THE KINKS TO REUNITE?

After posting false rumors about R.E.M., you'd think that I'd take a break from buying into rumors. And I should know better than to repeat anything that I read in the British press .

But still, the rumors that The Kinks may be reuniting in 2008 are pretty exciting. As the stories go, it will be the original band - Ray Davies, Dave Davies, original drummer Mick Avory (who stayed in the band through the '80s) and original bassist Pete Quaife (who left the band in 1969).

This version of the band recorded lots of classic stuff, and is the most beloved version of the band in thier native England. They recorded "You Really Got Me," "All Day And All Of The Night," "Waterloo Sunset," "A Well Respected Man," "Dedicated Follower Of Fashion," among many other classics.

But if they tour the U.S., I wonder if they'll add some of thier '70s and even '80s material: after Quaife left the band, they had lots of huge hits here, like "Lola" and "Come Dancing" to name two.

The other question is what will these guys sound like? Ray recovered from being shot in New Orleans a few years back, but Dave has suffered a stroke in recent years, and Pete has dealt with kidney failure. But I guess Ray won't sign off on the reunion if he doesn't feel that the shows will be good.

And, of course, this is just a rumor circulating in the British press, never the most reliable source for this kind of thing. Still, here's hoping we get one more chance to see The Kinks in 2008.