The eighth studio album by The Kinks, ‘Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part One’, will be re-released as part of the albums’ 50th Anniversary celebrations.
Often seems as a concept album ahead of its time, ‘Lola Versus Powerman’, as it was also known, was a satirical view of the music industry and spoke about song publishers, unions, press, accountants, business managers and life on the road.
‘Lola Versus Powerman’ appeared at a transitional time for the band, but was commercially successful and spawned the hits ‘Lola’ and ‘Apeman’.
Ray Davies says: “The album is a celebration of artistic freedom, including my own and the right for anyone to be gender free if one wishes.
“The secret is to be a good and trusting person and friend.”
The famous track ‘Lola’ was written by Ray in early 1970 and was recorded at Morgan Studios in London. It supposedly tells the romantic tale between a young man and a transgender person, whom he meets in a club in Soho. It was inspired by an alleged encounter by the band’s manager.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFwP2huyNzg
The 50th Anniversary celebration begin with a new Ray Davies remix/medley of the Kinks track ‘Any Time’. Titled ‘The Follower – Any Time 2020’ the song was originally written as a B-side to the single ‘Apeman’. It has been recreated with unreleased versions and other Kinks tracks from the ‘Lola’ album, with added spoken words and sound effects.
Ray says of this new concept piece: “The isolation caused by Coronavirus can give people time to re-evaluate the world and re-assess their lives.
“Music can comfort the lonely, transcend time and it is not the future or the past, yesterday, today or tomorrow. It is anytime.”
“I saw a way of making this unreleased 1970’s track connect to an audience in 2020. I also saw a way of showing that music can time-travel, that memory is instantaneous and therefore can join us in the ‘now’.
“I put this together as something surreal, then realised that it was really happening.
“The song has found its place – after its 50th Birthday!”
The multi-format packs will be released 11 December, via BMG and is available to order now: https://thekinks.lnk.to/Lola50AnniversaryPR
