The Kink Kontroversy is the third studio album by the English rock band the Kinks. It was released on 26 November 1965 in the United Kingdom by Pye Records.[5] Issued in the United States by Reprise Records on 30 March 1966, it was the Kinks' first American album to feature an identical track listing to its British counterpart.[6] It is a transitional work, with elements of both the earlier Kinks' styles (heavily blues-influenced songs such as "Milk Cow Blues" and variations on the band's power chord-driven hits from 1964 to 1965 such as "Till the End of the Day") and early indications of the future direction of Ray Davies' songwriting styles ("The World Keeps Going Round" and "I'm On an Island"). The liner notes were written by Michael Aldred.
Background
The album's title is a mocking reference to the notorious reputation the band had developed over the previous year, including onstage fights and concert riots in Europe, which led to a ban on the group's concerts in the United States.[citation needed]
The single "Till the End of the Day" was a major hit, reaching #8 in the UK[8] and #50 in the US, spending eight weeks or more in each chart.[9]
American singer Bobby Rydell covered "When I See That Girl of Mine", which was released as a single in the US a full month before the Kinks' version was made public.
AllMusic praised the album as the Kinks' coming-of-age, commenting that their raw early material was being replaced by more thoughtful and sophisticated songs. They pointed out "I'm on an Island", "Where Have All the Good Times Gone", "Ring the Bells", "The World Keeps Going Round", and "I Am Free" as particularly strong examples of this.[10]
Ray Davies – lead vocals, electric and acoustic guitars; harmonica("Gotta Get the First Plane Home"); piano ("Ring the Bells"); producer ("It's too Late", uncredited)[12]
Dave Davies – backing vocals, electric guitar; acoustic guitar ("Ring the Bells"); lead vocals ("I am Free" and "What's in Store for Me"); co-lead vocals ("Milk Cow Blues", "Where Have All the Good Times Gone" and "You Can't Win")
Pete Quaife – bass guitar; backing vocals ("I am Free" and "Till the End of the Day")
Mick Avory – drums ("Milk Cow Blues", "Ring the Bells"; possibly "The World Keeps Going Round" and "It's too Late"); tambourine("Till the End of the Day"); maracas("Gotta Get the First Plane Home"); bell("I'm on an Island")
Additional musicians and production
Clem Cattini – drums (all tracks except "Milk Cow Blues" and "Ring the Bells"; possibly "The World Keeps Going Round" and "It's too Late")
Rasa Davies – backing vocals ("Till the End of the Day")
Nicky Hopkins – piano (all tracks except "Ring the Bells")
Hinman, Doug (2004). The Kinks: All Day and All of the Night: Day-by-Day Concerts, Recordings and Broadcasts, 1961–1996. San Francisco, California: Backbeat Books. ISBN978-0-87930-765-3.
