The Kinks

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LEFT: John Lennon, 1965 - London, England, United Kingdom. RIGHT: Dave Davies of The Kinks pop group rehearsing in their dressing room before a concert September 1964
Dave Davies revisits the Kinks’ Beatles rivalry — and reveals the only Fab Four member he admired

By Phil Weller Published

More than 60 years after the bands first clashed, the guitarist says George Harrison was “the nicest guy,” while offering little praise for Lennon or Paul McCartney

Guitarists
Ray Davies and Dave Davies of The Kinks pop group rehearsing in their dressing room before a concert September1964
Dave Davies on Eddie Van Halen, Jimmy Page and the Kinks’ power revolution

By Christopher Scapelliti Published

Davies' influences are scattered far and wide — but he hasn't always appreciated how musicians have responded to the Kinks' music

Guitarists
Keith Richards (left) and Brian Jones, chat with Beatle Paul McCartney, in the early hours (7th July) at the Dorchester Hotel London, to celebrate the premiere (6th July) of The Beatles first film, A Hard Day's Night, The Stones were celebrating too, their disc, It's All Over Now, is top of the charts, pictured 2am Tuesday 7th July 1964.
“We haven’t got a single.” Paul McCartney recalls how the Beatles gave the Rolling Stones their first hit

By Phil Weller Published

McCartney says the bands’ supposed rivalry was largely invented by the press as London’s ’60s rock scene exploded.

Guitarists
The Kinks, (L-R) Dave Davies, Ray Davies, Peter Quaife, and Mick Avory, wait on the set of a television show, ready to perform, 1968.
Dave Davies hits back at Moby after he calls one of the Kinks’ biggest hits “gross” and “unevolved”

By Phil Weller Published

The Kinks guitarist pushes back hard, citing the band’s history and support of trans people

Guitarists
LEFT: Dave Davies performs with the Kinks, September 7, 1974. RIGHT: 1977: British rock group The Kinks (Ray Davies, Dave Davies, Pete Quaife), performing live on stage
Ray Davies on the origins of the Kinks' “You Really Got Me” — and what guitarists get wrong about serving the song

By Elizabeth Swann Published

Davies said the track began life as a jazz tune until his brother got a hold of it

Guitarists
Ray Davies (left) and his brother Dave Davies, of The Kinks, at a soundcheck before a session for the BBC at the Playhouse Theatre, London, 7th September 1964.
Dave Davies on the speaker-slashing skills that turned on Pete Townshend, Jimmy Page and Jeff Beck

By Elizabeth Swann Published

The guitarist blamed boring guitar sounds and his own love of imperfection for his actions, saying, "That sound was born out of total frustration"

Guitarists
LEFT: Al Di Meola with Gibson Les Paul Standard circa 1975. RIGHT: Ray Davies of English rock group The Kinks performs playing a Fender Telecaster guitar on a television show at BBC Television Centre in London in December 1965.
How The Kinks inspired Al Di Meola to write a fusion classic

By Phil Weller Published

And it turns out he inadvertently tracked it with Leslie West’s preferred guitar tone

Guitarists
Pete Townshend performs onstage with the Who at Ahoy in Rotterdam, Netherlands on October 27 1975
Pete Townshend talks originality, playing loud and which guitarist was first to use feedback

By Phil Weller Published

He says Marshall's '60s amps were rife for experimentation while discussing his “musical” use of screaming amps

Guitarists
Ray Davies performing with The Kinks at Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, Long Island, NY on October 26, 1980.
Watch the Kinks' Riotous "Victoria" Performance From 'One for the Road'

By Darren Paltrowitz Published

Video Previously banned from performing in the U.S., the group came back with this high-octane crowd pleaser

Video
The Kinks 'The Journey - Part 1' artwork
The Kinks Celebrate 60th Anniversary With Career-Defining Release, ‘The Journey’

By Rod Brakes Published

The first instalment of the groundbreaking British band’s two-part anthology will appear next month

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