A Bluffers Guide To: The Kinks

So there you are, sitting at home listening to your new Kooks album Konk, and you are wondering where on earth they got a name like that for it??
Well my friends that is because it was recorded at the London studio, named Konk and owned by Ray Davies of The Kinks... the subject of the fifth of my short “Bluffers Guide to …” series.
Once again in a few short paragraphs here is all you need to know to bluff your way through a conversation on “The Kinks” as long as you steer away pretty quickly

The Kinks were formed in 1963 by Ray Davies (lead vocals / rhythm guitar), his brother Dave Davies (lead guitar / backing vocals), Pete Quaife (bass guitar / backing vocals) and Mick Avory (drums).
They were classified as one of the big four British Invasion Bands along with The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and The Who (see my previous bluffers guides) although they were not as successful in the USA, mainly due to a ban from America due to the American Federation Of Musicians refusing permits for the group to appear for 4 years. This was at the time attributed to the bands rowdy and sometimes violent on stage appearances, although never confirmed by either party. The band often had full on fights on stage!

The Kinks success first came in 1964 with the release of their third single ‘You Really Got Me’, which entered the UK chart at #1 and still appears on many compilation Rock albums today. This song is still cited by many as being the blueprint for Hard Rock, and the Heavy Metal that followed.

The Kinks were prolific and released at least one album every year from 1964 until 1979, a total of 21 albums in all!
During that time they released The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society which although not a huge seller at the time is now considered by many to be a masterpiece. Arthur (Or The Decline And Fall Of The British Empire) which received rave reviews in the U.S. and was favourably compared to the rock opera Tommy by The Who. And Lola versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part One from which came one of their most successful singles 'Lola', a story about a confused romantic encounter with a transvestite and very forward thinking for it’s time.

During the late 1970’s many of The Kinks songs were covered by new wave bands like The Jam and The Pretenders and some hard rock bands like Van Halen, this would prove to be a boost in the career of both the up coming new wave bands, and The Kinks themselves, and was reflected in the harder punkier sound of 1979 release Low Budget.

A live album, their third, called One For The Road was released in 1980 and this proved to be the springboard for their most successful spell of touring between 1980 and 1983. But some of the old tensions were still present.

The bands name and profile was to rise once again during the Brit Pop era of the mid 1990’s with such bands as Oasis, Blur, Suede and Pulp naming themselves as students of The Kinks and citing them as one of their major influences.

The Kinks made their final appearance together in 1996 and although there are persistent rumours of a reunion including a failed attempt to get them all in a studio in 1999 but the old angst is still present and Ray and Dave show no signs of interest in working with each other again at the present time.

Two years after the formation of The Kinks another all British band were to form that would end up as being the greatest stadium show band of all time but Pink Floyd will be the subject of another Bluffers Guide…

That should get you through those awkward silences....