The Bodaciously Excellent Blog of Doctorwhen

The Kinks “Muswell Hillbillies” Reissue

The Kinks “Muswell Hillbillies” Reissue

The 2015 remix & remaster of the 1971 Kinks “Muswell Hillbillies” album on high grade vinyl includes the original album and a 2nd disc of rarities & outtakes from the original album sessions as well as BBC sessions recorded for John Peel. I’ve purchased a lot of 180 gram vinyl reissues and the quality varies dramatically. The vinyl production on this reissue is excellent but the real kicker is you basically get a whole second Muswell Hillbillies album with the inclusion of the rarities and outtakes. Thanks Kinks!

Muswell Hillbillies is an album by the English rock group The Kinks. Released in November 1971, it was the band’s first album for RCA Records. The album is named after the Muswell Hill area of North London, where band leader Ray Davies and guitarist Dave Davies grew up and the band formed in the early 1960s.[

The album introduces a number of working class figures and the stresses with which they must contend. It did not sell well but received positive reviews and critical acclaim. In my opinion, this is one of The Kinks’ best albums. I put it right up there with “Lola Versus Powerman and the MoneygoroundandEverybody’s in Show-Biz“.

The front cover picture was taken in the Archway Tavern, a pub in Archway (more than two miles away from Muswell Hill). The back inset picture, showing the band below a signpost giving directions to Muswell Hill, was taken on the small traffic island at the intersection of Castle Yard and Southwood Lane in Highgate.

Track Listings

Disc: 1

  1. 20th Century Man
  2. Acute Schizophrenia Paranoia Blues
  3. Holiday
  4. Skin and Bone
  5. Alcohol
  6. Complicated Life

Disc: 2

  1. Here Come the People in Gray
  2. Have a Cuppa Tea
  3. Holloway Jail
  4. Oklahoma U.S.A.
  5. Uncle Son
  6. Muswell Hillbilly

Disc: 3

  1. Lavender Lane
  2. Mountain Woman
  3. Have a Cuppa Tea
  4. Uncle Son
  5. Kentucky Moon
  6. Nobody’s Fool

Disc: 4

  1. Acute Schizophrenia Paranoia Blues
  2. Holiday
  3. Skin and Bone
  4. 20th Century Man
  5. Queenie
  6. Muswell Hillbillies Radio Spot

Personnel

The Kinks

  • Ray Davies – lead vocals, acoustic guitar, resonator guitar
  • Dave Davies – lead guitar, slide guitar, banjo, backing vocals
  • John Dalton – bass guitar, backing vocals
  • John Gosling – piano (acoustic and electric), Hammond organ, accordion
  • Mick Avory – drums, percussion

with:

  • Mike Cotton – trumpet
  • John Beecham – trombone, tuba
  • Alan Holmes – saxophone, clarinet
  • Vicki Brown – backing vocals on tracks 4 and 9
  • Ken Jones – harmonica on track 7
  • Mike Bobak; Richard Edwards – engineer

Let me know what you think