Any Roxy Music or Kinks fans, just asking

**mandocrucian** · Mar-25-2009, 12:00pm

Ever hear of a midwest (rock) band from the 70's called The Leopards?

They did 2 or 3 LPs on their own "Moon" label. Dennis Pash, the singer, played mando and guitar (50/50), and was a vocal dead ringer for Ray Davies. Sonically, it was early Kinks ("Sunny Afternoon", "Dedicated Follower of Fashion", "Dead End Street era) with a mando, and all original Daviesque material.

The LPs are now $150+ collectors items and really hard to find. (One of my record collecting pals back in FL had their Kansas City Slickers LP, which is why I've known about 'em since the late 70's.)

Niles H.

**Rick Schmidlin** · Mar-25-2009, 12:21pm

Originally Posted by mandopete

On a side note I just heard that Lux Interior recently passed away.

Another Roxy fan here - especially the early stuff with Eno.

What's her name - Virginia Plain!

Back in 1979 i was Lighting Director of The Whiskey a Go Go on the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood. In Dec. 1979 Ultravox played seven gigs and I did lights. One night the entire band asked if I would bring them and two friends to a place were they could eat and have a meeting. Those two were Brian Eno and David Byrne.We went up to The Rainbow Bar and Grill ( the then rock star hang out) for pizza, it was a dinner and night I woluld never forget.

**mandopete** · Mar-25-2009, 8:35pm

Originally Posted by Tone Monster

Back in 1979 i was Lighting Director of The Whiskey a Go Go on the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood. In Dec. 1979 Ultravox played seven gigs and I did lights.

Was that when Midge Ure was in the band - I think I was at that gig.

Okay, funny story time. I went to see the Talking Heads at the Roxy on the strip and that same night tickets went on sale for Peter Gabriel. So like any good fanboy I got in line right after the Heads show with the intention of waiting overnight for tickets. Well, abot 2:00AM David and Tina come walking out and ask "What's everybody hanging out for?" and we told him "Tickets for Peter Gabriel!". He sort of shrugged and walked away.

Oh, L.A. in the late 70's...

**GTG** · Mar-25-2009, 11:24pm

I guess I'm a younger fan than some of you folks, but man, there was no better coming of age band for me than the Kinks.

There's a soft spot in my heart thinking back to my early teenage years, falling asleep to 'Rock and roll fantasy' and other tunes. Kind of corny, but so true at the time...

"Dan is a fan and he lives for our music, it's the only thing that gets him by...
...and when he feels the world is closing in he turns the stereo way up high. He just spends his life living in a rock and roll fantasy..."

**Rick Schmidlin** · Mar-25-2009, 11:38pm

Originally Posted by mandopete

Was that when Midge Ure was in the band - I think I was at that gig. Oh, L.A. in the late 70's...

Yep, Midge Ure was the singer

**Mike Snyder** · Mar-25-2009, 11:51pm

Loved the Kinks and the Fugs. Had Lola on 8 track. Worn out and gone long ago. Davies is a songwriter genius.

**Rick Schmidlin** · Mar-27-2009, 5:12pm

I loved the Fugs when up in NJ and heard on the FM and then bought thier first LP. Also I produced a film called The Third Mind and Ed Saunders was in it, great guy. Had lunch with him at The Whitney Museum with Alan Ginsberg,Michael Mc Clure,Diane DiPrima and Gregory Corso.

**Dragonflyeye** · Mar-30-2009, 9:28am

All this talk of Roxy, and was watching a movie on video called "Breakfast on Pluto" with dear husband the other night, and who should appear in a bit part (an unattractive character) but Brian Ferry!

Tone Monster, that sounds like some lunch!

I got to chat for 10-15 minutes yrs ago to David Byrne, who was waiting in the lobby of the Walker Art Center to go on at a "new music" festival in Mpls. Brian Eno was on stage at the time. Ah, the old days.

**Wesley** · Apr-01-2009, 9:34am

Perhaps it was just a rumor but I read that Brian Ferry screen tested for the role of James Bond. Who knows? He looks good in a tux - but can he act?

**jim simpson** · Apr-07-2009, 7:26pm

Fan of Kinks from 1st album on. Fan of Roxy Music from 1st album on also, Eno, Phil Manzanara, etc.

**Ed McGarrigle** · Feb-07-2021, 9:58am

I don’t know how I happened onto this ancient thread, but I guess that is why they exist. I just wanted to add the Dave Davies composition “ I’m Not Like Everybody Else” is the greatest Rock n Roll song ever written.

**catmandu2** · Feb-09-2021, 2:54pm

I'm like most everyone else in that I really like Ray Davies and Kinks. But I may like Brian Eno more than the average person. https://youtu.be/-dikWB6wm0A

**Mandobart** · Feb-10-2021, 9:16am

I've always really loved the Kinks. Been able to catch them live a few times. "Rock and Roll Fantasy" sounds good on mandolin. My former duo partner kind of lived the song "Misfits." He passed 5 years ago. I still play it for him.

You know I really like Roxy Music but somehow never picked up any of their albums! I gotta fix that.

**Jim Bevan** · Feb-10-2021, 11:22am

"Tired of Waiting" works well on the mandolin (with the guitar lick up an octave).

**journeybear** · Feb-10-2021, 1:53pm

Roxy Music - not so much. Well, there was that one time in college ... I was experimenting ...

Still, "Both Ends Burning" is a hot number - so to speak.

But The Kinks are another story. Been with them since the British Invasion. Back when my friends debated endlessly who was better, The Beatles or The Stones, I'd pipe up with "Neither - The Kinks." I was being partly facetious, partly a smarty-pants, but also partly for real. From early on, I liked their lyrics, often filled with humor and satire. And their chord structures were often unusual, but worked wondrously. This built up to the days of "Victoria" and the ultimate, "Waterloo Sunset" - a deliriously delightful melody, melded with exquisite yet direct lyrics.

I never got to see them - indeed, the only British Invasion band I saw was The Searchers, another of my favorites, much later. The third time I saw them I got pulled up on stage ... quite another story.

But I did see Ray Davies in the 90s on a solo tour, interspersing storytelling and singing. I think this coincided with the publication of a memoir. It was fascinating from start to finish. Memories of this returned last year when PBS ran a documentary about the making of "Village Green." Honestly, I'd had no idea it was so well-regarded, considered by many to be their finest hour. I though it was a bit of a bore at the time, though a few songs stood out. The doc helped me appreciate it more. There were also a few songs included of Ray and Dave playing live at a gig. Fun to see that!

Originally Posted by JEStanek

I think it would be fun to play mandolin on Alcohol with a jug band.

Funny you should say that. My last band, a swing-ragtime-jug band outfit, went there a couple of times. Didn't take. But "A Well-Respected Man" did. We did that dozens of times during the nearly three years of the band's life. But of course, "Sunny Afternoon" wins the prize for most-often-played over the years at jams and campfires.

Originally Posted by Dragonflyeye

I love Rod's Gasoline Alley (w/Jeff Beck?)

That was Ron Wood.

Rod did sing on Beck's first solo album - and Ron Wood played bass (!). I'm so glad I got to see them, at Newport Jazz Festival, fourth of July weekend 1969. Didn't make it to Woodstock, but I did go to Newport.

The Friday night show included, along with them, Jethro Tull, Ten Years After, Blood Sweat & Tears, and Roland Kirk. Quite a night!

**Charlie Bernstein** · Mar-04-2021, 2:53pm

Kinks here. Love those guys!

Beatles, Stones, and Who are the kind of Brit bands you settle for when you can't get any Kinks.

**Charlie Bernstein** · Mar-04-2021, 2:55pm

Originally Posted by catmandu2

. . . But I may like Brian Eno more than the average person. https://youtu.be/-dikWB6wm0A

That's because Brian probably isn't an average person.

**Mando Mafia** · Mar-06-2021, 10:12am

The Kinks came to play at my college in the early 70s, and wow, what a show... ‘You really got me’ really got me...such a powerful riff. Many years later, our band paid homage to them:

Pete

**Alfons** · Mar-06-2021, 11:10am

Originally Posted by Mando Mafia

The Kinks came to play at my college in the early 70s, and wow, what a show... ‘You really got me’ really got me...such a powerful riff. Many years later, our band paid homage to them:

Pete

Pete - I love it! Great cover and mando sound. I even dig the squeeze box.

I recently posted a mando sighting of the MonaLisa Twins doing a nice cover of Lola with a Fender electric mando. The mando doesn't have quite the prominent role as yours, but it's a great cover as well.

**Mando Mafia** · Mar-06-2021, 1:21pm

Originally Posted by Alfons

Pete - I love it! Great cover and mando sound. I even dig the squeeze box.

I recently posted a mando sighting of the MonaLisa Twins doing a nice cover of Lola with a Fender electric mando. The mando doesn't have quite the prominent role as yours, but it's a great cover as well.

Glad you liked it. We used to incorporate rock and roll covers into our sound every once in a while and somehow managed to keep the mandolin band vibe going. Other covers we did were All along the Watchtower and Pink Floyd’s Brain Damage(medleyed with Yellow Barber..the fiddle tune). You can find both of them, and more here:
https://archive.org/details/mandomaf...2-28d2t09.flac

Pete

**lowtone2** · Jun-13-2021, 1:45am

Every bar band I was ever in played You Really Got Me. Couldn't be simpler, but still is edgy and unforgettable.

Rod Stewart I liked fronting Jeff Beck's band and Small Faces but in the D era he lost me. I imagine he's still making nice coin from that Maggie May tune, which incidentally makes nice use of mandolin of course, and it doesn't sound like it was added for the novelty.

**Elliot Luber** · Jun-19-2021, 6:18pm

https://youtu.be/KGrdWwYE77c

**Dr356** · Dec-05-2022, 1:39pm

Always loved Roxy music. Avalon, etc. Also like the later stuff that Ferry did.

**Charlie Bernstein** · Dec-08-2022, 7:24am

Don't like Roxy. Get a big kick out of Rod. The Kinks are far-and-away my favorite Brit band.

Now you know. Why do you ask?

**MichaelJW** · Dec-08-2022, 8:24am

Roxy a bit late for me but Rod Faces and Kinks my kind of music.
Nearly signed up for a round the world sailing trip many years ago but dropped out.
Saw the boat a couple of years later all unloved and hauled out in a yard in Gibraltar.
The name of the boat?
Mandolin Wind.