You Really Got Me was released 57 years ago today and while it isn't my favorite Kinks song - it's always been there and has been probably overplayed, like the Stones' Satisfaction - it's stunning in how innovative it was the time:
Having attempted to liven up his bright and clean guitar tone with several unsuccessful alterations to his amplifier, Davies decided to go with more drastic action. Out came a razor blade, and Davies began mutilating the speaker cone of his Elpico amp, sticking a pin in it for good measure once he was done. As soon as he began to play, the results were captivating.
If one was feeling so bold, it could be said that several genres were born right then and there: heavy metal, punk rock, psychedelic rock, power pop. What isn’t so bold to say is that never before had pop music heard that pairing of pop hooks and unbridled aggression. It might sound quaint, especially after almost 60 years of loud and confrontational music that followed, but the distortion used on ‘You Really Got Me’ was nothing short of revolutionary.
Agreed!
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