Overview
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, led by his elder brother (and principal writer and singer) Ray, and the two of them were the only consistent members during their existence. Davies also sometimes undertook writing and/or lead vocals duties within the band, for example on the songs "Death of a Clown", "Party Line", "Strangers" and "Rats". He has also embarked on a solo career, releasing several singles during the late 1960s and has since released eight solo albums. Davies is known for innovative electric guitar technique, specifically in being one of the first to use 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. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990 as a member of the Kinks and, in 2003, was ranked 91st in Rolling Stones 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. He was born the last of eight children, including six older sisters and an elder brother, later bandmate Ray. 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.
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. 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".
Early years (1963–1966)
The Kinks were signed to Pye Records in late 1963, and Dave Davies turned 17 three days before the first Kinks single (a version of "Long Tall Sally") was issued in early 1964. Davies was solely responsible for the signature distorted power chord sound on the Kinks' first hit, "You Really Got Me". This sound was one of the first mainstream appearances of distortion, which was to have a major influence on many later musicians, 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, which caused tension within the band.
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" and "Waterloo Sunset", as well as their albums, such as Something Else by the Kinks and The Kinks Are 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. Previously, 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. "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", was released in November 1967; however, it only reached number 20 on the Melody Maker chart. 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" and the hard-rocking "Rats". The rootsy Muswell Hillbillies, 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.
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 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.
Solo work, 1980s–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 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. 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. 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.
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, 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: * Gibson Les Paul – 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 sex with his girlfriend, Sue Sheehan, on Hampstead Heath. 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", "Susannah'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. Davies briefly reunited with Sue Sheehan in the late 1990s.
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 1960s, 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. 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 Davies' backup singer. A second autobiography, Living on a Thin Line (), was released in July 2022. The book's name is taken from "Living on a Thin Line", a Kinks track released in 1984. Davies details in the book how in 1982, while on tour in the US, he started hearing voices. He says that those voices were alien in origin and the aliens, whom he named "the intelligences", controlled both his body and mind. Davies also discussed his leaving of wives and children when relationships were outgrown.
Studio albums
* AFL1-3603 (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) * Open Road (2017) with Russ Davies Soundtrack album * Village of the Damned (1995) with John Carpenter
Live albums
* Rock Bottom - Live at The Bottom Line (2000) * Transformation - Live at The Alex Theatre (2003) * Rainy Day in June (2004) * Rippin' Up New York City - Live at the Winery NYC (2015) Official bootlegs * Solo Live - Live Solo Performance at Marian College (2000) * Bugged... Live! (2002) * 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 * Around the Galaxy (2009)
Compilation albums
* The Album That Never Was (1987) - singles recorded for his unreleased debut solo album * Unfinished Business (1999) * Kinked (2006 release on Koch Records) * Hidden Treasures (2011) - released and unreleased tracks recorded for his unreleased debut solo album * Decade (2018) - unreleased tracks from the 1970s
Demo recordings (The Meta Media Demo Series)
* Fortis Green (1999) * Fragile (2001)
Guest appearances
* In the Mouth of Madness soundtrack, lead guitar on track one (1995)
Projects with Russ Davies
* Purusha and the Spiritual Planet as Crystal Radio (1998) * Two Worlds as The Aschere Project (2010)
External links
* Official website *