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Episode: Connections: The Kinks new box set of Lola vs Powerman plus new and vintage music
Feb 5, 2021 episode of Connections on WPKN with Eric Cocks. It’s spontaneous! It’s non-linear!! Includes a deep exploration of The Kinks new 50th Anniversary box set of Lola vs Powerman and The Moneygoround, plus new and vintage music.
By 1970, The Kinks had started touring again in the United States after a four year ban. They needed a hit record after all these years and Ray Davies wrote what they needed: Lola. Also writing a song about what happens when you have a hit record: Top Of The Pops. And songs about the record business and publishers and managers and personal feelings and much more. And Apeman! Dave Davies wrote the classic Strangers, along with Rats. It became a loose concept album that still holds up well 50 years later.
This episode of Connections covers the box set in several sections including outtakes, demos, alternate versions, live music, amazing new mixes and “Ray’s Kitchen Sink” episodes of Ray and Dave talking about the writing and recording, growing up as brothers and the inspirations of individual songs over a cup of tea in Ray’s kitchen.
The Kinks music and the stories are separated over the course of the show by new and vintage music by other artists.
This episode includes Bo Diddley, Bob Dylan, Carole King, The Everly Brothers, The Beatles, Slim Gaillard and an excerpt of The Expanding Universe by electronic music pioneer Laurie Spiegel.
Also The Animals and a very personal tribute to my friend, the late great Hilton Valentine, guitarist and co-founder of The Animals, who passed away last week. A kind and friendly man with a great sense of humor who was a key creative force in hit records by The Animals, along with his own solo and group records and will be missed by many.
Also new music by Mike Viola, Kate Davis, Bob Dylan, Arlo Parks, Emma Swift, Jenny Kern, The Squeaky Chairs, The Raga Muffins, The New Normal and whatever happened in the moment.
Sometimes the connections only become apparent later… even to me!
Great thanks to The Kinks for brilliant music, originality and wonderful entertainment over all these years!
Thanks for tuning in!!
For info, updates and occasional articles, videos and photos, please join the Facebook page Connections on WPKN.
Show: Connections... with Eric Cocks
Connections... with Eric Cocks
Explores the connections between songs, songwriters, musicians, producers and people... often in surprising ways.
Vital, intelligent music with true artistic vision. Or just because it sounds good...
Includes extended features on specific artists such as Bob Dylan, The Kinks, The Beatles and far more. Also comedy by Lenny Bruce, George Carlin, Eddie Izzard, Paul Krassner and others with a rock and roll renegade attitude. In depth explorations of early electronic music (and how it relates to current music). Vital new music that deserves to be heard. Surf music. Garage bands. British invasion. Rock and Roll. John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins, Jimi Hendrix, Laurie Anderson, William Burroughs, Robert Anton Wilson, The Blues Magoos, David Bowie, The Beach Boys, Dr Fiorella Terenzi, Beethoven, Bo Diddley, The Rolling Stones, Alex Chilton, Nilsson, Tom Petty, Lucinda Williams, Jon Brion, Aimee Mann, Tame Impala, Grimes, The Pretenders, Blondie, Caitlin Rose, Juana Molina, Mojo Mancini, Elliott Randall, Marshall Chapman, Jessy Lanza, Big Star, demos, rarities, unreleased new music and far more may be part of any given show. Also live interviews of performers, writers, producers, engineers, session musicians and people behind the scenes. Plus unexpected surprises...
Previous in depth interviews include Sam Phillips, Peppy Castro of The Blues Magoos, author/comedian Paul Krassner, Chris Frantz of Talking Heads and Tom Tom Club, Neil Innes of The Rutles, Tommy James, legendary session musician Carol Kaye, Warren Zanes, Felix Cavaliere of The Rascals, Rod Argent of The Zombies, Oscar Winning Composer Alan Menken, Patty Larkin and more. All are available in archives for about 385 days. (Maybe that'll get extended some day.) Stay tuned for future interviews and special features.
The show will keep changing over time.
Tune in every 1st and 3rd Friday afternoon of each month at the new time of 4 to 7 pm eastern. Also special editions at other times. Available live over the air at 89.5, online at http://wpkn.org, tunein radio or listen later in the WPKN archives.
For further info, updates, news, videos and special features, please check the FaceBook site: Connections on WPKN
Thanks for tuning in!