The Beach Boys vs the Kinks - Progressive Rock Music Forum

I've never really been big on either band but if i had to pick I would go with the Beach Boys.

If for no other reason, the harmonies.

Edited by Argo2112 - July 20 2021 at 09:52

The Beach Boys. Music and harmonies superb.

Kinks.........I like some Beach Boys tracks and Pet Sounds stands up as an lp but the rest is weak imho.

One does nothing yet nothing is left undone.
Haquin

20 years ago it would have been The Kinks hands down…though after digging a bit further down the Beach Boys’ late 60s and 70s oevre I actually find it very difficult picking one over the other. They’re so different and as such fit vastly different occasions and moods.

“The Guide says there is an art to flying or rather a knack. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss.”

- Douglas Adams

Beach Boys. Although Ray Davies is a great songwriter and epitomises English whimsy, effectively writing modern day folk music capturing English life, Brian Wilson's contribution to modern music is simply massive.

Not disagreeing with the inpact of B Wilson, but based on what ive read and heard, the influence the Kinks have on certain genres, also modern ones, are not to be shy about either. Oasis is as much The Kinks as they are the Beatles influenced, Blur, The Verve, plenty of the Indie rock scene, lots of punk, im pretty certain they also impacted the "englishes-ness" in early Genesis, i hear a certain mood similarity between Village Green and Selling England, but also Nursery Cryme.

Here is Peter Gabriel with a nice take on Waterloo Senset
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=k9m9CLACAtU

Edited by Icarium - July 21 2021 at 14:45

I thought this would be very easy to answer, and I would obviously gravitate towards the Kinks. But upon proper reflection, and in terms of sounds that really shaped my perceptions, would have to go with the Beach Boys. The theremin on "Good Vibrations" an obvious standout...

I've always been so drawn to Tokyo...

The Anders wrote:

The Beach Boys by a mile, but mostly because of the years 1965 to 1967.

But "everyone" knows they peaked in 1970/1971. Well, to each his own, but I think they were rather horrible up to 66, somewhat overrated in 66/67, and that Surf's Up + Sunflower are their true gems.

-I think I'll still have to vote for Kinks, as they were/are my dad's favorite band, and just thinking about them makes me smile. Wonder Boy was one of my first ever favorite songs. I must have picked up the "message" somehow, even though I didn't understand a thing.

Progmind wrote:

Really love both bands, voted by the Kinks.

As i go into the world of Kinks i realize how huge they were, if there is a band that the beatles were watching out of the corner it was precisely this band along with the beach boys, the kinks were the first to create the distorted riffs that we know today in rock with the amazing song "you really got me".

while the Beatles and the Beach Boys gave the format of pop, The Rolling Stones made a tribute to R&B, the ones who shaped rock as we know it are the Kinks and they did it before the Who!.

However, due to a series of events including some due to the group´s own responsability and its constant attacks of violence (they were banned from entering to USA for 10 years for behaving like neanderthals) worse managers and relatively little promotion made their achievements go unnoticed.

What were those achievements? among them we can say that it was the first band to include a hindu sitar in a rock song, listen to "See my Friends", they recorded the first videoclip with a plot and social criticism included; the kinks speak directly (and based on real events) of a relationship between a man and a travesti, they directly influence in genres such as Garage Rock, Punk, Hard Rock, New Wave, hardocre punk and indie rock.

They also generated the reverence of a wide musical world. from my beloved Cardiacs (who pay tribute with the cover " Suzanne Still Alive" to people as diverse as David Bowie, Sex Pistols, Blur, The Jam, Mark Hamill, etc.

this is an excellent post

thanks Icarium, my english its very primitive!!!

Poll Question: Which is your favourite
Poll Choice	Votes	Poll Statistics
The Beach Boys	15	[50.00%]
The Kinks	15	[50.00%]
You can not vote in this poll

Post Reply	Page 12 >