The Kinks have released a 2019 mix of Shangri-La, one of their career highlights and a stand-out of the Arthur Or The Decline And Fall Of The British Empire album which is getting a 50th anniversary reissue on October 25th.
Included in the anniversary package are brand new Doo Wop Choir recordings; the unfinished Dave Davies solo album which was being recorded concurrently at the time of Arthur; new Ray Davies remixes and previously unreleased tracks.
“I started Arthur before the end of Village Green.” Ray Davies has recalled. “The albums piggyback one another because they are joined. I’d already written the song Arthur.”
“I think I wrote Australia when I was still living at 87 Fortis Green so it was quite early on. I remember taking it over to Dave, he lived in Cockfosters at the time, and playing it to him. We were laughing at the irony in the line, ‘nobody’s got a chip on their shoulder’.”
