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Living on a Thin Line: Crossing Aesthetic Borders with the Kinks THOMAS M. KITTS AND MICHAEL J. KRAUS (Eds) Rock'n'Roll Research Press, Rumford, RI, 2002 280 pp.
Among the many bands and performers who made it big during the 1960s "British Invasion," perhaps none are quite as well known yet also as underrated and underappreciated as the Kinks. While they may not have quite the mass appeal of some bands, they do have a core of dedicated fans and have been recognized by such institutions as the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In addition, there is now a collection of scholarly essays on the Kinks. The editors are Thomas Kitts of the St. John's University (New York) English and Speech department and the late Michael Kraus of the Marian College (Wisconsin) English department. The contributors come from a variety of backgrounds, and bring unique insights to the topic of the Kinks and their music. The illustrations at the beginning of each essay were done by Kinks bass guitarist Pete Quaife.
The essays in Living on a Thin Line are divided into several sections. The volume begins with a chronology of the band, starting with December 31, 1963, and then moves on to collections of essays devoted to different aspects of the band's career and music. The first of these focuses on "Beginnings, Influences, and Continua." Thomas Kitts leads off with an article which details the signature sound of many of the Kinks' early hits such as "You Really Got Me" and...