“Lola Versus Powerman” Review – 50 Years From 70A
My 50 Years From 70a Revisited Review of the Kinks Lola Vs Powerman & the Mojo Jojo. Where it All Began, and What Happened After. These two great guys from the UK have put out some fantastic records over their time. My favorite of their albums is Mojojojo & the Kinks. Here is a brief history of the band and where it all started.
The Kinks formed in Liverpool in the early seventies, they were known as just the Kinks. Their original lineup included vocalist/songwriter Ian Anderson, guitar player Don Butler, and bass player John Entwistle. After getting together in the group named the Kinks, they began playing music together. The band went through several lineup changes, first Don Butler left, then Ian Anderson moved into the lead guitar, and Don Williams was added to the rhythm guitar for their next album. This lineup change became the same lineup that comprised the original lineup on their third album Back to the Future.
After back to back albums the band decided to make an album that was a full length, single, and had an extensive reworking of some of their old songs. This is when they were starting to really push their sound. They made what is known as the self-titled album and the band really seemed to hit their stride with this record. That album went on to sell close to one million copies in its lifetime. The rest of the quartet went on to form the equally successful Cream.
On the heels of their success with the self titled Kinks album, the guys decided to try their hand at writing and producing their own solo hits. They teamed up again with their long time friend and band mate John Entwistle to write and produce “Babylon Sisters.” This track remains their only real chart topping hit. This track also featured their then long time band mate Ginger Baker on vocals and bass. Their second song on this album was called “I’m a Man.”
After the success with “Babylon Sisters,” the Kinks were back in the studio working on their next masterpiece which would be the band’s last release. This time they decided to put out a double album named What Are Little People Working Together? This double album was a mixture of their earlier music and contained several new songs. This group was made up of the original members of the Kinks such as Ginger Baker, John Entwistle, Roger Daltrey, and ex-member Anne Gretsky.
After this group finished their second album, they decided to get together with their original guitarist and singer, David Holmes. David Holmes was a twenty-year-old British guitarist that had moved to New York to study with John Entwistle. During this time he discovered the band when they were practicing and he knew right there and then that he wanted to be a guitar player. A year later he signed with the Kinks and in the end formed the band named Oasis. David Holmes went on to play on several other Kinks albums including “Babylon Sisters,” “Strawberry Fields Forever,” and “Words to Live.”
The “Babylon Sisters” single was an influence for many other musicians. Influential blues guitarist BB King used a sample from this song for his song, “Who’s That Lady?” A cover version of this song became a huge hit for The Monkees. Queen’s lead singer, Freddie Mercury, also sampled the track on their album “Bohemian Rhapsody.”
Oasis brought the band even further popularity by going on to record four full-length albums and a number of singles. Much of the group’s popularity stemmed from the group’s unique sound. The guitars were modified versions of those used by the Yardbirds, and their songs reflected the blues concepts of “low” and “high.” The band’s iconic logo, the palm tree with the name of the band beneath it, was a direct result of meeting the band’s drummer, John Entwistle. This iconic image has been adopted by many artists including the Rolling Stones.
