Something Else by The Kinks released on Pye Records in 1967, value £200 mono/£150 stereo

FORMED by brothers Ray and Dave Davies, they were first known as The Bo-Weevils, The Ramrods, The Ravens before settling as The Kinks in 1964, writes MICHAEL BROOKS. Their first release, a cover of the Little Richard classic Long Tall Sally, failed to chart as did the follow up, which prompted Ray Davies to develop his talent as a songwriter. Following an appearance on the Friday night TV show Ready, Steady, Go, their next recording You Really Got Me rocketed to the top of the charts. Recorded in just two takes, it is acknowledged as a blueprint song in the hard rock and heavy metal music genre. This song, including the follow up, All Day And All Of The Night, made the top ten in the UK and USA. After this The Kinks were rarely out of the pop charts throughout the sixties and early seventies. During this time there followed a diverse and complex pattern of hit songs that exemplified the development of Ray Davies song writing abilities away from hard driving rock numbers towards not exactly romantic lyrics but songs rich in social commentary, observation and character study, all with a uniquely English flavour. They resembled an English way of life. Dedicated Follower Of Fashion satirised the narcissism of Carnaby Street, Sunny Afternoon dealt with capitalism and class, Dead End Street highlighted the plight of the working class: "out of work and out of money." Autumn Almanac summed up the working class lifestyle of the 1950s and 1960s: "I like my football on a Saturday, roast beef on Sunday, I go to Blackpool for my holiday and sit in the autumn sunlight."

The album Something Else was poorly received by the critics on its release and early sales peaked at 100,000.

Following the success of Waterloo Sunset - The Kinks biggest hit about two lovers standing on Hungerford Bridge - it renewed interest in the album and to date it remains their biggest selling album. In 1991 the band were inducted into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall Of Fame, only the fourth British band to do so, behind The Beatles, Rolling Stones and The Who. Cited by bands such as Oasis, Supergrass and Blur as a major influence, their collection of sixties and seventies recordings are an essential collection of rock music.