Dave Davies
Encyclopedia
David Russell Gordon "Dave" Davies (born 3 February 1947, Fortis Green
, London) is an English rock musician best known for his role as lead guitarist and vocalist for the English rock band The Kinks
.
In 2003, Davies was ranked 88th in Rolling Stone magazine list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time"
. As children, the Davies brothers were immersed in a world of different musical styles, from the music-hall of their parents' generation, to the jazz
and early rock n' roll that their older sisters listened to. The siblings developed a rivalry early on, with both brothers competing for their parents' and sisters' attention.
Davies grew up playing skiffle
, but soon bought an electric guitar and started experimenting with rock. The Davies brothers and friend Pete Quaife
jammed together in the front room of their house. Activities in the Davies household centred around this front room, culminating in large parties, where Davies' parents would sing and play piano together. The front room and these parties were musically nurturing to the Davies brothers; later influencing The Kinks' interpretations of traditional British music like Music Hall. Dave and his brother worked out the famous two-note riff of their 1964 hit, "You Really Got Me", on the piano in the front room.
, who became the best-known member and de-facto leader of the band, joined soon after. The quartet was formed when drummer Mick Avory
joined. Dave Davies had a turbulent relationship with Avory, one of the reasons behind the latter's departure from the band in the mid 1980s, although the two had been roommates together in the mid 1960s.
Ray and Dave Davies remained the only two steady members of the band (with the exception of Avory until his departure) throughout their run together. They were accompanied by an oft-changing roster of bassists and keyboardists. Davies played a largely subordinate role to his brother, often staying behind the scenes. Davies would make occasional contributions on Kinks records as lead vocalist and songwriter, with cases such as "Death of a Clown
" and "Strangers".
riff on The Kinks' first hit, "You Really Got Me
". He achieved the sound by slitting the speaker cone on his Elpico amplifier, which he then ran through a larger Vox
as a "pre-amp". This sound was one of the first mainstream appearances of guitar distortion, and it went on to influence many guitarist in the future, especially during the Punk rock
period. Davies later commented
"You Really Got Me" was the group's third released single, after two unsuccessful ones that failed to chart. They had a three (singles) record contract with Pye Records, and needed a hit to get another contract. Pye didn't like the song and refused to pay for studio time. The band arranged other financial support to cut the single, which became a massive hit, topping the charts in the UK and reaching #7 in the U.S.
The Kinks released three albums and several EP
s in the next two years. They also performed and toured relentlessly, headlining package tours with the likes of The Yardbirds
and Mickey Finn
, which caused tension within the band. Some legendary on-stage fights erupted during this time as well. The most notorious incident was at The Capitol Theatre, Cardiff
, Wales in May 1965, involving drummer Mick Avory and Dave Davies. The fight broke out during the second number of the set, "Beautiful Delilah". It culminated with Davies insulting Avory and kicking over his drum set after finishing the first song, "You Really Got Me". Avory responded by knocking down Davies with his Hi-Hat stand, rendering him unconscious. He then fled from the scene, and Davies was taken to Cardiff Royal Infirmary, where he received 16 stitches to the head. Avory later claimed that it was part of a new act in which the band members would hurl their instruments at each other.
During the late 1960s the group steadily evolved, as Ray's songwriting skills developed and he began to lead the group in a whole new direction. The group abandoned the traditional R&B/Blues sound and adopted a more nostalgic, reflective style of music, as showcased on songs like "Autumn Almanac
" and "Waterloo Sunset
", as well as their albums, such as Something Else by The Kinks
and The Village Green Preservation Society.
single
, credited entirely under his name, (although co-written by his brother and fellow Kinks member Ray Davies) entitled "Death of a Clown
". In the past as a member of The Kinks Dave Davies had only released his own compositions on B-sides
and as part of albums. The Kinks' record label
sensed potential sales in a solo release from the overlooked Davies, and issued "Death of a Clown" as his debut. Although credited to Davies, it was technically a Kinks recording, as his backing band was The Kinks.
Upon its release, "Death of a Clown" rose to number three on the UK Singles Chart
. Wanting to profit off of the new buzz suddenly surrounding Davies, a solo LP was slated for release some time in 1968 or 1969. The follow-up single, "Susannah's Still Alive
", was released in November 1967; however, it only reached #20 on the Melody Maker
chart
. The release of the solo album was held back, and it was decided to wait and see how another single would fare. As anticipation grew for the release of the new LP, it was nicknamed it A Hole in the Sock Of. "Lincoln County" was chosen as the next single, but failed to chart. By the time one or two more singles were met with the same results, a combination of Davies' own disinterest in continuing and Pye's decision to stop killed off any hopes of an album.
The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society
and Arthur were released in 1968 and 1969, respectively. Although they received unanimous acclaim, Village Green failed to chart internationally, and Arthur was met with a mediocre commercial reception. These records, although praised by critics and the rock press, were commercial failures.
" and the accompanying concept album
Lola versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part One
in 1970. Dave recorded two songs of his own for this LP, the acoustic "Strangers" and the hard-rocking "Rats
". The rootsy country-rock, and Americana themed Muswell Hillbillies
was released in late 1971, and was well-received with critics, but failed to sell strongly. This pattern of critical acclaim with less than spectacular commercial success continued with the next albums which added a large theatrical ensemble. Preservation: Act 1 & Preservation: Act 2, The Kinks Present A Soap Opera and Schoolboys in Disgrace
.
Davies made several attempts at solo albums throughout the '70s, but he never felt enough enthusiasm or interest to see the projects through. He would often act as the producer and engineer at The Kinks' main studio, Konk
, in his spare time, producing albums for the likes of Claire Hamill
and Andy Desmond
. Ray Davies commented on his brother's studio and solo work in a November 1975 interview:
The Kinks left RCA records
in 1977, switching to Arista
. The group shed all of the extra backing vocalists and brass
instrumentalists that had accompanied them throughout their theatrical years, and reverted to a five-piece rock group again. Their debut LP for Arista was entitled Sleepwalker
, and was a commercial and critical comeback for the group. It was the first album in what critics usually call the "arena rock" phase of the group, in which more commercial and mainstream production techniques would be employed. Dave later commented that he was glad to be back to more guitar oriented songs, and he has listed Sleepwalker as one of his favorites. His composition and earnest, almost desperate lead vocals, not to mention his particularly ripping lead guitar sound, led to airplay - especially on college stations - for his idealistic "Trust Your Heart" on the 1978 Misfits
album.
culture that was selling records at the time. The music video for their 1982/83 single "Come Dancing
" helped hoist the record to #12 on the UK charts, and #6 in the U.S - their biggest hit since "Tired of Waiting for You
" in 1965. The song was a nostalgic look back at childhood memories of the Davies brothers, remembering their elder sisters going out to dance at the local palais, and coming back home to the front room at 6 Denmark Terrace.
The Kinks' popularity faltered in 1985, and soon their records ceased to chart altogether. Mick Avory left the band after The Kinks' last album for Arista, Word of Mouth
, mainly due to the growing animosity between him and Dave Davies. Ray Davies said that Avory was his best friend in the band and he unwillingly had to choose sides, as said later in a 1989 interview:
Bob Henrit
was brought in to take Avory's place. At Ray Davies' invitation Avory agreed to manage Konk Studios, where he also served as a producer and occasional contributor on later Kinks albums.
The group switched to MCA (US) and London (UK) records in late 1985, and began work on their next album, Think Visual
. The record was released in 1986, but only reached #81 on the Billboard charts. Critics were lukewarm towards it, and it did not receive significant radio play. Stephen Thomas Erlewine
of Allmusic.com would later comment that the album "represented an artistic dead end for the Kinks, as Ray Davies continued to crank out a series of competent, but undistinguished hard rockers." Dave Davies contributed two songs to Think Visual, "Rock 'n' Roll Cities" and "When You were a Child". Rock 'n' Roll Cities was chosen in the US as the lead single for Think Visual, and at its release it received a fair amount of play on mainstream rock radio. Davies and Mick Avory seemingly reconciled, as Davies asked him back to play drums on this track.
The group recorded several more records for MCA, their last studio effort for them being 1989's UK Jive
. UK Jive was received slightly better than Think Visual, but it failed to enter into the Top 100. Dave Davies contributed the song "Dear Margaret" to the vinyl record - the cassette and CD of the album also contained two further Dave Davies songs, "Bright Lights" and "Perfect Strangers".
The group left MCA and struggled to find a record label that would accept them. All four original members were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990, but this failed to revive their career. Eventually The Kinks signed onto Columbia records, who released their final studio album together, Phobia
, on 13 April 1993. Despite lots of publicity pushing and press attention, the record was unsuccessful, peaking at #166. Singles released failed to chart as well, mainly due to a record label mix-up that delivered the records to store a few weeks late. To Phobia Davies contributed the songs "It's Alright (Don't Think About It)" and "Close to the Wire".
Columbia dropped the group in 1994, forcing them to retreat back to their old Konk Records. The group released To The Bone on the small independent Grapevine records in 1994.
The Kinks eventually disbanded in 1996.
. He went on to release Glamour (1981), which charted at #152. Davies brought in a back-up band to play with him on this record. Chosen People was released in 1983, but failed to crack the Billboard 200.
Davies released his first true solo studio album in twenty years, Bug
, in 2002. Fractured Mindz followed in January 2007, his first album of all new material in nearly five years. It was also his first new studio effort since his stroke in the summer of 2004 besides the track "God In my Brain" (which was recorded and released on the compilation album Kinked in January 2006). In February 2010, Davies released a DVD, Mystical Journey. His planned US tour in support of the release was postponed per doctor's advice.
. Davies bought it in 1965, and soon began appearing live and on TV performances with it. Davies was one of the few guitarists who played Flying Vs at the time. It was, in that period, out of issue due to lack of interest upon its 1958 test release, and models were numbered. Guitarists like Lonnie Mack
, Jimi Hendrix
, Albert King
and Davies himself helped stir interest in the instrument, and it would eventually become one of the signature guitars of the Heavy Metal
era.
Davies commented on his Flying V:
Davies has played many other guitars throughout his career. He has played several models of Gibson Les Pauls over time, including a "Goldtop" model with P90 pickups and a black '78 model. On his website he lists the following:
----
Other guitars that were used by Dave Davies during the 60's were amongst others:
Davies published an autobiography
, entitled Kink, in 1996, in which he discussed his bisexuality
at length, including a sexual relationship with Long John Baldry
. He also wrote of the tense professional relationship with his brother over the Kinks' 30-year career.
On 30 June 2004, Davies suffered a stroke while exiting a lift at Broadcasting House
, where he had been promoting his then current album, Bug
. He was taken to University College Hospital in Euston. Davies was released from the hospital on 27 August. Davies said in a 2006 interview:
By 2006, Davies had recovered enough to be able to walk, talk and play guitar.
He is a friend of horror
director John Carpenter
, and his work is featured on Carpenter's remake of Village of the Damned
. Carpenter also acted as godfather to Davies's son, Daniel, who plays in the hard rock
bands Year Long Disaster
and Karma to Burn
.
Fortis Green
Fortis Green is a ward in the extreme north-western corner of the Borough of Haringey, North London. It is also the name of the road that runs between Muswell Hill and East Finchley which forms part of the A504....
, London) is an English rock musician best known for his role as lead guitarist and vocalist for the English rock band The Kinks
The Kinks
The Kinks were an English rock band formed in Muswell Hill, North London, by brothers Ray and Dave Davies in 1964. Categorised in the United States as a British Invasion band, The Kinks are recognised as one of the most important and influential rock acts of the era. Their music was influenced by a...
.
In 2003, Davies was ranked 88th in Rolling Stone magazine list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time"
Early life
Davies was born at 6 Denmark Terrace, Fortis Green, London. He was born the last of eight children, including six older sisters and an older brother, later bandmate RayRay Davies
Ray Davies, CBE is an English rock musician. He is best known as lead singer and songwriter for the Kinks, which he led with his younger brother, Dave...
. As children, the Davies brothers were immersed in a world of different musical styles, from the music-hall of their parents' generation, to the jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
and early rock n' roll that their older sisters listened to. The siblings developed a rivalry early on, with both brothers competing for their parents' and sisters' attention.
Davies grew up playing skiffle
Skiffle
Skiffle is a type of popular music with jazz, blues, folk, roots and country influences, usually using homemade or improvised instruments. Originating as a term in the United States in the first half of the twentieth century, it became popular again in the UK in the 1950s, where it was mainly...
, but soon bought an electric guitar and started experimenting with rock. The Davies brothers and friend Pete Quaife
Pete Quaife
Peter Alexander Greenlaw "Pete" Quaife was an English musician, artist and author. He was a founding member and the original bass guitarist for The Kinks, from 1963 until 1969....
jammed together in the front room of their house. Activities in the Davies household centred around this front room, culminating in large parties, where Davies' parents would sing and play piano together. The front room and these parties were musically nurturing to the Davies brothers; later influencing The Kinks' interpretations of traditional British music like Music Hall. Dave and his brother worked out the famous two-note riff of their 1964 hit, "You Really Got Me", on the piano in the front room.
Career
Davies founded The Kinks with Pete Quaife in 1963. His brother RayRay Davies
Ray Davies, CBE is an English rock musician. He is best known as lead singer and songwriter for the Kinks, which he led with his younger brother, Dave...
, who became the best-known member and de-facto leader of the band, joined soon after. The quartet was formed when drummer Mick Avory
Mick Avory
Michael Charles "Mick" Avory is an English musician, best known as the longtime drummer and percussionist for the British rock band, The Kinks, joining them shortly after their formation in 1964 and remaining with them until 1984, when he left amid creative friction with guitarist Dave Davies...
joined. Dave Davies had a turbulent relationship with Avory, one of the reasons behind the latter's departure from the band in the mid 1980s, although the two had been roommates together in the mid 1960s.
Ray and Dave Davies remained the only two steady members of the band (with the exception of Avory until his departure) throughout their run together. They were accompanied by an oft-changing roster of bassists and keyboardists. Davies played a largely subordinate role to his brother, often staying behind the scenes. Davies would make occasional contributions on Kinks records as lead vocalist and songwriter, with cases such as "Death of a Clown
Death of a Clown
"Death of a Clown" is a song by Dave Davies, member of British rock group The Kinks, released as his debut solo single in 1967. The song is co-written with his brother Ray Davies. Ray Davies' first wife, Rasa, sings the supporting female vocal during the song's chorus...
" and "Strangers".
Early years (1963—1966)
Davies was responsible for the signature distorted power chordPower chord
In music, a power chord is a chord consisting of only the root note of the chord and the fifth interval, usually played on electric guitar, and typically through an amplification process that imparts distortion...
riff on The Kinks' first hit, "You Really Got Me
You Really Got Me
"You Really Got Me" is a rock song written by Ray Davies and performed by his band, The Kinks. It was released on 4th August 1964 as the group's third single, and reached Number 1 on the UK singles chart the next month, remaining for two weeks...
". He achieved the sound by slitting the speaker cone on his Elpico amplifier, which he then ran through a larger Vox
Vox (musical equipment)
Vox is a musical equipment manufacturer which is most famous for making the Vox AC30 guitar amplifier, the Vox Continental electric organ, and a series of innovative but commercially unsuccessful electric guitars and bass guitars...
as a "pre-amp". This sound was one of the first mainstream appearances of guitar distortion, and it went on to influence many guitarist in the future, especially during the Punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
period. Davies later commented
"You Really Got Me" was the group's third released single, after two unsuccessful ones that failed to chart. They had a three (singles) record contract with Pye Records, and needed a hit to get another contract. Pye didn't like the song and refused to pay for studio time. The band arranged other financial support to cut the single, which became a massive hit, topping the charts in the UK and reaching #7 in the U.S.
The Kinks released three albums and several EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
s in the next two years. They also performed and toured relentlessly, headlining package tours with the likes of The Yardbirds
The Yardbirds
- Current :* Chris Dreja - rhythm guitar, backing vocals * Jim McCarty - drums, backing vocals * Ben King - lead guitar * David Smale - bass, backing vocals...
and Mickey Finn
Mickey Finn
Mickey Finn may refer to:* Mickey Finn , a drug-laced drink* Mickey Finn , a long-running comic strip* Micky Finn , a fictional character and pseudonym of the 19th century writer Ernest Jarrold...
, which caused tension within the band. Some legendary on-stage fights erupted during this time as well. The most notorious incident was at The Capitol Theatre, Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
, Wales in May 1965, involving drummer Mick Avory and Dave Davies. The fight broke out during the second number of the set, "Beautiful Delilah". It culminated with Davies insulting Avory and kicking over his drum set after finishing the first song, "You Really Got Me". Avory responded by knocking down Davies with his Hi-Hat stand, rendering him unconscious. He then fled from the scene, and Davies was taken to Cardiff Royal Infirmary, where he received 16 stitches to the head. Avory later claimed that it was part of a new act in which the band members would hurl their instruments at each other.
During the late 1960s the group steadily evolved, as Ray's songwriting skills developed and he began to lead the group in a whole new direction. The group abandoned the traditional R&B/Blues sound and adopted a more nostalgic, reflective style of music, as showcased on songs like "Autumn Almanac
Autumn Almanac
"Autumn Almanac" is a pop song, written by Ray Davies and recorded by the musical group The Kinks in 1967. "Autumn Almanac" has since been noted for being an "absolute classic", "a finely observed slice of English custom", a "weird character study" and for its "mellow, melodic sound that was to...
" and "Waterloo Sunset
Waterloo Sunset
Waterloo Sunset is a song by British rock band The Kinks. It was released as a single in 1967, and featured on their album Something Else by The Kinks...
", as well as their albums, such as Something Else by The Kinks
Something Else by the Kinks
Something Else by The Kinks, often referred to as just Something Else, is the fifth UK studio album by English rock group The Kinks, released in September 1967. The album marks the final involvement of American producer Shel Talmy in The Kinks' 1960s studio recordings; henceforth Ray Davies would...
and The Village Green Preservation Society.
Late-1960s and solo career
In July 1967, Davies released his first soloSolo (music)
In music, a solo is a piece or a section of a piece played or sung by a single performer...
single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
, credited entirely under his name, (although co-written by his brother and fellow Kinks member Ray Davies) entitled "Death of a Clown
Death of a Clown
"Death of a Clown" is a song by Dave Davies, member of British rock group The Kinks, released as his debut solo single in 1967. The song is co-written with his brother Ray Davies. Ray Davies' first wife, Rasa, sings the supporting female vocal during the song's chorus...
". In the past as a member of The Kinks Dave Davies had only released his own compositions on B-sides
A-side and B-side
A-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of gramophone records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or...
and as part of albums. The Kinks' record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
sensed potential sales in a solo release from the overlooked Davies, and issued "Death of a Clown" as his debut. Although credited to Davies, it was technically a Kinks recording, as his backing band was The Kinks.
Upon its release, "Death of a Clown" rose to number three on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
. Wanting to profit off of the new buzz suddenly surrounding Davies, a solo LP was slated for release some time in 1968 or 1969. The follow-up single, "Susannah's Still Alive
Susannah's Still Alive
"Susannah's Still Alive" is a song by the British musician Dave Davies and his group The Kinks. It was one of the few Kinks songs that was written by Davies, the brother of lead songwriter Ray Davies. The single was credited solely to Dave Davies and featured all of The Kinks as his backing band...
", was released in November 1967; however, it only reached #20 on the Melody Maker
Melody Maker
Melody Maker, published in the United Kingdom, was, according to its publisher IPC Media, the world's oldest weekly music newspaper. It was founded in 1926 as a magazine targeted at musicians; in 2000 it was merged into "long-standing rival" New Musical Express.-1950s–1960s:Originally the Melody...
chart
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
. The release of the solo album was held back, and it was decided to wait and see how another single would fare. As anticipation grew for the release of the new LP, it was nicknamed it A Hole in the Sock Of. "Lincoln County" was chosen as the next single, but failed to chart. By the time one or two more singles were met with the same results, a combination of Davies' own disinterest in continuing and Pye's decision to stop killed off any hopes of an album.
The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society
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 group The Kinks, released in November 1968. It was the last album by the original quartet, as bassist Pete Quaife left the group in early 1969...
and Arthur were released in 1968 and 1969, respectively. Although they received unanimous acclaim, Village Green failed to chart internationally, and Arthur was met with a mediocre commercial reception. These records, although praised by critics and the rock press, were commercial failures.
"Lola", Muswell Hillbillies, and Theatrical Incarnation
After Arthur, The Kinks made a comeback with their hit single "LolaLola (song)
"Lola" is a song written by Ray Davies and performed by The Kinks which details a romantic encounter between a young man and a transvestite he meets in a club in Soho, London....
" and the accompanying concept album
Concept album
In music, a concept album is an album that is "unified by a theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, narrative, or lyrical." Commonly, concept albums tend to incorporate preconceived musical or lyrical ideas rather than being improvised or composed in the studio, with all songs contributing...
Lola versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part One
Lola versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part One
Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part OneAlternatively titled Kinks Part One: Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneygoround; commonly abbreviated to Lola Versus Powerman is the eighth studio album by British rock band The Kinks, recorded and released in 1970...
in 1970. Dave recorded two songs of his own for this LP, the acoustic "Strangers" and the hard-rocking "Rats
Rats (Dave Davies song)
"Rats" is a song written by Dave Davies and performed by The Kinks on their album Lola versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part One. It is the tenth song on the album, and has a duration of 2:40.- Overview :...
". The rootsy country-rock, and Americana themed Muswell Hillbillies
Muswell Hillbillies
Muswell Hillbillies is the ninth studio album by the English rock group The Kinks, released in November 1971. The album is named after the Muswell Hill area of North London, where band leader Ray Davies and guitarist Dave Davies grew up and the band formed in the early 1960s.The album centred on...
was released in late 1971, and was well-received with critics, but failed to sell strongly. This pattern of critical acclaim with less than spectacular commercial success continued with the next albums which added a large theatrical ensemble. Preservation: Act 1 & Preservation: Act 2, The Kinks Present A Soap Opera and Schoolboys in Disgrace
Schoolboys in Disgrace
Schoolboys in Disgrace or The Kinks Present Schoolboys in Disgrace is a 1975 album by English rock group The Kinks.According to the back cover liner notes, the story which the album presents is as follows:...
.
Davies made several attempts at solo albums throughout the '70s, but he never felt enough enthusiasm or interest to see the projects through. He would often act as the producer and engineer at The Kinks' main studio, Konk
Konk (recording)
Konk is the name of a recording studio and record label, established and managed by members of British Rock group The Kinks.- Konk Studios :In 1971, The Kinks left Pye Records for a five-album stint with RCA, who offered them a million-dollar advance...
, in his spare time, producing albums for the likes of Claire Hamill
Claire Hamill
Claire Hamill is a British singer-songwriter.- Biography :Claire Hamill was active in the music business since age 17...
and Andy Desmond
Andy Desmond aka Miten
Andy Desmond aka Miten is a British musician born in Woking, Surrey, August 1947.He founded the folk/rock duo Gothic Horizon with musical partner Richard Garrett in the 60s...
. Ray Davies commented on his brother's studio and solo work in a November 1975 interview:
The Kinks left RCA records
RCA Records
RCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label...
in 1977, switching to Arista
Arista Records
Arista was an American record label. It was a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment and operated under the RCA Music Group. The label was founded in 1974 by Clive Davis, who formerly worked for CBS Records...
. The group shed all of the extra backing vocalists and brass
Brass
Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc; the proportions of zinc and copper can be varied to create a range of brasses with varying properties.In comparison, bronze is principally an alloy of copper and tin...
instrumentalists that had accompanied them throughout their theatrical years, and reverted to a five-piece rock group again. Their debut LP for Arista was entitled Sleepwalker
Sleepwalker (The Kinks album)
Sleepwalker is a 1977 album by the English rock group, The Kinks. It marked a return to straight-ahead, self-contained rock songs after several years of concept albums. It is the first album in what critics usually call the "arena rock" phase of the group, in which more commercial and mainstream...
, and was a commercial and critical comeback for the group. It was the first album in what critics usually call the "arena rock" phase of the group, in which more commercial and mainstream production techniques would be employed. Dave later commented that he was glad to be back to more guitar oriented songs, and he has listed Sleepwalker as one of his favorites. His composition and earnest, almost desperate lead vocals, not to mention his particularly ripping lead guitar sound, led to airplay - especially on college stations - for his idealistic "Trust Your Heart" on the 1978 Misfits
Misfits (The Kinks album)
Misfits is a 1978 album by the English rock group The Kinks.-Track listing:On the UK version of the LP, a longer version of "Live Life" switches places with "Black Messiah". Remastered CD releases have the UK LP track order and include the shorter "Live Life" as a bonus track...
album.
1980s and onward
Davies would see the group through both success and failure, as they reached their commercial peak in the early 1980s. The group began adjusting their commercial methods, embracing the MTVMTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
culture that was selling records at the time. The music video for their 1982/83 single "Come Dancing
Come Dancing (song)
"Come Dancing" is a 1982 recording by British rock group The Kinks; a 1983 hit single in both the US and the UK, the track was included on the album State of Confusion.-Song themes and meaning:...
" helped hoist the record to #12 on the UK charts, and #6 in the U.S - their biggest hit since "Tired of Waiting for You
Tired of Waiting for You
"Tired of Waiting for You" was a hit 1965 rock song by the English band The Kinks. It reached #1 on the UK Singles Chart and #6 in the USA. It was recorded late August 1964 at Pye Studios , London, with additional guitar overdub at IBC Studios, London on 29 December 1964. "Come On Now" was recorded...
" in 1965. The song was a nostalgic look back at childhood memories of the Davies brothers, remembering their elder sisters going out to dance at the local palais, and coming back home to the front room at 6 Denmark Terrace.
The Kinks' popularity faltered in 1985, and soon their records ceased to chart altogether. Mick Avory left the band after The Kinks' last album for Arista, Word of Mouth
Word of Mouth (The Kinks album)
Word of Mouth is a 1984 album by the English rock group, The Kinks.-Track listing:-Personnel:*Ray Davies - guitar, keyboards, harmonica, vocals*Dave Davies - guitar, background vocals*Jim Rodford - bass, background vocals*Mick Avory - drums...
, mainly due to the growing animosity between him and Dave Davies. Ray Davies said that Avory was his best friend in the band and he unwillingly had to choose sides, as said later in a 1989 interview:
Bob Henrit
Bob Henrit
Bob Henrit is an English drummer who has been a member of several musical groups, including Buster Meikle & The Daybreakers, The Hunters, Unit 4 + 2, The Roulettes, Argent and The Kinks....
was brought in to take Avory's place. At Ray Davies' invitation Avory agreed to manage Konk Studios, where he also served as a producer and occasional contributor on later Kinks albums.
The group switched to MCA (US) and London (UK) records in late 1985, and began work on their next album, Think Visual
Think Visual
Think Visual is an album by English rock band, The Kinks, released in 1986.-Track listing:All songs by Ray Davies, except as noted.#"Working at the Factory" – 2:58#"Lost and Found" – 5:19#"Repetition" – 4:06#"Welcome to Sleazy Town" – 3:50...
. The record was released in 1986, but only reached #81 on the Billboard charts. Critics were lukewarm towards it, and it did not receive significant radio play. Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Stephen Thomas Erlewine is a senior editor for Allmusic. He is the author of many artist biographies and record reviews for Allmusic, as well as a freelance writer, occasionally contributing liner notes. He is also frontman and guitarist for the Ann Arbor-based band Who Dat?Erlewine is the nephew...
of Allmusic.com would later comment that the album "represented an artistic dead end for the Kinks, as Ray Davies continued to crank out a series of competent, but undistinguished hard rockers." Dave Davies contributed two songs to Think Visual, "Rock 'n' Roll Cities" and "When You were a Child". Rock 'n' Roll Cities was chosen in the US as the lead single for Think Visual, and at its release it received a fair amount of play on mainstream rock radio. Davies and Mick Avory seemingly reconciled, as Davies asked him back to play drums on this track.
The group recorded several more records for MCA, their last studio effort for them being 1989's UK Jive
UK Jive
UK Jive is a 1989 album by the English rock group, The Kinks. It was the first album in almost three years since the 1986 album, Think Visual...
. UK Jive was received slightly better than Think Visual, but it failed to enter into the Top 100. Dave Davies contributed the song "Dear Margaret" to the vinyl record - the cassette and CD of the album also contained two further Dave Davies songs, "Bright Lights" and "Perfect Strangers".
The group left MCA and struggled to find a record label that would accept them. All four original members were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990, but this failed to revive their career. Eventually The Kinks signed onto Columbia records, who released their final studio album together, Phobia
Phobia (The Kinks album)
Phobia, released in 1993, was the twenty-third and final studio album by English rock group The Kinks before they disbanded three years later in 1996.-Track listing:All songs by Ray Davies, except as noted# "Opening" – 0:38# "Wall of Fire" – 5:01...
, on 13 April 1993. Despite lots of publicity pushing and press attention, the record was unsuccessful, peaking at #166. Singles released failed to chart as well, mainly due to a record label mix-up that delivered the records to store a few weeks late. To Phobia Davies contributed the songs "It's Alright (Don't Think About It)" and "Close to the Wire".
Columbia dropped the group in 1994, forcing them to retreat back to their old Konk Records. The group released To The Bone on the small independent Grapevine records in 1994.
The Kinks eventually disbanded in 1996.
Solo work 80s - Present day
After the aborted solo effort, Davies' solo career was not revived until 1980, with the release of Dave Davies (AFL1-3603), which featured Davies performing all the instruments by himself. The album was named after its own serial number. AFLI-3603 peaked at #42 on the Billboard 200Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
. He went on to release Glamour (1981), which charted at #152. Davies brought in a back-up band to play with him on this record. Chosen People was released in 1983, but failed to crack the Billboard 200.
Davies released his first true solo studio album in twenty years, Bug
Bug (Dave Davies album)
Bug is a solo album by Dave Davies , released in May 2002. It was his fourth true solo studio album, almost 20 years after the release of his third effort Chosen People....
, in 2002. Fractured Mindz followed in January 2007, his first album of all new material in nearly five years. It was also his first new studio effort since his stroke in the summer of 2004 besides the track "God In my Brain" (which was recorded and released on the compilation album Kinked in January 2006). In February 2010, Davies released a DVD, Mystical Journey. His planned US tour in support of the release was postponed per doctor's advice.
Signature instruments
Davies has played a number of guitars over time, the most recognizable of which is his Gibson Flying VGibson Flying V
-External links:*, , , , and , from the Gibson website*, a June 2001 article from Guitar Collector magazine*, a tribute site that lists all models and re-issues and most notable players**...
. Davies bought it in 1965, and soon began appearing live and on TV performances with it. Davies was one of the few guitarists who played Flying Vs at the time. It was, in that period, out of issue due to lack of interest upon its 1958 test release, and models were numbered. Guitarists like Lonnie Mack
Lonnie Mack
Lonnie Mack is an American rock, blues and country guitarist and vocalist....
, Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
, Albert King
Albert King
Albert King was an American blues guitarist and singer, and a major influence in the world of blues guitar playing.-Career:...
and Davies himself helped stir interest in the instrument, and it would eventually become one of the signature guitars of the Heavy Metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
era.
Davies commented on his Flying V:
Davies has played many other guitars throughout his career. He has played several models of Gibson Les Pauls over time, including a "Goldtop" model with P90 pickups and a black '78 model. On his website he lists the following:
----
- Gibson Les PaulGibson Les PaulThe Gibson Les Paul was the result of a design collaboration between Gibson Guitar Corporation and the late jazz guitarist and electronics inventor Les Paul. In 1950, with the introduction of the Fender Telecaster to the musical market, electric guitars became a public craze. In reaction, Gibson...
- Fender Elite TelecasterFender TelecasterThe Fender Telecaster, colloquially known as the Tele , is typically a dual-pickup, solid-body electric guitar made by Fender.Its simple yet effective design and revolutionary sound broke ground and set trends in electric guitar manufacturing and popular music...
- Fender American Standard TelecasterFender TelecasterThe Fender Telecaster, colloquially known as the Tele , is typically a dual-pickup, solid-body electric guitar made by Fender.Its simple yet effective design and revolutionary sound broke ground and set trends in electric guitar manufacturing and popular music...
- '54 Fender Stratocaster
- Gibson Artisan
- Gibson Futura (early Explorer body prototype played by Davies on the Shindig TV show) (Note that this is in fact incorrect : he played his recently-acquired Gibson Flying V here, and there's no photographic evidence that Davies ever had a Futura model)
- Gibson L5-S
- Gibson L6-S
- Guild 12-string acoustic
- Harmony Meteor
Other guitars that were used by Dave Davies during the 60's were amongst others:
- Epiphone CasinoEpiphone CasinoThe Epiphone Casino is a thinline hollow body electric guitar manufactured by Epiphone, a branch of Gibson. It is essentially Epiphone's version of the Gibson ES-330...
- EkoEko guitarsEko is an Italian manufacturer of electric guitars, acoustic guitars and similar instruments, catering to professional level and manufacturing largely for export...
solidbody model - A black GuildGuildA guild is an association of craftsmen in a particular trade. The earliest types of guild were formed as confraternities of workers. They were organized in a manner something between a trade union, a cartel, and a secret society...
DE-500 model (stolen during The Kinks´ first US tour in the summer of 1965) - Various VoxVox (musical equipment)Vox is a musical equipment manufacturer which is most famous for making the Vox AC30 guitar amplifier, the Vox Continental electric organ, and a series of innovative but commercially unsuccessful electric guitars and bass guitars...
guitars : a Phantom VI, a Phantom XII, and a 12-string Folk Twelve model - GuildGuildA guild is an association of craftsmen in a particular trade. The earliest types of guild were formed as confraternities of workers. They were organized in a manner something between a trade union, a cartel, and a secret society...
Starfire III - Fender Electric XIIFender Electric XIIThe Fender Electric XII was a purpose-built 12-string electric guitar, designed for folk rockers. Instead of using a Stratocaster-body style, it used one similar to a Jaguar/Jazzmaster body style. It was also a departure from the typical "Stratocaster"-style headstock, instead featuring a long...
Stroke and personal life
He married Lisbet in 1967 and they divorced in 1990. From that marriage, Davies has four sons: Martin, Simon, Christian and Russell. His three children Daniel, Lana, and Eddie are from another relationship. A daughter Tracy was adopted when he was only 15.Davies published an autobiography
Autobiography
An autobiography is a book about the life of a person, written by that person.-Origin of the term:...
, entitled Kink, in 1996, in which he discussed his bisexuality
Bisexuality
Bisexuality is sexual behavior or an orientation involving physical or romantic attraction to both males and females, especially with regard to men and women. It is one of the three main classifications of sexual orientation, along with a heterosexual and a homosexual orientation, all a part of the...
at length, including a sexual relationship with Long John Baldry
Long John Baldry
John William "Long John" Baldry was an English and Canadian blues singer and a voice actor. He sang with many British musicians, with Rod Stewart and Elton John appearing in bands led by Baldry in the 1960s. He enjoyed pop success in the UK where Let the Heartaches Begin reached No...
. He also wrote of the tense professional relationship with his brother over the Kinks' 30-year career.
On 30 June 2004, Davies suffered a stroke while exiting a lift at Broadcasting House
Broadcasting House
Broadcasting House is the headquarters and registered office of the BBC in Portland Place and Langham Place, London.The building includes the BBC Radio Theatre from where music and speech programmes are recorded in front of a studio audience...
, where he had been promoting his then current album, Bug
Bug (Dave Davies album)
Bug is a solo album by Dave Davies , released in May 2002. It was his fourth true solo studio album, almost 20 years after the release of his third effort Chosen People....
. He was taken to University College Hospital in Euston. Davies was released from the hospital on 27 August. Davies said in a 2006 interview:
By 2006, Davies had recovered enough to be able to walk, talk and play guitar.
He is a friend of horror
Horror film
Horror films seek to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's most primal fears. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural, thus frequently overlapping with the fantasy and science fiction genres...
director John Carpenter
John Carpenter
John Howard Carpenter is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, editor, composer, and occasional actor. Although Carpenter has worked in numerous film genres in his four-decade career, his name is most commonly associated with horror and science fiction.- Early life :Carpenter was born...
, and his work is featured on Carpenter's remake of Village of the Damned
Village of the Damned (1995 film)
John Carpenter's Village of the Damned is a 1995 science fiction-horror film directed by John Carpenter. It is a remake of the 1960 film of the same name which is based on the novel The Midwich Cuckoos by John Wyndham. The 1995 remake is set in the United States, while the book and original film...
. Carpenter also acted as godfather to Davies's son, Daniel, who plays in the hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
bands Year Long Disaster
Year Long Disaster
Year Long Disaster is a Stoner rock band from Los Angeles, California.-History:The band had its beginnings in 2003 when guitarist and singer Daniel Davies met bassist Rich Mullins of Karma to Burn in a Hollywood grocery store; at the time Mullins was having drug problems and was homeless...
and Karma to Burn
Karma to Burn
Karma to Burn, sometimes known as K2B, is a desert rock/stoner metal band from Morgantown, West Virginia comprising guitarist William Mecum, bassist Rich Mullins, and drummer Rob Oswald...
.
Singles
| Release date | Title | Chart Positions | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
US Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
Australia | Belgium | Canada | Germany | Netherlands | New Zealand | Sweden | ||
| 1967 | "Death of a Clown Death of a Clown "Death of a Clown" is a song by Dave Davies, member of British rock group The Kinks, released as his debut solo single in 1967. The song is co-written with his brother Ray Davies. Ray Davies' first wife, Rasa, sings the supporting female vocal during the song's chorus... " |
#3 | #31 | #5 | #3 | #2 | ||||
| January 1968 | "Susannah's Still Alive Susannah's Still Alive "Susannah's Still Alive" is a song by the British musician Dave Davies and his group The Kinks. It was one of the few Kinks songs that was written by Davies, the brother of lead songwriter Ray Davies. The single was credited solely to Dave Davies and featured all of The Kinks as his backing band... " |
#20 | #18 | #27 | #10 | #18 | ||||
| July 1968 | "Lincoln County" | #15 | ||||||||
| January 1969 | "Hold My Hand" | |||||||||
Studio albums
- Dave Davies (AFL1-3603) (1980)
- Glamour (1981)
- Chosen People (1983)
- Purusha and the Spiritual Planet (1998)
- Fortis Green (1999)
- Fragile (2001)
- BugBug (Dave Davies album)Bug is a solo album by Dave Davies , released in May 2002. It was his fourth true solo studio album, almost 20 years after the release of his third effort Chosen People....
(2002) - Fractured Mindz (2007)
Live and compilation albums
- Solo Live - Live Solo Performance at Marian CollegeMarian CollegeMarian University is a Roman Catholic university in Indianapolis Indiana.-About:Marian University, sponsored by the Sisters of St. Francis in Oldenburg, Indiana, traces its roots to their founding in 1851...
(2000) - Bugged... Live! (2002)
- Rock Bottom - Live At The Bottom Line (2000)
- Transformation - Live at The Alex Theatre (2003 release from Meta Media)
- Transformation - Live at The Alex Theatre (2005 release on Angel AirAngel AirAngel Airlines, trading as Angel Air, was an airline based in Bangkok, Thailand, which was operational between 1997 and 2006.-Fleet:Over the years, Angel Airlines operated the following aircraft types:...
) - Kinked (2006 release on Koch Records)
- Belly Up (2008) - recorded live at the Belly Up Club in San DiegoSan Diego, CaliforniaSan Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
on 29 April 1997, which was at the start of Davies' first major solo tour of the United States.
Collaborations
- In the Mouth of MadnessIn the Mouth of MadnessIn the Mouth of Madness is a 1995 American horror film directed by John Carpenter and written by Michael De Luca, who was at the time of the film's release in charge of New Line Cinema...
soundtrack, lead guitar on track # 1 (1995) - Village of the DamnedVillage of the Damned (1995 film)John Carpenter's Village of the Damned is a 1995 science fiction-horror film directed by John Carpenter. It is a remake of the 1960 film of the same name which is based on the novel The Midwich Cuckoos by John Wyndham. The 1995 remake is set in the United States, while the book and original film...
soundtrack (1995)