The Kinks’ Ray Davies turns 80
The influential singer and songwriter sung and played on some of the most memorable songs of the 1960’s and 1970’s
The Kinks’ Ray Davies turns 80
The Kinks were always seen as “outsiders” on the British Invasion music scene of the 1960’s, led by Ray Davies and his brother Dave Davies, the band, turned out to be one of the most influential of that era, and often associated with helping creating the 1970’s Punk movement and later, the Britpop, with their Garage Rock/Proto Punk sound on songs such as “You Really Got Me” and “All Day and All of the Night”. Sir Raymond Douglas Davies was born on June 21, 1944 in London, England, The main songwriter for the Kinks, Davies wrote, sung and played on some of the most memorable songs of the 1960’s and 1970’s, his songwriting fully acquired its distinctive elements of narrative, observation and wry social commentary, and with The Kinks, his body of work started as Garage Rock (“You Really Got Me” and “All Day and All of the Night”) and developed into Baroque/Psychedelic Pop (“Dead End Street”, “Dedicated Follower of Fashion”, “Sunny Afternoon”, “Waterloo Sunset”). During the early 1970’s songs such as “Lola” or Muswell Hillbillies” showed a musical maturity on the band and changing of musical direction. By the late 1970’s, Davies said “I write songs because I get angry, and now I’m at the stage where it’s not good enough to brush it off with humour.” Despite the increasing of their popularity among new generations, by 1996 The Kinks called it a day. By then both Davies brothers already were having successful solo careers. The band got together doing reunion shows since then, but there’s not a plan for a full comeback. Today Ray turns 80.
Watch The Kinks performing their early and influencial hit “You Really Got Me” in 1965
Also watch The Kinks performing their controversial 1970 hit “Lola” in 1973
Listen to The Kinks compilation “The Anthology 1964–1971” on Spotify
Watch more 1960’s related videos
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