Four More Respected Gentlemen
Encyclopedia
Four More Respected Gentlemen (Reprise
RS 6309) is an unreleased album by the British
rock group The Kinks
. Most of the songs were recorded in 1968, the year the album was assembled solely for the US market. This album would have been released in parallel with a Europe-only 12-song early version of The Kinks are the Village Green Preservation Society
. Instead, manufacture of the 12-song album was stopped (where possible) and a 15-song version of The Kinks are the Village Green Preservation Society—combining the better parts of both albums and adding newly recorded songs—was released instead, in both the UK and USA.
that the entire LP was about "table manners". Much of the unissued material formed part of the post-Reprise tenure contract fulfilling compilations, The Kink Kronikles
and The Great Lost Kinks Album
.
Another proposed LP in the Reprise master tape vault has been mistaken for Four More Respected Gentlemen in two separate articles by Greg Shaw. The first article was in the Boston-based rock tabloid "Fusion" (February 19, 1971) and later, in more detail, in Shaw's own fanzine "Who Put The Bomp 7" (Summer 1971), distributed, ironically, by Warner Brother Records. To add to the confusion, however, Shaw erroneously reversed the information on the 2 unreleased LP's; what he referred to as an unfinished untitled LP was actually the real Four More Respected Gentlemen, and vice versa. These tapes were apparently received by Reprise at the same time as the initial but incomplete submission of the Arthur LP (July 3, 1969), but their purpose is unclear, since they were not entered as official masters by Reprise until 1972, after the Kinks reluctantly agreed to Reprise's demand for another LP worth of material to replace the rejected Percy
soundtrack LP. Certainly these titles were never intended as the 1968 Four More Respected Gentlemen LP, as many of these songs weren't even recorded until early 1969, after The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society
was finally released.
. Accounting for the 3 tracks that were, by then, already used on 1972's The Kink Kronikles
("This Is Where I Belong", "King Kong" and "Berkely Mews") and dropping the instrumental "Easy Come, There You Went", The Great Lost Kinks Album
was created by replacing these 4 dropped songs and adding 6 others from a variety of sources at the company's disposal: an old non-LP B-side ("I'm Not Like Everybody Else"), a track from the unissued in the US Percy
soundtrack LP ("The Way Love Used To Be"), 3 songs from the unissued Dave Davies solo LP ("Groovy Movies", "This Man He Weeps Tonight" and "There Is No Life Without Love") and an unused song from the original Four More Respected Gentlemen LP ("Misty Water"). "Mr. Songbird", also hailing from that LP, was already included in the track listing. Practically, what emerged was a Great Lost Kinks Album but not exactly the one alleged has presumed it was.
Side A
Side B
a Released on The Kink Kronikles
(Reprise, 1972)
b Released on The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society
(Pye, 1968/Reprise, 1969)
c Released on The Great Lost Kinks Album
(Reprise, 1973)
These songs, however, were pulled from the album before the final master was compiled.
Reprise Records
Reprise Records is an American record label, founded in 1960 by Frank Sinatra. It is owned by Warner Music Group, and operated through Warner Bros. Records.-Beginnings:...
RS 6309) is an unreleased album by the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
rock group The Kinks
The Kinks
The Kinks were an English rock band formed in Muswell Hill, North London, by brothers Ray and Dave Davies in 1964. Categorised in the United States as a British Invasion band, The Kinks are recognised as one of the most important and influential rock acts of the era. Their music was influenced by a...
. Most of the songs were recorded in 1968, the year the album was assembled solely for the US market. This album would have been released in parallel with a Europe-only 12-song early version of The Kinks are the Village Green Preservation Society
The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society
The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society is the sixth studio album by the English rock group The Kinks, released in November 1968. It was the last album by the original quartet, as bassist Pete Quaife left the group in early 1969...
. Instead, manufacture of the 12-song album was stopped (where possible) and a 15-song version of The Kinks are the Village Green Preservation Society—combining the better parts of both albums and adding newly recorded songs—was released instead, in both the UK and USA.
History
Only acetates were made of Four More Respected Gentlemen; no test pressings or final pressings were ever manufactured, nor is there evidence that finalized cover artwork was ever completed either. Legend has it that prepared artwork was vetoed by Ray Davies, which may explain the delay between receipt of master tapes and preparation for release. When asked about the LP in an interview a few years later, Davies stated sarcastically with a straight faceStraight face test
The straight face test is a test of whether or not something is legitimate or serious based on whether or not a given statement can be made sincerely, without any compulsion to laugh. The phrase goes back to about 1987....
that the entire LP was about "table manners". Much of the unissued material formed part of the post-Reprise tenure contract fulfilling compilations, The Kink Kronikles
The Kink Kronikles
The Kink Kronikles is a USA compilation double album of singles, B-sides, album tracks and previously unreleased tracks recorded by The Kinks between 1966 and 1970...
and The Great Lost Kinks Album
The Great Lost Kinks Album
The Great Lost Kinks Album is a 1973 LP of unreleased material issued by Reprise Records after The Kinks had moved to RCA. The tracks were recorded between 1966 and 1970 and master tapes were shipped to the US Reprise Label in the early 1970s to fulfill contractual obligations with that label...
.
Another proposed LP in the Reprise master tape vault has been mistaken for Four More Respected Gentlemen in two separate articles by Greg Shaw. The first article was in the Boston-based rock tabloid "Fusion" (February 19, 1971) and later, in more detail, in Shaw's own fanzine "Who Put The Bomp 7" (Summer 1971), distributed, ironically, by Warner Brother Records. To add to the confusion, however, Shaw erroneously reversed the information on the 2 unreleased LP's; what he referred to as an unfinished untitled LP was actually the real Four More Respected Gentlemen, and vice versa. These tapes were apparently received by Reprise at the same time as the initial but incomplete submission of the Arthur LP (July 3, 1969), but their purpose is unclear, since they were not entered as official masters by Reprise until 1972, after the Kinks reluctantly agreed to Reprise's demand for another LP worth of material to replace the rejected Percy
Percy (soundtrack)
Percy is a 1971 film soundtrack for the British comedy film Percy performed by English rock group the Kinks with additional orchestral arrangements conducted by Stanley Myers. The songs were written by Ray Davies and include both standard pop songs and instrumental numbers.-Release and...
soundtrack LP. Certainly these titles were never intended as the 1968 Four More Respected Gentlemen LP, as many of these songs weren't even recorded until early 1969, after The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society
The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society
The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society is the sixth studio album by the English rock group The Kinks, released in November 1968. It was the last album by the original quartet, as bassist Pete Quaife left the group in early 1969...
was finally released.
Later Release on The Great Lost Kinks Album
It is possible that Reprise was holding these tapes, unofficially, as collateral in case the Kinks defaulted on future contractual fulfillment of new material. Reprise may have considered using the scrapped LP title and catalog number for a whole new version of Four More Respected Gentlemen as a backup LP for possible release in 1969/70, had the Kinks proven too slow in meeting their next LP submission date, though this is purely speculation. Ironically, it is these tracks which did evolve into The Great Lost Kinks AlbumThe Great Lost Kinks Album
The Great Lost Kinks Album is a 1973 LP of unreleased material issued by Reprise Records after The Kinks had moved to RCA. The tracks were recorded between 1966 and 1970 and master tapes were shipped to the US Reprise Label in the early 1970s to fulfill contractual obligations with that label...
. Accounting for the 3 tracks that were, by then, already used on 1972's The Kink Kronikles
The Kink Kronikles
The Kink Kronikles is a USA compilation double album of singles, B-sides, album tracks and previously unreleased tracks recorded by The Kinks between 1966 and 1970...
("This Is Where I Belong", "King Kong" and "Berkely Mews") and dropping the instrumental "Easy Come, There You Went", The Great Lost Kinks Album
The Great Lost Kinks Album
The Great Lost Kinks Album is a 1973 LP of unreleased material issued by Reprise Records after The Kinks had moved to RCA. The tracks were recorded between 1966 and 1970 and master tapes were shipped to the US Reprise Label in the early 1970s to fulfill contractual obligations with that label...
was created by replacing these 4 dropped songs and adding 6 others from a variety of sources at the company's disposal: an old non-LP B-side ("I'm Not Like Everybody Else"), a track from the unissued in the US Percy
Percy (soundtrack)
Percy is a 1971 film soundtrack for the British comedy film Percy performed by English rock group the Kinks with additional orchestral arrangements conducted by Stanley Myers. The songs were written by Ray Davies and include both standard pop songs and instrumental numbers.-Release and...
soundtrack LP ("The Way Love Used To Be"), 3 songs from the unissued Dave Davies solo LP ("Groovy Movies", "This Man He Weeps Tonight" and "There Is No Life Without Love") and an unused song from the original Four More Respected Gentlemen LP ("Misty Water"). "Mr. Songbird", also hailing from that LP, was already included in the track listing. Practically, what emerged was a Great Lost Kinks Album but not exactly the one alleged has presumed it was.
As sent to Reprise
All songs by Ray DaviesSide A
- "She's Got Everything"a
- "Monica"b
- "Mr. Songbird"c
- "Johnny Thunder"b
- "Polly"a
- "Days"a
Side B
- "Animal Farm"b
- "Berkeley Mews"a
- "Picture Book"b
- "Phenomenal Cat"b
- "Misty Water"c
a Released on The Kink Kronikles
The Kink Kronikles
The Kink Kronikles is a USA compilation double album of singles, B-sides, album tracks and previously unreleased tracks recorded by The Kinks between 1966 and 1970...
(Reprise, 1972)
b Released on The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society
The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society
The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society is the sixth studio album by the English rock group The Kinks, released in November 1968. It was the last album by the original quartet, as bassist Pete Quaife left the group in early 1969...
(Pye, 1968/Reprise, 1969)
c Released on The Great Lost Kinks Album
The Great Lost Kinks Album
The Great Lost Kinks Album is a 1973 LP of unreleased material issued by Reprise Records after The Kinks had moved to RCA. The tracks were recorded between 1966 and 1970 and master tapes were shipped to the US Reprise Label in the early 1970s to fulfill contractual obligations with that label...
(Reprise, 1973)
Additional tracks
When originally sent to Reprise, the album was also to include the following tracks:- "Autumn Almanac"a
- "Did You See His Name"a
- "There Is No Life Without Love"c
- "Susannah’s Still Alive"a
These songs, however, were pulled from the album before the final master was compiled.
External links
- Article discussing the history of the album
- Side break described here
- http://books.google.com/books?id=0OQ_-qGDX_sC&pg=PA31&dq=%22Four+More+Respected+Gentlemen%22+kinks&sig=pI915pMijIhXiA1jLRn2YgS4T2Q