The Kinks were an English rock band formed in London in 1963 by brothers Ray and Dave Davies, and Pete Quaife. They are regarded as one of the most influential rock bands of the 1960s. The band emerged during the height of British rhythm and blues and Merseybeat, and were briefly part of the

British Invasion The British Invasion was a cultural phenomenon of the mid-1960s, when Rock music, rock and pop music acts from the United Kingdom and other aspects of Culture of the United Kingdom, British culture became popular in the United States with sign ...

of the United States until their touring ban in 1965. Their third single, the Ray Davies-penned "

You Really Got Me "You Really Got Me" is a song by the English rock band the Kinks, written by frontman Ray Davies and released as their third single in 1964. The song, originally performed in a more blues-oriented style, was inspired by artists such as Lead B ...

", became an international hit, topping the charts in the United Kingdom and reaching the Top 10 in the United States. The Kinks' music drew from a wide range of influences, including American R&B and

rock and roll Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock-n-roll, and rock 'n' roll) is a Genre (music), genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It Origins of rock and roll, originated from African ...

initially, and later adopting British

music hall Music hall is a type of British theatrical entertainment that was most popular from the early Victorian era, beginning around 1850, through the World War I, Great War. It faded away after 1918 as the halls rebranded their entertainment as Varie ...

, folk, and

country A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. When referring to a specific polity, the term "country" may refer to a sovereign state, state with limited recognition, constituent country, ...

. The band gained a reputation for reflecting English culture and lifestyle, fuelled by Ray Davies' observational and satirical lyricism, and made apparent in albums such as '' Face to Face'' (1966), '' Something Else'' (1967), '' The Village Green Preservation Society'' (1968), ''

Arthur Arthur is a masculine given name of uncertain etymology. Its popularity derives from it being the name of the legendary hero King Arthur. A common spelling variant used in many Slavic, Romance, and Germanic languages is Artur. In Spanish and Ital ...

'' (1969), '' Lola Versus Powerman'' (1970), and ''

Muswell Hillbillies ''Muswell Hillbillies'' is the tenth studio album by the English rock group the Kinks. Released on 24 November 1971, it was the band's first album released through RCA Records. The album is named after the Muswell Hill area of North London, w ...

'' (1971), along with their accompanying singles including the transatlantic hit " Lola" (1970). After a fallow period in the mid-1970s, the band experienced a revival with their albums '' Sleepwalker'' (1977), '' Misfits'' (1978), '' Low Budget'' (1979), '' Give the People What They Want'' (1981) and '' State of Confusion'' (1983), the last of which produced one of the band's most successful US hits, " Come Dancing". The band's original line-up comprised Ray (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Dave (lead guitar, vocals), Quaife (bass) and Mick Avory (drums, percussion). The Davies brothers remained with the band throughout its history. Quaife briefly left the band in 1966 and was replaced by

John Dalton John Dalton (; 5 or 6 September 1766 – 27 July 1844) was an English chemist, physicist and meteorologist. He introduced the atomic theory into chemistry. He also researched Color blindness, colour blindness; as a result, the umbrella term ...

, though Quaife returned by the end of that year before leaving permanently in 1969, once again being replaced by Dalton. Keyboardist

John Gosling John Gosling may refer to: *John Gosling (The Kinks musician) (1948–2023), British keyboardist in The Kinks *John Gosling (Psychic TV musician) (born 1963), British big beat and industrial musician *John Gosling (cricketer, born 1833) (1833–188 ...

joined in 1970 (prior to this, session keyboardist Nicky Hopkins played on many of their recordings). After Dalton's 1976 departure, Andy Pyle briefly served as the band's bassist before being replaced by Argent bassist Jim Rodford in 1978. Gosling quit in 1978 and was first replaced by ex- Pretty Things member Gordon John Edwards, then more permanently by Ian Gibbons in 1979. Avory left the group in 1984 and was replaced by another Argent member, Bob Henrit. The band gave its last public performance in 1996 and broke up in 1997 as a result of creative tension between the Davies brothers. The Kinks have had five Top 10 singles on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart. Nine of their albums charted in the

Top 40 In the music industry, the Top 40 is a list of the 40 currently most popular songs in a particular genre. It is the best-selling or most frequently broadcast popular music. Record charts have traditionally consisted of a total of 40 songs. "To ...

of the ''Billboard'' 200. In the UK, they have had seventeen Top 20 singles and five Top 10 albums.Rogan, Johnny (2004). passim ("Chart Positions" data) Four Kinks albums have been certified

Gold Gold is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol Au (from Latin ) and atomic number 79. In its pure form, it is a brightness, bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile metal. Chemically, gold is a transition metal ...

by the

Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...

(RIAA), and the band has sold over 50 million records worldwide. Among numerous honours, they received the

Ivor Novello Award The Ivor Novello Awards, named after the Welsh entertainer Ivor Novello, are awards for songwriting and Musical composition, composing. They have been presented annually in London by the The Ivors Academy, Ivors Academy, formerly called the Britis ...

for "Outstanding Service to British Music". In 1990, the original four members of the Kinks were inducted into the

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (RRHOF), also simply referred to as the Rock Hall, is a museum and hall of fame located in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States, on the shore of Lake Erie. The museum documents the history of rock music and the ...

, as well as the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2005. In addition, groups such as

Van Halen Van Halen ( ) was an American rock band formed in Pasadena, California, in 1973. Credited with restoring hard rock to the forefront of the music scene, Van Halen was known for their energetic live performances and the virtuosity of their guit ...

the Jam The Jam were an English rock band formed in 1972 in Woking, Surrey, consisting of Paul Weller, Bruce Foxton and Rick Buckler. They released 18 consecutive top 40 singles in the United Kingdom, from their debut in 1977 to their break-up in ...

, the Knack,

the Pretenders The Pretenders are a British rock band formed in March 1978. The original band consisted of founder and main songwriter Chrissie Hynde (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), James Honeyman-Scott (lead guitar, backing vocals, keyboards), Pete Farndon (ba ...

and the Romantics covered their songs, helping to boost the Kinks' record sales. In the 1990s,

Britpop Britpop was a mid-1990s United Kingdom, British-based music culture movement that emphasised Britishness. Musically, Britpop produced bright, catchy alternative rock, with significant influences from British guitar pop of the 1960s and 1970s. B ...

acts such as Blur and

Oasis In ecology, an oasis (; : oases ) is a fertile area of a desert or semi-desert environment

History

Formation (1962–1963)

The Davies brothers, Ray and Dave, were born in suburban North London on Huntingdon Road, East Finchley, the youngest and the only boys among their family's eight children. Their parents, Frederick and Annie Davies, moved the family to 6Denmark Terrace, Fortis Green, in the neighbouring suburb of Muswell Hill. At home, the brothers were immersed in a world of varied musical styles, from the

of their parents' generation to the

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...

and early

their older sisters enjoyed. Both Ray and his brother Dave, younger by almost three years, learned to play guitar, and they played

skiffle Skiffle is a music genre, genre of folk music with influences from American folk music, blues, Country music, country, Bluegrass music, bluegrass, and jazz, generally performed with a mixture of manufactured and homemade or improvised instruments. ...

and rock and roll together. The brothers attended William Grimshaw Secondary Modern School (later merged with Tollington Grammar School to become Fortismere School), where they formed a band, the Ray Davies Quartet, with Ray's friend and classmate Pete Quaife and Quaife's friend John Start (although they would also be known as the Pete Quaife Quartet if the bass player landed a gig for them instead). Their debut at a school dance was well received, which encouraged the group to play at local pubs and bars. The band went through a series of lead vocalists, including

Rod Stewart Sir Roderick David Stewart (born 10 January 1945) is a British singer and songwriter. Known for his distinctive raspy singing voice, Stewart is among the List of best-selling music artists, best-selling music artists of all time, having sold ...

, another student at William Grimshaw, who performed with the group at least once in early 1962. He then formed his own group, Rod Stewart and the Moonrakers, who became a local rival to the Ray Davies Quartet. In late 1962, Ray Davies left home to study at Hornsey College of Art. He pursued interests in subjects such as film, sketching, theatre, and music, including jazz and blues. When Alexis Korner's Blues Incorporated played at the college in December, he asked advice from Alexis Korner, who recommended Giorgio Gomelsky, the former Yardbirds manager, who put Davies in touch with the

Soho SoHo, short for "South of Houston Street, Houston Street", is a neighborhood in Lower Manhattan, New York City. Since the 1970s, the neighborhood has been the location of many artists' lofts and art galleries, art installations such as The Wall ...

-based Dave Hunt Band, a professional group of musicians who played jazz and R&B. A few days after the Ray Davies Quartet supported Cyril Stapleton at the Lyceum Ballroom on New Year's Eve, Davies, while still remaining in the Quartet, joined the Dave Hunt Band which briefly included

Charlie Watts Charles Robert Watts (2 June 1941 – 24 August 2021) was an English musician who was the drummer of the Rolling Stones from 1963 until his death in 2021. Originally trained as a Graphic designer, graphic artist, Watts developed an interest i ...

on drums. In February 1963, Davies left Dave Hunt to join the Hamilton King Band (also known as the Blues Messengers), which had Peter Bardens as a pianist. At the end of the spring term, he left Hornsey College with a view to studying film at the

Central School of Art and Design The Central School of Art and Design was a school of fine and applied arts in London, England. It offered foundation and degree level courses. It was established in 1896 by the London County Council as the Central School of Arts and Crafts. ...

. Around this time the Quartet changed their name to the Ramrods. Davies has referred to a show the fledgling Kinks played (again as the Ray Davies Quartet) at Hornsey Town Hall on Valentine's Day 1963 as their first important gig. In June, the Hamilton King Band broke up. However, the Ramrods kept going, performing under several other names, including the Pete Quaife Band and the Bo-Weevils, before (temporarily) settling on the Ravens. The fledgling group hired two managers, Grenville Collins and Robert Wace. In late 1963 former pop singer

Larry Page Lawrence Edward Page (born March 26, 1973) is an American businessman, computer engineer and computer scientist best known for co-founding Google with Sergey Brin. Page was chief executive officer of Google from 1997 until August 2001 when ...

became their third manager. American record producer Shel Talmy began working with the band, and

the Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. The core lineup of the band comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are widely regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatle ...

' promoter, Arthur Howes, was retained to schedule the Ravens' live shows. The group unsuccessfully auditioned for various record labels until early 1964, when Talmy secured them a contract with Pye Records. During this period they had acquired a new drummer, Mickey Willet; however, Willet left the band shortly before they signed to Pye. The Ravens invited Mick Avory to replace him after seeing an advertisement Avory had placed in ''

Melody Maker ''Melody Maker'' was a British weekly music magazine, one of the world's earliest music weeklies; according to its publisher, IPC Media, the earliest. In January 2001, it was merged into "long-standing rival" (and IPC Media sister publicatio ...

''. Avory had a background in jazz drumming and had played one gig with the fledgling

Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for over six decades, they are one of the most popular, influential, and enduring bands of the Album era, rock era. In the early 1960s, the band pione ...

. Around this period, the Ravens decided on a new, permanent name: the Kinks. Numerous explanations of the name's genesis have been offered. In Jon Savage's analysis, they "needed a gimmick, some edge to get them attention. Here it was: 'Kinkiness'—something newsy, naughty but just on the borderline of acceptability. In adopting the 'Kinks' as their name at that time, they were participating in a time-honoured pop ritual—fame through outrage." Manager Robert Wace related his side of the story: "I had a friend... He thought the group was rather fun. If my memory is correct, he came up with the name just as an idea, as a good way of getting publicity... When we went to he band memberswith the name, they were... absolutely horrified. They said, 'We're not going to be called kinky! Ray Davies' account conflicts with Wace's—he recalled that the name was coined by Larry Page, and referenced their "kinky" fashion sense. Davies quoted him as saying, "The way you look, and the clothes you wear, you ought to be called the Kinks." "I've never really liked the name," Ray stated.

Early years (1964–1965)

The Kinks' first single was a cover of the

Little Richard Richard Wayne Penniman (December 5, 1932 – May 9, 2020), known professionally as Little Richard, was an American singer, pianist, and songwriter. He was an influential figure in popular music and culture for seven decades. Described as the "Ar ...

song " Long Tall Sally". A friend of the band, Bobby Graham, was recruited to play the drums on the recording. Graham would continue to occasionally substitute for Avory in the studio and he played on several of the Kinks' early singles, including the hits "You Really Got Me", "All Day and All of the Night" and "Tired of Waiting for You". Released in February 1964, "Long Tall Sally" was almost completely ignored, despite the publicity efforts of the band's managers. When the second single " You Still Want Me" failed to chart, Pye Records threatened to annul the group's contract unless their third single was a success. The Ray Davies song "

", influenced by American blues and the Kingsmen's version of " Louie Louie", was recorded on 15June 1964 at Pye Studios with a slower and more produced feel than the final single. Davies, who "hated" the recording, feeling that the guitar was too buried and the echo too prominent, wanted to rerecord the song, but Pye refused to fund another session; Davies was adamant, so Collins and Wace broke the stalemate by underwriting the session themselves. The band used an independent recording studio, IBC, and completed the recording in two

take A take is a single continuous recorded performance. The term is used in film and music to denote and track the stages of production. Film In cinematography, a take refers to each filmed "version" of a particular shot or "setup". Takes of each ...

s on 15July. The single was released in August 1964; supported by a performance on the television show '' Ready Steady Go!'' and extensive pirate radio coverage, it entered the UK charts on 15August, reaching number one on 19September. Hastily imported by the American label

Reprise Records Reprise Records is an American record label founded in 1960 by Frank Sinatra. It is owned by Warner Music Group, and operates through Warner Records, one of its flagship labels. Artists currently signed to Reprise Records include Green Day, En ...

, where the band was signed by legendary executive Mo Ostin, "You Really Got Me" also made the Top 10 in the United States. The loud, distorted guitar

riff A riff is a short, repeated motif or figure in the melody or accompaniment of a musical composition. Riffs are most often found in rock music, punk, heavy metal music, Latin, funk, and jazz, although classical music is also sometimes based ...

and solo—played by Dave Davies and achieved by a slice he made in the speaker cone of his Elpico amplifier (referred to by the band as the "little green amp")—helped with the song's signature, gritty guitar sound. "You Really Got Me" has been described as "a blueprint song in the

hard rock Hard rock or heavy rock is a heavier subgenre of rock music typified by aggressive vocals and Distortion (music), distorted electric guitars. Hard rock began in the mid-1960s with the Garage rock, garage, Psychedelic rock, psychedelic and blues ...

and heavy metal arsenal", and as an influence on the approach of some American

garage rock Garage rock (sometimes called garage punk or 60s punk) is a raw and energetic style of rock music that flourished in the mid-1960s, most notably in the United States and Canada, and has experienced a series of subsequent revivals. The style is ...

bands. After its release, the Kinks recorded most of the tracks for their debut LP, simply titled '' Kinks''. Consisting largely of covers and revamped traditional songs, it was released on 2October 1964, reaching number four on the UK chart. " All Day and All of the Night", another Ray Davies hard rock tune, was released three weeks later as the group's fourth single, reaching number two in the UK and number seven in the US. The next three singles, " Tired of Waiting for You", " Ev'rybody's Gonna Be Happy" and " Set Me Free", were also commercially successful, with the first of the three topping the UK singles chart. The group opened 1965 with their first tour of Australia and New Zealand, with

Manfred Mann Manfred Mann were an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1962. They were named after their keyboardist Manfred Mann (musician), Manfred Mann, who later led the successful 1970s group Manfred Mann's Earth Band. The group had two l ...

and the Honeycombs. An intensive performing schedule saw them headline other package tours throughout the year with acts such as

the Yardbirds The Yardbirds are an English rock music, rock band formed in London in 1963. The band started the careers of three of rock's most famous guitarists: Eric Clapton (1963–1965), Jeff Beck (1965–1966) and Jimmy Page (1966–1968), all of whom ...

and Mickey Finn. Tensions began to emerge within the band, expressed in incidents such as the on-stage fight between Avory and Dave Davies at the Capitol Theatre in

Cardiff Cardiff (; ) is the capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of Wales. Cardiff had a population of in and forms a Principal areas of Wales, principal area officially known as the City and County of Ca ...

, Wales, on 19May. After finishing the first song, "You Really Got Me", Davies insulted Avory and kicked over his drum set. Avory responded by hitting Davies with his hi-hat stand, rendering him unconscious, before fleeing from the scene, fearing that he had killed his bandmate. Davies was taken to Cardiff Royal Infirmary, where he received 16 stitches to his head. To placate the police, Avory later claimed that it was part of a new act in which the band members would hurl their instruments at one another. Following a mid-year tour of the US, the

American Federation of Musicians The American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada (AFM/AFofM) is a 501(c)(5) trade union, labor union representing professional instrumental musicians in the United States and Canada. The AFM, which has its headquarters in N ...

refused permits for the group to appear in concerts there for the next four years, effectively cutting them off from the main market for rock music at the height of the

. Although neither the Kinks nor the union revealed a specific reason for the ban, at the time it was widely attributed to their rowdy on-stage behaviour. It has been reported that the ban was sparked by an incident that happened when the band were taping

Dick Clark Richard Wagstaff Clark (November 30, 1929April 18, 2012) was an American television and radio personality and television producer who hosted ''American Bandstand'' from 1956 to 1989. He also hosted five incarnations of the Pyramid (game show), ...

's TV show '' Where the Action Is'' in 1965. Ray Davies recalls in his autobiography, "Some guy who said he worked for the TV company walked up and accused us of being late. Then he started making anti-British comments, such as, 'Just because the Beatles did it, every mop-topped, spotty-faced limey juvenile thinks he can come over here and make a career for himself.; subsequently, a punch was thrown, and the AFM banned them. A stopover in

Bombay Mumbai ( ; ), also known as Bombay ( ; its official name until 1995), is the capital city of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of Maharashtra. Mumbai is the financial centre, financial capital and the list of cities i ...

, India, during the band's Australian and Asian tour led to Davies writing the song " See My Friends", which was released as a single in July 1965. This was an early example of

crossover music Crossover is a term applied to musical works or performers who appeal to different types of audiences. This can be seen, for example, when a song appears on two or more of the record charts, which track differing musical styles or genres. I ...

and one of the first pop songs of the period to display the direct influence of traditional music from the

Indian subcontinent The Indian subcontinent is a physiographic region of Asia below the Himalayas which projects into the Indian Ocean between the Bay of Bengal to the east and the Arabian Sea to the west. It is now divided between Bangladesh, India, and Pakista ...

. Davies had written the song with a raga feel after hearing the early morning chants of local fishermen. Music historian Jonathan Bellman argues that the song was "extremely influential" on Ray Davies' musical peers: "And while much has been made of the Beatles' ' Norwegian Wood' because it was the first pop record to use a

sitar The sitar ( or ; ) is a plucked stringed instrument, originating from the Indian subcontinent, used in Hindustani classical music. The instrument was invented in the 18th century, and arrived at its present form in 19th-century India. Khusrau K ...

, it was recorded well after the Kinks' clearly Indian 'See My Friends' was released."

Pete Townshend Peter Dennis Blandford Townshend (; born 19 May 1945) is an English musician. He is the co-founder, guitarist, keyboardist, second lead vocalist, principal songwriter and leader of the Who, one of the most influential rock bands of the 1960s an ...

the Who The Who are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1964. Their classic lineup (1964–1978) consisted of lead vocalist Roger Daltrey, guitarist Pete Townshend, bassist John Entwistle and drummer Keith Moon. Considered one of th ...

was particularly affected by the song: See My Friends' was the next time I pricked up my ears and thought, 'God, he's done it again. He's invented something new.' That was the first reasonable use of the drone—far, far better than anything The Beatles did and far, far earlier. It was a European sound rather than an Eastern sound but with a strong, legitimate Eastern influence which had its roots in European folk music." In a widely quoted statement by Barry Fantoni, himself a 1960s celebrity and friend of the Kinks, the Beatles and the Who, he recalled that it was also an influence on the Beatles: "I remember it vividly and still think it's a remarkable pop song. I was with the Beatles the evening that they actually sat around listening to it on a gramophone, saying 'You know this guitar thing sounds like a sitar. We must get one of those. The song's radical departure from popular music conventions proved unpopular with the band's American following—it hit number 10 in the UK but stalled at number 111 in the US. The day after the band's return from the Asian tour, recording began promptly on their next project, '' Kinda Kinks''. The LP was completed and released within two weeks, even though 10 of its 12 songs were originals.Doggett, Peter. ''Kinda Kinks'' CD liner notes, Sanctuary Records (2004) According to Ray Davies, the band was not completely satisfied with the final cuts, but pressure from the record company meant that no time was available to correct flaws in the mix. Davies later expressed his dissatisfaction with the production, saying, "A bit more care should have been taken with it. I think roducerShel 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." A significant stylistic shift in the Kinks' music became evident in late 1965, with the appearance of singles like " A Well Respected Man" and " Dedicated Follower of Fashion", as well as the band's third album '' The Kink Kontroversy'', on which Nicky Hopkins made his first appearance as a

session musician A session musician (also known as studio musician or backing musician) is a musician hired to perform in a recording session or a live performance. The term sideman is also used in the case of live performances, such as accompanying a reco ...

with the group on keyboards. These recordings exemplified the development of Davies' songwriting style, from hard-driving rock numbers toward songs rich in social commentary, observation and idiosyncratic character study, all with a uniquely English flavour.

Critical success (1966–1972)

The satirical single " Sunny Afternoon" was the biggest UK hit of summer 1966, topping the charts and displacing the Beatles' " Paperback Writer". Before the release of ''The Kink Kontroversy'', Ray Davies suffered a nervous and physical breakdown, caused by the pressures of touring, writing and ongoing legal squabbles. During his months of recuperation, he wrote several new songs and pondered the band's direction. In June 1966, Quaife was involved in an automobile accident, and after his recovery he decided to leave the band. Bassist

, who was initially hired to fill in for the injured Quaife, subsequently became his official replacement. However, Quaife soon had a change of heart and rejoined the band in November 1966, with Dalton returning to his previous job as a coalman. "Sunny Afternoon" was a dry run for the band's next album '' Face to Face'', which displayed Davies' growing ability to craft musically gentle yet lyrically cutting narrative songs about everyday life and people. Hopkins returned for the sessions to play various keyboard instruments, including piano and

harpsichord A harpsichord is a musical instrument played by means of a musical keyboard, keyboard. Depressing a key raises its back end within the instrument, which in turn raises a mechanism with a small plectrum made from quill or plastic that plucks one ...

. He played on the band's next two studio albums as well and was involved in a number of their live

BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...

recordings before joining the Jeff Beck Group in 1968. ''Face to Face'' was released in October 1966 in the UK, where it was well received and peaked at number 8. When it was released in the US in December, the album was tipped as a potential "chart winner" by ''Billboard'' magazine. Despite this, it managed only a meagre chart peak of 135—a sign of the band's flagging popularity in the American market. Released in November 1966, the Kinks' next single was a social commentary piece entitled "

Dead End Street A dead end, also known as a ''cul-de-sac'' (; , ), a no-through road or a no-exit road, is a street with only one combined inlet and outlet. Dead ends are added to roads in urban planning designs to limit traffic in residential areas. Some d ...

". It became another UK Top 10 hit, but reached only number 73 in the US. Bob Dawbarn from ''Melody Maker'' praised Ray Davies' ability to create a song with "some fabulous lyrics and a marvellous melody ... combined with a great production", and music scholar

Johnny Rogan John Rogan (14 February 1953 – 21 January 2021) was a British author of Irish descent best known for his books about music and popular culture. He wrote influential biographies of the Byrds, Neil Young, the Smiths, Van Morrison and Ray Davies. ...

described it as "a kitchen sink drama without the drama—a static vision of working-class

stoicism Stoicism is a school of Hellenistic philosophy that flourished in ancient Greece and Rome. The Stoics believed that the universe operated according to reason, ''i.e.'' by a God which is immersed in nature itself. Of all the schools of ancient ...

". One of the group's first promotional music videos was produced for the song. It was filmed on Little Green Street, a small 18th-century lane in north London, located off Highgate Road in

Kentish Town Kentish Town is an area of northwest London, England, in the London Borough of Camden, immediately north of Camden Town, close to Hampstead Heath. Kentish Town likely derives its name from Ken-ditch or Caen-ditch, meaning the "bed of a waterw ...

. Retrieved on 27 November 2009 Both "Dead End Street" and its B-side " Big Black Smoke" were recorded with John Dalton on bass, though Quaife had returned by the time the single was released, and appeared in the promotional music video. The Kinks' next single, " Waterloo Sunset", was released in May 1967. The lyrics describe two lovers passing over a bridge, with a melancholic observer reflecting on the couple, the

Thames The River Thames ( ), known alternatively in parts as the River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At , it is the longest river entirely in England and the second-longest in the United Kingdom, after th ...

, and Waterloo station. The song was rumoured to have been inspired by the romance between actors Terence Stamp and Julie Christie, two British celebrities of the time. Ray Davies denied this in his autobiography, and claimed in a 2008 interview, "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." Despite its complex arrangement, the sessions for "Waterloo Sunset" lasted a mere ten hours. Dave Davies later commented on the recording: "We spent a lot of time trying to get a different guitar sound, to get a more unique feel for the record. In the end, we used a tape-delay echo, but it sounded new because nobody had done it since the 1950s. I remember

Steve Marriott Stephen Peter Marriott (30 January 1947 – 20 April 1991) was an English actor, musician, guitarist, singer and songwriter. He was a student at the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts in London and appeared in the West End, before taking a r ...

of the

Small Faces Small Faces were an English Rock music, rock band from London, founded in 1965. The group originally consisted of Steve Marriott, Ronnie Lane, Kenney Jones and Jimmy Winston, with Ian McLagan replacing Winston as the band's keyboardist in 1966 ...

came up and asked me how we'd got that sound. We were almost trendy for a while." The single was one of the Kinks' biggest UK successes, hitting number two on ''Melody Maker''s chart, and became one of their most popular and best-known songs. Critic

Robert Christgau Robert Thomas Christgau ( ; born April 18, 1942) is an American music journalist and essayist. Among the most influential music critics, he began his career in the late 1960s as one of the earliest professional rock critics and later became a ...

called it "the most beautiful song in the English language", and

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...

senior editor

Stephen Thomas Erlewine Stephen Thomas Erlewine (; born June 18, 1973) is an American music critic and former senior editor for the online music database AllMusic. He is the author of multiple artist biographies and record reviews for AllMusic, as well as a freelance ...

cited it as "possibly the most beautiful song of the rock and roll era". Ray Davies was chosen to perform "Waterloo Sunset" at the closing of the 2012 London Olympic Games, 45 years after the song's release. KinksFanclubCropped

The songs on the 1967 album, '' Something Else by the Kinks'', developed the musical progressions of ''Face to Face'', adding English

influences to the band's sound. Dave Davies scored a major UK chart success with the album's " Death of a Clown". While co-written by Ray Davies and recorded by the Kinks, the song was also released as a Dave Davies solo single. Overall, the album's commercial performance was disappointing, prompting the Kinks to rush out a new single, " Autumn Almanac", in early October. Backed with " Mister Pleasant", the single became another top-5 success for the group. At this point, in a string of 13 singles, 12 of them reached the top 10 in the UK chart. Andy Miller suggests that, despite its success, the single marks a turning point in the band's career—it would be their last entry into the UK top ten for three years: "In retrospect, 'Autumn Almanac' marked the first hint of trouble for the Kinks. This glorious single, one of the greatest achievements of British 60s pop, was widely criticised at the time for being too similar to previous ayDavies efforts." Nick Jones of ''Melody Maker'' asked, "Is it time that Ray stopped writing about grey suburbanites going about their fairly unemotional daily business? ... Ray works to a formula, not a feeling, and it's becoming rather boring." Disc jockey Mike Ahern called the song "a load of old rubbish". Dave's second solo single " Susannah's Still Alive" was released in the UK on 24November. It sold 59,000 copies, failing to reach the top 10. Miller states that "by the end of the year, the Kinks were rapidly sliding out of fashion". Beginning early in 1968, the group largely retired from touring, instead focusing on studio work. As the band was not available to promote their material, subsequent releases met with little success. The Kinks' next single, " Wonderboy", released in the spring of 1968, stalled at number 36 and became the band's first single not to make the UK top twenty since their early covers.Rogan, Johnny (2004). p. 20 In the face of the band's declining popularity, Davies continued to pursue his personal song-writing style while rebelling against the heavy demands placed on him to keep producing commercial hits, and the group continued to devote time to the studio, centring on a slowly developing project of Ray's called ''Village Green''. In an attempt to revive the group's commercial standing, the Kinks' management booked them on a month-long package tour for April, drawing the group away from the studio. The venues were largely cabarets and clubs; headlining was Peter Frampton's group the Herd. "In general, the

teenybopper A teenybopper is a young teenager, typically a girl, who follows adolescent Fads and trends, trends in music, fashion, and culture. The term may have been coined by marketing professionals and psychologists, later becoming a subculture of its own ...

s were not there to see the boring old Kinks, who occasionally had to endure chants of 'We Want The Herd!' during their brief appearances", commented Andy Miller. The tour proved taxing and stressful—Pete Quaife recalled, "It was a chore, very dull, boring and straightforward... We only did twenty minutes, but it used to drive me absolutely frantic, standing on stage and playing three notes over and over again." At the end of June, the Kinks released the single "

Days A day is the time period of a full rotation of the Earth with respect to the Sun. On average, this is 24 hours (86,400 seconds). As a day passes at a given location it experiences morning, afternoon, evening, and night. This daily cyc ...

", which provided a minor, but only momentary, comeback for the group. "I remember playing it when I was at Fortis Green the first time I had a tape of it", Ray said. "I played it to Brian, who used to be our roadie, and his wife and two daughters. They were crying at the end of it. Really wonderful—like going to Waterloo and seeing the sunset. ... It's like saying goodbye to somebody, then afterwards feeling the fear that you actually are alone." "Days" reached number 12 in the UK and was a top-20 hit in several other countries, but it did not chart in the US. ''Village Green'' eventually morphed into their next album, ''

The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society ''The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society'' is the sixth studio album by the English Rock music, rock band the Kinks. Released on 22November 1968, ''Village Green'' was a modest seller, but it was lauded by contemporary critics f ...

'', released in late 1968 in the UK. A collection of thematic vignettes of English town and hamlet life, it was assembled from songs written and recorded over the previous two years. It was greeted with almost unanimously positive reviews from both UK and US rock critics, yet failed to attract strong sales. One factor in the album's initial commercial failure was the lack of a popular single; it did not include the moderately successful "Days", and the album track " Starstruck" was released as a single in North America and continental Europe, but was unsuccessful. Although a commercial disappointment, ''Village Green'' (the project's original name was adopted as a shorthand for the long album title) was embraced by the new underground rock press when it was released in January 1969 in the US, where the Kinks began to acquire a reputation as a cult band. In ''

The Village Voice ''The Village Voice'' is an American news and culture publication based in Greenwich Village, New York City, known for being the country's first Alternative newspaper, alternative newsweekly. Founded in 1955 by Dan Wolf (publisher), Dan Wolf, ...

'', a newly hired

called it "the best album of the year so far". The underground Boston paper ''Fusion'' published a review 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." The record did not escape criticism, however. In the student paper ''California Tech'', one writer commented that it was "schmaltz rock... without imagination, poorly arranged and a poor copy of The Beatles". Although Davies later estimated that it had sold only around 100,000 copies worldwide on its initial release, ''Village Green'' has since become the Kinks' best-selling original record. The album remains popular; in 2004, it was re-released in a 3CD "Deluxe" edition, and the track "

Picture Book A picture book combines visual and verbal narratives in a book format, most often aimed at young children. With the narrative told primarily through text, they are distinct from comics, which do so primarily through sequential images. The ima ...

" was featured in a popular

Hewlett-Packard The Hewlett-Packard Company, commonly shortened to Hewlett-Packard ( ) or HP, was an American multinational information technology company. It was founded by Bill Hewlett and David Packard in 1939 in a one-car garage in Palo Alto, California ...

television commercial, helping considerably to boost the album's popularity. In early 1969, Quaife again announced that he was leaving the band. The other members did not take his statement seriously until an article appeared in ''

New Musical Express ''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming and culture website, bimonthly magazine, and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a " rock inkie", the ''NME'' would become a maga ...

'' on 4April featuring Quaife's new band, Maple Oak, which he had formed without telling the rest of the Kinks. Ray Davies pleaded with him to return for the sessions for their upcoming album, but Quaife refused. His last recording with the Kinks was the non-album single "

Plastic Man Plastic Man (Patrick "Eel" O'Brian) is a superhero featured in American comic books first appearing in ''Police Comics'' #1, originally published by Quality Comics and later acquired by DC Comics. Created by cartoonist Jack Cole (artist), Jack Co ...

" and its B-side "King Kong", released in March 1969. Immediately after Quaife had confirmed he was not returning, Ray Davies called up John Dalton, who had replaced Quaife three years prior, and asked him to rejoin. Dalton remained with the group until the recording of the album '' Sleepwalker'' in 1976. Ray Davies travelled to Los Angeles in April 1969 to help negotiate an end to the American Federation of Musicians' ban on the group, opening up an opportunity for them to return to touring in the US. The group's management quickly made plans for a North American tour to help restore their standing in the US pop music scene. Before their return to the US, the Kinks recorded another album, ''

Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire) ''Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire)'', often referred to simply as ''Arthur'', is the seventh studio album by the English rock band the Kinks, released on 10 October 1969. It was the first Kinks album to feature bassist Jo ...

''. As with the previous two albums, ''Arthur'' was grounded in characteristically English lyrical and musical hooks. A modest commercial success, it was well received by American music critics. Conceived as the score for a proposed but unrealised television drama, much of the album revolved around themes from 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 the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. The Kinks embarked on their tour of the US in October 1969. The tour was generally unsuccessful, as the group struggled to find cooperative promoters and interested audiences; many of the scheduled concert dates were cancelled. The band did, however, manage to play a few major venues such as the

Fillmore East The Fillmore East was Promoter (entertainment), rock promoter Bill Graham (promoter), Bill Graham's rock venue on Second Avenue (Manhattan), Second Avenue near 6th Street (Manhattan), East 6th Street on the Lower East Side section of Manhattan, ...

and

Whisky a Go Go The Whisky a Go Go (informally nicknamed The Whisky) is a historic nightclub in West Hollywood, California, United States. It is located at 8901 Sunset Boulevard on the Sunset Strip, corner North Clark Street, opposite North San Vicente Boulev ...

. The band added keyboardist John Gosling to their line-up in early 1970; before which, Nicky Hopkins and Ray Davies had done most of the session work on keyboards. In May 1970, Gosling debuted with the Kinks on " Lola", an account of a confused romantic encounter with a transvestite, which became both a UK and a US top-10 hit, helping return the Kinks to the public eye. The lyrics originally contained the word "

Coca-Cola Coca-Cola, or Coke, is a cola soft drink manufactured by the Coca-Cola Company. In 2013, Coke products were sold in over 200 countries and territories worldwide, with consumers drinking more than 1.8 billion company beverage servings ...

", and the BBC refused to broadcast the song, considering it to be in violation of their policy against

product placement Product placement, also known as embedded marketing, is a marketing technique where references to specific brands or products are incorporated into another work, such as a film or television program, with specific promotional intent. Much of t ...

. Part of the song was hastily rerecorded by Ray Davies, with the offending line changed to the generic "cherry cola", although in concert the Kinks still used "Coca-Cola". Recordings of both versions of "Lola" exist. Released in November 1970, the accompanying album '' Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part One'' was a critical and commercial success, charting in the top 40 in the US, making it their most successful album since the mid-1960s. After the success of "Lola", the band released '' Percy'' in 1971, a soundtrack album to a film of the same name about a penis transplant. The album, which consisted largely of instrumentals, did not receive positive reviews. The band's US label, Reprise, declined to release it in the US, precipitating a major dispute that contributed to the band's departure from the label. Directly after the release of the album, the band's contracts with Pye and Reprise expired. Before the end of 1971, 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. Their debut for RCA, ''

'', was replete with the influence of music hall and traditional American musical styles, including country and bluegrass. Though not as successful as its predecessors, it is often hailed as their last great record. It was named after Muswell Hill where Ray and Dave grew up and contained songs focusing on working-class life and, again, the Davies brothers' childhood. Despite positive reviews and high expectations, ''Muswell Hillbillies'' peaked at number 48 on the '' Record World'' chart and number 100 on the ''Billboard'' chart. It was followed in 1972 by a double album, '' Everybody's in Show-Biz'', consisting of both studio tracks and live numbers recorded during a two-night stand at

Carnegie Hall Carnegie Hall ( ) is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. It is at 881 Seventh Avenue (Manhattan), Seventh Avenue, occupying the east side of Seventh Avenue between 56th Street (Manhattan), 56th and 57th Street (Manhattan), 57t ...

. The record featured the ballad " Celluloid Heroes" and the Caribbean-themed " Supersonic Rocket Ship", their last UK top-20 hit for more than a decade. "Celluloid Heroes" is a bittersweet rumination on dead and fading Hollywood stars (Mickey Rooney was still alive), in which the narrator declares that he wishes his life were like a movie "because celluloid heroes never feel any pain... and celluloid heroes never really die."Davies, Ray. " Celluloid Heroes" lyrics. Davray Music Ltd. (1972) The album was moderately successful in the US, peaking at number 47 in ''Record World'' and number 70 in ''Billboard''. It marks the transition between the band's early 1970s rock material and the theatrical incarnation in which they immersed themselves for the next four years.

Theatrical incarnation (1973–1976)

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. In conjunction with the ''Preservation'' project, the Kinks' line-up was expanded to include a horn section and female backup singers, essentially reconfiguring the group as a theatrical troupe. Ray Davies' marital problems during this period began to affect the band adversely, particularly after his wife, Rasa, took their children and left him in June 1973. Davies became depressed; during a July gig at White City Stadium, he told the audience he was "fucking sick of the whole thing" and was retiring.Hollingsworth, Roy (21 July 1973). "Thank you for the days, Ray". ''

''. He subsequently collapsed after a drug overdose and was taken to hospital. With Ray Davies in a seemingly critical condition, plans were discussed for Dave to continue as frontman in a worst-case scenario. Ray recovered from his illness as well as his depression, but throughout the remainder of the Kinks' theatrical incarnation the band's output remained uneven, and their already fading popularity declined even more. John Dalton later commented that when Davies "decided to work again... I don't think he was totally better, and he's been a different person ever since." '' Preservation Act 1'' (1973) and '' Preservation Act 2'' (1974) received generally poor reviews. The story on the albums involved an anti-hero called Mr Flash, and his rival and enemy Mr Black (played by Dave Davies during live shows), an ultra-purist and corporatist. ''Preservation Act 2'' was the first album recorded at Konk Studio; from this point forward, virtually every Kinks studio recording was produced by Ray Davies at Konk. The band embarked on an ambitious US tour throughout late 1974, adapting the ''Preservation'' story for the stage. Author Robert Polito: " ayDavies expanded the Kinks into a road troupe of perhaps a dozen costumed actors, singers and horn players. ... Smoother and tighter than on record, ''Preservation'' live proved funnier as well." Davies began another project for Granada Television, a musical called ''Starmaker''. 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 May 1975, in which Ray Davies fantasised about what would happen if a rock star traded places with a "normal Norman" and took a 9–5 job.Hickey, Dave. "''Soap Opera'': Rock Theater That Works". ''Village Voice'', 19 May 1975 In August 1975, the Kinks recorded their final theatrical work, '' Schoolboys in Disgrace'', a backstory biography of ''Preservation's'' Mr Flash. The record was a modest success, peaking at number 45 on the ''Billboard'' charts.

Return to commercial success (1977–1985)

Following the termination of their contract with RCA, the Kinks signed with

Arista Records Arista Records ( ) is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the American division of the Japanese conglomerate Sony. The label was previously a division of Bertelsmann Music G ...

in 1976. With the encouragement of Arista's management, they stripped back down to a five-man core group and were reborn as an

arena rock Arena rock (also known as stadium rock, pomp rock or corporate rock) is a style of rock music that became mainstream in the 1970s. It typically involves radio-friendly rock music that was designed to be played for large audiences. As hard rock ...

band. John Dalton left the band before finishing the sessions for the debut Arista album. Andy Pyle was brought in to complete the sessions and to play on the subsequent tour. '' Sleepwalker'', released in 1977, marked a return to success for the group as it peaked at number 21 on the ''Billboard'' chart. After its release and the recording of the follow-up, '' Misfits'', Andy Pyle and keyboardist John Gosling left the group to work together on a separate project. In May 1978, ''Misfits'', the Kinks' second Arista album, was released. It included the US top-40 hit " A Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy", which helped make the record another success for the band. The non-album single " Father Christmas" has remained a popular track. Driven by session drummer

Henry Spinetti Enrico Antonio Giorgio Spinetti (born 31 March 1951) is a Welsh session drummer whose playing has featured on many prominent rock and pop albums. Career Spinetti was born in Cwm, near Ebbw Vale, Monmouthshire, Wales.) His first band, aged abou ...

's drumming and Dave Davies' heavy guitar, the song "Father Christmas" has become a classic seasonal favourite on mainstream radio. For the following tour, the band recruited ex- Argent bassist Jim Rodford and ex- Pretty Things keyboardist Gordon John Edwards. Edwards was soon fired from the Kinks for failing to show up to recording sessions, and the band recorded 1979's ''Low Budget'' as a quartet, with Ray Davies handling keyboard duties. Keyboardist Ian Gibbons was recruited for the subsequent tour and became a permanent member of the group. Despite the personnel changes, the popularity of the band's records and live shows continued to grow. Beginning in the late 1970s, bands such as the Jam (" David Watts"), the Pretenders (" Stop Your Sobbing", "

I Go to Sleep "I Go to Sleep" is a song written by Ray Davies which has been covered by numerous artists. Peggy Lee, the Applejacks and Cher recorded covers in 1965 without chart success. The Pretenders released a cover in 1981 which reached number seven o ...

"), the Romantics (" She's Got Everything"), and the Knack (" The Hard Way") recorded covers of Kinks songs, which helped bring attention to the group's new releases. In 1978, Van Halen covered "You Really Got Me" for their debut single, a top-40 US hit, helping boost the band's commercial resurgence (Van Halen later covered " Where Have All the Good Times Gone", another early Kinks song which had been covered by David Bowie on his 1973 album '' Pin Ups''). The hard rock sound of ''Low Budget'', released in 1979, helped make it the Kinks' second gold album and highest charting original album in the US, where it peaked at number 11. The live album '' One for the Road'' was produced in 1980, along with a video of the same title, bringing the group's concert-drawing power to a peak that would last into 1983. Dave Davies also took advantage of the group's improved commercial standing to fulfil his decade-long ambitions to release albums of his solo work. The first was the

eponym An eponym is a noun after which or for which someone or something is, or is believed to be, named. Adjectives derived from the word ''eponym'' include ''eponymous'' and ''eponymic''. Eponyms are commonly used for time periods, places, innovati ...

ous ''Dave Davies'' in 1980. It was also known by its catalogue number " AFL1-3603" because of its cover art, which depicted Dave Davies as a leather-jacketed piece of price-scanning barcode. He produced another, less successful, solo album in 1981, ''Glamour''. The next Kinks album, '' Give the People What They Want'', was released in late 1981 and reached number 15 in the US. The record attained gold status and featured the UK hit single " Better Things" as well as "

Destroyer In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast, maneuverable, long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy, or carrier battle group and defend them against a wide range of general threats. They were conceived i ...

", a major

Mainstream Rock Mainstream rock (also known as heritage rock) is a radio format used by many commercial radio stations in the United States and Canada. Format background Mainstream rock stations represent a cross between classic rock, active rock and alternativ ...

hit for the group. To promote the album, the Kinks spent the end of 1981 and most of 1982 touring relentlessly, and played multiple sell-out concerts throughout Australia, Japan, England and the US. The tour culminated with a performance at the

US Festival The US Festival is the name of two early 1980s music and culture festivals held near San Bernardino, California. Background Steve Wozniak, cofounder of Apple and creator of the Apple I and Apple II personal computers, believed that the 197 ...

in San Bernardino, California, for a crowd of 205,000. In spring 1983, the song " Come Dancing" became their biggest American hit since "Tired of Waiting for You", peaking at number six. It also became the group's first top-20 hit in the UK since 1972, peaking at number 12.Rogan, Johnny (2004). p. 138 The accompanying album, '' State of Confusion'', was another commercial success, reaching number 12 in the US, but, like all the group's albums since 1967, it failed to chart in the UK. Another single released from the record, " Don't Forget to Dance", became a US top-30 hit and minor UK chart entry. The Kinks' second wave of popularity remained at a peak with ''State of Confusion'', but that success began to fade, a trend that also affected their British rock contemporaries

the Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for over six decades, they are one of the most popular, influential, and enduring bands of the Album era, rock era. In the early 1960s, the band pione ...

and

. During the second half of 1983, Ray Davies started work on an ambitious solo film project, '' Return to Waterloo'', about a London commuter who daydreams that he is 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 relationship between Ray Davies and Chrissie Hynde. The old feud between Dave Davies and drummer Mick Avory also re-ignited. Davies eventually refused to work with Avory, and called for him to be replaced by Bob Henrit, former drummer of Argent (of which Jim Rodford had also been a member). Avory left the band, and Henrit was brought in to take his place. Ray Davies, who was still on amiable terms with Avory, invited him to manage Konk Studios. Avory accepted and continued to serve as a producer and occasional contributor on later Kinks albums. Between the completion of ''Return to Waterloo'' and Avory's departure, the band had begun work on '' Word of Mouth'', their final Arista album, released in November 1984. As a result, it includes Avory on three tracks, with Henrit and a

drum machine A drum machine is an electronic musical instrument that creates percussion sounds, drum beats, and patterns. Drum machines may imitate drum kits or other percussion instruments, or produce unique sounds, such as synthesized electronic tones. A d ...

on the rest.Rogan, Johnny (2004). p. 142 Many of the songs also appeared as solo recordings on Ray Davies' ''Return to Waterloo'' soundtrack album. ''Word of Mouth''s lead track, " Do It Again", was released as a single in April 1985. It reached number 41 in the US, the band's last entry into the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Coinciding with the album's release, the first three books on the Kinks were published: ''The Kinks: The Official Biography'', by Jon Savage; ''The Kinks Kronikles'', by rock critic John Mendelsohn, who had overseen the 1972 '' The Kink Kronikles'' compilation album; and ''The Kinks – The Sound and the Fury'' (''The Kinks – A Mental Institution'' in the US), by

Decline in popularity and split (1986–1997)

In early 1986, the Kinks signed with

MCA Records MCA Records was an American record label owned by MCA Inc. established in 1972, though MCA had released recordings under that name in the UK from the 1960s. The label achieved success in the 1970s through the 1980s, often by acquiring other ...

in the US and London Records in the UK. Their first album for the new labels, '' Think Visual'', was released later that year with moderate success, peaking at number 81 on the ''Billboard'' albums chart.Rogan, Johnny (2004). pp. 142–154 Songs like the

ballad A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of the popular poetry and song of Great Britain and Ireland from the Late Middle Ages until the 19th century. They were widely used across Eur ...

Lost and Found A lost and found (American English) or lost property (British English), or lost articles (also Canadian English) is an office in a public building or area where people can go to retrieve Lost, mislaid, and abandoned property, lost articles th ...

" and "Working at the Factory" concerned blue-collar life on an assembly line, while the title track was an attack on the very MTV video culture from which the band had profited earlier in the decade. ''Think Visual'' was followed in 1987 with the live album '' The Road'', which was a mediocre commercial and critical performer. In 1989, the Kinks released '' UK Jive'', a commercial failure that made only a momentary entry into the US album chart at number 122. MCA Records ultimately dropped them, leaving the Kinks without a label deal for the first time in over a quarter of a century. Longtime keyboardist Ian Gibbons left the group and was replaced by Mark Haley. The Kinks were inducted into the

in 1990, their first year of eligibility. Mick Avory and Pete Quaife were present for the award. The induction did not lead to a revival of the group's stalled career. A compilation from the MCA Records period, ''Lost & Found (1986–1989)'', was released in 1991 to fulfil contractual obligations, marking the official end of the group's relationship with the label. The band then signed with

Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American reco ...

and released the five-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. The Kinks reverted to a four-piece band for the recording of their first Columbia album, ''

Phobia A phobia is an anxiety disorder, defined by an irrational, unrealistic, persistent and excessive fear of an object or situation. Phobias typically result in a rapid onset of fear and are usually present for more than six months. Those affected ...

'', in 1993. After a sellout performance at the

Royal Albert Hall The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall on the northern edge of South Kensington, London, England. It has a seating capacity of 5,272. Since the hall's opening by Queen Victoria in 1871, the world's leading artists from many performance genres ...

in London, Mark Haley departed the band and Gibbons rejoined them for a US tour. ''Phobia'' managed only one week in the US ''Billboard'' chart at number 166; as had by then become usual for the band, it made no impression in the UK. The single " Only a Dream" narrowly failed to reach the British chart. The album's final candidate for release as a single, " Scattered", was announced and followed up with TV and radio promotion. However, the record was unavailable in stores—several months later, a small number appeared on the collector market. The group was dropped by Columbia in 1994. In the same year, the band released the first version of the album '' To the Bone'' on their own Konk label in the UK. This live acoustic album was partly recorded on the highly successful UK tours of 1993 and 1994 and partly in the Konk studio in front of a small, invited audience. Two years later, the band released a new, improved, live double-CD set in the US, which retained the same name and contained two new studio tracks, "Animal" and "To the Bone". The CD set also featured 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 profile rose considerably in the mid-1990s, primarily as a result of the "

" boom. Several of the most prominent bands of the decade cited the Kinks as a major influence. Despite this recognition, the group's commercial viability continued to decline. They gradually became less active, leading Ray and Dave Davies to pursue their own interests. Each released an autobiography; Ray's ''

X-Ray An X-ray (also known in many languages as Röntgen radiation) is a form of high-energy electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength shorter than those of ultraviolet rays and longer than those of gamma rays. Roughly, X-rays have a wavelength ran ...

'' was published in early 1995, and Dave responded with his memoir ''Kink'', published a year later. The Kinks gave their last public performance in mid-1996, and the group assembled for what turned out to be their last time together at a party for Dave's 50th birthday. Kinks chronicler and historian Doug Hinman stated, "The symbolism of the event was impossible to overlook. The party was held at the site of the brothers' very first musical endeavour, the Clissold Arms pub, across the street from their childhood home on Fortis Green in North London."

Solo work and recognition (1998–present)

The band members subsequently focused on solo projects, and the Davies brothers both released their own studio albums. Talk of a Kinks reunion circulated (including an aborted studio reunion of the original band members in 1999), but neither Ray nor Dave Davies showed much interest in playing together again. Meanwhile, former members John Gosling, John Dalton and Mick Avory had regrouped in 1994 and started performing on the oldies circuit along with guitar-player/singer Dave Clarke as the Kast Off Kinks. In 1998, Ray Davies released the solo album ''Storyteller'' as a companion piece to his book ''X-Ray''. Originally written two years earlier as a cabaret-style show, the album celebrated his old band and estranged brother. Seeing the programming potential of his music/dialogue/reminiscence format, the American music television network VH1 launched a series of similar projects featuring established rock artists titled '' VH1 Storytellers''. Dave Davies spoke favourably of a Kinks reunion in early 2003. As the 40th anniversary of the group's breakthrough neared, both the Davies brothers expressed interest in working together again. However, hopes for a reunion were dashed in June 2004 when Dave suffered a stroke that temporarily impaired his ability to speak and play guitar. Following his recovery, the Kinks were inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame in November 2005, with all four of the original band members in attendance. The induction helped fuel sales for the group; in August 2007, a re-entry of '' The Ultimate Collection'', a compilation of material spanning the band's career, reached number 32 on the UK Top 100 album chart and number one on the UK Indie album chart. Quaife, who had been receiving kidney dialysis for more than ten years, died on 23June 2010, aged 66. In 2018, long-time bassist Jim Rodford died at the age of 76. Keyboardist Ian Gibbons died of cancer in 2019. Gosling died on 4August 2023, at the age of 75. In June 2018, the Davies brothers said they were working on a new Kinks studio album with Avory. In July 2019, the band again said they were working on new music. However, in a December 2020 interview with ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'', Ray Davies gave no indication that much, or indeed any, work had been done, saying "I'd like to work with Dave again—if he'll work with me." When asked about a reunion in an interview published in January 2021, Dave Davies said "We've been talking about it. I mean there's a lot of material and, you know, it could still happen." In March 2023, Avory laid to rest rumours of a reunion, citing differences between the Davies brothers: "I don't think it's possible now – one thing, health-wise. And I don't think we could ever work it out because Dave wanted to do it one way, and Ray wanted to do it the other – which was quite normal thinking for them. ..Ray thought fdoing it as an 'evolution tour' – you have different people who came into the band and what songs they recorded on and what songs affected them. I thought that would be more interesting. But I think Dave just wanted 'a band' – not particularly with me in it. Just reform something like they had when I left – just a band with him and Ray in it, really."

Live performances

The first live performance of the Ray Davies Quartet, the band that would become the Kinks, was at a dance for their school, William Grimshaw, in 1962. The band performed under several names between 1962 and 1963—the Pete Quaife Band, the Bo-Weevils, the Ramrods, and the Ravens—before settling on the Kinks in early 1964. Ray has stated that a performance at Hornsey Town Hall on Valentine's Day 1963 was when the band were truly born. The Kinks made their first tour of Australia and New Zealand in January 1965 as part of a "package" bill that included

and the Honeycombs. They performed and toured relentlessly, headlining package tours throughout 1965 with performers such as

and Mickey Finn. Tensions began to emerge within the band, expressed in incidents such as the on-stage fight between drummer Mick Avory and Dave Davies at The Capitol Theatre,

, Wales on 19 May. After finishing the first song, "You Really Got Me", Davies insulted Avory and kicked over his drum set. Avory responded by hitting Davies with his hi-hat stand, rendering him unconscious, before fleeing from the scene, fearing that he had killed his bandmate. Davies was taken to Cardiff Royal Infirmary, where he received 16 stitches to his head. 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. Following their summer 1965 American tour, the

refused permits for the group to appear in concerts in the US for the next four years, possibly due to their rowdy on-stage behaviour. In April 1969, Davies helped negotiate an end to the American Federation of Musicians ban on the group, which allowed plans for a North American tour. However, over the next few years, Davies went into a state of depression, not helped by his collapsing marriage, culminating in his onstage announcement that he was "sick of it all" at a gig in White City Stadium, London, in 1973. 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...... 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 on through 'Waterloo Sunset. Davies proceeded to try to announce that the Kinks were breaking up as the band were leaving the stage, but this attempt was foiled by the group's publicity management, who pulled the plug on the microphone system.

Musical style

According to Jeff Mezydlo of Yardbarker, the Kinks combined the " pop-rock feel of the

British invasion The British Invasion was a cultural phenomenon of the mid-1960s, when Rock music, rock and pop music acts from the United Kingdom and other aspects of Culture of the United Kingdom, British culture became popular in the United States with sign ...

with a bluesy tint." The band started out playing the then popular R&B and

blues Blues is a music genre and musical form that originated among African Americans in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues has incorporated spiritual (music), spirituals, work songs, field hollers, Ring shout, shouts, cha ...

styles; then, under the influence of the Kingsmen's " Louie Louie" recording, developed louder rock and hard rock sounds. Due to their pioneering contribution to the field, they have often been labelled as "the original punks". Dave Davies was "really bored with this guitar sound—or lack of an interesting sound" so he purchased "a little green

amplifier An amplifier, electronic amplifier or (informally) amp is an electronic device that can increase the magnitude of a signal (a time-varying voltage or current). It is a two-port electronic circuit that uses electric power from a power su ...

... an Elpico" from a radio spares shop in Muswell Hill, and "twiddled around with it", including "taking the wires going to the speaker and putting a jack plug on there and plugging it straight into my AC30" (a larger amplifier), but didn't get the sound he wanted until he got frustrated and "got a single-sided

Gillette Gillette is an American brand of safety razors and other personal care products including shaving supplies, owned by the multi-national corporation Procter & Gamble (P&G). Based in Boston, Massachusetts, United States, it was owned by The Gil ...

razorblade and cut round the

cone In geometry, a cone is a three-dimensional figure that tapers smoothly from a flat base (typically a circle) to a point not contained in the base, called the '' apex'' or '' vertex''. A cone is formed by a set of line segments, half-lines ...

rom the centre to the edge.. so it was all shredded but still on there, still intact. I played and I thought it was amazing." The jagged sound of the amplifier was replicated in the studio; the Elpico was plugged into the Vox AC30, and the resulting effect became a mainstay in the Kinks' early recordings—most notably on "

" and " All Day and All of the Night". From 1966 onwards, the Kinks came to be known for their adherence to traditions of English music and

culture Culture ( ) is a concept that encompasses the social behavior, institutions, and Social norm, norms found in human societies, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, Social norm, customs, capabilities, Attitude (psychology), attitudes ...

, during a period when many other British bands dismissed their heritage in favour of American blues, R&B and pop styles. Ray Davies recalled that at a distinct moment in 1965, he decided to break away from the American scene and write more introspective and intelligent songs. "I decided I was going to use words more, and say things. I wrote ' A Well Respected Man'. That was the first real word-oriented song I wrote... alsoabandoned any attempt to Americanise my accent." The Kinks' allegiance to English styles was strengthened by the ban placed on them by the

. The ban cut them off from the American record-buying public, the world's largest musical market, forcing them to focus on Britain and mainland Europe. The Kinks expanded on their English sound throughout the remainder of the 1960s, incorporating elements of

, folk, and

baroque music Baroque music ( or ) refers to the period or dominant style of Classical music, Western classical music composed from about 1600 to 1750. The Baroque style followed the Renaissance music, Renaissance period, and was followed in turn by the Class ...

through use of

, acoustic guitar,

Mellotron The Mellotron is an electro-mechanical musical instrument developed in Birmingham, England, in 1963. It is played by pressing its keys, each of which causes a length of magnetic tape to contact a Capstan (tape recorder), capstan, which pulls i ...

, and horns, in albums such as ''Face to Face'', ''Something Else by the Kinks'', ''The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society'', and ''Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire)'', creating some of the most influential and important music of the period. Beginning with ''Everybody's in Show-biz'' (1972), Ray Davies began exploring theatrical concepts on the group's albums; these themes became manifest on the 1973 album ''Preservation Act 1'' and continued through ''Schoolboys in Disgrace'' (1976). The Kinks were less commercially successful with these conceptual works and were dropped by RCA, which had signed them in 1971. In 1977, they moved to Arista Records, which insisted on a more traditional rock format. ''Sleepwalker'' (1977), which heralded their return to commercial success, featured a mainstream, relatively slick production style that would become their norm. The band returned to hard rock for ''Low Budget'' (1979), and continued to record within the genre throughout the remainder of their career, combining this with pop music in the 1980s with albums such as '' Give the People What They Want'' and songs such as " Better Things".

Legacy

The Kinks are regarded as one of the most influential rock acts of the 1960s and early 1970s.

called them "one of the most influential bands of the

". They were ranked 65th on ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. The magazine was first known fo ...

'' magazine's "100 Greatest Artists of All Time" list. Artists influenced by the Kinks include

punk rock Punk rock (also known as simply punk) is a rock music genre that emerged in the mid-1970s. Rooted in 1950s rock and roll and 1960s garage rock, punk bands rejected the corporate nature of mainstream 1970s rock music. They typically produced sh ...

groups such as the Ramones,Harrington, Joe S. ''Sonic Cool: The Life & Death of Rock 'n' Roll'' (2002), p. 165

the Clash The Clash were an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1976. Billed as "The Only Band That Matters", they are considered one of the most influential acts in the original wave of British punk rock, with their music fusing elements ...

,Gracyk, Theodore. ''I Wanna Be Me: Rock Music and the Politics of Identity'' (2001), p. 75 Blondie, and

, heavy metal acts including

and Britpop groups such as

Oasis In ecology, an oasis (; : oases ) is a fertile area of a desert or semi-desert environmentBlur.

Craig Nicholls Craig Robert Nicholls (born 31 August 1977) is an Australian musician, best known as the lead singer, songwriter, and guitarist of the Australian alternative rock band The Vines (band), The Vines, of which he is the sole continuous member. Earl ...

, singer and guitarist of the Vines, described the Kinks as "great songwriters, so underrated".DiPerna, Alan ''Guitar Player Magazine'' (2004), p. 106

, guitarist with the Kinks' contemporaries

, credited

Ray Davies Sir Raymond Douglas Davies ( ; born 21 June 1944) is an English musician. He was the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist and primary songwriter for the Rock music, rock band the Kinks, which he led, with his younger brother Dave Davies, Dave pro ...

with inventing "a new kind of poetry and a new kind of language for pop writing that influenced me from the very, very, very beginning." Jon Savage wrote that the Kinks were an influence on late 1960s American

psychedelic rock Psychedelic rock is a rock music Music genre, genre that is inspired, influenced, or representative of psychedelia, psychedelic culture, which is centered on perception-altering hallucinogenic drugs. The music incorporated new electronic sound ...

groups "like

the Doors The Doors were an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1965, comprising vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, guitarist Robby Krieger and drummer John Densmore. They were among the most influential and controversial rock acts ...

Love Love is a feeling of strong attraction and emotional attachment (psychology), attachment to a person, animal, or thing. It is expressed in many forms, encompassing a range of strong and positive emotional and mental states, from the most su ...

and

Jefferson Airplane Jefferson Airplane was an American Rock music, rock band formed in San Francisco, California, in 1965. One of the pioneering bands of psychedelic rock, the group defined the San Francisco Sound and was the first from the San Francisco Bay Area, ...

". Music writers and other musicians have acknowledged the influence of the Kinks on the development of

and heavy metal.

Musicologist Musicology is the academic, research-based study of music, as opposed to musical composition or performance. Musicology research combines and intersects with many fields, including psychology, sociology, acoustics, neurology, natural sciences, f ...

Joe Harrington stated: "

', ' All Day and All of the Night' and ' I Need You' were predecessors of the whole three-chord genre... e Kinks did a lot to help turn

rock 'n' roll Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock-n-roll, and rock 'n' roll) is a Genre (music), genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It Origins of rock and roll, originated from African ...

(

Jerry Lee Lewis Jerry Lee Lewis (September 29, 1935October 28, 2022) was an American pianist, singer, and songwriter. Nicknamed "The Killer", he was described as "rock 'n' roll's first great wild man". A pioneer of rock and roll and rockabilly music, Lewis m ...

) into rock."

Queen Queen most commonly refers to: * Queen regnant, a female monarch of a kingdom * Queen consort, the wife of a reigning king * Queen (band), a British rock band Queen or QUEEN may also refer to: Monarchy * Queen dowager, the widow of a king * Q ...

guitarist

Brian May Sir Brian Harold May (born 19 July 1947) is an English musician, songwriter, record producer, animal welfare activist and astrophysics, astrophysicist. He achieved global fame as the lead guitarist and backing vocalist of the rock band Queen ...

credited the band with planting "the seed which grew into

-based music." They have two albums, ''

'' (No. 384) and '' Something Else by the Kinks'' (No. 478), on ''

'' magazine's 2020 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list. They have three songs on the same magazine's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time list as updated in September 2021: " Waterloo Sunset" (No. 14), "

" (No. 176), and " Lola" (No. 386). A musical, '' Sunny Afternoon'', based on the early life of Ray Davies and the formation of the Kinks, opened at the Hampstead Theatre in April 2014. The musical's name came from the band's 1966 hit single " Sunny Afternoon" and features songs from the band's back catalogue. In 2015, it was reported that Julien Temple would direct a biographical film of the Kinks titled ''You Really Got Me'', but as of 2021, nothing had come of the project. Temple previously released a documentary about Ray Davies titled ''Imaginary Man''.

Members

Past members *

– lead and backing vocals, rhythm guitar, keyboards, harmonica (1963–1997) * Dave Davies – lead guitar, backing and lead vocals, occasional keyboards (1963–1997) * Mick Avory – drums, percussion (1963–1984) * Pete Quaife – bass, backing vocals (1963–1966, 1966–1969; died 2010) *

– bass, backing vocals (1966, 1969–1976) *

– keyboards, piano, backing vocals (1970–1978; died 2023) * Andy Pyle – bass (1976–1978) * Jim Rodford – bass, backing vocals (1978–1997; died 2018) * Gordon John Edwards – keyboards, piano, backing vocals (1978–1979; died 2003) * Ian Gibbons – keyboards, piano, backing vocals (1979–1989, 1993–1997; died 2019) * Bob Henrit – drums, percussion (1984–1997) * Mark Haley – keyboards, piano, backing vocals (1989–1993) Major album contributors * Rasa Davies – backing vocals from ''Kinks'' (1964) to ''The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society'' (1968) * Bobby Graham – drums, percussion on select tracks from ''Kinks'' (1964) and ''Kinda Kinks'' (1965; died 2009) * Nicky Hopkins – keyboards, piano from ''The Kink Kontroversy'' (1965) to ''The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society'' (1968) (died 1994) * Clem Cattini – drums, percussion on select tracks from ''The Kink Kontroversy'' (1965) and drum overdubs on ''Misfits'' (1978) * Alan Holmes – saxophone, clarinet from ''Muswell Hillbillies'' (1971) to ''Schoolboys in Disgrace'' (1975) and on "Come Dancing" from ''State of Confusion'' (1983) (died 2022)

Discography

The Kinks were active for more than three decades, between 1963 and 1996, releasing twenty-four studio albums and four live albums. The first two albums were released in different formats in the UK and US, partly because of the contrast in popularity of the

extended play An extended play (EP) is a Sound recording and reproduction, musical recording that contains more tracks than a Single (music), single but fewer than an album. Contemporary EPs generally contain up to eight tracks and have a playing time of 1 ...

format—the UK market liked EPs, the US market did not, so US albums had the EP releases bundled onto them—and also because the US albums included the hit singles, while the UK albums did not; after '' The Kink Kontroversy'' in 1965, the UK/US album releases were the same. There have been somewhere between 100 and 200 compilation albums released worldwide. The hit singles included three UK number ones, starting in 1964 with "You Really Got Me"; plus eighteen top 40 singles in the 1960s alone, and additional top 40 hits in the 1970s and 1980s. The Kinks had five top 10 singles on the US ''Billboard'' chart and nine top 40 albums. In the UK, the group had seventeen top 20 singles and five top 10 albums. The

RIAA The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...

has certified four of the Kinks' albums as gold records. Released in 1965, '' The Kinks Greatest Hits!'' was certified gold for sales of 1,000,000 on 28November 1968—this was six days after the release of ''The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society'', which failed to chart worldwide. The group did not receive another gold record award until 1979's ''Low Budget''. The 1980 live album ''One for the Road'' was certified gold on 8December 1980. ''Give the People What They Want'', released in 1981, received its certification on 25January 1982 for sales of 500,000 copies. Despite not selling at the time of its release,''Village Green'' was awarded a gold disc in the UK in 2018 for selling more than 100,000 copies. For the hit single "Come Dancing", the performing rights organisation ASCAP presented the Kinks with an award for "One of the Most Played Songs of 1983". Studio albums * '' Kinks'' (1964) * '' Kinda Kinks'' (1965) * '' The Kink Kontroversy'' (1965) * '' Face to Face'' (1966) * '' Something Else by the Kinks'' (1967) * ''

'' (1968) * ''

'' (1969) * '' Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part One'' (1970) * '' Percy'' (1971) * ''

'' (1971) * '' Everybody's in Show-Biz'' (1972) * '' Preservation Act 1'' (1973) * '' Preservation Act 2'' (1974) * ''

Soap Opera A soap opera (also called a daytime drama or soap) is a genre of a long-running radio or television Serial (radio and television), serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term ''soap opera'' originat ...

'' (1975) * '' Schoolboys in Disgrace'' (1975) * '' Sleepwalker'' (1977) * '' Misfits'' (1978) * '' Low Budget'' (1979) * '' Give the People What They Want'' (1981) * '' State of Confusion'' (1983) * '' Word of Mouth'' (1984) * '' Think Visual'' (1986) * '' UK Jive'' (1989) * ''

'' (1993) Live albums * '' Live at Kelvin Hall'' (1967) * '' One for the Road'' (1980) * '' Live: The Road'' (1988) * '' To the Bone'' (1994) * '' BBC Sessions: 1964–1977'' (2001)

References

Citations

Sources

* * * * * * * * * * * *

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Kinks, The 1963 establishments in England 1996 disestablishments in England 2018 establishments in England Arista Records artists Beat groups British Invasion artists British rhythm and blues boom musicians English hard rock musical groups Musical groups established in 1963 Musical groups disestablished in 1997 Rock music groups from London Pye Records artists RCA Records artists Reprise Records artists Sibling musical groups MCA Records artists London Records artists Astor Records artists