever.

I'm interested to see if anyone agrees, and who your candidates are.

I know this could easily devolve into a my-favorite-band-no-one-has-heard-of-thread, but I didn't want it to be that way, or I would have titled it The Blasters. So let's keep this to popular bands that most people have heard but many don't take seriously. The B-52's, for example, would be a good answer.

Back to the Kinks: They're incredible, and incredible straight up from their first records through the 1980's and albums like "Give The People What They Want!". Their "Lola Vs. The Powerman and The Money-go-round" was a seriously influential album, one of the first "concept" type albums. And their playing and live shows are legendary. Not to mention that their influence on rock music, with songs like You Really Got Me, All Day and All Of The Night, and Lola, is lasting and legendary.

[cold_cash]

[ QUOTE ]
Give The People What They Want!

[/ QUOTE ]

Awesome.

[KDawgCometh]

i think what makes the Kinks so great is that their sound constatnly evolved and they had hits in three different decades in the 60s, 70s, and 80s. Also, they sounded different while still maintaining their core group. Very impressive

[PITTM]

i would say that these are 3 that come to mind:
-the kinks, good call.
-the cars
-deep purple(forever)

rj

[swede123]

Do you consider underrated in terms of critical acclaim or public recognition/respect? If we're talking public recognition maybe Velvet Underground.

Swede

[trying2learn]

the kinks are a very good answer here...along with the who.

there are so many, "supergroups" that get mentioned long before these (also amazing) acts.

[istewart]

[ QUOTE ]
the who.


[/ QUOTE ]

No.

[PorscheNGuns]

Theyre widely recognized as one of rock n roll's greatest bands. Why exactly do you think they are underrated?

-Matt

[ QUOTE ]

-the cars


[/ QUOTE ]

Yes.

[Dominic]

I love The Kinks. Especially Low Budget.

My answer to the most under-rated band of all-time though, is, of course, The Cars.

[MaxPower]

I agree. Especially in the US. They are probably better appreciated in the UK.

[MonkeeMan]

"Low Budget - Gallon of Gas" - couldn't have been more topical.

A Kinks story - Everyone knows the Kinks did "You Really Got Me" and it was a big hit. Later, Van Halen covered it, and it was a big hit too. The next time the Kinks toured the states they of course covered the Van Halen cover of the Kinks original! /images/graemlins/cool.gif

The Who were never underrated.
The Cars still get major airtime.

I nominate Humble Pie and Little Feat.

[Dominic]

[ QUOTE ]

The Cars still get major airtime.


[/ QUOTE ]

But they've never been considered a great, important band. And I feel that respect for them is long overdue.

For some reason bands like The Police are inducted into the R&R Hall of Fame on the first ballot and considered trail blazers and so on, but not the Cars.

Now don't get me wrong, I think The Police were a great band - but I guarantee you more bands today are influnced by The Cars than by the Police. Or the Talking Heads. Or Devo. (all great bands, by the way)

Just my two cents.

[PorscheNGuns]

You, too, are wrong. I can't listen to a 4 hour block of classic rock radio without hearing a Cars song.

-Matt

[MonkeeMan]

[ QUOTE ]
For some reason bands like The Police are inducted into the R&R Hall of Fame on the first ballot and considered trail blazers and so on, but not the Cars.

[/ QUOTE ]

I can give you one great reason. The Cars once cancelled their show in Cleveland (home of the RR&R Hall of Fame) because of snow! Clevelander's despise snow wimps.

[sfer]

Depending on what metric one uses to define underrated, I can make a very good case for Iggy and the Stooges.

[imported_The Vibesman]

[ QUOTE ]
"Low Budget - Gallon of Gas" - couldn't have been more topical.

[/ QUOTE ]

Funny, I was listening to this album a couple of days ago and gas was over 3$ a gallon. Still topical.

[ QUOTE ]
A Kinks story - Everyone knows the Kinks did "You Really Got Me" and it was a big hit. Later, Van Halen covered it, and it was a big hit too. The next time the Kinks toured the states they of course covered the Van Halen cover of the Kinks original! /images/graemlins/cool.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

After a while, Dylan started doing "All Along The Watchtower" like Hendrix in concert, as a "tribute" to Jimi.

I don't think the Who can be called underrated, as many have pointed out, they're considered one of the top bands ever.

The Cars is a good answer, as is Velvet Underground, Humble Pie and Little Feat.

[Blarg]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

The Cars still get major airtime.


[/ QUOTE ]

But they've never been considered a great, important band. And I feel that respect for them is long overdue.

For some reason bands like The Police are inducted into the R&R Hall of Fame on the first ballot and considered trail blazers and so on, but not the Cars.

Now don't get me wrong, I think The Police were a great band - but I guarantee you more bands today are influnced by The Cars than by the Police. Or the Talking Heads. Or Devo. (all great bands, by the way)

Just my two cents.

[/ QUOTE ]

I remember reading some poll of music critics called Talking Heads the most influential band of the 80's. To me, they were the best one, but I'm not sure how they were the most influential.

[Blarg]

[ QUOTE ]
You, too, are wrong. I can't listen to a 4 hour block of classic rock radio without hearing a Cars song.

-Matt

[/ QUOTE ]

Have to agree on that one. The one I hear most is Drive, which Ocasek(spelling?) didn't even sing and is kind of like a one-off.

[Blarg]

Foghat I've seen referred to as underrated.

I think Gang of Four was very underrated.

And I think sort of "posthumously," The Clash has become underrated. In the 80's they were called "the only band that matters." Now, they seem almost forgotten. I think VERY undeservedly so.

[BiffMan]

Agreed on the Kinks... Always been quite partial to "Father Christmas"

I'd also toss in Oingo Boingo as a very good, seldom mentioned band.

[captZEEbo1]

"A Well Respected Man" is one of my favorite Kinks songs. This band is really really amazing, and the only songs I ever heard on the radio from them are "you really got me" "all day and all of hte night" and "lola", but their greatest hits is really really really good. I disagree with those saying that they are widely known as one of the greatest bands ever, b/c they simply aren't. I'd wager that a LOT of people 20 years older and younger have never HEARD of "the kinks".

[PITTM]

i think it has to be deep purple. pretty much all you ever hear is smoke on the water and they had a TON of sweet ass songs. stormbringer rules.

rj

[Blarg]

[ QUOTE ]
Agreed on the Kinks... Always been quite partial to "Father Christmas"

I'd also toss in Oingo Boingo as a very good, seldom mentioned band.

[/ QUOTE ]

Oingo Boingo is a great choice. Danny Elfman is enormously talented, and that was a hell of a great band.

"Only a Lad" is still one of the most fun songs I've ever heard, and always makes me crack a grin. I can't think of it without smiling. Wild Sex in the Working Class, Dead Man's Party, etc. ... lots of good stuff. Tons of energy and originality, and those boys could PLAY.

Any band that quotes "Island of Lost Souls" (or was it Isle?) has got its head in the right place.

[KJS]

Have you ever read "Please Kill Me"? It is an oral history of punk rock, featuring members of The Stooges, The Ramones, Television, Dead Boys, etc.. There is mention in that book that when the first Cars album came out, the punk rockers had a feeling their time was up. They knew that album would change music, and they were right.

KJS

[InchoateHand]

Excellent.

Underrated?

[BiffMan]

Dead Man's Party is one I can pop in and listen to in pretty much any mood. Quite a lot of variety in that song. Very cool that Danny managed to make the transition to other things since that's one remarkably talented dude.

[PITTM]

by the way, IMO, one of the best rock bands ever who are EXTREMELY underrated: YES.

rj

[marsvolta619]

Agreed on The Cars, Kinks, and Gang of Four...
I'm gonna throw in Sonic Youth and Patti Smith. Woulda said Stooges maybe but there's kind of a rebirth and people are catching on

[cbfair]

[ QUOTE ]
by the way, IMO, one of the best rock bands ever who are EXTREMELY underrated: YES.

rj

[/ QUOTE ]

Indeed. Yes is pure genius and seldom recognized as such. While most folks recognize Owner of a Lonely Heart and maybe a few of their more radio friendly pieces; you seldom hear about their truly great works; Close To the Edge, And You And I, Heart of the sunrise, Siberian Kathuru (sp) all come to mind.

I also agree with the original thesis that the Kinks are a very underated but talented and influential band.

The Cars, I'm not so sure of but that could prove the point that they're underated. Please list a few specific reasons why you think they deserve this credit (I'm mostly adressing Dominic here) cause I'd love to learn more and use this as an excuse to fill out my collection.

[Luv2DriveTT]

[ QUOTE ]
I agree. Especially in the US. They are probably better appreciated in the UK.

[/ QUOTE ]

U and I think so similarly Max, if the OP was located in the UK he wouldn't have to ask this question, because they are really appreciated there for being the founders of it all... the absolute beginners.

TT /images/graemlins/club.gif