David Russell Gordon Davies 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 older brother Ray. Davies also sometimes undertook writing and/or lead vocals duties within the band, for example on songs such as "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.
Something Else by the Kinks, often referred to simply as Something Else, is the fifth studio album by the English rock band the Kinks, released on 15 September 1967 by Pye Records. The album continued the Kinks' trend toward an eccentric baroque pop and music hall-influenced style defined by frontman Ray Davies' observational and introspective lyrics. It also marked the final involvement of American producer Shel Talmy in the Kinks' 1960s studio recordings; henceforth Ray Davies would produce the group's recordings. Many of the songs feature the keyboard work of Nicky Hopkins and the backing vocals of Davies's wife, Rasa. The album was preceded by the singles "Waterloo Sunset", one of the group's most acclaimed songs, and the Dave Davies solo record "Death of a Clown", both of which charted in the UK top 3.
Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire), often referred to simply as Arthur, is the seventh studio album by the English rock band the Kinks, released on 10 October 1969. It was the first Kinks album to feature bassist John Dalton, who replaced Pete Quaife. Kinks frontman Ray Davies constructed the concept album as the soundtrack to a Granada Television play and developed the storyline with novelist Julian Mitchell; the television programme was never produced. The rough plot revolved around Arthur Morgan, a carpet-layer, who was based on Ray and guitarist Dave Davies' brother-in-law Arthur Anning. A stereo version was released internationally with a mono version being released in the UK, but not in the US.
"A Well Respected Man" is a song by the British band the Kinks, written by the group's lead singer and rhythm guitarist Ray Davies, and originally released in the United Kingdom on the EP Kwyet Kinks in September 1965. It was also released as a single in the US and Continental Europe.
"The Village Green Preservation Society" is a song by the English rock band the Kinks from their 1968 album The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society. Written and sung by the band's principal songwriter Ray Davies, the song is a nostalgic reflection where the band state their intention to "preserve" British things for posterity. As the opening track, the song introduces many of the LP's themes, and Ray subsequently described it as the album's "national anthem".
Kinda Kinks is the second studio album by the English rock band the Kinks. It was released on 5 March 1965 in the United Kingdom by Pye Records. The original United States release, issued by Reprise Records on 11 August 1965, omits three tracks and substitutes the singles "Set Me Free" and "Ev'rybody's Gonna Be Happy". Recorded and released within two weeks after returning from a tour in Asia, Ray Davies and the band were not satisfied with the production.
"Shangri-La" is a song written by Ray Davies of the Kinks. The song appeared on the 1969 concept album, Arthur. The song's inspiration can be traced back to when the band visited the Davies brothers' sister, Rose, and her family in Australia, the "designed community" that the family lived in serving as the initial lyrical inspiration. The song's highly ironic lyrics comment on British class society while portraying Arthur, the album's ill-fated protagonist, and his empty life in the suburbs. The musical aspects of the song both reflect and comment on the mood of the lyrics.
"Apeman" is a 1970 song by the English rock band the Kinks. It was written by Ray Davies and appears on the album Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part One. Written as a call to return to nature amidst the crowding and industry of the city, the song features calypso stylings. Like its predecessor, "Lola", it had to have a lyric re-dubbed for commercial release.
"All Day and All of the Night" is a song by the English rock band the Kinks from 1964. Released as a single, it reached No. 2 in the UK on the Record Retailer chart and No. 7 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1965. The song was included on the Kinksize Hits EP in the UK and the Kinks' second American album, Kinks-Size (1965).
"Wonderboy" is a song by the English rock band the Kinks, released as a single in 1968. It stalled at number 36 in the UK charts, becoming the band's first single not to make the UK Top Twenty since their early covers.
"Tired of Waiting for You" is a song by the English rock band the Kinks. It was released as a single on 15 January 1965 in the UK and on 17 February 1965 in the US. The single reached number one in the UK and number six in the US. It then appeared on their second studio album, Kinda Kinks. It was the group's highest-charting single in the US - tied with "Come Dancing", which achieved the same chart position eighteen years later in 1983.
"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 but it did not live up to the expectations of Davies' last single "Death of a Clown", which was a Top 5 hit. It failed to chart in the US, but was a significant success in Europe, reaching #10 in the Netherlands, #27 in Germany, #18 in Belgium and #18 in Sweden. Although it was never featured on an LP, its B-side "Funny Face" was included on the Kinks' 1967 album Something Else by the Kinks.
"Mister Pleasant" is a song recorded by British rock group the Kinks in 1967, written by Ray Davies.
Kinksize Session is the first EP released by the Kinks in the UK in 1964, a month after their debut LP. The tracks were all exclusive to this release and it includes some original compositions.
Sunny Afternoon is the second UK budget-priced compilation album by British rock group the Kinks released in 1967. The album consists of some of the most popular singles and B-sides released by the Kinks from 1965 and 1966. It also includes a cover of "Louie Louie", originally from the 1964 Kinksize Session EP and the track "Such A Shame" from the 1965 Kwyet Kinks EP.
Kwyet Kinks is the third EP by the English rock band the Kinks. It was released on 17 September 1965 in the United Kingdom by Pye Records. Driven by the inclusion of the song "A Well Respected Man", Kwyet Kinks topped sales charts in Britain for several weeks. In the United States, which had no corresponding market for EPs, Reprise Records instead used its songs as the basis for the November 1965 LP Kinkdom.
"Who'll Be the Next in Line" is a song by the English rock band the Kinks. It was written by Ray Davies.
Kinks-Size is a studio album by the English rock band the Kinks, released as their second album in the United States. It was issued by Reprise Records in March 1965 in both mono and simulated stereo formats. It peaked at number 13 on the Billboard album chart in the third week of June 1965, the same week the Kinks began their first US tour. It is the Kinks' fourth-highest charting album on the Billboard album chart and the second-highest of their 1960s albums. The album ranked number 78 on Billboard's year-end album chart for 1965.
Kinkdom is a studio album by the English rock band the Kinks, released as their fourth album in the United States. It was issued by Reprise Records on 24 November 1965 in both mono and simulated stereo formats. It peaked at number 47 on the Billboard album chart.
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 name Lincoln County, however, numerous names have been applied to it, including The Album That Never Was.
