The Kinks often get fourth billing in a description of the 1960s British Invasion that included the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and the Who. Of course, in a crowded room with bands like that, coming in fourth isn’t too shabby. Like their peers, the Kinks went through different phases in their long-running career — the more guitar-oriented sound of the early 60s to a more sophisticated, conceptual style of the late 1960s and early 1970s, then onto the rockin’, mainstream late 1970s and MTV days of the 1980s. Ray Davies gets a lot of the credit for writing most of the songs, singing them and basically being the front man and focal point of the group. But it‘s his brother Dave, who’s also written plenty of Kinks songs, along with his own, and played the grinding leads, who’s the anchor and foundation of the Kinks.
Of course, the Kinks as a recording and touring band has been inactive since 1996. But that hasn’t stopped either Ray or Dave Davies from carrying on with their own individuals work, be it solo albums, collaborations with others, tours, books, films, etc. Dave Davies has released a number of solo albums since 1980, but health issues made it difficult in later years. However, through a meditative practice of self-healing and determination, the guitarist is more active than ever these days with two solo albums — 2013’s I Will Be Me and 2014’s Rippin’ Up Time, plus his book Heal: A Guide To Meditation. Davies is clearly someone who refuses to rest on his laurels.
Which isn’t to say the Kinks and their rich legacy aren’t still a part of his life because they are. Legacy Recordings, with exclusive North American catalog rights to Kinks albums released on RCA and Arista Records between 1971 and 1985, is celebrating 50 years of Kinkdom with two Kinks titles: The Essential Kinks, a 48-song compilation filled with key songs for the Pye/Reprise, RCA, Arista and Columbia labels, from “You Really Got Me” to “Living On A Thin Line,” one of Dave Davies’ greatest Kinks songs; and an expanded CD/DVD deluxe edition of Muswell Hillbillies, which includes the original album remastered in its entirety with nine bonus tracks and a DVD comprising live footage of the Kinks from 1972. In the following interview, Davies talks about the making of Rippin’ Up Time, playing live, the Kinks reissues, his brother Ray and the possibility of Kinks activity in the future.
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