The Kinks Biography




The Kinks
extracted from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia, distributed under the GNU Free Documentation License

The Kinks

Lineup 1970-1971. From left: Dave Davies, John Gosling, John Dalton, Mick Avory, Ray Davies
Background information
Origin London, England
Genres Rock, pop, hard rock, garage rock
Years active 1963–1996; 2008-present
Labels Pye, Reprise, RCA, Arista, London, MCA, Sony, Koch, Tower, Konk/Guardian
Associated acts Argent, The Kast Off Kinks, Nicky Hopkins, Rod Stewart
Members
Ray Davies
Dave Davies
Mick Avory
Jim Rodford
Ian Gibbons
Former members
Pete Quaife
John Dalton
John Gosling
Andy Pyle
Gordon John Edwards
Mark Haley
Bob Henrit

The Kinks are an English rock group formed in Muswell Hill, North London, by brothers Ray Davies and Dave Davies in 1964. Categorized in the United States as a British Invasion band, The Kinks have been cited as one of the most important and influential rock bands of the era.12 Their music spanned a wide range of genres, from hard rock and R&B to a style of their own influenced by British Music hall, folk and country.

The Kinks first gained prominence in 1964 with their third single, "You Really Got Me", written by Ray Davies.132 It became an international hit upon release, topping the charts in the UK and reaching the Top 10 in the US.432 In the remainder of the decade Ray Davies' writing skills slowly evolved, and the group became known for songs and concept albums reflecting on English culture and lifestyle.21 Albums such as Face to Face, Something Else, The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society, Arthur, Lola versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part One, Muswell Hillbillies and their accompanying singles are considered amongst the most influential recordings of the period.153 During the New Wave era, groups such as The Jam, The Knack, and The Pretenders covered Kinks songs1 and Britpop acts such as Blur, Oasis and Supergrass have cited them as a major influences.1 The Kinks' influence has carried on until today; in the VH1 documentary HEAVY: the Story of Metal The Kinks are mentioned as one of the early bands that can be traced with a heavy metal sound. The group has been the recipient of several awards and in 1990, their first year of eligibility, The Kinks were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.63

As self-professed Kinks fan Pete Townshend said for The History of Rock 'n' Roll: "The Kinks were much more quintessentially English. I always think that Ray Davies should one day be Poet Laureate. He invented a new kind of poetry and a new kind of language for pop writing that influenced me from the very, very, very beginning."7

Contents

History

Formation and first years (1963 – 1965)

A brown building, in this case 6 Denmark Terrace, Fortis Green, Muswell Hill, North London, birthplace of the Davies brothers. Visible is a door at left, with a bowfront window at right; various tomato plants are also visible growing in front of the window.
6 Denmark Terrace, birthplace of the Davies brothers

The Davies brothers were born at 6 Denmark Terrace, Fortis Green, North London, the only boys (with six older sisters) and last two children of their parents.89 As children, they were immersed in a world of different musical styles, from the music-hall of their parents' generation, to the jazz and early rock n' roll that their older sisters listened to.8 Ray Davies (b. Raymond Douglas Davies, 21 June 1944; vocals/guitar/piano) studied to be a theatre director at Hornsey College of Art and gained experience in music as a guitarist with the Soho-based Dave Hunt Band.10 Ray and his brother Dave (b. David Russell Gordon Davies, 3 February 1947; guitar/vocals) had been playing skiffle and rock and roll together.8 The brothers attended William Grimshaw Secondary Modern School, now known as Fortismere School.11 Ray's friend and schoolmate Pete Quaife (b. Peter Alexander Greenlaw Quaife, 31 December 1943, Tavistock, Devon, England; bass/vocals) joined them and they formed a band, with Quaife's friend John Start on drums.11112 The band, dubbed "The Ray Davies Quartet", debuted at a school dance, and were well received, encouraging the group to continue, playing small local gigs at pubs and bars.11 The band went through a series of lead vocalists at this time, the most notable being Rod Stewart.11 Stewart, who was at the time know as "The Elvis of Muswell Hill",11 had known the Davies brothers and Quaife at William Grimshaw School.1314 Stewart performed with the group on at least one occasion in the spring of 1962 (when they were known as The Ray Davies Quartet), but soon departed due to complaints about his voice from then-drummer John Start's mother as well as musical and personality differences with the rest of the band.14 Stewart went on to form his own group, Rod Stewart and the Moonrakers, which became a local rival to the Ray Davies Quartet over the next year.1114

The band performed under many names between 1962 and 1963, switching from "The Ray Davies Quartet" to "The Pete Quaife Band," "The Bo-Weevils," and "The Ramrods," before the band settled on "The Ravens" in the summer of 1963 and recruited drummer Mickey Willet.153 The fledgling group began auditioning at several studios for various labels, but these attempts all ended in rejection.15 Eventually a demo tape landed in the hands of American record producer Shel Talmy, who helped them land a contract with Pye Records in early 1964.1515 It was during this time that The Ravens changed their name to The Kinks.115 Before signing to the label, drummer Willet left the band.15 The Kinks invited Mick Avory (b. Michael Charles Avory, February 15, 1944, in East Molesey, Surrey), to replace Willet after seeing his advertisement in the magazine Melody Maker. With a background in Jazz drumming, Avory's previous experience included one gig with the fledgling Rolling Stones.1617

The first single The Kinks released, "Long Tall Sally", was a cover of a Little Richard song. It was almost completely overlooked, however, and failed to chart.14 Nevertheless, the band received heavy publicity through the efforts of their managers Robert Wace, Grenville Collins, and ex-1950s showbiz star Larry Page.15 Despite this their second single, "You Still Want Me", also failed to chart.4

Commercial breakthrough
"You Really Got Me"
A sample of the song "You Really", original studio version.
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Due to the failure of their past two singles, Pye records threatened to drop the group if another single did not find more success. The Kinks released their third single, "You Really Got Me", in August 1964.18 Boosted by a performance on the television show Ready Steady Go!, it quickly hit No. 1 in the United Kingdom and, after a quick import to the American label Reprise Records, made the top 10 in the United States.14 The loud, distorted guitar riff — achieved by Dave Davies' slicing of the speaker cones in his Elpico amplifier (referred to by the band as the "little green amp") — gave the song its signature, gritty guitar sound.19 "You Really Got Me" was extremely influential on the American Garage rock scene, and went on to work as a blueprint for numerable genres, including hard rock, and heavy metal.19 After the success of "You Really Got Me" the group recorded their fourth single, "All Day and All of the Night", another hard rock tune, which was released in late 1964. It rose to No. 2 in the United Kingdom, and hit No. 7 in the United States.4119 In 1965, The Kinks recorded "Set Me Free" and "Tired of Waiting for You", which both found great success, the latter topping the UK charts.4

Continuation of success and American touring ban, 1965 – 1966

There were only a few bands that had this sorta really rough-sounding, what we used to call `R&B' style in the Sixties. There were the Yardbirds, there was us, there was the Pretty Things, as well.
—Dave Davies, interview with the Austin Chronicle20

The group released three albums and several EPs in the next two years.2122 They also performed and toured relentlessly, headlining package tours with the likes of The Yardbirds and Mickey Finn, which caused tension within the band.123 Some legendary on-stage fights erupted during this time as well. The most notorious incident was at The Capitol Theatre, Cardiff, Wales on 19 May 1965, involving drummer Mick Avory and Dave Davies. The fight broke out during the second number of the set, "Beautiful Delilah".2423 It culminated with Davies insulting Avory and kicking over his drum set after finishing the first song, "You Really Got Me".2423 Avory responded by knocking down Davies with his Hi-Hat stand, rendering him unconscious. He then fled from the scene, fearing he had killed his bandmate, and Davies was taken to Cardiff Royal Infirmary, where he received 16 stitches to the head.2423 To placate police, Avory later claimed that it was part of a new act in which the band members would hurl their instruments at each other.2423

Following the summer 1965 American tour, the American Federation of Musicians refused permits for the group to appear in concerts in America for the next four years, cutting the Kinks off from the main market for rock music at the height of the British Invasion.125 Although neither the Kinks nor the union gave a specific reason for the ban, at the time it was widely attributed to their rowdy on-stage behaviour.26

The group made its first tour of Australia and New Zealand in January 1965 as part of a "package" bill that included Manfred Mann and The Honeycombs.27 A stopover in Bombay, India on the way to Australia led Davies to write the song "See My Friends" (released as a single in July 1965).28 This was a prominent early example of crossover music, and along with The Beatles' "Norwegian Wood", was one of the first pop songs of this period to display a direct influence from the traditional music of the Indian subcontinent.28 According to Ray Davies in his autobiography X-Ray, he was inspired to write "See My Friends" after hearing the songs of local fishermen during an early morning walk.28

“ We stopped off in India on the way to Australia. I remember getting up, going to the beach and seeing all these fishermen coming along. I heard chanting to start with, and gradually the chanting came a bit closer and I could see it was fishermen carrying their nets out. When I got to Australia I wrote lots of songs, and that one particularly."28 ”

In Jonathan Bellman's book The Exotic in Western Music, he claims that this work was extremely influential on contemporaries, particularly George Harrison of The Beatles. He states that "In late January 1965, three months before Harrison first encountered a sitar on the Twickenham movie set, Ray Davies... wrote an Indian-influenced song, "See My Friends", which his musical contemporaries found extremely influential... And while much has been made of the Beatles' "Norwegian Wood" because it was the first pop record to use a sitar, it was recorded well after the Kinks' clearly Indian "See My Friends" was released."28

Directly after their return from Asia, recording began immediately - the day after - on their next project, Kinda Kinks. The LP was completed and released within two weeks.293031 Consequently, the production was rushed and, according to Ray Davies, the band was not completely satisfied with the final cuts.3031 Due to record company pressure, however, no time was available to fix certain flaws present in the mix. Ray Davies has expressed his dissatisfaction towards the production not being up to par. Commenting on this, he said "A bit more care should have been taken with it. I think (producer) Shel Talmy went too far in trying to keep in the rough edges. Some of the double tracking on that is appalling. It had better songs on it than the first album, but it wasn't executed in the right way. It was just far too rushed."32

The band's stylistic changes were first evident in late 1965, with the appearance of singles like "A Well Respected Man", "Dedicated Follower of Fashion", and their third album The Kink Kontroversy.2 These demonstrated the progression in Davies' songwriting, from hard-driving rock numbers toward songs rich in social commentary, observation, and idiosyncratic character study, all with a uniquely English flavour.125 The satiric single "Sunny Afternoon" was the biggest U.K. hit of summer 1966, topping the charts and displacing The Beatles' "Paperback Writer".1

Prior to the release of The Kink Kontroversy, Ray Davies suffered a nervous and physical breakdown from the pressures of touring, writing, and ongoing legal squabbles.29 He spent several months recuperating, during which he wrote several new songs and pondered about the band's direction.29 Quaife also left the band for much of 1966 after an automobile accident.29 After he recovered, he decided to step back from the band. Mick Avory's friend John Dalton replaced Quaife until he decided to return to the band at the end of the year.1 This caused some tension, as Avory was more used to Dalton's style of playing.33

"Sunny Afternoon" was a dry run for the band's Face to Face, which displayed Davies' growing skill at crafting gentle yet cutting narrative songs about everyday life and people.1 For the recording the band recruited session musician Nicky Hopkins on keyboards, mellotron, and harpsichord. Hopkins had first played with the band during The Kink Kontroversy sessions the year before. He would play on the band's next two studio albums and would also be featured on numerous live BBC recordings with the band, before joining The Jeff Beck Group in 1968.29

The Kinks' next single, a social commentary piece, "Dead End Street" was released at the time of Face to Face and became another U.K. Top 10 hit.4 It failed commercially in the United States, only reaching No. 73 in the Billboard charts.4 One of the first promotional music videos was produced for the song as well, filmed on Little Green Street, a diminutive eighteenth century lane in North London, located off Highgate Road in Kentish Town.34

'The Golden Age' (1967 – 1972)

A promotional photo of The Kinks. On a bench in a park sit five (5) men, two seated and three standing behind the bench. Four of the men are young members of the Kinks; one is an old man sleeping. Clockwise from left is Ray Davies in a black suit with Khaki pants; Mick Avory in a black suit with black pants; Pete Quaife wearing a brown coat with Khaki pants and raising his arm jokingly as if to stab the sleeping man below him; Dave Davies, wearing a grey/light green coat and Khaki pants and holding out a hat above the sleeping man's head.
A promotional photo of the group at about the time Waterloo Sunset was released. Excluding the sleeping man in the corner of the picture, From left: Ray Davies (seated), Mick Avory, Pete Quaife, Dave Davies (all standing).

In May 1967, The Kinks returned with "Waterloo Sunset", an emotional single with the melancholic observer spying two lovers meeting and crossing over Waterloo Bridge in London.3536 The song was rumoured to have been inspired by the romance between two British celebrities of the time, actors Terence Stamp and Julie Christie, although Ray Davies denied this in his autobiography, and claimed in a 2008 interview that "it was a fantasy about my sister going off with her boyfriend to a new world and they were going to emigrate and go to another country."36373839 The single became on of the group's biggest UK successes, peaking at #2 on Melody Maker.4 The song went on to become one of their most popular and best-known, with pop music journalist Robert Christgau calling it "the most beautiful song in the English language."40 Pete Townshend of The Who has called it "divine" and "a masterpiece",41 and Allmusic senior editor Stephen Thomas Erlewine concurred, citing it as "possibly the most beautiful song of the rock and roll era."42

The songs on the 1967 album Something Else By The Kinks expanded the musical progressions of Face to Face, adding English music hall influences to the band's sound.143 Dave Davies scored a major chart success with "Death of a Clown", co-written with Ray and recorded by The Kinks, but also released as a Dave Davies solo single.443
"Waterloo Sunset"
A sample of the song "Waterloo Sunset".
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After a disappointing commercial reception for Something Else, The Kinks rushed out a new single, "Autumn Almanac", which became another U.K. hit. But their next single, "Wonderboy", released in the spring of 1968, stalled at No. 36 and would become the band's first single not to make the U.K. Top Twenty since their early covers.4

Throughout 1968, Davies continued to pursue his deeply personal songwriting style, while at the same time rebelling against the heavy demands placed on him to keep producing commercial hits.1 At the end of June, The Kinks released the single "Days", which made #12 in the United Kingdom. It was a Top 20 hit in several other countries in the summer of 1968 — although it did not chart in the United States — and it is also notable as the last recording made by the original lineup of the group.4

Their next album, The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society, was released in the autumn of 1968 in the UK.44 It was greeted with almost unanimously positive reviews from both UK and US rock critics, but at the time the album failed to sell strongly, with an estimated 100,000 copies sold worldwide.4544 Despite this, the album has become The Kinks' best selling original record.46 A collection of thematic vignettes of English town and hamlet life, it was assembled from songs written and recorded over the previous two years.44 The album's deliberately understated production contrasted with the extravagant style then in vogue, and it did not have a popular single ("Starstruck" was released in North America and continental Europe, but failed to chart anywhere but the Netherlands).444 Although it was commercially unsuccessful, Village Green, upon its US release in January 1969, was embraced by the new underground rock press, particularly in the United States, where The Kinks' status as a cult band began to grow.47 In The Village Voice a newly-hired Robert Christgau called it "the best album of the year so far",47 and Circus magazine ran an article under the heading "Kinks - Unhip But Original", which stated: "The Kinks are backdated, cut off from the mainstream of pop progression. Just the same they're originals and now have a fine new album out".47 In Boston's underground paper Fusion, a review was released stating "The Kinks continue, despite the odds, the bad press and their demonstrated lot, to come across... Their persistence is dignified, their virtues are stoic. The Kinks are forever, only for now in modern dress".47 Paul Williams in Rolling Stone wrote a review that heaped praise on Village Green, saying "I've played Village Green twice since it arrived here this afternoon, and already the songs are slipping into my mind, each new hearing is a combined joy of renewal and discovery. Such a joy, to make new friends! And each and every song Ray Davies has written is a different friend to me."4748 The record was not without criticism, however. In the student paper California Tech, one writer commented that it was "schmaltz rock", and that it is "without imagination, poorly arranged, and a poor copy of the Beatles".47

The album remains popular today. It was re-released in a 3 CD "Deluxe" edition in 2004, and an album track, "Picture Book", was featured in a popular Hewlett-Packard television commercial in 2004, helping boost the album's popularity considerably.49

In early 1969 Quaife had told the band he was quitting.50 Initially the other members didn't take the remark seriously, however on April 4th an article was featured in New Musical Express magazine featuring his band, named Maple Oak, which he had recently formed without the rest of The Kinks' knowledge.515250 This caused lead vocalist and songwriter Ray Davies to make a personal plea to Quaife, asking him to return for the sessions for their upcoming album.53 Quaife, however, rejected this offer and continued with his band.53 Within a day Davies called up bassist John Dalton, who had filled in for Quaife in the past, as a replacement. Dalton would take a more permanent position with The Kinks this time, remaining with the group until 1977, with the release of Sleepwalker.53

Ray Davies traveled to Los Angeles, California in April 1969, to help negotiate an end to the American Federation of Musician ban on the group, opening up an opportunity for the group to return to touring in America.54 The group's management quickly made plans for a North American tour, to help restore their standing in the US pop music scene.55

Before their return to the United States, The Kinks recorded another album, Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire).56 As with the previous two albums, Arthur was soaked with British lyrical and musical hooks, having been conceived as the score for a proposed but never realised television drama.56 It was a modest commercial success and was particularly well received by music critics in America.564 Much of the album revolved around themes of the Davies brothers' childhood, their sister Rosie, who had migrated to Australia in the early 1960s with her husband, Arthur Anning (the album's namesake), and life growing up during World War II.5756

The Kinks embarked on their tour of the US in October 1969.55 The tour fell apart as the group struggled to find a hold in the American concert scene, and many of the scheduled dates were canceled. The band managed to play a few major underground venues at the Fillmore East and performed for a night at New York's Carnegie Hall.55
"Lola"
A sample of the song "Lola". Note the "clang" at the beginning, which Ray Davies created by combining the sounds of a National Steel and Martin guitars.58
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The band added keyboardist John Gosling to their line-up in early 1970.59 Before this, Nicky Hopkins, along with Ray, had done most of the session work on keyboards. Gosling debuted with The Kinks on "Lola" in May 1970, an account of a confused romantic encounter with a transvestite, that became both a U.K. and U.S. hit Top 10 hit, helping return The Kinks to the public eye.45960 The track originally contained the word "Coca-Cola", but the BBC refused to play it as this was considered a violation of their product placement policy.5961 The portion of the song then had to be hastily re-recorded by Ray Davies, with the offending line changed to the generic "cherry cola".59 The group's accompanying album Lola versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part One was released in November of 1970, and was an immense success both critically and commercially, charting in the Top 40 in America, making it their most successful since the mid-1960s.4626360 The album also featured the group's final U.K. Top 10 hit, "Apeman".4

During this period Ray Davies acquired a National Steel guitar, which would become one of his signature instruments in the future.58 He created the distinct clangy sound at the beginning of "Lola" with the instrument, as he would later recall:

A metal guitar lies flat on its back, vertically aligned and on top of a grey background.
A National Steel resonator guitar.
“ "I remember going into a music store on Shaftesbury Avenue in London when we were about to make 'Lola'. I said, 'I want to get a really good guitar sound on this record. I want a Martin.' And in the corner they had this old 1938 dobro resonator guitar, in this case a National Steel that I bought for $150. I put them together on 'Lola' which is what makes that clangy sound: the combination of the Martin and the dobro with heavy compression."58 ”

The National Steel would play an integral part in many Kinks projects after that. In the 1972 song "Supersonic Rocket Ship", Ray Davies would use the guitar to create a Caribbean feel for the record.64 Davies would play it on numerous "Top of The Pops" appearances, and it would be featured in several music videos the Kinks made in the future, including "Scattered".65

After the success of "Lola", the band went on to release Percy in 1971, a soundtrack album to a film of the same name about a penis transplant.66 The album did not receive positive reviews, and it is generally regarded as a lesser effort, containing only seven full songs with the remainder being instrumentals.66 The band's U.S. label, Reprise, declined to release it in America, precipitating a major dispute that contributed to the band's departure from that label.66

In 1971, the band's contracts with Pye and Reprise expired.166 Before the end of the year, The Kinks signed a five-album deal with RCA Records and received a million dollar advance, which helped fund the construction of their own recording studio, Konk.167

Their debut for RCA, Muswell Hillbillies, was soaked with country, bluegrass and music hall influences and is often hailed as their last great record, though it was not as successful as its predecessors.67 It was named after the Davies brothers' birthplace in Muswell Hill, and contained songs focusing on working-class life and the Davies' own childhood.67 Muswell Hillbillies, despite positive reviews and high expectations, peaked at #48 on Record World and #100 on Billboard.467

1972's double album Everybody's in Show-Biz consisted of half studio tracks and half live tracks recorded during a two-night stand in New York's Carnegie Hall.68 The record featured the ballad "Celluloid Heroes" and the Caribbean-themed "Supersonic Rocket Ship", their last U.K. Top 20 hit for more than a decade.68 "Celluloid Heroes" was a bittersweet rumination on dead Hollywood stars in which Ray Davies admits that he wishes his life were like a movie, "because celluloid heroes never feel any pain/And celluloid heroes never really die."6968 The album was moderately successful in the United States, peaking at #47 on Record World, and #70 on Billboard.468 The record was a transitional piece between the band's early 1970s rock material and the theatrical incarnation in which they would immerse themselves over the next four years.68

Theatrical Incarnation (1973 – 1976)

In this black-and-white photo, three people stand onstage next to each other singing. The man in the middle is Ray Davies, wearing white clothes; the two women on either side of him are his backup singers, wearing black.
Ray Davies and backup singers, in Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto, April 29, 1977

In 1973, Ray Davies dived headlong into the theatrical style, beginning with the rock opera Preservation, a sprawling chronicle of social revolution, and a more ambitious outgrowth of the earlier Village Green Preservation Society ethos.7071 In conjunction with the Preservation project, The Kinks' lineup was expanded to include a horn section and female backup singers, essentially reforming the group as a theatrical troupe.170 Preservation: Act 2 was the first project recorded at Konk Studio; from this point forward, virtually every Kinks studio recording would be produced by Ray Davies at Konk.7172

Ray's marital problems during this period would prove to adversely affect the band.71 In late 1973, his wife, Rasa, left Davies and took their children with her.73 Davies went into a state of depression, culminating when he announced onstage that he was "sick of it all".73 A review of the concert published in Melody Maker stated: "Davies swore on stage. He stood at The White City and swore that he was 'F......[sic] sick of the whole thing'.... He was 'Sick up to here with it'.... and those that heard shook their heads. Mick just ventured a disbelieving smile, and drummer[sic] on through 'Waterloo Sunset.'"74 Davies proceeded to announce that the Kinks were breaking up, but this attempt was foiled by the group's publicity management, who pulled the plug on the microphone system.7473 Davies then collapsed due to a drug overdose, and was rushed to a hospital.7573 A 1994 article and interview with Davies on the event stated the following:

“ "Hello," he said to the nurses. "My name is Ray Davies. I am the lead singer of the Kinks. I am dying." One of them then asked him for his autograph. "It was funny," insists Davies now, and laughs a lot to prove it. "It was even funny at the time. When you're that down, everything is funny." Against the advice of a doctor, he discharged himself from the hospital. "You're going to die if you leave," the doctor warned him. Davies recalls leaving the hospital in the style of an old music-hall comedian, Jimmy Wheeler: "Ta-ta for now, folks. Aye-aye. That's your lot." That same year, he spent Christmas Day going round and round on the Circle Line on the Underground, drinking cans of Kronenbourg. ”

The Independent, August 27, 1994.75

Davies eventually pulled through his depression, but throughout the remainder of the Kinks' theatrical incarnation the band's output remained uneven and their already failing popularity eroded further.7675

Preservation: Act 1 was released in late 1973 amid generally poor reviews, although its live performances fared better with the critics.7778 Preservation: Act 2, the sequel to Act 1, appeared in the summer of 1974 to a similar reception.79 Davies soon began another musical, Starmaker, this time for the Britain's Granada Television.80 After a broadcast with Ray Davies in the starring role and The Kinks as both back-up band and ancillary characters, the project eventually morphed into the concept album The Kinks Present a Soap Opera, released in the spring of 1975, in which Ray Davies fantasized about what would happen if a rock star traded places with a "normal Norman" and took a 9-5 job.8180

In 1975, The Kinks recorded their final theatrical work, Schoolboys in Disgrace, a backstory biography of Preservation's capitalist overlord Mr. Flash.8283 The record was a modest success, peaking at #45 on the Billboard charts.483

In this black-and-white photo a man's upper body is visible, as he speaks into a microphone and looks ahead. He is dressed in white.
Ray Davies Toronto, April 29, 1977

The Kinks signed with Arista Records in 1976, reborn with the encouragement of Arista's management as an arena rock band, stripped back down to a five-man core group. 182 During this period Heavy-metal band Van Halen achieved a major hit with a remake of "You Really Got Me", which boosted The Kinks' commercial resurgence.1

Return to Commercial Success (1977 – 1984)

John Dalton left the band before finishing the sessions for their debut Arista album.1 Andy Pyle was brought in to complete the sessions and to play on the following tour.1 Sleepwalker was released in 1977. The album was a return to success for the group, peaking at #21 on Billboard.484

Andy Pyle and keyboardist John Gosling soon left the group to work together on a separate project.85 Dalton returned to complete the tour, and ex-The Pretty Things keyboardist Gordon John Edwards joined the band.85 The Kinks' second Arista album Misfits, and their only album with Andy Pyle, was released in 1978 and included the minor hit "A Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy", helping make the record another success for the band.14

Dalton left the band permanently after the end of their UK tour, with Gordon John Edwards soon to follow. Ex-Argent bassist Jim Rodford joined the band, which recorded Low Budget with Ray Davies handling keyboard duties. Former Life keyboardist Ian Gibbons was drafted for the following tour and soon become a permanent member. Despite the personnel changes, the group's recording and concert success continued to grow.

During this time in the late 1970s, new wave bands like The Jam ("David Watts") and The Pretenders ("Stop Your Sobbing") and hard rock acts like Van Halen ("You Really Got Me") recorded successful covers of Kinks songs, boosting each band's fame.12 At the same time, these cover versions helped fuel the commercial success of each new Kinks release.12 The hard and punk rock sounds of Low Budget (1979) helped make it the group's most successful album in America, peaking at No. 11.142 1979 also saw The Kinks headline at Madison Square Garden for the first time.86

A live album (the group's third) and video, both called "One for the Road", followed in 1980, bringing the group's concert drawing power to a peak between 1980 and 1983.12 Dave Davies also took advantage of the group's improved commercial standing to fulfill his decade-long solo ambitions and released albums on his own, including the eponymous Dave Davies in 1980 (also known by its catalogue number "AFL1-3603" owing to its cover art, which depicted Dave Davies as a leather-jacketed piece of price scanning barcode) and 1981's less successful "Glamour".8788

The next Kinks album, Give the People What They Want, was released in late 1981 and reached number 15 in the US.89 The record attained gold status, and featured the UK hit single "Better Things", as well as "Destroyer" a major Mainstream Rock hit for the group.489

The Kinks spent the better part of 1982 touring.2 In spring 1983, the nostalgic "Come Dancing" became their biggest American hit (at number 6) since "Tired of Waiting for You".4 It also became the group's first top 20 hit in the UK since 1972, peaking at number 12 in the charts.4 The anthemic album State of Confusion followed and was another commercial success, going to number 12 in the US, but once again failing to chart in the UK, as had all previous albums since 1967.4 Another single released from the record, "Don't Forget to Dance", became a US top 30 hit, and minor UK chart entry.4

The Kinks' second wave of popularity peaked with State of Confusion in 1983, but soon their success would quickly begin to dwindle, a trend that was also shared with many of their British rock contemporaries like The Rolling Stones and The Who.9091 During the second half of 1983, Ray Davies started working on an ambitious solo film project, Return to Waterloo, about a London commuter who daydreams he's a serial murderer. (The film gave actor Tim Roth a significant early role.) Davies' commitment to writing, directing and scoring the new work caused tension in his relationship with his brother. Another problem was the stormy end of the volatile romance between Ray Davies and Chrissie Hynde. The old feud between Dave Davies and drummer Mick Avory also re-ignited. Soon Dave Davies wanted Avory replaced by the former drummer from Argent (a band in which Jim Rodford had also been a member), Robert Henrit, who had played drums on Dave's solo albums. It is also believed that Rodford also was instrumental in bringing his former bandmate in the fold.

Dave Davies refused to work with Avory. Ray Davies said that Avory was his best friend in the band and he unwillingly had to choose sides, as said later in a 1989 interview: "The saddest day for me was when Mick left. Dave and Mick didn't get along. There were terrible fights, and I got to the point where I couldn't cope with it any more...Mick had an important sound. Mick wasn't a great drummer, but he was a jazz drummer - same school, same era as Charlie Watts." Bob Henrit was brought in to take Avory's place. At Ray Davies' invitation Avory agreed to manage Konk Studios, where he also served as a producer and occasional contributor on later Kinks albums.

Between the completion of Return to Waterloo and Avory's departure, the band had already begun work on Word of Mouth, released in late 1984 with Avory still part of the line-up on three tracks. The album was similar to the last few Kinks records, but many of the songs had already been featured in solo versions on Ray Davies' companion album for Return to Waterloo, A third of the tracks featured Avory, others with Henrit, and still others supported by a drum machine which the band employed before the arrival of Henrit. Despite everything, some standout material made the cut on Word of Mouth, including Ray's ballad "Missing Persons", Dave's death-of-empire themed "Living on a Thin Line", and The Kinks' last Billboard Hot 100 entry, "Do it Again" (No. 41). They have not made the Top 40 since.

Fall in Popularity (1985 – 1996)

Word of Mouth was the last Kinks album for Arista Records.92 In early 1986, the group signed with MCA Records in the United States and London Records in the UK.192 Their first album for the new label, Think Visual, (1986) was a moderate success, peaking at #81 on the Billboard albums chart.1492 The subject matter of the album was varied, with songs like the ballad "Lost and Found" and "Working at the Factory" concerning blue-collar life on an assembly line, and the title track, an attack on the very MTV video culture the band had been profiting off of during the earlier part of the decade.5693

The Kinks followed Think Visual in 1987 with another live album, titled The Road, which was a mediocre commercial and critical performer. In 1989, The Kinks released UK Jive - an out and out commercial failure. MCA Records ultimately dropped them, leaving The Kinks scrambling to find a label deal for the first time in over a quarter of a century. Longtime keyboardist Ian Gibbons left the group during this period and was replaced by Mark Haley.

In 1990, their first year of eligibility, The Kinks were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame alongside The Who, Simon and Garfunkel, The Four Seasons, The Four Tops, Hank Ballard, and The Platters.6 Mick Avory and Pete Quaife were on hand for the award. When receiving the award Ray Davies looked out at the audience and said, "Seeing everybody makes me realise rock 'n' roll has become respectable. What a bummer."

The induction, however, did not bring back The Kinks' stagnated career. In 1991, a compilation from the MCA Records period, Lost & Found (1986-1989) was released to fulfill contractual obligations and their MCA period officially ended.94 The band signed with Columbia Records and released the 5-song EP Did Ya in 1991, which, despite being coupled with a new studio re-recording of the band's 1968 British hit "Days," failed to chart.495

The Kinks' first album for Columbia, Phobia (1993), was released and recorded by the band as a four piece. Following the departure of Mark Haley after the band's sold out performance at the Royal Albert Hall, London, Gibbons rejoined for a US tour and again became part of the band. The record only managed one week in the US Billboard chart at No. 166. As usual, no impression was made on the group's home country chart in the UK. One single, "Only a Dream" narrowly failed to reach the UK chart, climbing to No. 79. "Scattered", the album's final candidate for release as a single, was announced and TV and radio promotion followed, but the record could not be found in the shops. Several months later a small number appeared on the collector market.

The group was dropped by Columbia in 1994. In 1994 the band released the first version of the album To the Bone on their own Konk label in the UK, a live album recorded partly on the highly successful UK tours of 1993 and 1994, and in the Konk studio before a small invited audience. Two years later the band released a new improved double CD live set in the USA, still called To The Bone, which now consisted of two new studio tracks ("Animal" and "To The Bone") paired with effective new treatments of many old Kinks hits. The record drew respectable press but failed to chart in either the US or the UK.

The band's name and profile rose considerably in the mid 1990s, mainly due to the British rock boom called "Britpop" by the UK press. Several of the most prominent bands of the decade, including Blur, Pulp, Suede and Oasis, acknowledged The Kinks as a major influence on their careers and proclaimed themselves as among The Kinks' most admiring students. Blur frontman Damon Albarn and Oasis' chief songwriter Noel Gallagher especially stressed that The Kinks were one of the bands that made the biggest impact on their songwriting as well as their development as artists and musicians. Noel Gallagher called The Kinks the 5th best band of all time.96 Sadly, all these accolades made little difference to the commercial viability of the group. Rumours of a final break-up began to unfold.

Ray Davies took to his familiar role as a touchstone for yet another generation of British rockers, and acted as Britpop's "godfather" in a manner reminiscent of his relationship to The Jam and The Pretenders in the late-1970s. His intricate autobiographical novel X-Ray was published in early 1995, while the Britpop hysteria was at its peak in the UK. Not to be outdone, brother Dave Davies responded with his memoir Kink, published in the spring of 1996.

Split and Solo Work (1997 – 2007)

A man sits on a stool, smiling and facing the camera while playing guitar. He wears brown, and the background behind him is black.
Ray Davies at a recent show in Ottawa, Canada

The Kinks performed the last time in mid-1996. Band members focused on their own solo projects with Ray and Dave releasing acclaimed studio albums. Talk of a Kinks reunion has circulated (including an aborted studio reunion of the original band members in 1999), but both Ray and Dave Davies had shown little interest in playing together again. One of Ray's projects has included a choral work commissioned by the Norfolk and Norwich Festival, performed but never recorded.

In 1998, Ray Davies released the solo album Storyteller (a companion piece to his autobiographical novel X-Ray) which celebrated his old band and his estranged brother. Before becoming an album, Storyteller began life as a cabaret-style show in 1996. Seeing the programming possibilities inherent in Ray Davies' music/dialogue/reminiscence format, the American music television network VH-1 launched a series of similar projects featuring established rock artists, titling their show "VH1 Storytellers".

A man, wearing blue, plays an electric guitar and gazes down on the ground.
Dave Davies at the Dakota Creek Roadhouse, 2002

Meanwhile former members John Gosling, John Dalton and Mick Avory started performing on the oldies circuit under the name of The Kast Off Kinks with guitar-player/singer Dave Clarke (who had played in the Noel Redding Band).

In the autumn of 2005, The Kinks were inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame, at which time all of the original band members were present again. They are now the only major British Invasion band whose original members are all still alive. The award was given by long-time Kinks fan and friend of Ray, The Who's guitarist and songwriter Pete Townshend, who expressed his wish to see The Kinks be reunited in 2006.

In August 2007 a re-entry of The Ultimate Collection, a compilation of material spanning the bands' entire career, reached #48 in the UK Top 100 album chart and #1 in the UK Indie album chart.

Reunion and New Album (2008 – present)

In an interview with BBC Radio 4 on September 29, 2008, Ray Davies said that the seminal English band could reform soon. He said he wouldn't do it as a nostalgia act, but only to work on new material with the band. Davies told the UK radio station: "There is a desire to do it. The thing that would make me decide 'yes' or 'no' would be whether or not we could do new songs". Davies also went on to explain that the main barrier to the band getting back together was the illness of his brother, guitarist Dave Davies, who suffered a stroke in 2004.97

In November 2008 Ray Davies told the BBC that the band was beginning to write new material for a possible reunion. The interview did not clarify who the band members were at this time.98 In an interview aired on the Biography Channel in December 2008, Pete Quaife flatly said he would never participate in any type of Kinks reunion. Dave Davies seconded this statement, claiming "it would be like a bad remake of Night of the Living Dead", and also added that, "Ray has been doing Karaoke Kinks shows since 1996". 99

In April 2009 Ray Davies performed a short set with the Kast Off Kinks in Utrecht, Holland. The line-up consisted of Ray, Mick Avory, Jim Rodford, Ian Gibbons and Dave Clarke - in other words, the Kinks line-up that recorded "Come Dancing" except for Dave Davies, being replaced by Dave Clarke.

Solo Work

Main articles: Ray Davies, Dave Davies, and Mick Avory
  • Ray Davies began working on songs for a third solo album in the late 1990s. Several of the tracks which finally appeared on album had previously received their first airing at a series of concerts at 2000 New York's Jane Street Theatre with backing from Yo La Tengo. His first full studio album titled Other People's Lives, was released in January 2006 to critical acclaim. Amazingly, Other People's Lives gave Ray Davies his first top 40 album chart success in the UK for almost 40 years. In October 2007, Ray released his second full solo album with the title Working Man's Café. The Kinks Choral Collection was released in 2009.
  • While a member of the band Dave Davies released three solo releases: his self-titled Dave Davies in 1980 and the less successful Glamour in 1981 and Chosen People in 1983. After The Kinks' demise, he toured and released solo albums, such as Purusha and the Spiritual Planet (1998), Fortis Green (1999), and Fragile (2001). In 2003 Dave Davies released the critically acclaimed concept album Bug, based in Davies' belief that he was contacted telepathically by space aliens in the 1970s (the incident is also the subject of "True Story", a track from Chosen People). He released a studio album, Fractured Mindz, in January 2007.
  • Mick Avory remains a manager of the Konk Studios and keeps in touch with the Davies brothers. Avory, along with former Kinks' supporting players Jim Rodford and Ian Gibbons, perform in Europe as The Kast Off Kinks (with non-Kink singer/guitarist Dave Clarke). In 2004 Avory joined a "supergroup" of 1960s British pop veterans called The Class of '64 (the name refers to the year of the British Invasion music breakthrough). Besides Avory, the line-up consists of Chip Hawkes from The Tremeloes, Eric Haydock from The Hollies, and features guitarists "Telecaster" Ted Tomlin and Graham Pollock. The band tours internationally and has recorded both an album of hits from the primary band members' pasts and an original single. In 2007 Haydock, Avory, Pollock and Tomlin left the band and then brought in Martin Lyon of Love Affair and are currently touring under the new name of The Legends of the Sixties.

Personnel

1996 line-up

2009 studio line-up

Line-up Timeline

Musician Dates Active Role
Ray Davies Feb 1964 – 1996, 2009- lead vocals, rhythm guitar, harmonica, keyboards, lead songwriting
Dave Davies Feb 1964-1996 harmony vocals, lead guitar, occasional lead vocals and songwriting
Mick Avory Feb 1964-1984, 2009- drums and percussion
Pete Quaife Feb 1964-June 1966, Nov 1966- Mar 1969 bass guitar, back-up vocals
John Dalton June 1966-Nov 1966, 1969-76, 1978 bass guitar, back-up vocals
Nicky Hopkins 1964-1969 keyboards (session)
John Gosling 1970-78 keyboards
Andy Pyle 1976-78 bass guitar
Gordon John Edwards 1978 keyboards, back-up vocals
Jim Rodford 1978-1996, 2009- bass guitar, back-up vocals
Ian Gibbons 1979-89, 1993-96, 2009- keyboards, back-up vocals
Bob Henrit 1984-1996 drums and percussion
Mark Haley 1989-1993 keyboards, back-up vocals

Discography

Main article: The Kinks discography

Notes

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  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: The Kinks". http://www.rockhall.com/inductee/the-kinks. Retrieved 2009-11-21. 
  3. ^ a b c d e "The Kinks", Blender.com. Retrieved on November 17, 2009.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad "International Chart Positions". http://www.kindakinks.net/charts.html. Retrieved 2009-11-11. 
  5. ^ a b "The Kinks Biography on RollingStone.com". http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/thekinks/biography. Retrieved 2006-08-21. 
  6. ^ a b "The Kinks". Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. http://www.rockhall.com/inductee/the-kinks. Retrieved 2008-01-01. 
  7. ^ The History of Rock 'n' Roll documentary. Link
  8. ^ a b c Hinman, Doug (2004). p.6
  9. ^ Government-Run Tourist website with info on 6 Denmark Terrace and the Davies brothers. On Barnet.gov.uk, Retrieved on November 15, 2009
  10. ^ Hinman, Doug (2004) p.12
  11. ^ a b c d e f Hinman, Doug (2004). p.8
  12. ^ "Famous People" listing for Quaife. Info on birth, life, etc. Retrieved on November 18, 2009
  13. ^ Ewbank and Hildred, Rod Stewart: The New Biography, p. 7.
  14. ^ a b c Hinman (2004). p. 9
  15. ^ a b c d e f g Buttkereit, Helge. "40 Years of The Kinks: The Ravens in the Studio". http://www.kindakinks.net/misc/40yearskinks/. Retrieved 2009-11-11. 
  16. ^ 2001's Interview with Mick Avory. Retrosellers.com, Retrieved November 22, 2009
  17. ^ "Mick Avory Biography on DrummerWorld.com". http://www.drummerworld.com/drummers/Mick_Avory.html. Retrieved 2006-08-24. 
  18. ^ Song info on Kindakinks.net. Retrieved November 15, 2009
  19. ^ a b c Sullivan, Denise. "You Really Got Me". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=33:0zfrxq9aldfe. Retrieved 2009-11-11. 
  20. ^ Stegall, Tim. The Li'l Green Aggravation Society, Austin Chronicle. Retrieved November 23, 2009.
  21. ^ "Kinks EP Discography". Kindakinks.net, Retrieved on November 17, 2009.
  22. ^ "Kinks LP Discography". Kindakinks.net, Retrieved on November 17, 2009.
  23. ^ a b c d e Kitts, Thomas (2007). p.58
  24. ^ a b c d Hinman, Doug (2004) p.55
  25. ^ Who Let the Kinks In?, Loraine Alterman, Rolling Stone, 18 December 1969, archive copy on Dave Emlen's Unofficial Kinks Web Site, Retrieved 17 September, 2007
  26. ^ The British Scourge by Timothy Crouse, Show Guide Magazine, 1969, archive copy on Dave Emlen's Unofficial Kinks Web Site, Retrieved 17 September, 2007
  27. ^ Hinman, Doug (2004). p.47
  28. ^ a b c d e Bellman, Jonathan (1998). p. 294
  29. ^ a b c d e Hinman, Doug (2004) p.77
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  31. ^ a b Kinda Kinks CD liner notes
  32. ^ Ray Davies, Kinda Kinks CD liner notes.
  33. ^ "Mick Avory Interview on retroSellers.com". http://www.retrosellers.com/features69.htm. Retrieved 2006-09-01. 
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  35. ^ Maginnis, Tom. "Waterloo Sunset". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=33:djfrxbw0ldte. Retrieved 2009-11-23. 
  36. ^ a b The Kinks' Ray Davies Serves Up Songs at the 'Working Man's Cafe', Spinner.com. Retrieved on November 18, 2009
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  38. ^ "Sunday Telegraph, 3 February 2008". http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2008/02/03/sv_juliechristie.xml&page=2. Retrieved 2009-11-11. 
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  40. ^ "Robert Christgau, Consumer Guide: The Kinks". http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?name=the+kinks. Retrieved 2009-11-11. 
  41. ^ YouTube - The Kinks - UK Music Hall of Fame 2005 Retrieved 2009-11-11
  42. ^ "Allmusic Review: To the Bone". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:wifexqthldae. Retrieved 2009-11-11. 
  43. ^ a b Erlewine, Stephen. "Something Else By The Kinks". http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:axfuxqq5ldke. Retrieved 2009-11-23. 
  44. ^ a b c d Erlewine, Stephen. "The Village Green Preservation Society". http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:d9fqxql5ld6e. Retrieved 2009-11-23. 
  45. ^ Interview and Video with Ray Davies. Retrieved on November 18, 2009
  46. ^ Miller, Andy (2003). p. 138
  47. ^ a b c d e f Hinman, Doug (2004). p.125
  48. ^ The Village Green Preservation Society, Williams, Paul. Rolling Stone. Retrieved on November 18th, 2009
  49. ^ Mason, Stewart. "Picture Book". http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=33:fzfyxx8sldfe. Retrieved 2009-11-23. 
  50. ^ a b Hinman, Doug (2004). p.123
  51. ^ Hinman, Doug (2004). p.124
  52. ^ Hinman, Doug (2004). p.127
  53. ^ a b c Hinman, Doug (2004). p.126
  54. ^ Hinman, Doug (2004). pp.128-129
  55. ^ a b c Hinman, Doug (2004). p. 137
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  57. ^ Kitts, Thomas M. (2007) p. 131
  58. ^ a b c Hinman, Doug (2004). p. 137
  59. ^ a b c d Hinman, Doug (2004). p. 141
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  61. ^ "Songfacts" listing for "Lola"
  62. ^ "Amazon.com: Lola versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part One". Amazon.com. http://www.amazon.com/Lola-versus-Powerman-Money-Go-Round-Part/dp/B000002KOW. Retrieved 2009-11-06. 
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  65. ^ The Kinks: Phobia, "Scattered" music video, 1992 - Columbia Records.
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  68. ^ a b c d e Everybody's in Show-Biz, Erlewine, Stephen. Allmusic.com, Retrieved on November 18, 2009
  69. ^ "Celluloid Heroes" lyrics Kindakinks.com. Retrieved on November 18th, 2009
  70. ^ a b Presevation: Act 1, Erlewine, Stephen. Allmusic.com, Retrieved on November 18, 2009
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  72. ^ Hinman, Doug (2004). p. 178
  73. ^ a b c d Hinman, Doug (2004). p. 173
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  75. ^ a b c The Kitchen Sink Kink. The Independent, Retrieved on November 20th, 2009.
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  81. ^ Kinks - 'Soap Opera': Rock Theater That Works Dave Hickey. The Village Voice, May 19, 1975 - Retrieved on November 20, 2009
  82. ^ a b Schoolboys In Disgrace liner notes. Published by RCA records.
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  86. ^ Palmer, Robert. "Thinking Kinks, At Long Last, Make It to the Garden". http://www.kindakinks.net/misc/articles/hip.html. Retrieved 2009-11-21. 
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  90. ^ Erlewine, Stephen. "The Rolling Stones". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:aifoxqr5ldje~T1. Retrieved 2009-11-21. 
  91. ^ Erlewine, Stephen. "The Who". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:fifwxqr5ldfe~T1. Retrieved 2009-11-21. 
  92. ^ a b c Discography on Kindakinks.net. Retrieved on November 18, 2009
  93. ^ "Think Visual" Lyrics. Kindakinks.com, Retrieved on November 17, 2009
  94. ^ Lost and Found, on Kindakinks.net. Retrieved November 15, 2009
  95. ^ Did Ya, Kindakinks.com, Retrieved on November 17, 2009
  96. ^ "Oasis' Noel Gallagher reveals his Top 10 bands". http://www.nme.com/news/oasis/39454. Retrieved 2009-11-23. http://www.nme.com/news/oasis/39454
  97. ^ http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/news/general_music_news/the_kinks_to_reform.html
  98. ^ The Kinks start work on comeback
  99. ^ "Dave Davies Shoots Down Kinks Reunion at "www.spinner.com"

References

  • Hinman, Doug (2004). The Kinks: All Day and All of the Night. Milwaukee, WI: Hal Leonard Corporation. ISBN 087930765X. 
  • Rogan, Johnny (1998). The Complete Guide to the Music of The Kinks. London, UK: Omnibus Press. ISBN 0711963142. 
  • Kitts, Thomas (2007). Ray Davies: Not Like Everybody Else. London, UK: Routledge. ISBN 041597769X. 
  • Bellman, Jonathan (1998). The Exotic in Western Music. Lebanon, NH: UPNE. ISBN 1555533191. 

External Links

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