Information AboutKinks |
The Kinks were an English Rock Group formed in 1963 by lead Singer-songwriter Ray Davies , his brother, Lead Guitarist and Vocalist Dave Davies , and Bassist Pete Quaife . The band's early hard-driving singles set a standard in the mid-1960s for Rock & Roll , while albums such as '' Face To Face '',1 '' Something Else '', '' Village Green '', '' Arthur '' and '' Muswell Hillbillies '' are highly regarded by fans, critics, and peers alike, and are considered amongst the most influential recordings of the era. In the United States , The Kinks are categorised as a British Invasion band, along with the other members of the so-called '' Big Four '' (including The Beatles , The Rolling Stones and The Who ). Despite being less commercially successful than these three contemporaries, the band is cited among them as one of the most important and influential rock bands of all time.2 The Kinks first gained prominence in 1964 with the hit single " You Really Got Me ", written by Ray Davies (it was their 3rd single). The band's name came from their "kinky" dress sense of leather capes and boots worn on stage.3 The group's original line-up consisted of Ray Davies on Lead Vocals / Rhythm Guitar / Keyboards , Dave Davies on Lead Guitar / Vocals , Pete Quaife on Backing Vocals / Bass Guitar , and Mick Avory on Drums and Percussion . Following Quaife's departure in 1969 , the band centered around the three remaining original members and frequently changed bassists and keyboardists, until 1984, when friction between Dave Davies and Mick Avory resulted into the latter's departure, leaving only the Davies brothers from the original line-up. The band soldiered on for another decade but after a couple of unsuccessful records they called it quits in the mid-90s. The relationship between the Davies brothers seem to have completely deteriorated around this time, and both have since embarked on successful solo careers. Whatever the band's fortunes, however, their influence on emerging artists has been a constant. During the New Wave era, groups such as The Jam , The Knack , and The Pretenders covered Kinks songs and Britpop acts such as Blur , Oasis and Supergrass have cited them as a major influence. Many modern bands such as The Killers , The Fratellis and Franz Ferdinand also acknowledge The Kinks and Ray Davies' expert songwriting skills. 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." HISTORY (1963-1966) Formation and first years The Davies brothers were born at Muswell Hill , North London . 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 in 1963. Ray and his brother Dave (b. 3 February 1947 ; guitar/vocals) had been playing Skiffle and Rock & Roll together. Ray's Schoolmate Pete Quaife (b. 31 December 1943 , Tavistock, Devon, England; bass/vocals) joined them and they formed a band (with Quaife's friend John Start on drums). The band went through a series of lead vocalists at this time, the most notable being Rod Stewart . Stewart performed with the group on at least one occasion in the spring of 1962 (when they were called The Ray Davies Quartet), but was soon dropped 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. |
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