As a family member of Ray and Dave, you have done your research and offered a few new insights. Well done.

@timsincere

3 ай бұрын

Thanks, Lawrence.

I can't imagine a group as good as this happening now. Clearly one of the very best British bands ever. Their influence will continue. They really set the bar for the rest of us.

Sir Ray, the best song writer ever, anywhere

@luisacata04

25 күн бұрын

As someone from Colombia, i agree

You could say The Kinks are one of my favourite bands but they are more than that, they are a special favourite band.

As a kid born in 1969 who took an early and enduring interest in music, the Kinks' records has always bee part of my life. When I listen back I hear songs that recall my grade school days and every bit of my life after. By my college years I'd acquired friends who were musicians, sound engineers, and the like. It was sitting around in basements after the bar, spinning records with pro musicians/engineers/hangers on, that my lifelong devotion seemed validated by the high regard all my close music friends had for the Kinks. It brings me great comfort and joy to know people who put Kinks records on. Thanks for this.

The Kinks were one of the few truly great rock and roll bands. Someone else said that.

@tylerthompson1842

4 ай бұрын

Many have said that

Wow! Autumn Almanac backwards! 🤯

Excellent job! I was the guy who discovered the Autumn Almanac hidden amazement, so thank you for sharing it.

@timsincere

2 ай бұрын

Brilliant! Thank you! 🙏

Ray performed Waterloo Sunset during the Closing ceremony of the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, and the song Living On A Thin Line sung by Dave was used on The Sopranos soundtrack.

👍 Really enjoyed this video, Tim!! As a Yank, "Waterloo Sunset" stands out in my mind as the quintessential English song. God bless Ray Davies and The Kinks!! Chuck in Northern New England

@timsincere

4 ай бұрын

Thanks, Chuck! I appreciate it, and thanks for watching 😀

The Kinks songs from the 60s were fantastic......saw them on a triple bill in Philadelphia in December 1969

@timsincere

4 ай бұрын

Brilliant! I wish I'd seen them live. Thanks for watching.

Waterloo Sunset's one of my faves too. Great video Tim.

@timsincere

5 ай бұрын

Thank you, Alan!

Pete Townshend called Ray Davies the Poet Laureate of English pop music.

700 songs in their catalog- with 20 new ones coming- GSTK!

Thanks for this very informative and entertaining video! I saw the Kinks twice in the mid-80's in Philadelphia. Muswell Hillbillies is my favorite of their albums. It was so very English, yet paid homage to an idealized America. Dave is surely the most underappreciated rock guitarist ever. Reminds me of George Harrison in that neither was particularly flashy - but always served the song.

As a fifty year old American male,I hate people don’t give any credit to muswell hillbillies and soap opera .my daughter is twenty and she loves both albums

Ray Davies was knighted by Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace on Thursday 3/17/2017, where the Kinks front man thanked fans and met with members of the press. Davies previously received the CBE - Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire - by Queen Elizabeth in 2004.

@timsincere

Ай бұрын

You're right! I knew I'd messed up when I watched another video on Ray after posting this one, and saw him being knighted by Prince Charles. I also found out that it takes more than a CBE to earn the title "Sir". Thanks for the correction, and keeping me honest! 😉

@jet51100

Ай бұрын

@@timsincere You're welcome! I hope I did not come across as unkind. I love the video!

@timsincere

Ай бұрын

@@jet51100 No you didn't. No worries! 😀

ONE OF THE GREATEST BANDS OF THE 1960'S AND 1970'S.

So wonderful, and overdue! Of course, there's not room for every great Kinks song, but "Celluloid Heroes" was playing in my head as soon as I realized you were including actual music. And I'll never forget my girlfriend (now my wife of 50 years) and I playing "Arthur" front to back on replay for hours in 1972. We saw Ray, Dave, Mick, and Pete at least 8 times, including at Constitution Hall in Washington DC, where the band got into such a fight, they left Ray alone on stage, and the crowd sang "Victoria" at the top of our lungs, right along with him - no music required!

@timsincere

4 ай бұрын

Brilliant! You are a true Kinks fan! I've never seen them perform live, but I wish I had. You're right - there isn't enough room for all of their songs. (I try to keep my mini-docs down to less than 10 mins, but I soon realized that that wasn't possible with this one.) I kept the focus on the earlier, UK-oriented side of their career and songs, because that's what I grew up with. Years ago I was a DJ on a California rock station, and Celluloid Heroes was one of the most requested songs, so I appreciate its significance. Punk rock wiped them out for the tail-end of the seventies, and the record didn't even chart in the UK. Clearly, I'm huge fan, but I still did a ton of research for this video, including 3 excellent books. I think one of them makes reference to the gig you attended in DC. I remember it mentioning the crowd singing Victoria. Thanks for watching, and the great comment 🙏

@heartoftherose

4 ай бұрын

Tim - thank you for your thoughtful and specific response, I am twice blessed! How interesting to hear that one my wife's and my favorite stories/memories was recorded somewhere, after so many years recounting it to half-believing friends. I'm a new subscriber and browser of your website. I've watched and enjoyed a good bit already. Your content is excellent and appreciated - looking forward to more from you in the future!

@timsincere

4 ай бұрын

@@heartoftherose One of the books I read about Ray was "Ray Davies: A Complicated Life" by Johnny Rogan. I bought the Kindle version which means I can search the text. I searched for "Washington, DC", and found this paragraph: "On 3 May 1977, in Washington, DC, old hostilities between Mick Avory and Dave Davies were reignited, culminating in a brawl after which the pair stormed off stage, leaving Ray to face the consequences. "At the end of the show, I was just standing there. Mick got fed up and kicked his drum kit over. There I was strumming my guitar saying, 'Well, I'd like to play this number, realizing that it would have to be a solo job. I was about to go into 'Juke Box Music'. I thought, 'No, I can't do it without a group.'"" No mention of the crowd singing "Victoria". That must've been in one of the other paper books. But if the show you attended was 3 May, 1977, this was your night! 😊

@heartoftherose

4 ай бұрын

Somehow my reply has vanished, let me try to post it again. I used the specific date information (thanks for that!) and indeed that is "our" show. I located a Washington Post critic's review, he also speaks of the scuffle and represents that Ray also left the stage, but returned alone after possibly imploring the band to return with him. Apparently an apology and applause, but no singing mentioned. Another website also lists the performance song by song, but no record of events, and no "Victoria" at all. We've decided to settle for "recollections may vary" and enjoy our memories as they were. Thank you so much for time and effort on our behalf - you sparked quite a Kinks kontroversy at our house, and many fond memories!

@timsincere

4 ай бұрын

@@heartoftherose That's great! I'm so glad this all came together, and it jogged a few memories for you and your wife. The internet is truly amazing. Thanks for all your comments! 🙏

When you really got me came out that must have been so heavy for that time ! I mean it's still heavy. But in 64 or 65 wow !!

I still love their Christmas song ! Great shit. Thanks Kinks you the band 👍✌️

@howarddickson8856

2 ай бұрын

Listen too them they are off the charts. And they have the greatest Christmas song. They can be mellow or rock out. Everybody loves the Kinks.

"Baby, I feel good... From the moment I rise!" My favorite opening line ever! I swear, Tim, every time I watch this, you've stuck some new fact in! Thanks again!

@timsincere

11 күн бұрын

Thank you, George!

Just LOVED the Kinks....in my teens...and NOW...

I struggle between the KinKs & the Replacements as my favorite band. Very touching video. Thank you.

greater tribute to sir ray than i was prepared for. thanks!

@timsincere

4 ай бұрын

Thank you!

This is excellent!

@timsincere

8 күн бұрын

Thank you!

The Stones and The Kinks are the only 2 British Invasion bands to have a "Top 10" hit in America in 3 different decades. 60s, 70s and 80s.

@timsincere

6 күн бұрын

That would make an excellent pop quiz trivia question, because most people would assume that the Beatles did.

They are the true originators of the Punk Rock and Heavy Metal sound!

I've always pronounced it Davy's. I recently come to find I've been wrong all along. I'm not a casual fan. I have all the albums even the recent deluxe box sets.

@timsincere

4 ай бұрын

No shame, because most Americans do pronounce the E. (It *is* there, after all!) I grew up in London when there was only a couple of TV channels and the same number of radio stations. The DJ's used to hang out with all the pop stars and so they knew how to pronounce their names, and that's how we all knew - because we heard it on the radio. My video originally had a segment where Ray and Bruce Springsteen were recording "Better Days" for the "See My Friends" covers album, and Bruce was calling him "Ray Davys" the whole way through! I think Ray probably gave up correcting people many years ago. Thanks for watching, and the great comments! Cheers! 😎

Ray Davies and The Kinks I can see influenced me much more than I realized. I think half my two hour concert movie was inspired by them.

as long as we gaze at waterloo sunset we are in paradise

This is an awesome video, thanks for creating this! I got some new facts from one of my fav bands ever (next to Beatles and Zep)

This is so well done! What a great tribute to a great songwriter. Keep it up! Maybe you could do a video on the specials?

@timsincere

18 күн бұрын

Thank you! The Specials is a great suggestion. I have a few in the pipeline, but I will definitely look into it. Cheers!

@L_Train

18 күн бұрын

@@timsincere they just kind of popped into my head. I subscribed so I'll check out whatever you decide to do. I'm sure itll be good

@timsincere

18 күн бұрын

@@L_Train Thank you! 🙏

Excellent. Really excellent. With one quibble. The comment about Pete Townshend baffles me... Townshend is a bone fide genius and deserves more respect than he is afforded here.

@timsincere

21 күн бұрын

Hi Andrew. Thanks for the compliment. I'm confused about your quibble - I think I only referenced Pete once in this video, and that was where I was saying that Paul Weller of The Jam owes half of his career to him (because he was very influenced by Pete). It was not intended to be a slight against Pete. I love Pete! He's one of my top 5 favorite guitarists. Top 10 songwriters. Quadrophenia is in my top 5 album list. Was that the comment you're referring to, or was there something else? (I'm gonna have to go back and watch it again to make sure I'm not coming across as a Pete-hater! 🤣) Cheers!

@andrewlofthouse7121

21 күн бұрын

@@timsincere I think I have misunderstood. I thought you were saying that both Pete, along with Paul, owed his career to Ray. My bad! 😬 Tell you what though; aren't they all just fabulous? Keep up the (very) good work. Kind Regards, Andy.

@timsincere

21 күн бұрын

It's challenging to avoid any misinterpretations when making these videos, without being too verbose. And the British/American English language differences can often create confusion too. I agree that all 3 are fabulous, and they were all massively influential on me as a songwriter/guitarist growing up in London. Thanks for watching, and the great comments. All the best!

Waterloo Sunset is a gem. You don't have to be British to be moved by those lyrics. One song I wish you had added was"Everybody's in Showbiz".

@timsincere

2 күн бұрын

Hi Joseph - What a great song, & there are so many! This episode was focused on the UK side of the Kinks, because that was what I grew up with. I included Come Dancing for perspective, & because it was another UK hit, after many years away from the UK charts. Thanks for watching, & commenting. I appreciate it! 😊

really enjoyed this mini doc about the Kinks "come dancing was a favourite of mine!

@timsincere

4 ай бұрын

Thanks, John! It's a favorite of mine too 😎

1966, Sunny Afternoon was #1 when England won the World Cup - as I once said to Dave, Nobody can ever take it away, The Kinks were Number One when England won the World Cup (everyone had been buying the single that week, the boys heard the news the next day 'Sunday' in a car en route to a gig in Exeter), Brilliant Days..

Enthusiastic thumbs up and sub, I love the Kinks.

@timsincere

4 ай бұрын

Thank you!

Met Ray a couple of times after gigs. He even kissed my wife on the cheek much to her surprise. Seen the Kinks perform many times.

Thank you for the days.....

GOD SAVE THE KINKS!

😕 Ray...where are you? The Universe is telling me something isn’t right... We haven’t seen him since 2019 - a few stalker photos of him and Dave - but I fear that Ray isn’t long for this world. Any other Kinks fan out there heard any updates on him - l worry it’s dementia for Sir Ray.

Clive Davis was wrong about Come Dancin' and it's lyrics!

@gvcalcar

4 ай бұрын

As far as I understood Clive did see it as a good song, but not as opening single. He thought they first had to establish their rocking status again with State Of Confusion from the same album as a single, and maybe then a 'ballad' like Come Dancing.

BRILLIANT

@timsincere

5 ай бұрын

Thank you!

❤️

I always thought that was the lyrics for Apeman, I was listening to it yesterday and sang “The air pollution is fu**ing up my eyes “ I’m not sure if this has ruined my memories or not! Is it supposed to be what I think or is it actually ‘fogging’?

@timsincere

3 ай бұрын

That's a great question, Michelle. I'm glad you asked because it gives me a chance to correct an error in my video where I said it was the BBC who made Ray change the word in the original recording. Johnny Rogan's excellent book, "Ray Davies: A Complicated Life" says the following: "Many listeners were convinced that he was actually singing "the air pollution is fucking [not foggin'] up my eyes" but the BBC generously gave him the benefit of the doubt. In America, Reprise Records were not so accommodating and insisted he re-record the line. It was like the 'Coca-Cola' controversy all over again. "My diction is terrible," Davies demurred with a mischievous glint, but dutifully amended the offending word." Wikipedia says: "...he again had to fly back to London to re-record this line, dubbing over with a more clear "a-foggin'" prior to its single release, in turn causing a delay in the US single release of the tune.The original lyric remains intact on the album, "Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part One", and is heard at 2:20. On their performance on Top of the Pops, filmed later in November, the changed lyric can be heard on the backing tape." Knowing what Ray is like, and that fact that many of his songs covered ground-breaking subject matter, and often pushed the envelope, my opinion is that he's singing what everyone thinks he's singing! 😍 I've posted an Australian single release that uses the re-recorded vocal here: kzread.info/dash/bejne/jJqqk7ORctaYcps.htmlsi=nBlOj-uxaNYGrBNG

@michelle88960

3 ай бұрын

@@timsincere Thank you so much. I have watched many interviews with Ray and he does have a mischievous twinkle when discussing his songs and lyrics. I believe it’s what I think. It’s too late now to change my mind, and the lyrics I believe, make more sense to me. I love Apeman I think it’s a great environmental song before it’s time really. Thanks again for the information and the upload, really enjoyed it. 👍

@michelle88960

3 ай бұрын

I have just watched Ray singing Apeman live and he definitely sings the ‘ Fu**ing ‘ line! kzread.info/dash/bejne/rHxmt82NnbCWe9o.htmlsi=ruotrxuKfOWmURKD ❤️

Brilliant!!

@timsincere

5 ай бұрын

Thank you!

Great video.

You know also, it's the raw edge which accentuates their timelesness. I used to talk with Dave Quafe about them. He said they were insular (laughs) .

Where have all the good times gone?

The Kinks are classic.

I thought Link Ray was the first one to use distortion , though Dave Davies was way ahead of his time !

@timsincere

Ай бұрын

You may well be right, and this article certainly backs you up: ig.ft.com/life-of-a-song/rumble.html However, as a guitarist myself, who tried the speaker cone ripping technique on an old beat-up amp when I was a kid ☹️, I'm standing firm on the small-amp-driving-big-amp theory. (Don't try it at home on your expensive Fender Twin Reverb amp, kids. Distortion pedals are the way to go!) All of those early guitar amps would have used tubes/valves versus solid state components, and so there would have been a certain amount of harmonic distortion going on anyway. Tearing the speaker cone may have made it sound worse, but I don't think it was the main thing contributing to the distorted sound. By the way, you're not the first person to challenge the claim that Dave did it first. Thanks for the great comment. Cheers! 😎

GREAT KINKS !

God save the Kinks!❤

Always disappointing to see "Muswell Hillbillies" passed over.

XTC are the only other artists I can cite who are/were as quintessentially English as The Kinks. Sadly, both bands are now defunct, with little likelihood of any reunions.

@timsincere

4 күн бұрын

I agree. I was going to include XTC as one of the bands most influenced by the Kinks, but my audience is 90% US, who don't know their XTC from their Elbow 😉

Ray was his own worst enemy in many ways. I love The Kinks dearly but Ray is one moody sod. 🤣 Before KZread I'd never heard the story of their American tour but it doesn't surprise me. My mum always had this massive crush on Ray and I can see what she means because I've always been attracted to intense type men. I'm an intense type of person myself. It doesn't make a person easy to get along with!

And you have to understand Americans. We don’t bow to anyone’s queen, but we’ll shake her hand, and knighthood belongs at the round table…. Any brave man is basically a knight and we don’t need any medal and ribbon to prove it,.

@timsincere

19 күн бұрын

I agree with you 100%, Dave. Like you, I’m an American. We’re all here for the same reasons. Some of us just got here more recently than others! 😉 Take care.

@timsincere

18 күн бұрын

@user-rx3ww7nt2s (I called you Dave by mistake. Sorry about that, Tony. Take care.)

Makes me realise what rubbish is recorded these days. Songs with trite lyrics and, sadly, auto-tune. I’m pleased I was around to hear the Kinks’ music.

They were never the same after Pete Quaife left. They became another band that conquered the U.S. with mediocrity. "give the people what they want"......

@DerekDerekDerekDerekDerekDerek

3 ай бұрын

When did Pete leave?

@PAULLONDEN

3 ай бұрын

@@DerekDerekDerekDerekDerekDerek 1969.....he died 2010 of kidney failure, aged 66 .

@DerekDerekDerekDerekDerekDerek

3 ай бұрын

@@PAULLONDEN That's mental... the kinks put out an absolute masterpiece in 1970! 😂 so obviously they were the same or better 😂

@cowpalacedave

6 күн бұрын

I disagree 100%

3:09 Who was the guy who broke a tooth? Has he ever been interviewed. Is this story made up maybe?

@timsincere

Ай бұрын

His name was Robert Wace. He later became The Kinks' co-manager. Here's Dave Davies telling the story: kzread.info/dash/bejne/fZqqqbSwmNfKgLQ.html

Great video, but the anti Van Halen bias is nonsense.

@cowpalacedave

6 күн бұрын

Van Halen sucks!

Whenever I hear Waterloo Sunset, it reminds me of Winchester Cathedral. I bet Ray nicked the hook from WC in creating Waterloo Sunset.

@timsincere

5 ай бұрын

When Winchester Cathedral was released in 1966, Ray complained that other English bands were copying the Kinks' sound, and I think he was right. The Who and the Stones were both a little guilty of creating similar sounding arrangements in the studio. The Kinks had created a sitar-like sound on "See My Friends" that the Beatles used on a few of their tracks later on. However, Winchester Cathedral came out a year before Waterloo Sunset, so it's possible that Ray was influenced by it. Coincidentally, Winchester Cathedral was written by Geoff Stephens, who wrote a couple of my favorite songs from that era.

Hey buddy, The Kinks and Van Halen are both great bands, but they’re apples and oranges. Calling any early Van Halen album stodgy… LOL That’s your opinion an a damned silly one. I’d be careful lest you alienate a lot of people. You know, damned well, that you’re in the minority in this. You Really Got Me performed by either band is something of its own. “Apples” and “Oranges.” If you are a solid Kinks fan, though, I suppose you might get resentful of covers. C’mon, they both rock and, yes, it’s Ray’s song. Van Halen borrowed it, just like everyone borrows from The Beatles…. Ray & Dave must have cried all the way to the bank. VH seriously lined their pockets with that one…

@timsincere

19 күн бұрын

Thanks for the comment, Dave. I agree with you about both bands being great. I used to be a DJ on a US FM rock station and I played Van Halen 2-3 every morning. However, I think their cover of You Really Got Me looses its bite because of the way Eddie plays it. I appreciate your opinion too. Cheers!

@timsincere

18 күн бұрын

@user-rx3ww7nt2s (I called you Dave by mistake. Sorry about that, Tony. Take care.)

@MiggySpeaksTruth

8 күн бұрын

VH's cover of You Really Got Me was over-produced and too slick IMHO, and VH's cover of Where Have All The Good Times Gone paled in comparison to the Kinks original version. Also, I've seen Eddie and Dave play live versions of You Really Got Me & All Day And All Of The Night, and Dave is excellent, although Eddie was technically more proficient on guitar than Dave was. I highly recommend listening to Dave's lead guitar on the live version of Celluloid Heroes on the album One For The Road, and the live version of I'm Not Like Everybody Else from the 1990s. Dave Davies was very versatile and paved the way for both Heavy Metal and Punk Rock.

@user-rx3ww7nt2s

7 күн бұрын

@@MiggySpeaksTruth Not that “anyone” gives a @#$%, but just say you’re not a Van Halen fan and you’ve got your panties in a wad because someone made covers of a band you like better. There’s positively nothing wrong with them and there’s not a damned thing wrong with good production and music being polished. What don’t you understand about apples and oranges? It means, “Two different bands playing the same song in different ways.” And let’s face it, the Davies make great music, but they are “not” great vocalists. They have a down to earth, everyman kind of sound that, although charming, lacks polish completely. This isn’t about Van Halen in the first place but he put his opinions out there for some reason and I’m starting to wonder if you’re him commenting with an alternate account. The Beatles and The Stones, Heart and The Pretenders. Why you are choosing to make it one or the other is beyond me. No two people have precisely the exact same musical taste, so don’t try and shove yours up everyone’s rears or you’ll wind up fighting constantly. Mick Jagger has a crackhead quality but we love the freak anyways. I love The Kinks but there would be a riot if they sang the national anthem much in the same way as if Neil Young were to, which is scary. They “aren’t” that kind of music, so why are you comparing. If you want to start an “I hate Van Halen” group, you’ll save a lot of money buying donuts and coffee at your meetings because they are one of the most popular and well loved bands in the world. I don’t know who has the most fans between the and The Kinks, but I must be blessed that I can enjoy them both without all this whining and b.s.. If anything, I feel sorry for you that you can’t.

@timsincere

7 күн бұрын

The wall of distortion applied to Eddie's guitar in Van Halen's cover, overdubbed many times, and the way he plays it, is what makes it drag. It is quite different from Dave's simple, spiky, edgy guitar in the original. As a guitarist myself, albeit a bad one 😎, I can hear and see that Eddie is playing the riff as a lead part, whereas Dave plays it as a rhythm part. Dave plays a full barre chord, and pulls it off like nobody else can. Eddie is clearly a "better" guitarist than Dave, from a technical perspective, but the New York Philharmonic are all "better" musicians than the Ramones, and if they made an album of Ramones covers, it would suck!

Total BS, the Kinks stole You Really Got Me from Van Halen.