What compilation album from The Kinks do I want?

If you like those songs by the Kinks, do yourself a favor and just get the largest collection disc you can. You'll find that those few songs are far from their best material.

I would have to get two sets with a LOT of repetition.

Figured it out:

The Essential Kinks

Lola is a live version but I'll survive with it. Not an easy title to find in mint condition at a reasonable price but I persevered.

Yes, a lot of other songs on there too that I'm sure I'll enjoy.

Grab their live album 'One For The Road'.

You'll be glad you did.

And @roxy54 is right. You like what you like, but they have many really good songs.

I'll take that into serious consideration, the live album. Thanks for the heads up.

I don't doubt they have a lot of good music but I want the tunes I remember from the radio for sure. Much of my music collection has specific memories to it. A lot of the other music on this compilation will be new to me but I'm sure I'll enjoy it.

Again, thanks for the recommendation. I bought 6 CD sets today, a Jack Nicholson DVD the other day and my newest set of Morrow Audio SP6 speaker cables will arrive soon. That kills the entertainment budget for a week or so!

Find a copy of " To The Bone ". Live in the studio, excellent SQ,.2 discs. Pretty sure Destroyer is not on it, but its a really great compilation.https://www.ebay.com/itm/135504693034?_skw=kinks+to+the+bone&epid=3223087&itmmeta=01JJ4J3HG6E88EAVJTDRD2NRE0&hash=item1f8cb5872a:g:5eYAAOSw3Zxni6-j&itmprp=enc%3AAQAJAAAA8HoV3kP08IDx%2BKZ9MfhVJKnnghHceu%2BKOvOktmhl%2BOB9EUXG%2F7%2B4%2FM5yEMT7MNPEIUbuOScjLZWbh5rp4KVTVWwvctLpdvzhga8uQYMHp6lPaUtNlZl8uY9hRIehQpR%2BG47gVctwd%2Foes%2B%2BxqHZRbyImbtoUi2w7v8wUVkdQ6AiMk7wnco7eIgc5T70zR4wjG%2BVk8DpdclkTcrwgze1toJBr7mq7WaY2dKtlkemoaBkx83%2BL93fYMN%2B%2F%2BA0N5LNZC3uQtHfy9eV1VDAKdrnGuMQJ%2Fah2dnn8tkqYdGjhjAS6Qytcnhn1ePgAlp9dtm8bgg%3D%3D%7Ctkp%3ABFBMnJiOkpFl

I'm a long time fan of The Kinks, and if there was only one Kinks disc I could own, it would be The Village Green Preservation Society. It's a true masterpiece musically and lyrically.

@roxy54 ,

I'm partial to 'Wicked Annabella'.

I want to thank everybody for their input, it's appreciated.

Roxy, I actually once lived in a place called Village Green! It's in Baldwinsville, NY.

there's an "ultimate collection" which has all the hits except for destroyer that is as comprehensive as any. tbh, the kinks are one of those bands whose deep tracks are as good as better as their hits, so i'd encourage you to get the classic original albums + "kink kronicles," which has a lot of non-album stuff.

Big Kinks fan here, like others have said their are some real sleepers in their regular released albums that the compilations just don't cover, one being Low Budget and there are many many more. Enjoy the music

The Kinks run of albums from 1966 through 1972 (Face To Face, Something Else By The Kinks, The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society, Arthur---Or The Decline And Fall Of The British Empire, Lola Versus Powerman And The Moneygoround Part One, Muswell Hillbillies, and Everybody’s In Showbiz) is by far my favorite of the 60’s UK groups. The Beatles, The Stones, The Who, and The Yardbirds all pale in comparison (imo). The most British of them all!

Another great Kinks anthology to get is The Kinks Kronikles, a 2-LP set released by Reprise Records in 1972. Rather than being a best of or greatest hits compilation, it contains a lot of deep cuts and obscurities.

@bdp24 

I strongly agree with you. Those other bands do pale in comparison to The Kinks.i also want to extend my condolences to you regarding the passing of Garth Hudson.

@roxy54: Another thing we agree about is the Kinks’ Village Green album. I would have a hard time choosing it over Face To Face or Something Else, loving all three in their own way. Luckily I don’t have to!

I got myself the expanded boxset version of the Village Green album when it came out a few years back. It contains both mono and stereo remastered LP’s done by Kevin Gray at his Cohearant Audio studio, and a thick book containing five CD’s of the album in mono and stereo as well as alternate takes and live recordings. The book also houses three 7" 45 RPM singles, a bunch of photo prints, a poster, and a booklet with notes on the making of the album. Also in the box is a hardbound book containing a lot of pictures taken at the time of the album’s recording. All in all, the best album reissue I’ve ever seen!

Thanks for the condolences for Garth’s passing. I consider Garth to be the single most remarkable musician to ever make music in the field of Rock ’n’ Roll, the reasons for which are only partially revealed in the below video:

https://youtu.be/eLBux4PNvl8?si=_DNfvAoFoZIrSwSb

By the way, this video is a tribute to the entire Band, and is the best one I’ve ever seen. The feelings and opinions expressed by it’s maker are 100% in line with mine.

The Kink Kronikles is a great compilation that has Lola and Apeman (of your 4). It also has stuff you may have never heard along with great notes by longtime Kronicler John Mendelssohn. 

In a review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine at AllMusic, he said, in part:

"Apart from the hits -- the lazy, sardonic "Sunny Afternoon" and the gorgeous "Waterloo Sunset," and the 1970 comeback hits "Lola" and "Apeman" -- there is a wealth of music that ranks among their very best material that isn't available on any other album."

https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-kink-kronikles-mw0000197930#:~:text=The%20Kink%20Kronikles%20Review%20by%20Stephen%20Thomas%20Erlewine&text=Apart%20from%20the%20hits%20%2D%2D,available%20on%20any%20other%20album. 

Most of the Kinks albums are also available on SACD - including a greatest hits compilation called Come Dancing with the Kinks. Check that other auction site for availability.

Kink Kronicles and Come Dancing cover early and later years Kinks. Understand you like CDs as I still do but suggest streaming with a Kinks playlist. I have one for each of my favorite bands. Lets you pick which songs and which versions.

I never did quite "get" the Kinks. While I liked tunes such as Lola, Twenty First Century man, Celluloid Heroes and even Victoria -- they sounded like Rock to me -- I simply did not relate to the more deliberately quaint and idiosyncratic British cultural references and attitudes that seemed to largely dominate their output.

By way of comparison, I have no such problem with the Folk and Music Hall elements prevalent in Richard Thompson’s songs. Somehow, he’s able to incorporate them into something more universal, or at least something I can easily relate to.

I have experienced The Kinks in concert live in person over a dozen times. They are Fantastic. SLEEPWALKER album is my fav !