How The Kinks Ray Davies Outsmarted Them All

[@jerrymeadows5059]

I love the Kinks. I also love the Beatles and the Stones and it has long baffled me why it should matter for so many, even the groups themselves, to identify one group as superior to others. Music, especially rock music, has plenty enough to celebrate without boring arguments about who was the best. Just listen, appreciate and be happy for the variety.

[@garyknight750]

Exactly.

[@BCTGuitarPlayer]

I've been saying this for decades. Dear God it'd be a boring world if all bands were the same. No one musician is better than the other; they are simply different. That's the point!

[@williamcurtin5692]

This sort of thing has gone on forever, way before pop or rock. In late 1800s Germany Brahms fans loathed Wagner and the feeling was returned by Wagner fans, one of whom put a sign over the fire alarm in a concert hall: "In case of Brahms, break glass". As for me, I always think of the Brit Big Four as, alphabetically, Beatles, Kinks, Stones, Who and don't try to rank them. That said, the Kinks are my personal favorite.

[@jerrymeadows5059]

@@williamcurtin5692 Thanks for sharing. I've always been fond of the Kinks myself. Ray Davies is a very witty guy.

[@hollywoodjoe123]

YES you got that right - each band was as good as the next - each had its own groove - each band stood on their own -

[@0HARE]

Yeah, such a great band. Ray’s song writing, and Dave’s guitar riffs have been a major part of my early life. Born in ‘54, I arrived on the scene at just the right time to partake and savor all this great music. Rock On!

[@mikewalters1472]

Just visited Muswell Hill and drank a pint at the Clissold Arms Pub to celebrate this great band and the brothers Davies...God save The Kinks!

[@freewheelingideas]

@@mikewalters1472 man I’m so jealous!

[@1fan164]

The Kimks outwitted everybody artistically but not commercially.

[@shaunmcgee4204]

If the Beatles had any real competition from their songwriting contemporaries in the U.K., it was from the Kinks, not the Rolling Stones.

[@billkingston4402]

What a time, Beatles, Strolling bones, the Who, Small Faces, Kinks, Troggs, Yardbirds, bloody hel

[@theglavine]

The CREATION were so powerful and The Move were great and helped spawn ELO!

[@anthonymcnamee6297]

Dave’s guitar added loads

[@BritInvLvr]

Thank you for covering my favorite band.

[@williamcurtin5692]

Seeing that they almost dropped off the map in this country during the late '60s, it was amazing to see them become a finely-honed arena juggernaut in the 70s. I saw them in '71 in Berkley. They were reputed to be a hit or miss live act. I got lucky- they were great. And Badfinger was the lead-in. Took great joy in keeping them in steady rotation on my college radio show in' 72 and 73. A real highlight was when my girlfriend reported that another DJ had dedicated Waterloo Sunset to me for turning her onto the band.

[@freewheelingideas]

Amazing

[@total.stranger]

Terrific comment, Bill. Thanks.👍

[@markmoriarty7388]

The comments are turned off but I agree. With you and will for the 1st time on You Tube/Freewheeling tell my strange Ray Davies story It is early 1971 at the Capitol Theater, Port Chester NY. The Kinks are headlining with some support act I did not catch.. I lived in Greenwich Ct. Right next to Port Chester. I everyone who worked at the place and had turned down an ushering job there. The Kinks took the stage while I was backstage talking with freinds.I moved up forward behind the stage curtain stage right. Onstage the Kinks were preparing to get started when I noticed Ray looking a bit strange. He was looking around wildly and then stepped over to speak with his brother Dave. The two seemed to be arguing over something!? Suddenly Ray noticed me standing behind the stage curtain and began walking toward me with a look of utter despairation on his face. I was 18 at the time and he was scaring the shit out of me.

[@CanadaCornrow]

They dropped off the map in the USA because of a fight with some union group and weren’t allowed to tour during the late sixties. That’s when Ray began writing songs that were more distinctly British.

[@markmoriarty7388]

To continue: Ray moved tword me but his guitar cord would only allow him to go so far. ( pre wireless days ). I didn't want to walk out on that stage in front of a full house and with a lot of people knowing me. The whole thing was surreal. Davies was imploring me to speak with him. With no other viable alternative I just walked out to him and the screaming catalls from the audience started. It turned out that Ray had actually forgotten just where they were performing. " Oye mate what's the name of this bleeding fookin city. It's some sort of seaport yeah?" " no I said emphatically. " The towns called Port Chester, no seaport ". "Powt Chesta" said Ray. " No, it's Port Chester" I exclaimed. " that's what I bloody well said " Ray's face was turning a weird shade of red / purple.The whole thing was way too much for me and I retreated to the safety of the curtain. After apologies to the crowd, the Kinks swung into Stop Your Sobbing. We laughed about it after the show but for years.....a decade or two, people who were there have asked me a series of unending questions about that God awfully but cool night..........And that's it😮

[@shayhorvath2795]

thank you for covering The Kinks

[@freewheelingideas]

You’re very welcome 🙏

[@11BlackLamb]

My first concert at 15 LA sports arena 1980,

[@julenepegher6999]

My favorite British Band! ❤️🔥Kinks!

[@richardbanker3910]

I bought the Arthur album years ago and loved it. It created a great sweep from the nightmare pull of Victorianism and the working class underdog from various stances. Ray Davies writing is great and very British. Chrissie Hynde was a great Ray Davies fan.

[@Ted_James]

And his wife.

[@theglavine]

@@Ted_James Just live ins. Never married.

[@martharunstheworld]

The Kinks are the most underrated band in history!

[@99672]

Seen the Kinks many times of the years, even met Ray after the gigs a couple of times. Have all their records.

[@bookashkin]

Thanks for this. Made my day. Great photos.

[@freewheelingideas]

Glad you enjoyed it🙏

[@charlesandrews2360]

Love em. I'm a little different than most hardcore Kinks fans. I think their best albums were in the 1980s and their best album overall is phobia.

[@LucyLennon20]

Gosh! In 2014 "Sunny Afternoon" the jukebox musical with music and lyrics by Ray Davies made its world premiere in London. The play was based on the formation and career of The Kinks. 🎭🎶

[@gordonely3591]

Well done , Ray‼️

[@ericmccarty9656]

The unfortunate first American tour, put a hold on their career in the states, but always loved seeing them.

[@leeoser3806]

Love The Kinks!

[@Steve-q6l4v]

Very nicely done,my favorite album is Muswell Hillbillies, but Kink Kronikles has so many early hits its crazy good too.

[@freewheelingideas]

🙏

[@theglavine]

5 British bands from the 60s made the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame on the 1st Ballot; Beatles, Stones, Kinks and The Who (Big 4 of Brit Invasion); & Led Zeppelin. That's the facts. No Pink Floyd or any other UK band from 60s and not Queen from the 70s made it in on the first ballot!

[@LaughingStock_]

The Hall of Lame is supposed to be an accolade? I know your comment is well-meaning, but the majority of Brits consider The Hall of Lame for what it is: a nauseating North American corporate wankfest that has absolutely nothing to do with the spirit of RnR. Read John Lydon's letter to the head of Lame.He sums the whole sorry thing up beautifully.

[@UwePetersen-t3u]

I think you forgot the Small Faces and the Beach Boys.

[@theglavine]

@@UwePetersen-t3u The Beach Boys are American and The Small Faces are great but mainly known in Europe and not in the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame. I was making a point about British music royalty and as a Kinks fan, wanted to make a comparison to highlight their place in the pantheon.

[@MFisher7346]

I've always understood that the biggest tension in the Kinks was between the two Davies brothers (who had a love-hate relationship), and that it was Peter Quaife who managed to prevent them from killing each other. When Quaife died, Dave Davies wrote "It was never the Kinks without you, Pete".

[@chrisbotelho7212]

Yeah, Dave's problems were with Mick not Pete.

[@alanlinfield8207]

Dave had altercations with both Mick and Pete (and, of course, with Ray). Mick famously came perilously close to decapitating Dave on stage with his cymbal. Pete Quaife left the band (the second time) after getting punched in the face by Dave.

[@familydogg1234]

Love THE KINKS. Has anyone purchased 50th Anniversary " Arthur..".4cd- I Kant find it. There is some New recordings from Ray on there. Kome on Ray get the Kinks out!

[@aminahmed2220]

Absolutely awesome have a wonderful day also last night was my mom birthday ❤😊

[@bulldoginyellowsubmarine9259]

Ray is one of the greatest writers of all time. He's up there with Lennon, McCartney, Dylan, ect.

[@LucyLennon20]

Genius!

[@lylecampbell9036]

Hardly

[@jessalexander3243]

Lennon and McCartney's best lyrics are just about as good as Ray's average, and Ray's best is probably better than Dylan's best

[@dannybenair]

The tension was between Dave and drummer Mick Avory.

[@Musicsification]

It's a small detail but Dave's beef was always with Mick Avory not Pete Quaife, who the Davies brothers treated like a third brother.

[@chrisbotelho7212]

Far and away my favorite band from 1964 to today but RD could not have been more wrong about Revolver if he tried. He had issues with John Lennon which no doubt influenced his review.

[@skykiss12]

Totally agree!!

[@koma4050]

It’s been argued that the Beatles didn’t write a lot of their music especially the first 4 albums. They also likely didn’t play the music as session musicians played even up to their last few albums. Even George Martin confessed they weren’t good musicians nor could they write well. So the Beatles weren’t what we were told, sadly.

[@michaelw970]

😂

[@ComradeTrotsky1017]

It pains me to see Ray and Dave laughing and enjoying each other when they are apparently STILL cross with each other.

[@alfredpetrie7920]

I'm from Dundee and it doesn't cease to amaze the difference from London to where I'm from

[@tbwatch88]

really shows we need a long-form doc. love them to bits.

[@ForARide]

Being from the blank generation, the Beatles, Stones and Pink Floyd (sans Syd Barrett) were always considered as BOFs (boring old farts) among us Punks, whereas the Kinks were always seen as well respected men! Period.

[@total.stranger]

Good video, overall, Freewheeling. Could use some editing in obvious places. As @jamesfitzgerald6636 has already commented, the difficulties within the band were primarily between Dave and Ray - and then, Dave and Mick Avory. Prior to The Kinks going professional, Pete and Dave were pretty good friends, according to all reports.

[@piershemmingsen3937]

Terrific video. God Save The Kinks !

[@amyisrael7718]

Loved the Kinks…I loved their sound. Still do

[@johnkochen7264]

Ray Davies suffered from a typical failing in many groups. 1. He demeaned his brother and kept his song writing efforts off their records much like Mark Knopfler and Tom Fogerty. Ni brother but George Harrison had a similar experience. 2. He demeaned the work of other groups. Putting down the Beatles’ Revolver is a case in point. In fact, it was just jealousy pure and simple. 3. Like Roger Waters, he thought he ruled the band and all hail the chief.

[@matthewashman1406]

Yes that's all true. But he was a fine songwriter

[@CiaHerlev]

hey

[@koma4050]

More people need to realize the music industry is completely controlled so bands must do what they’re told. Otherwise their careers are short. Also they’re not allowed to question the narratives of the day such as Covid or Israeli aggression in Palestine, etc. Bob Dylan confessed that he’s still working because he’s honouring his contract he made with the chief commander. I think you know what that means. 👿

[@daviddowns7552]

Revolver #1

[@matthewashman1406]

Love the kinks but they never made anything as good as Revolver

[@jeanmarieboucherit7376]

Such a insightful judgment on Revolver which is considered one of the finest records ever made😂😂😂 ( kudos to the out of tune singing on Some Mother’s son)

[@Blooobirds27]

Ray Dayveez?

[@davidellis5141]

Ray certainly was as good a writer as Lennon / McCartney & Jagger / Richards & he did it solo.

[@lylecampbell9036]

Not

[@ExtremeBeatlesArchive]

They often did it solo too

[@bobanderson3881]

Ray Davies Knighted by Prince Charles. Too bad. The poor soul sold his soul.

[@CiaHerlev]

The Kinks and the Who where the greatest, together with Hollies, Rolling Stones and Tremeloes and many others. Manfred Mann, The Move, Small Faces and others. Beatles only got the high spot for performing in the USA on Ed Sullivan show. What about the lyrics of "Love me Do". Impressing? They only had two very good songs: Twist and Shout" and "I want To Hold Your Hand/Komm gib mir Deiner Hand". Only after Lennon went on LSD, the lyrics got interesting. They also copied many songs, claiming it was their original work. "Come together" is one example.McCartney were pop orientated. Harrison had a big ego, shamelessly copying "He is so Fine" as his own song: "My sweet Lord". But that costed him luckily more than 1 million dollars. Beatles were good, but not great

[@montyrose78]

The GOAT

[@jamesfitzgerald6636]

Internal fights were between the drummer Mick Avory and Dave Davies not the bass player, big boo boo

[@total.stranger]

Yes, correct. Before the band went 'pro', Dave and Pete were pretty good friends. Dave and Mick Avory never seemed to get along.

[@natesaar3034]

Actually it was mick Avory and ray. Mick through a symbol at his head and thought he’d killed him after ray was taunting him

[@PigletVanGogh]

Wrong!!!

[@danieleyre8913]

I have been a big fan of Ray Davies and the kinks since I was 13. But I am very sure that Ray would feed off and leach from people adjacent. Such as his wife Rasa, Dave, and keyboardist Nicky Hopkins. It’s no coincidence for me that his songwriting and arrangement took a serious decline after his divorce in 1973. Not denying that Ray is very talented. But I do think he was also a bit of a user and leach.

[@chrisbotelho7212]

Miserly might be a better term.

[@alfredpetrie7920]

Clever band,I just wasn't a fan of his singing

[@RayG817]

I think we all agree that the Kinks were, obviously, the greatest of all British bands. Bar none. By far. The others were shallow, empty amateurs in comparison. Except for possibly The Dave Clark Five.

[@lylecampbell9036]

BS

[@RayG817]

@@lylecampbell9036 Boz Skaggs? No, he was American.

[@chrisbotelho7212]

Haha nicely stated.

[@daviddowns7552]

I don't agree

[@RayG817]

@@daviddowns7552 Name one group better than the Kinks.