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David Russell Gordon Davies (born 3 February 1947) is an English guitarist, singer and songwriter. He was the lead guitarist and backing vocalist for the English rock band the Kinks, which also featured his elder brother Ray Davies. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990 as a member of the Kinks. Davies is prolific with his innovative nature on the electric guitar, specifically in being one of the first to utilize electric guitar distortion and exposing the effect to the mainstream. His signature distorted power chord riffs on songs would heavily influence future heavy metal and punk rock acts. In 2003, Davies was ranked 91st in ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its co ...
'' ''Magazines list of the " 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time".


Early life

David Russell Gordon Davies was born at 6 Denmark Terrace, Muswell Hill,
North London North London is the northern part of London, England, north of the River Thames. It extends from Clerkenwell and Finsbury, on the edge of the City of London financial district, to Greater London's boundary with Hertfordshire. The term ''nor ...
. He was born the last of eight children, including six elder sisters and an elder brother, later bandmate
Ray Ray may refer to: Fish * Ray (fish), any cartilaginous fish of the superorder Batoidea * Ray (fish fin anatomy), a bony or horny spine on a fin Science and mathematics * Ray (geometry), half of a line proceeding from an initial point * Ray (g ...
. As children, the Davies brothers were immersed in a world of different musical styles, from the
music hall Music hall is a type of British theatrical entertainment that was popular from the early Victorian era, beginning around 1850. It faded away after 1918 as the halls Rebranding, rebranded their entertainment as Variety show, variety. Perceptio ...
of their parents' generation, to the
jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a majo ...
and early
rock n' roll Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock 'n' roll, or rock 'n roll) is a genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It originated from African-American music such as jazz, rhythm an ...
that their older sisters listened to. The siblings developed a rivalry early on, with both brothers competing for their parents' and sisters' attention.''X-Ray, The Unauthorized Autobiography'', Ray Davies. , . 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 the 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 the traditional British music hall style. Dave and his brother worked out the famous two-chord 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 Ray, 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 housemates together in the mid-1960s. Ray and Dave Davies remained the only two steady members of the band. They were accompanied by an oft-changing roster of bassists and keyboardists. Dave played a largely subordinate role to his brother, often staying behind the scenes. Dave would make occasional contributions on Kinks records as lead vocalist and songwriter, with classics such as "Party Line" (the lyrics were written by Ray and the song has been attributed to Ray on many editions of "Face to Face"), " Death of a Clown" and "
Strangers A stranger is a person who is unknown to another person or group. Because of this unknown status, a stranger may be perceived as a threat until their identity (social science), identity and Character structure, character can be ascertained. Differ ...
".


Early years (1963–1966)

Dave Davies was solely responsible for the signature distorted power chord sound on the Kinks' first hit, " You Really Got Me". He achieved the sound by using a razor blade to slit 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 distortion, which was to have a major influence on many later musicians, especially in heavy metal and punk rock. "You Really Got Me" was the band's third released single, the two previous recordings having failed to chart. They had a three-single contract with Pye Records, and needed a hit to get another. 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 hit, topping the charts in the UK and reaching number 7 in the US. The Kinks released three albums and several EPs in the next two years. They also performed and toured relentlessly, headlining package tours with the likes of The Yardbirds and
The Mickey Finn Mickey Waller (3 March 1947 – 1 February 2013), also known by the stage name Mickey Finn, was an English guitarist. Biography Waller started out with instrumental band the Strangers in Bethnal Green, East London, in the summer of 1961. In 1 ...
, 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 in
Cardiff Cardiff (; cy, Caerdydd ) is the capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of Wales. It forms a Principal areas of Wales, principal area, officially known as the City and County of Cardiff ( cy, Dinas a ...
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.The Kinks: All Day and All of the Night, Day-By-Day Concerts, Recordings, etc., by Doug Hinman 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 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" is a song written by Ray Davies and recorded by the rock group the Kinks in 1967. "Autumn Almanac" has since been noted for being an "absolute classic", "a finely observed slice of English custom", and a "weird character study" ...
" and " Waterloo Sunset", as well as their albums, such as ''
Something Else by the Kinks ''Something Else by the Kinks'', often referred to simply as ''Something Else'', is the fifth UK studio album by the Kinks, released in September 1967. The album continued the Kinks' trend toward an eccentric baroque pop and music hall-influence ...
'' and '' The Village Green Preservation Society''.


Late 1960s and solo career

In July 1967, Dave Davies released his first solo single, " Death of a Clown", credited entirely under his name as the recording artist, though it was co-written by his brother. In the past, as a member of the Kinks, Dave Davies had only released his own compositions on B-sides and albums. Pye Records, the Kinks' label, sensed potential sales in a solo release from the overlooked Davies and issued "Death of a Clown" as his debut. Although the single was credited to Davies, the backing band was the Kinks, and the track also appeared on ''
Something Else by the Kinks ''Something Else by the Kinks'', often referred to simply as ''Something Else'', is the fifth UK studio album by the Kinks, released in September 1967. The album continued the Kinks' trend toward an eccentric baroque pop and music hall-influence ...
''. "Death of a Clown" rose to number three on the UK Singles Chart. Wanting to profit from the new buzz suddenly surrounding Davies, a solo LP was slated for release sometime in 1968 or 1969. The follow-up single, "
Susannah's Still Alive "Susannah's Still Alive" is a song by Dave Davies, released for his second solo single. The recording featured all of the Kinks' members as his backing band. It was a hit (peaking at #20 in the UK) but it did not live up to the expectations of ...
", was released in November 1967; however, it only reached number 20 on the ''
Melody Maker ''Melody Maker'' was a British weekly music magazine, one of the world's earliest music weeklies; according to its publisher, IPC Media, the earliest. It was founded in 1926, largely as a magazine for dance band musicians, by Leicester-born ...
'' 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 ''A Hole in the Sock Of''. "Lincoln County" was chosen as the next single, but it failed to chart. By the time a fourth single, "Hold My Hand", met with the same result, a combination of his own lack of interest in continuing and Pye's decision to stop killed off any hopes of an album. Eventually, the tracks intended for his first solo album were assembled for a 2011 compilation by Russell Smith & Andrew Sandoval entitled ''Hidden Treasures''. It combined the singles, B-sides that were released for various Kinks singles and a handful of album tracks that Davies had recorded for Kinks albums. Many of these tracks had been assembled previously for ''The Album That Never Was'', released in 1987. '' 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.


"Lola", ''Muswell Hillbillies'', and theatrical incarnation

After ''Arthur'', the Kinks made a comeback with their hit single " Lola" 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 A stranger is a person who is unknown to another person or group. Because of this unknown status, a stranger may be perceived as a threat until their identity (social science), identity and Character structure, character can be ascertained. Differ ...
" and the hard-rocking " Rats". The rootsy ''
Muswell Hillbillies ''Muswell Hillbillies'' is the tenth studio album by the English rock group the Kinks. Released in November 1971, it was the band's first album for RCA Records. The album is named after the Muswell Hill area of North London, where band leader Ra ...
'', themed on country-rock and Americana, was released in late 1971 and was well-received with critics, but failed to sell strongly. The band's next five albums, '' Everybody's in Show-Biz'', '' Preservation: Act 1'', '' Preservation: Act 2'', '' The Kinks Present A Soap Opera'' and '' Schoolboys in Disgrace'', which added a large theatrical ensemble, were critical and commercial failures. The Kinks left RCA Records in 1977, switching to
Arista Arista may refer to: Organizations *Arista Networks, a software defined networking company *Arista Records, an American record label, division of Sony Music **Arista Nashville, a record label specializing in country music *Arista (honor society) ...
. 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 favourites."This Man He Laughs Tonight", interview with Dave Davies by Dave Schulps, ''Trouser Press'', August 1980


1980s and onward

Davies saw the band through both success and failure, as they reached their commercial peak in the early 1980s. The group began adjusting their commercial methods, embracing the
MTV MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...
culture that was selling records at the time. The music video for their 1982/83 single " Come Dancing" helped hoist the record to number 12 on the UK chart, and number 6 in the US – their biggest hit since " Tired of Waiting for You" in 1965. 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. Bob Henrit was brought in to take Avory's place. At the invitation of Ray Davies, 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'' is the twenty-second studio album by the English rock band the Kinks, released in 1986. It peaked at #81 on the ''Billboard'' chart. According to Ray Davies, the album was originally going to be a concept album where his "spiv ...
''. The record was released in 1986, but only reached number 81 on the '' Billboard'' charts. Critics were lukewarm towards it, and it did not receive significant radio play.
Stephen Thomas Erlewine Stephen Thomas Erlewine (; born June 18, 1973) is an American music critic and senior editor for the online music database AllMusic. He is the author of many artist biographies and record reviews for AllMusic, as well as a freelance writer, occ ...
of Allmusic.com later commented 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". The group recorded several more records for MCA, their last studio effort for them being 1989's '' UK Jive''. It 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 to Columbia Records, who released their final studio album together, ''
Phobia A phobia is an anxiety disorder defined by a persistent and excessive fear of an object or situation. Phobias typically result in a rapid onset of fear and are usually present for more than six months. Those affected go to great lengths to avo ...
'', on 13 April 1993. Despite publicity and press attention, the record was unsuccessful, peaking at number 166. Singles released failed to chart as well. 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 Konk is the name of a recording studio and record label,
. The group released ''To The Bone'' on the small independent Grapevine Records in 1994. The Kinks took a break from recording and touring in 1996. Ray and Dave reunited onstage to perform "You Really Got Me" at the Islington Assembly Hall in London on 18 December 2015. ''Rolling Stone'' magazine called their performance "rousing".


Solo work, 1980s–present day

After the aborted solo effort, Davies's solo career was not revived until 1980, with the release of ''Dave Davies (
AFL1-3603 ''AFL1-3603'' (aka Dave Davies) is an album released in 1980 by Dave Davies featuring Davies performing all the instruments. The album (named after its own serial number) peaked at number 42 on the Billboard 200 The ''Billboard'' 200 is a ...
)'', which featured Davies performing all the instruments himself. The album, named after its own catalog number, peaked at number 42 on the ''Billboard'' 200. He went on to release ''Glamour'' (1981), which charted at number 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. 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). ''Two Worlds'' was recorded throughout 2010 by The Aschere Project, the production team of Dave Davies and his son Russ. Both members wrote, produced, and recorded all the tracks. About the album's genre, Dave stated "it's a mixture of rock, kinda classical and electronic music." In February 2010, Davies released an autobiographical DVD filmed by his other son, titled ''Mystical Journey''. His planned US tour in support of the release was postponed per doctor's advice. It was announced in February 2013 that on 4 June 2013, Davies would be releasing his sixth studio album entitled ''I Will Be Me'' worldwide. Davies undertook a short tour of the US to promote the album. Davies performed his first UK show in thirteen years in February 2014. In October 2014, to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Kinks, a new album by Davies, with many tracks looking back to the start of the band, titled ''Rippin' Up Time'' was released. Davies appeared on '' The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon'' to promote the album in 2014. This episode was the highest rated ''Tonight Show'' episode in 2014. In 2015, the Dave Davies solo album ''Rippin Up New York City'' was released on Red River Entertainment. He embarked on a solo tour to promote the album in the US in October and November. On 18 December, at his concert at the Islington Assembly Hall in London, he was joined onstage by Ray to perform the Kinks' hit "You Really Got Me" together. This marked the first time in nearly 20 years that the brothers had appeared and performed together. Dave has continued to tour to acclaimed reviews in the US as of 2018.


Signature instruments

Davies has played a number of guitars over time, the most recognizable of which is his Gibson Flying V. 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 such as
Lonnie Mack Lonnie McIntosh (July 18, 1941 – April 21, 2016), known as Lonnie Mack, was an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. He was an influential trailblazer of blues rock music and rock guitar soloing. Mack emerged in 1963 with his breakthrough ...
,
Jimi Hendrix James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix; November 27, 1942September 18, 1970) was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. Although his mainstream career spanned only four years, he is widely regarded as one of the most ...
, 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: *
Gibson Les Paul The Gibson Les Paul is a solid body electric guitar that was first sold by the Gibson Guitar Corporation in 1952. The guitar was designed by factory manager John Huis and his team with input from and endorsement by guitarist Les Paul. Its typi ...
– Standard, Custom, Deluxe, Artisan and Goldtop models * Fender Elite Telecaster * Fender American Standard Telecaster *'63 Fender Telecaster sunburst (owned by Ray, used as Dave's main guitar between 1967 and 1969) *'54 Fender Stratocaster * Gibson Flying V *Gibson L5-S *Gibson L6-S *Guild F-512 NT 12-string acoustic *Harmony Meteor


Personal life and health

Davies was expelled from school at the age of 15 after being caught having sexual intercourse with his girlfriend, Sue Sheehan, on
Hampstead Heath Hampstead Heath (locally known simply as the Heath) is an ancient heath in London, spanning . This grassy public space sits astride a sandy ridge, one of the highest points in London, running from Hampstead to Highgate, which rests on a band o ...
. Shortly thereafter, they were forced to separate by their respective families after Sheehan found out she was pregnant. Their relationship had a profound impact on Davies, who wrote a number of songs about their separation including "Funny Face", "Suzannah's Still Alive", and "Mindless Child of Motherhood". In 1967, Davies married Lisbet (a cousin of Pete Quaife's first wife, Annette) 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 a relationship with Nancy Evans. Dave briefly reunited with Sue Sheehan in the late 90s. Davies published an autobiography, entitled ''Kink'' in 1996, in which he discussed his bisexuality and brief relationships with Long John Baldry and music producer Michael Aldred in the late 1960s. He also wrote of the tense professional relationship with his brother over the Kinks' career. Davies has been vegetarian since the late 60s, and has said that he does not think meat is good for the nervous system. On 30 June 2004, Davies suffered a stroke while exiting a lift at Broadcasting House, where he had been promoting his album, '' Bug''. He was taken to University College Hospital near
Euston Square tube station Euston Square is a London Underground station at the corner of Euston Road and Gower Street, just north of University College London – its main entrance faces the tower of University College Hospital. The multi-interchange Euston stat ...
. Davies was released from the hospital on 27 August. By 2006, Davies had recovered enough to be able to walk, talk and play the guitar. In September 2013 ''Rolling Stone'' magazine wrote about Davies and his girlfriend Rebecca G. Wilson. She contributed backing vocals to the songs "Front Room" and "King of Karaoke". Since 2014, Wilson has gone on tour as Dave's backup singer. A second autobiography, ''Living on a Thin Line'' (), was released in July 2022. The book's title is shared by a Kink's
track Track or Tracks may refer to: Routes or imprints * Ancient trackway, any track or trail whose origin is lost in antiquity * Animal track, imprints left on surfaces that an animal walks across * Desire path, a line worn by people taking the shorte ...
released in 1984. Davies details in the book how in 1982, while on tour in the US, he started hearing voices. He claims that those voices were alien in origin and the aliens, who he named "the intelligences", controlled both his body and mind. Davies also discussed his leaving of wives and children when relationships were outgrown.


Discography


Solo albums

*''
AFL1-3603 ''AFL1-3603'' (aka Dave Davies) is an album released in 1980 by Dave Davies featuring Davies performing all the instruments. The album (named after its own serial number) peaked at number 42 on the Billboard 200 The ''Billboard'' 200 is a ...
'' (1980) US Billboard No. 42 *''Glamour'' (1981) US Billboard No. 152 *''Chosen People'' (1983) US Billboard No. 202 *'' Bug'' (2002) *''Fractured Mindz'' (2007) *'' I Will Be Me'' (2013) *''Rippin' Up Time'' (2014)


Live and compilation albums

* ''
The Album That Never Was ''A Hole in the Sock of Dave Davies'' refers to an unreleased album of solo material by Dave Davies, lead guitarist and co-founder of British rock band the Kinks. Apparently the album was, at least for a time, intended to be released under the ...
'' (1987) * ''Unfinished Business'' (1999) * ''Solo Live - Live Solo Performance at Marian College'' (2000) * ''Rock Bottom - Live At The Bottom Line'' (2000) * ''Bugged... Live!'' (2002) * ''Transformation - Live at The Alex Theatre'' (2003 release from Meta Media) * ''Transformation - Live at The Alex Theatre'' (2005 release on Angel Air) * ''Kinked'' (2006 release on Koch Records) * ''Belly Up'' (2008) - recorded live at the Belly Up Club in San Diego on 29 April 1997, which was at the start of the first major solo tour of the U.S. by Davies. * '' Hidden Treasures'' (2011)-A compilation of the singles and unreleased tracks that Dave had recorded for his previously unreleased first solo album with various songs from Kinks b-sides. * ''Rippin' Up New York City - Live at the Winery NYC" (2015) * ''Decade'' (2018)


Singles


Other appearances


Demo recordings (''The Meta Media Demo Series'')

*''Fortis Green'' (1999) *''Fragile'' (2001) *''Decade'' (2018)


Collaborations with Russ Davies

*''Purusha and the Spiritual Planet'' (1998) *''Two Worlds'' by The Aschere Project (2010) *''Open Road'' (2017)


Collaborations

* ''In the Mouth of Madness'' soundtrack, lead guitar on track one (1995) * ''Village of the Damned'' soundtrack (1995)


References


External links


Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Davies, Dave The Kinks members English rock guitarists English male singers English songwriters Bisexual men Bisexual musicians 1947 births Living people MNRK Music Group artists People from Fortis Green Lead guitarists People from Muswell Hill People from Chipping Barnet British rhythm and blues boom musicians English people of Welsh descent LGBT musicians from England LGBT singers from the United Kingdom LGBT songwriters English male guitarists 20th-century LGBT people 21st-century LGBT people English autobiographers