Kinks Announce ‘Muswell Hillbillies/Everybody’s in Show-Biz’ Box

The Kinks have announced a sprawling box set celebrating the 50th anniversaries of 1971’s Muswell Hillbillies and 1972’s Everybody's in Show-Biz - Everybody's a Star.

The deluxe box set - which will arrive on Sept. 9 - features newly remastered versions of both albums on both vinyl and CD, as well as 11 new remixes courtesy of co-founder Ray Davies. An accompanying Blu-ray features a previously unseen, digitally restored 1971 home movie. Further bonus material includes a 52-page deluxe hardcover book, a Kinks metal badge, glossy photo prints of the band and a “London Roots” map highlighting historical Kinks-related locations.

Released in November 1971, Muswell Hillbillies was the band’s first album with their new label, RCA Records. The LP was heavily influenced by Ray and Dave Davies’ London upbringing, with the brothers delving into various facets of working-class life for inspiration.

Though Muswell Hillbillies was a commercial failure upon release, its place among Kinks fans has continued to grow over the years. In retrospect, many regard it as a turning point for the group, leading them to more ambitious and personal material.

“Muswell Hillbillies is one of my favorite Kink’s albums,” Dave Davies noted in a press release. “It’s a bit of a backstory to the Davies family and the characters involved.”

“Now with a new record company and a new image, I could bring some of the old wild western spirit into my music,” recalled Ray Davies. “These albums capture the
the reemergence of the Kinks as a touring band.”

Everybody's in Show-Biz was part studio album, part live record. The studio material examined Hollywood and the American obsession with fame. Meanwhile, the live material, captured during two nights at New York’s Carnegie Hall, featured the Kinks performing many of their Muswell Hillbillies songs in concert, along with several favorites.

The Muswell Hillbillies/Everybody’s In Show-Biz deluxe box set can be preordered now, with several variations available. You can listen to a previously unreleased version of the Everybody's in Show-Biz standout cut “Celluloid Heroes” below.