Friday, October 22, 2010

The Kinks - Destroyer (1981)




"Destroyer"-- The Kinks from the album
"Give the People What They Want"
released 1981 (Ray Davies)

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From Wikipedia: "The track was chosen as the lead single from the album in the US ("Better Things" was the lead single in the UK), although it was released after the album in September. The single reached #3 on the Billboard Rock Top Tracks chart and #85 on the Billboard Hot 100."

18 comments:

  1. I've never heard this before Doug ...interesting references to earlier Kinks songs and also a definite nod toward Punk, this has a flavour of the Stranglers and Tom Robinson, both of whom were of course big when this came out in the early 80s. I wonder if this was only released in the US.....I can't be absolutely sure about it but I don't think this ever was a hit in the UK....I may be wrong though, but it completely passed me by if it was? Thanks for posting it anyway Doug its an interesting track.

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  2. One of those genuine oddities, AA--an established British band having a hit song in the States that was under the radar in the UK. Just didn't get the airplay it deserved becauase some genius at the record comapny didn't put out a .45 single.

    "Destroyer" definately has echoes of "You Really Got Me" and other Kinks hits, as well as that revolutionary 80's punk and blues fusion sound that came on so successfully. It did pretty well over here, about the same time as "Come Dancing" which was huge.
    Some of the best British bands like The Stranglers you mentioned were ones that didn't get much play across the Atlantic, or at least not that I noticed.

    I've only recently heard some of the best 80' British bands from material loaded on You Tube video and music sites.

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  3. This seems as though it could be quite a recent recording. Strange how some music doesn't date.

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  4. I would agree. Certain groups like "The Kinks", "The Who" and "The Beatles" wrote and performed music that really holds up nicely.

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  5. The Kinks were under appreciated in my opinion. They had some great music! For some reason I could not get the link to work. Great song all the same

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  6. BTW I see by your avatar you are dying your hair. looks good

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  7. I totally agree about The Kinks Fred. Let me put the link in direct to You Tube here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBbAZVw3_7A

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  8. Thanks. I kind of like the look myself--although I got my black cape caught in the automatic door at Safeway yesterday.

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  9. Yeah buddy. Next year I'm going as Spiderman.

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  10. your wife might not want all the webs around the house

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  11. Good point, Fred. No Marvel Comics heroes then. I've got a year to think of something else.

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  12. Maybe you could become the Maytag repair man. You could then just sit around all day

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  13. That suggestion might not be as helpful as you might believe.

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  14. Fred, what I meant was that the "Maytag Repairman" guy lacks a certain ....verve. On the other hand, the temptation to do nothing has its merits. I will reconsider this suggestion.

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