#music, Great British Bands, Chapter 19: The Kinks

Now this was «the» band during the early 60’s, of course without counting The Beatles… But the sound of The Kinks, their guitar riffs, their powerful vocals and provocative lyrics, made them a force to reckon with in those days and beyond… They formed in Muswell Hill, London, in 1963 by the brothers Dave and Ray Davies… Their song «You Really Got Me» (1964) made it to the number one in the UK and hit the top 10 in the US… But the Kinks were not only about this proto-punk sound, like in «You Really Got Me» and «All Day and All of the Night«, they also delved into British Music Hall, folk, and country. They were influenced by many types of music and they influenced many that came after… Songs like «Lola» (1970), «Destroyer» and «Come Dancing» are prime examples of their sound and why I became a fan, at a very young age, and still am… The Kinks! Five singles in the Top 10 Billboard; Nine albums in the Top 40. In the UK they had 17 Top 20 singles and five Top 10 albums; Four Kinks albums certified Gold. The lads have sold over 50 million records worldwide. In 1990 the four original members were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 2005 they were inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame. Quite a record. They disbanded in 1996. Efforts to reunite have been unsuccessful so far, but who knows. The power groups of the 60’s and 70’s are the only ones filling stadiums and arenas nowadays, so maybe…

Enjoy!

CHEERS