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 (Ray Davies, Dave Davies, Pete Quaife, Mick Avory), as bassist Quaife left the group in early 1969. A collection of vignettes of English life, "The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society" was assembled from songs written and recorded over the previous two years. Although the record is widely considered one of the most influential and important works by
The Kinks language", and AllMusic senior editor Stephen Thomas Erlewine cited it as "possibly the most beautiful song of the rock and roll era". The songs on the 1967 album, "Something Else By The Kinks", developed the musical progressions of "Face to Face", adding English music hall influences to the band's sound. Dave Davies scored a major UK chart success with the album's "Death of a Clown". While it was co-written by Ray Davies and recorded by the Kinks, it was also released as a Dave Davies solo single. Overall, however, the album's commercial performance was disappointing, prompting the Kinks to rush