The Who vs The Kinks vs The Pretty Things

Trio of bands that begun as part of british invasion sound of mid 60s to more and more adopt ambitios influences in lyrical, instrumental and sonical ways. Experimentation and exploration became thier muse and their DNA can be traced in all areas of rock music becouse of that. Which do you like the most.

Edited by Icarium - May 15 2020 at 12:54

The Who is biggest of those for me, although really like also the Pretty Things and the Kinks.

I'm not that familiar with the Pretty Things (which is ironic as I had to write their bio for PA ) but do enjoy much of their nascent 'concept album' S.F Sorrow. That leaves the Who and the Kinks, both of whom I love dearly. If it was just down to so-called concept albums, it's no contest, gotta be the Who as the music onTommy and Quadrophenia simply dwarfs that offered by the Kinks on the likes of Preservation, Arthur and Soap Opera etc. That said, there's an uncanny distillation of what it is to be British in all of Ray Davies' writing that no-one else can match. If that sounds parochial, it's meant to (I spent 38 of my formative years there) so it's gotta be the Kinks.


Edited by ExittheLemming - May 15 2020 at 15:21

ExittheLemming wrote: I'm not that familiar with the Pretty Things (which is ironic as I had to write their bio for PA ) but do enjoy much of their nascent 'concept album' S.F Sorrow. That leaves the Who and the Kinks, both of whom I love dearly. If it was just down to so-called concept albums, it's no contest, gotta be the Who as the music onTommy and Quadrophenia simply dwarfs that offered by the Kinks on the likes of Preservation, Arthur and Soap Opera etc. That said, there's an uncanny distillation of what it is to be British in all of Ray Davies' writing that no-one else can match. If that sounds parochial, it's meant to (I spent 38 of my formative years there) so it's gotta be the Kinks.

one could say The Village Green Perservation Society is a precurser to Selling England by the Pound.

I've never listened to a full length album from The Pretty Things. 

Cristi wrote: I've never listened to a full length album from The Pretty Things.

Try Parachute. It’s full of great tunes. Sickle Clowns is a fabulous track.

Edited by Tom Ozric - May 16 2020 at 07:59

The Who