You really got me b/w It's alright by The Kinks (Pye 7 N 15673)

I missed this one when it originally came out, somewhere in the summer of 1964 as I wasn't buying records yet. Obtaining an "envelope" copy became harder and harder over the years. Recently saw a documentary about British heavy metal on the BBC and this was mentioned as the beginning of heavy metal. Well, the riff is unmistakably heavy, but to call this metal? I never understood the comparison between You really got me and Louie Louie: the riffs are so far apart that a comparison is hardly possible. Louie Louie hasn't even got a real "riff" in the correct sense, it's more of a chord progression. I guess it was Ray Davies himself who mentioned the influence of Louie Louie on You really got me, but he also explained that the latter started out as a jazzy song. It was Dave's messing with his speakers (he used to cut little tears in them with a razor blade) that made the sound of this record.
Rating: *****

Pwd: bombersongs

Baldheaded woman b/w Lonesome town by The Hep Stars (Polydor International 421 007)

Dutch band the JayJays had released a single in January 1966 comprising two songs from the Kinks' debut album: Baldheaded woman b/w So mystifying. I managed to get both songs in the 1966 winter sale on two separate singles by Swedish band the Hep Stars. Their star was lead singer Svenne Hedlund, but little did I know it would be their keyboard player Benny Andersson who would rise to world fame in the 1970's with Abba. In hindsight their version of Baldheaded woman was a bit lame. The b-side, a Ricky Nelson song later covered by Paul McCartney, showed they were better at ballads.
Rating: **

No response b/w So mystifying by The Hep Stars (Polydor International 421 014)

Again a bit of a lame cover compared to The Kinks' original (I actually went out and bought the Kinks debut album when it was released in the budget Golden Guinea series to get the originals of Baldheaded woman and So mystifying). Later in 1966 the Hep Stars had an international hit with Sunny girl, written by Benny Andersson. That was clearly more their niche.
Rating: **

"Till the end of the day" b/w "Where have all the good times gone" by The Kinks (PYE 7N15981)

The Kinks hardly seemed to make singles that were NOT good. I guess only "Everybody's gonna be happy" was a miss, but they were one of my favourite groups. I bought their first album when it came out in the budget Golden Guinea series, but this was their first single I owned. That was partly due to the great B-side, which could have been a hit in its own right. Until 1967 "Where have all the good times gone" was part of the repertoire of just about every "beat group" in my hometown. I didn't seem to date as quickly as other songs did. Still sounds great today.........
Rating: *****

P/w: bomber