Just Like Cherry Cola: The Kinks Expand “Lola Vs. Powerman” to Box Set Proportions
The Kinks last revisited their 1970 album Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part One back in 2014 as a 2-CD set incorporating the soundtrack to Percy. The band’s eighth album, Lola yielded the now-famous U.S. top 10 title track and the U.K. top 5 hit “Apeman” as well as earning to 40 status in America. Now, on December 18, it’s returning in a variety of formats from BMG:
- Limited Edition, Deluxe 10″ Slipcased book pack (containing 60 page book, 3 CDs, 2 x 7″ singles, 4 color prints)
- 1LP Gatefold
- 2CD Hardback Book pack
- 1CD Digipak
- Digital
- HD Digital
- Online Limited Edition Exclusives (free with boxset orders): 7″ Single, Enamel pin badge
The original album, produced and largely penned by Ray Davies with two songs from brother Dave, offered sharp commentary on many facets of the music business and the ongoing struggle between good and evil. He took aim at the publishing biz, life on the road, business managers, and the press. While Lola never delivers on a story, per se, the songs are so strong and conceptually unified that it hardly matters. The Part One in the title derives from the band’s original plans to follow it up; Davies commented in 2014 that “I sketched out how you become your worst nightmare, how the good man goes so far he becomes the evil person he always fought against.” But that story remains untold; the band forged ahead with Muswell Hillbillies instead, and never returned to the sequel album.
The new. slipcased 3-CD box set of Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part One drops Percy from the track listing and instead features the original Lola album remastered from the original tapes plus singles, B-sides, alternate mixes, session outtakes, BBC recordings, and more – including newly-recorded commentary from Ray and Dave Davies. Disc One has the album plus four mono mixes and alternate versions of “Apeman” and “The Moneygoround.” The second disc of the box is subtitled Alternate Versions / New Medleys & Mixes / Demos / Film Soundtrack. Its 15 tracks encompass new 2020 mixes, soundtrack selections from The Long Distance Piano Player (a television play written by Alan Sharp in which Davies starred for the BBC in 1970), a couple of live cuts, Ray’s solo “Lola” with orchestra and choir, and “Kitchen Sink” tracks featuring Ray and Dave Davies in conversation as recorded in Ray’s kitchen interspersed with music. The third and final disc, Alternate Versions / New Medleys & Mixes / Demos / Live, has another 15 tracks including new mixes, a 2006 Austin City Limits performance from Ray of “A Long Way from Home,” and more Kitchen Sink ruminations. Additionally, the box boasts two 7-inch single replicas pressed on black vinyl: the Italian picture sleeve issue of “Lola” b/w “Berkeley Mews” and the Portuguese picture sleeve with an alternate “Apeman” b/w “Rats.”
1CD and 2CD “highlights” versions offer the remastered album plus bonus selections culled from the box set, while the LP has the remastered album on heavyweight vinyl in a gatefold sleeve plus a booklet with liner notes, rare photos, and memorabilia. The Deluxe Digital edition promises the remastered album plus “other key tracks from the box set.” The Kinks’ website is offering a couple of exclusive incentives for ordering: the Danish picture sleeve 45 of “Lola” b/w “Berkeley Mews,” and an enamel pin.
“The Follower – Any Time 2020” is available to stream now at this link. “Any Time,” originally written by Ray as a possible B-side of “Apeman,” features previously unreleased versions and samples of tracks from the Lola album plus added spoken word and sound effects.
All formats are due from BMG on December 18. You’ll find the track listings and pre-order links below! All formats are also available, along with the aforementioned exclusive items, at The Kinks’ Official Store.
The Kinks, Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part One (Pye LP NSPL 18359, 1970 – reissued BMG, 2020)
3CD/2 7-inch Box Set (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)
CD 1:
- The Contenders
- Strangers
- Denmark Street
- Get Back In Line
- Lola
- Top Of The Pops
- The Moneygoround
- This Time Tomorrow
- A Long Way From Home
- Rats
- Apeman
- Powerman
- Got To Be Free
Alternate Versions:
- Lola (Mono Single Mix)
- Apeman (UK Mono Single Mix)
- Rats (Mono Single Mix)
- Powerman (Mono Mix)
- Apeman (Alternate Version, Stereo)
- The Moneygoround (Alternate Version, Mono)
CD 2: Alternate Versions / New Medleys & Mixes / Demos / Film Soundtrack
- This Time Tomorrow (Alternate Take, 2020 Mix)
- Top Of The Pops (2020 Mix)
- Lola/Radio Spot, Edit (Ray’s Kitchen Sink)
- Got To Be Free (Ray’s Kitchen Sink)
- The Contenders (Ray’s Kitchen Sink)
- The Good Life (2020 Mix)
- Apeman (Unplugged Live Version)
- Get Back In Line (Live Version)
- Marathon (Edit, from The Long Distance Piano Player)
- Got To Be Free (Edit, from The Long Distance Piano Player)
- Lola (Ray Davies & Band with The Danish National Chamber Orchestra & The Danish National Vocal Ensemble)
- The Good Life
- Apeman (US Mono Single Mix)
- Moments (2020 Mix)
- This Time Tomorrow & Cassette Demos Medley (Ray’s Kitchen Sink)
CD 3: Alternate Versions / New Medleys & Mixes / Demos / Live
- Get Back In Line (Ray’s Kitchen Sink)
- Rats (Ray’s Kitchen Sink)
- Rats (2020 Mix)
- Powerman (Ray’s Kitchen Sink)
- Powerman (2020 Mix)
- The Contenders (Instrumental Demo)
- Anytime
- A Long Way From Home (Ray’s Kitchen Sink)
- A Long Way From Home (Live, Austin City Limits, 2006)
- Strangers (Ray’s Kitchen Sink)
- Strangers (2020 Stereo Mix)
- The Way Love Used To Be (2020 Monitor Mix)
- Apeman (Morgan Studios Run-Through)
- Radio Spot/Live, Queens College, Flushing, NY, 1971
- The Follower – Anytime 2020 (featuring Anytime by The Kinks)
1CD Edition (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)
1LP Edition (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)
Original Album (Stereo) 2020 Remaster
- The Contenders
- Strangers
- Denmark Street
- Get Back in Line
- Lola
- Top of the Pops
- The Moneygoround
- This Time Tomorrow
- A Long Way from Home
- Rats
- Apeman
- Powerman
- Got to Be Free
Alternate Versions
- Anytime
- The Good Life (2020 Mix)
- Apeman (Alternate Version, Stereo)
- This Time Tomorrow (Alternate Take, 2020 Mix)
- Lola (Mono Single Mix)
2CD Edition (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)
CD 1
- The Contenders
- Strangers
- Denmark Street
- Get Back in Line
- Lola
- Top of the Pops
- The Moneygoround
- This Time Tomorrow
- A Long Way from Home
- Rats
- Apeman
- Powerman
- Got to Be Free
Alternate Versions
- Lola (Mono Single Mix)
- Apeman (Uk Mono Single Mix)
- Rats (Mono Single Mix)
- Powerman (Mono Mix)
- Apeman (Alternate Version, Stereo)
CD 2 – Alternate Versions & Mixes:
- The Contenders (Instrumental Demo)
- Strangers (2020 Stereo Mix)
- Anytime
- The Good Life
- Get Back in Line (Live Version)
- Lola (Ray Davies & Band with the Danish National Chamber Orchestra & The Danish National Vocal Ensemble)
- Top of the Pops (2020 Mix)
- The Moneygoround (Alternate Version)
- This Time Tomorrow (Alternate Take, 2020 Mix)
- A Long Way from Home (Live, Austin City Limits, 2006)
- Rats (2020 Mix)
- Apeman (Us Mono Single Mix)
- Powerman (2020 Mix)
- Marathon (Edit, from The Long Distance Piano Player)
- Got to Be Free (Edit, from The Long Distance Piano Player)
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2 thoughts on “Just Like Cherry Cola: The Kinks Expand “Lola Vs. Powerman” to Box Set Proportions”
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No 2LP version like they did for Arthur? That’s disappointing. Nothing to really grab me to update the 2014 Deluxe version either on the cd side.
Will both the “Coca-Cola” and “cherry cola” versions of “Lola” be included? My understanding — thanks to the Internet” — is that the album version uses the name brand while the single switched to the flavor. Is there a single version that uses “Coca-Cola?”