When a big DOG gets up and dances: people applaud...not because the dog dances well, but because he can get up and dance at all!
Like the "dancing dog", I'm not applauding the book because it was so well written, (it's better than fair)I applaud it because someone was able to do it at all!
At the moment it's the only book of it's kind. So, until something better comes along shedding light on the way Ray writes songs; and shares the specifics of Ray's private life (warts and all), NOT LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE is the only game in town. I give the author much credit for the extensive research. Writting this book must have been a daunting, frustrating task for many reasons, including the mecurial behavior, egotistical whims and attitudes of Ray. This book does contain lots of good, little known, stories-insights into every Ray Davies project: records, musicals, films, etc.. This, for me, made the best reading: ESPECIALLY insights into Ray's musical composition/lyric writing techniques, satirical or otherwise.
There is an analysis, and quotes from R. Davies, of how the original inspiration for "Village Green" LP came from "Under Milk Wood" (the Dylan Thomas radio play). It even contains a sort of "draft" of the proposed song/scene line-up, and which different character(s) would have sung each song, if "ARTHUR" had been made into the musical cartoon. Bravo! That is the stuff I love to read about. Mr. Kitts did an intelligent job analzing each record, film ("Return To Waterloo) and "rock musical"(e.g Soap Opera)
It wasn't the most exciting read, but the fact that it has finally been done is AWESOME!
Thank you and Congrats Mr. Kitts. You have gone where few people dare to go.
