Ray Davies: Not Like Everybody Else by Thomas M. Kitts
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Book Reviews of Ray Davies: Not Like Everybody Else
Book Review: 4 stars for just being able to put it in one book!
Summary: 4 Stars
When a big DOG gets up and dances: people applaud...not because the dog dances well, but because he can get up and dance at all!
Like the "dancing dog", I'm not applauding the book because it was so well written, (it's better than fair)I applaud it because someone was able to do it at all!
At the moment it's the only book of it's kind. So, until something better comes along shedding light on the way Ray writes songs; and shares the specifics of Ray's private life (warts and all), NOT LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE is the only game in town. I give the author much credit for the extensive research. Writting this book must have been a daunting, frustrating task for many reasons, including the mecurial behavior, egotistical whims and attitudes of Ray. This book does contain lots of good, little known, stories-insights into every Ray Davies project: records, musicals, films, etc.. This, for me, made the best reading: ESPECIALLY insights into Ray's musical composition/lyric writing techniques, satirical or otherwise.
There is an analysis, and quotes from R. Davies, of how the original inspiration for "Village Green" LP came from "Under Milk Wood" (the Dylan Thomas radio play). It even contains a sort of "draft" of the proposed song/scene line-up, and which different character(s) would have sung each song, if "ARTHUR" had been made into the musical cartoon. Bravo! That is the stuff I love to read about. Mr. Kitts did an intelligent job analzing each record, film ("Return To Waterloo) and "rock musical"(e.g Soap Opera)
It wasn't the most exciting read, but the fact that it has finally been done is AWESOME!
Thank you and Congrats Mr. Kitts. You have gone where few people dare to go.
Book Review: Getting to know Ray Davies
Summary: 4 Stars
This is a great book obviously written with little input from Ray Davies which is a pity. However, the depth of detail is great and you learn about the artist at work and realise that yes, he is not like everybody else and why would you want to be? I found this difficult to put down and was disappointed that it ended when it did. You get to understand more about what makes Ray Davies tick. Helpful too is the index and bibliography. Interesting about his clash with John Lennon and the rivalry that existed between the two.
Read in conjuction with X-Ray (by Ray Davies) this makes for a great understanding of one of the all time greats. This is a well written book but some day someone will get all the main players down to give a fully developed account of The Kinks and Ray Davies. Until that happens this is the best book I've read on Ray Davies.
Book Review: In Depth Look at a 20th Century Master
Summary: 4 Stars
Overall, this is an excellent study of the career and creative process of a modern master. My only quibble is that scant attention is payed to later work. For instance, UK Jive and the terribly overlooked Phobia are hardly mentioned; and certainly Other People's Lives, Davies' first proper solo album, could have been discussed in detail. I'm hoping for an updated edition that takes a closer work at Davies' later work, including last year's brilliant Working Man's Cafe. Nonetheless, Kitts obviously knows and appreciates his subject, and this book is full of insights, analysis, and interviews. A must for Kinks / Ray Davies fanatics, but also for those less familiar with this musical genius. Anyone who reads this is bound to walk away with a greater appreciation for the man, his music, and his legacy.Book Review: Long-Needed Perspective of a Difficult Genius
Summary: 4 Stars
Kitt does a wonderful job of evaluating Davies' fascinating life and brilliant career, which is not an easy task. As Kitt illustrates in the book, Davies has for decades been a notoriously maddening and mercurial figure to the world and to himself, with his ongoing personal quest for self-understanding being the engine fueling his amazing musical legacy. Although his body of work has always stood for itself, Kitt's synthesis of Davies' personal life and a smart analysis of his songs transcends many of the limitations found in previous works, and finally provides a satisfying and comprehensive (to 2007) perspective of this amazing career. Highly recommended for fans of Davies and the Kinks.Book Review: Time for Class!
Summary: 4 Stars
OK boys and girls. Settle down. It's time for class to begin...here comes professor Kitts.
Yeah, it's a little like that. This is a very scholarly parsing of Ray's tunes/lyrics, and I was a bit put off by the scholarly tone at first, but any true fan (you know who you are) will warm to such a thorough account. Nothing salacious here, but a lot's of good back story to the thinking behind the creation of songs by the greatest rock poet of our times.