Ray is on a different level than most songwriters. There is no subject untapped by Ray. Every aspect of life covered with incredible wit, humor and humanity. Plus the infectious melodies, hooks and varied musical styles across the Kinks catalog. The word genius is overused these days, but Ray and the Kinks are that. Plain and simple.
Imagine me, a college DJ who may have heard their hits, come across in the radio station library, their album "Soap Opera." Someone had written next to "Ducks on the Wall," "THIS SONG IS HILARIOUS" and me playing it immediately. Yup, a different level indeed.
Pete Townsend described Ray as a "God Smacking Genius" and this quote has always stuck with me and shed a new light on a band I already loved but just never knew how much!
April 11,1973. Went to see the kinks at the Hollywood Palladium. Rory Gallagher opened the show. Off to a good start, The Kinks came out seeming to be sloppy drunk but still playing well. They didn’t seem to be getting along in between numbers. They played Skin and Bones and just as the crowd was really digging it the brothers began to argue and stopped in the middle of the tune and began a different song. The encore consisted of their two most well known rockers, All Of The Night and Really Got Me. Now this is in the days before crowd diving so we were surprised when Ray FELL INTO THE AUDIENCE. This time they did not stop the song, the band just kept playing. He did crawl back up on the stage but NO PANTS. With one hand holding the mic and the other holding his boxer shorts closed, he finished the two songs and they left. Worst concert ever and I loved every minute of it.
Not only were The Kinks later allowed to return to the US, it seems that their American fan-base eventually eclipsed their British one. It appears that the Kinks were largely forgotten in Britain after 1970, due to being pigeon-holed as a pop singles act from the 60s. Meanwhile in the US, The Kinks' RCA and Arista albums increasingly sold quite respectably to a college audience who appreciated their sophisticated conceptual themes and very fine lyrics. The Kinks were playing to larger venues, though not often as headliners. Their North American popularity peaked in the mid 80s, with the smash hit "Come Dancing".
Boomers are everywhere. I saw The Animals at the Cow Palace when I was 12. Roy Orbison played, too -- and the Beau Brummels. At the top of the bill: Bobby Freeman showed us how to Do the Swim. My best friend's older sisters, 14, 15, and 17, were down in front screaming at the stage for the Animals.
the Warlocks were touring living room tests at that time. On becoming the Dead, they were the extended song specialists, along with Zepplin. Ray Davies rocked!
My ex father in law was on that tour for the dates in Illinois. He said he remembers Ray & Dave fighting and Gacey as “oily”. He’s got some film footage of the band that’s never been published. He went on to win several local Emmy’s as a local news cameraman.
@@djquinn11Who could forget Gacy?? If you lived anywhere around the country you’d remember him. That’s not such a huge deal to remember his deeds. 🤷♂️
@@rapman5791 You misunderstood the comment. He's not talking about "his deeds". He's marveling that his father in law remembered/knew Gacy.....way back when, BEFORE he was famous for those deeds.
Imagine meeting with the promoter for one of your gigs, and then 20 odd years later finding out that he turned out to be one of the most notorious serial killers in modern history, good god lol
It's not uncommon. Many people had many brushes with serial killers, some being moments or even just a tiny wrong move or gesture away from being killed. Ted Bundy picked up multiple women and let them go because of silly details like their hair being the wrong colour or style. These women only realised years later that they'd been so lucky. Serial killers have to be charming and able to 'Act normal' around people. If they all went around like Hannibal Lector, creeping the sh*t out of everyone, they'd never be successful. Some practice for years, building up to it from picking up hitchhikers, to simple kidnapping to kidnapping and rape, kidnapping and beating to kidnap and murder. There's hundreds of examples of this sadly.
Similar incident happened to Deborah Harry of Blondie. She got a ride from a young man once. Realize something was wrong and struggled but got away and out of the car. Later she found out it was Ted Bundy!!!! She told the story in an interview. 😳😳😳😳
Great video, thanks. I graduated high school in June 1965, and was a huge Kinks fan, along with many other UK Bands. Being Canadian, I was unaware of all the crap they went through in their 1965 US tour. What a shame. The Kinks are still on my iPhone play list. As an interesting aside, Peter Quaife was a member of the Astronomy Club in the southern Ontario city where I live. He generally did not want talk much about his days with The Kinks.
Been a fan of the Kinks since 1965 - when I was 12. The Kinks got me into playing guitar and I supported myself throughout my life as a professional session guy. Thanks Kinks...I owe you one.
Thank you. Informative and instructive. I was 10 when the Beatles, Stones, and the Kinks hit America. The music was new and exiting, and befuddled mum and dad. May kind deities and fae folk continue to bless Britannia. Slainte mor!
Being English, there IS something quintessentially English about the Kinks' music, more than any other of the great British bands of the sixties. Driving down an English country road in the summer with Sunny Afternoon on the stereo just feels like being in Heaven.
Now you're talking James! THE KINKS!! Im 67 and have seen them 17 X 1980- 1993 ( their last year touring was 1994). I was there when Mick Avory left the stage over what else- an arguement with Dave Davies at Nassau Coliseum.. I went to 4 different states to see the Kinks and I will tell you - there is nothing like a Kinks Koncert. The fans are so dedicated. My only complaint is I cant find " Arthur 50th Anniversary ( I own everything except a few bonus tracks on expanded issued CDs. I buy everything! Saw Ray solo twice and even met Ray and Dave twice, submitted to Kinks fanzines and am kredited in 5 of their books. Come on Ray- your next solo albums long overdue. Thank you James. BTW- I know someone who saw a 1965 US koncert date. Thank you for mentioning Wappingers Falls cancelled gig. Its actually Roy C Ketcham High School- which I graduated from !!!! You did good James!! ( correction has been made 20 May 2024.)
That’s not true. That’s like saying a city with gangs in it is not a city but “an extension of the Bloods” and then going on to say that all cities are extensions of that gang. The truth is that the Mafia infiltrated sectors of organized labor in some cities and killed labor organizers who resisted. There were also plenty of competing labor unions who had to out up with the same tactics.
I had a really crazy thing happen in what I recall as the Sumner of 1965. I was living in Newport Beach and the first summer that our family moved there. We were in a new housing development right in front of the local high school where Dick Clark filmed one of his early shows on the Campas of Corona del Mar High School. They had Paul Revere and the Raiders and honestly I can't remember anyone else. I remember seeing those shows on TV too as we tried to see ourselves in the crowd shots. The new University of California at Irvine was being built out and was also quite near our house. Through a connection with a Hi Y youth group leader our group were granted access to the UCI gymnasium before the University officially opened. I'm not sure if it was that summer or within the same period of time,... but my high-school friend said hey the Kinks were going to play at the gymnasium and we were able to go for free. I of course knew of the Kinks but even then thought it odd they would be playing there as it seemed like a totally impromptu gig. Maybe it was a rehersal ?!? The performance did in fact happen as I was there. I didn't see anything about the UCI Kinks performance even in the UCI online history. When doing further reading before finishing this comment to this explosive and much appreciated video history of the Kinks I ran across a header called Notes: in Wikipedia and the last entry was an uconfirmed account of a gig the Kinks did in Decanter Illinois at a "Gymnasium". So I don't know if anyone knows more about this, but it definitely happened and it could not have been any later than 1966. The University of California at Irvine officially opened in October of 1965. Good Grief, I'll be 72 in June and just wonder where did it all go?!? What a Wild Ride it has been !
I love The Kinks. ‘Shangri La’ is, arguably, the greatest song about the post-war decline of the English working class - that they traded the ‘lavatories in the backyard’ for a suburban ‘paradise’ but lost their identity and community. Quite a bleak song in many ways - Ray was a visionary. I wonder what he thinks of England now?
What was their identity ? Britain was pretty violent in many cities in the 1950s -1960s . So shit outdoor toilets and poverty is better than decent hoses outside the central area ? 🤦♀️🤫
I’ve heard about this disaster tour for 40 years now- never got any important info. You just told the full story in objective journalistic detail. Thanks much. Yeah I’ll subscribe!
Thank you for a great video sir. Great memories. My band regularly opened for many great bands in the mid 1960's. One of those bands was The Kinks [in an Ice Rink of all places] back in the summer of 1966 and backstage we would mix and chat. The guys seemed warm and friendly and I saw no such bad behaviour. Thanks again for sharing. Regards E.
The Kinks played on the floor of the gym, along with their largely dancing audience, at the university I attended after HS - SUNY Binghamton - in 1973 or 4. I have warm memories of that, of my being a very naive and impressionable 17 y.o., the band and my dancing peers, and of walking up to one of the Davies 'boys', Ray probably, during a respite period, and chatting it up with him, as much as a youthful introvert might. Is this what R & R was all about? A cool evening, for sure. This would have been around the same time (Feb. '74) that I attended a YES concert at the local arena. I sat in the penalty box. Also a very memorable experience, including not ever getting back at least some of the hearing loss received (awful the next day!) I bring this up as it is about two very different incidents from the (back end? of) British invasion. Being open-minded, or restrained from making and acting upon any judgements I might have had/felt... well, I enjoyed them both, and I have good memories of them both.
First-rate retrospection of little-known episode in Kinks history. Very knowledgable and full of minutia. You, Sir, can be proud of your presentation skills. Immediately subscribed to your cannel. ❤
i was not aware of all this negative stuff.....i have always loved the kinks since my life on the west coast....i have 90 minutes of them on cassette.....i really like ape man....was my anthem for a long time....at 73 years old i can still rock out with them...
I love movies about musicians, no matter what century. I would love to see a docu-drama about the Kinks. The godfather's of Punk-Rock. So many epic rock'n'roll stories. So many great songs, albums, and performances. Their legacy will make one of the best Rocku-Dramas' of all time.
Saw the band twice, and Ray solo once on their various Australian tours. Every gig was memorable. Waterloo Sunset is one of the greatest songs ever written. The beautiful song he wrote for his late sister, Come Dancing is very moving and just about as good. Absolutely loved the video.
Saw them in a relatively small venue in Austin, Texas in 1980 or so. The crowd was into the music. The band seemed to really be enjoying themselves that night and put on a great show.
On the infamous cymbal story, although Mick downplays the incident in this clip, Chris Dreja of the Yardbirds claimed that Mick Avory hit Dave with his high hat cymbal and stand , wielding the stand like an axe. Afterwards Ray came running after Mick yelling, "you've killed my brother!".
Excellent telling of events that made The Kinks the Finest English Group Ever, those DAYS returned to haunt the USA, when Ray wrote & performed 'Hollywood Boulevard' it Really was a kick in the USA pants. I sang it as I walked down the Boulevard - Passing a star, 6 down on Vine Street, S.West of the Apollo X1 star, Broncho Billy Anderson (he was one of the early western Stars - bloody amazing to see my own name there, THANKS Ray), You Really Got Them back Good Style..
I love this. MOJO Magazine type of research. The Kinks, Dylan, and Marillion showed this 1980's teenager what songwriting could be. High standards. Hopefully you could do one on the chaos that was the original lineup of Public Image Limited?
Great video, thanks very much. Jim Morrison admitted to being a great Kinks fan and maybe the Doors plagiarised "All Day and All of the Night" with "Hello, I Love You" but Ray Davies said he didn't mind.
Thanks for your insightful video. I’d heard about the Kinks problems with the American unions, but not in this depth. I had to laugh at the pronunciation of Decatur, GA. When I was living in Atlanta my British girlfriend came for a visit and she pronounced it the same way. For future reference, the second syllable is stressed. De-KAY-tur.
Fantastic video and research man! Gives me a whole new perspective on the Kinks American experience. I always knew it was bad, but never knew it was this disastrous.
I actually think Noel got a lot of inspiration from the Kinks - as the Kinks brand was being British working class lads. Also he maybe got the lyric 'Supersonic' from 'Supersonic rocket ship' and the Kinks have a song called 'Definite Maybe'..... just saying
Noel said he once brought up "Village Green" with Ray Davies. Ray got extremely impatient, saying something like "Oh, for F-s sake! That was years ago!" Noel has said that Ray, of all his heroes except for John Lydon, has been the most difficult.
Nice to see The Kinks on the channel. I first picked up guitar at about 14 and The Kinks were one of my obsessions during my school years , along with The Who, Small Faces, The Jam and the Sex Pistols.
This makes THIS IS SPINAL TAP a victory tour! Well told, clear informative and even handed, reality is always more interesting to me as much as I did like the movie. Thanks much
The Kinks and the Zombies were the first big name rock bands I ever saw play. It was in the 60's and I was in Jr. High School. They played in a municipal building in a public park in the small town where I lived that was large enough to house a basketball court. I loved the show. And I've been listening to rock and roll ever since.
The American Musician's Union also stopped The Yardbird's 1st US tour that same year after two just gigs. They ended up playing private parties in the Hollywood Hills. -God Save the Kinks!
Years after all the controversy had died down with the Kinks, I finally got to attend a Kinks concert at the Tower Theater in Philadelphia. By that time, it was definitely an older crowd, more mature and laid back from all the Marijuana smoking at the venue. Ray played the piano and Dave seemed to be in good spirits from the warm reception the Philly fans gave the band. Since that date, I have only been able to attend separate solo concerts in the Phildephia environs by Ray and Dave years a part. My letters and emails to them together and separately, begging them to re-unite for the hungry US fans, have fallen on deaf ears. Both Pete and Mick have now passed away, and it seems more hopeless than ever that the brothers will return to the studio together and tour. I will go anywhere and spend whatever money it takes to see the Davies boys back together on stage. We're here on the other side of the pond, dreaming of that day. God save the Kinks.
As an American radio DJ in the ‘70s and a lifelong musician, I always held the Kinks (and the Who) in higher esteem than the Beatles and Stones. I think I liked the grittiness of the music and the more clever lyrics. As a songwriter myself, my theory is that solo songwriters like Davies and Townshend could write more personally, than the “teams” of Jagger/Richards and Lennon/McCartney tended to be a bit more “production line” and make their work more commercial by nature. All those bands produced great stuff but, sonically, it was a bit more vanilla when written by duos.
Sonically vanilla? That doesn’t make much sense. If Keith Richards was involved in crafting the riff of a song, wouldn’t that make it sonically better? And Paul and John did write their own songs by themselves and just got input from the other. Nothing cookie cutter about either band.
Good presentation. Love the Kinks. Growing up in the 80s I had no interest in contemporary pop music, the only thing that sounded good was the occasional B&W clip, so I made a conscious effort to remember the name of the next good b&w band I heard, which happened to be The Kinks
That $5.75 top ticket price in 1965 for the Hollywood Bowl show translates into just under $57 today (per a Google search). Can you imagine getting top-tier bands today on the same ticket for $57 ??
When people are laid off...I often them, "I've been laid off twice in my life....each time was ultimately a blessing and I was glad it happened. Now I look forward to my third time.".
The Kinks are one of the most important bands ever. Ray is a premier song writer and will go down in history as such. I was lucky to see them a few times in the 70s and 80s.
That was a great re-evaluation of the Kinks history of their first American tour. It's any wonder that they stayed intact & produced some truly awesome music after that disaster. The fact that Ray Davies turned to write songs that were descriptive of his life & experience as an Englishman is fascinating. Yeah, I agree. Brit Pop wouldn't have existed if not for that. I was lucky to see the Kinks at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium during their second tour. I think it was in 1970. Lola was a huge hit in Los Angeles.
Excellent work. I never knew this but it makes sense. I’ve always felt that the Kinks should have been much more popular. Even though they were banned to tour here in the US early on their music was popular and received a lot of airplay. I love how Van Halen covered You Really Got Me and Where Have all the Good Times Gone. A nod of approval back from a huge American rock band who was also influenced by this oddly British music.
Fantastic different drummer style outfit, o love the Kinks. I’ve been blessed with the presence to go for their shows when they appeared at the Tower theatre out Upper Darby.
@@total.stranger I had heard it is pronounced "Davis" in England, but to us Americans who don't know any differently, it is pronounced as it looks. If that is true, I wonder if Ray and Dave, overtime, just accepted the American pronounciation.
In June of '65, The Kinks took flight, Across the Atlantic, a new world in sight. But fate conspired with a cruel, harsh hand, And the seeds of chaos began to expand. With guitars tuned and spirits high, Ray and Dave, the band would try, To conquer the States, to make their mark, But the journey ahead was ominously dark. In Cardiff, a clash set the tone, Dave and Mick fought, one with a bone. A cymbal crash, a hospital stay, Their American dream seemed to sway. Promoters flaked, tickets went unsold, Their frustration grew, their actions bold. Shortened sets, extended riffs, In protest of pay, they gave the crowd short shrifts. San Francisco missed, a show they skipped, Their patience frayed, their reputation slipped. On NBC’s stage, Ray’s temper flared, A punch was thrown, the band's future snared. A ban was set, four long years, Their US hopes, drowned in tears. While Woodstock flourished, The Kinks were barred, Their golden years, forever scarred. Yet from the ashes, a lesson learned, In the fires of failure, resilience burned. Their influence spread, despite the ban, Changing UK music, reshaping the plan. For though they stumbled, their legacy grew, In every riff and rebellious hue. The '65 tour, a cursed endeavor, But its echoes linger, in music forever. The Kinks’ saga, a tale so stark, Of a band that dared to leave a mark. Through trials faced and battles fought, Their story endures, with lessons fraught.
I love the kinks around 71-71 they were a “college” band. A thinkers music. I never missed a tour in the 70’s the last Lps IMHO are masterpieces I’m buying Rays solo stuff on CD.
I wonder if that 'missing' guitar was ever found or put up for sale, promptly seized and the owner arrested for theft especially if it's provenance is revealed. Otherwise whoever has it will need to be buried with it.
Good one that one James. Knew some of the stories but you've done a good job putting them in chronological order. I was wondering if the Gacy bit would come in and it did lol.
James, thanks for this very detailed story. I saw the Kinks in 1970 Philly Electric Factory. they were touring to support The Arthur LP. They were terrific!
I remember the Kinks playing at the Seattle Coliseum on July 10, 1965 with a lot of other groups. The place was packed and it was a good event. I remember the Kinks had outrageous hair and did a good act. Maybe it didn't make news because it went well.
Many thanks for this. It's the first time I've seen this episode in the kinks' career explained properly. In any account of this period, the reason for the US ban is covered only vaguely. I've even seen interviews with Ray Davies where he was asked directly what exactly happened and he just said something like 'Union problems' and wouldn't elaborate. Perhaps the memory is still too painful for him.
Only a few say it’s true, Ray’s memory of it became clearer as the years went by, meaning he may be confusing it with another gig or maybe just going along with the narrative. The Federated Music folks say the show didn’t happen and there is no hard proof the show actually happened. So who knows?? It was a time of heavy drug use, stress and misery so I would take anything said about the time with a grain of salt.
Finally got to see The Kinks here in Brentwood Essex, in the 90's. After a very dodgy start, with Ray take'n the piss with "Essex Man-Essex Girl" Joke's & BOO'S from the audience IT WAS A FANTASTIC GIG!!!!! THANK YOU KINKS.
Thanks for the explanation. Didn’t know they were so rowdy. Now I see why their music changed, and I agree something good did come out of it because of the music change was wonderful.
Great video! Thank you so much. Regarding Ray Davies; his Storyteller album should be listened to by anyone who is interested in his story. Masterful, intimate music by a journeyman musician and songwriter.
God save the KinGs! The Kinks didn’t have any of their records from late 66 to 1970 😮chart at ALL in America thanks to that ban!!! When they did finally come back in fall 1969, they had to open up for other bands like “Spirit”. I was lucky enough to catch them in 1972 and they were so great! Ray a treated us like we were watching a theatrical play and sprinkled in old standards like “Mr Wonderful” and “The Bananna boat song”! Such a funny and confident frontman and the band was tight! Thank you for such an excellent detailed. story!
Add the Stranglers' early US experiences, and their songs "Dead Loss Angeles" and "Big in America". Stranglers were another all-time great band that should've been much better known globally.
It’s a shame that Americans missed out on the kinks. I’d put them in the top 5 British bands of the 60s I’m sure had they been allowed to tour again in America they’d have been a success even with the music that gravitates more towards British culture
MUST WATCH THE END FROM @24:00! The story of the tour is fascinating, well told, and not too long... bit the last four minutes are gold! I won't spoiler it. Thanks so much. I never knew this, but those songs are what put Ray Davies and the Kinks into the top-echelons. Influencing Oasis counts as major, but the earliest which comes to mind is Pink Floyd and Syd Barrett. Silver lining, all right! :D
Always knew they did not get the recognition they should have due to fights, etc. However, they sure have some great tunes. Sleepwalker is a fantastic album.
I feel they were also a big influence on just good, solid, punk rock and roll. Not Pistols style, but maybe The Jam. I saw them in London on a "We're SO happy to be home again" show around Christmas time in something like 1982 maybe? I have been to literally hundreds of shows from Boston to San Francisco and that night was something very special. I've seen all the big bands and rah rah rah the KINKS show was definitely the greatest rock show I've seen save one or two here and there. Definitely in my top five all time shows. I loved this look at the '65 tour and just wanted to add my name to a very long list of Kinks lovers. Their music will live forever!
Yeah, good point: as unfortunate as their experience in the US was, it led to Ray Davies becoming one of the great musical chroniclers of post-war English life.
The tour may have been a disaster but The Kinks certainly aren't/weren't - they're one of the top bands to come out of the UK ever. Eye-opening and thanks for uploading. Liked and subscribed.
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Ray is on a different level than most songwriters. There is no subject untapped by Ray. Every aspect of life covered with incredible wit, humor and humanity. Plus the infectious melodies, hooks and varied musical styles across the Kinks catalog. The word genius is overused these days, but Ray and the Kinks are that. Plain and simple.
Well said.
Imagine me, a college DJ who may have heard their hits, come across in the radio station library, their album "Soap Opera." Someone had written next to "Ducks on the Wall," "THIS SONG IS HILARIOUS" and me playing it immediately. Yup, a different level indeed.
TRB weren’t bad though 😁👍
I agree. ♥️
Pete Townsend described Ray as a "God Smacking Genius" and this quote has always stuck with me and shed a new light on a band I already loved but just never knew how much!
April 11,1973. Went to see the kinks at the Hollywood Palladium. Rory Gallagher opened the show. Off to a good start, The Kinks came out seeming to be sloppy drunk but still playing well. They didn’t seem to be getting along in between numbers. They played Skin and Bones and just as the crowd was really digging it the brothers began to argue and stopped in the middle of the tune and began a different song. The encore consisted of their two most well known rockers, All Of The Night and Really Got Me. Now this is in the days before crowd diving so we were surprised when Ray FELL INTO THE AUDIENCE. This time they did not stop the song, the band just kept playing. He did crawl back up on the stage but NO PANTS. With one hand holding the mic and the other holding his boxer shorts closed, he finished the two songs and they left. Worst concert ever and I loved every minute of it.
Awesome! Thanks for sharing ✌🏽🌻
Shucks. I guess I missed that one. Oh well...
Not only were The Kinks later allowed to return to the US, it seems that their American fan-base eventually eclipsed their British one. It appears that the Kinks were largely forgotten in Britain after 1970, due to being pigeon-holed as a pop singles act from the 60s. Meanwhile in the US, The Kinks' RCA and Arista albums increasingly sold quite respectably to a college audience who appreciated their sophisticated conceptual themes and very fine lyrics. The Kinks were playing to larger venues, though not often as headliners. Their North American popularity peaked in the mid 80s, with the smash hit "Come Dancing".
Ray Davies - arguably one of the greatest songwriters of the sixties. Such an inspiration.
unarguably.
You could leave out 'of the sixties' too
@@1000_Jeezai Indeed. In the sixties Ray hadn't even yet reached his peak as a lyricist.
I'm in a state, STATE, state of confusion. OooOooOoOoOo
Nicht nur in den 60er. Ich denke auch in den 70er,80er ganz einfach großartig
I was 10 yrs old when the Kinks hit and I've been a fan ever since. 70 now and still listening.
Boomers are everywhere. I saw The Animals at the Cow Palace when I was 12. Roy Orbison played, too -- and the Beau Brummels. At the top of the bill: Bobby Freeman showed us how to Do the Swim. My best friend's older sisters, 14, 15, and 17, were down in front screaming at the stage for the Animals.
Same for me mate.
I wouldn't be disappointed with a full set of you really got me!
the Warlocks were touring living room tests at that time. On becoming the Dead, they were the extended song specialists, along with Zepplin. Ray Davies rocked!
Mott the Hoople did a wild on stage version too
My ex father in law was on that tour for the dates in Illinois. He said he remembers Ray & Dave fighting and Gacey as “oily”. He’s got some film footage of the band that’s never been published. He went on to win several local Emmy’s as a local news cameraman.
interesting. peoples life story just blows me away sometimes.
He remembers Gacy? What a monster that guy turned out to be.
@@djquinn11Who could forget Gacy?? If you lived anywhere around the country you’d remember him. That’s not such a huge deal to remember his deeds. 🤷♂️
it's time to put that film on youtube
@@rapman5791 You misunderstood the comment. He's not talking about "his deeds". He's marveling that his father in law remembered/knew Gacy.....way back when, BEFORE he was famous for those deeds.
Imagine meeting with the promoter for one of your gigs, and then 20 odd years later finding out that he turned out to be one of the most notorious serial killers in modern history, good god lol
It's not uncommon. Many people had many brushes with serial killers, some being moments or even just a tiny wrong move or gesture away from being killed. Ted Bundy picked up multiple women and let them go because of silly details like their hair being the wrong colour or style. These women only realised years later that they'd been so lucky. Serial killers have to be charming and able to 'Act normal' around people. If they all went around like Hannibal Lector, creeping the sh*t out of everyone, they'd never be successful. Some practice for years, building up to it from picking up hitchhikers, to simple kidnapping to kidnapping and rape, kidnapping and beating to kidnap and murder. There's hundreds of examples of this sadly.
Similar incident happened to Deborah Harry of Blondie. She got a ride from a young man once. Realize something was wrong and struggled but got away and out of the car. Later she found out it was Ted Bundy!!!! She told the story in an interview. 😳😳😳😳
I used to feed Arthur Shawcroft. He would dumpster dive near the McDonald's drive thru, so he got a meal.
Great video, thanks. I graduated high school in June 1965, and was a huge Kinks fan, along with many other UK Bands. Being Canadian, I was unaware of all the crap they went through in their 1965 US tour. What a shame. The Kinks are still on my iPhone play list. As an interesting aside, Peter Quaife was a member of the Astronomy Club in the southern Ontario city where I live. He generally did not want talk much about his days with The Kinks.
" Great video " ????!! ... lol ..
Been a fan of the Kinks since 1965 - when I was 12. The Kinks got me into playing guitar and I supported myself throughout my life as a professional session guy. Thanks Kinks...I owe you one.
I was 4 months old when this tour started, been a Kinks fan for a long time now , not as long as you though !
@@TeunisMaranus Nobody is…
One of my favourite rock bands and Ray is another genius in songwriting. Excellent video, James.
Thank you. Informative and instructive. I was 10 when the Beatles, Stones, and the Kinks hit America. The music was new and exiting, and befuddled mum and dad. May kind deities and fae folk continue to bless Britannia. Slainte mor!
it also befuddled my brit parents
Finding the kinks as an american is like stepping into another world and I love it
Being English, there IS something quintessentially English about the Kinks' music, more than any other of the great British bands of the sixties. Driving down an English country road in the summer with Sunny Afternoon on the stereo just feels like being in Heaven.
Now you're talking James! THE KINKS!! Im 67 and have seen them 17 X 1980- 1993 ( their last year touring was 1994). I was there when Mick Avory left the stage over what else- an arguement with Dave Davies at Nassau Coliseum.. I went to 4 different states to see the Kinks and I will tell you - there is nothing like a Kinks Koncert. The fans are so dedicated. My only complaint is I cant find " Arthur 50th Anniversary ( I own everything except a few bonus tracks on expanded issued CDs. I buy everything! Saw Ray solo twice and even met Ray and Dave twice, submitted to Kinks fanzines and am kredited in 5 of their books. Come on Ray- your next solo albums long overdue. Thank you James. BTW- I know someone who saw a 1965 US koncert date. Thank you for mentioning Wappingers Falls cancelled gig. Its actually Roy C Ketcham High School- which I graduated from !!!! You did good James!! ( correction has been made 20 May 2024.)
Let's face it. American Unions were not what us British would have regarded as Unions but rather extentions of the Mafia.
That’s not true. That’s like saying a city with gangs in it is not a city but “an extension of the Bloods” and then going on to say that all cities are extensions of that gang. The truth is that the Mafia infiltrated sectors of organized labor in some cities and killed labor organizers who resisted. There were also plenty of competing labor unions who had to out up with the same tactics.
Frank Zappa quite openly said the same thing.
A very accurate description, given the extent of the mafia's control over them.
and now the entire UK is run by a Globalist Mafia....Life is funny like that
That is a really well written comment. Very fitting for a video about The Kinks.
I had a really crazy thing happen in what I recall as the Sumner of 1965. I was living in Newport Beach and the first summer that our family moved there. We were in a new housing development right in front of the local high school where Dick Clark filmed one of his early shows on the Campas of Corona del Mar High School. They had Paul Revere and the Raiders and honestly I can't remember anyone else. I remember seeing those shows on TV too as we tried to see ourselves in the crowd shots.
The new University of California at Irvine was being built out and was also quite near our house. Through a connection with a Hi Y youth group leader our group were granted access to the UCI gymnasium before the University officially opened. I'm not sure if it was that summer or within the same period of time,... but my high-school friend said hey the Kinks were going to play at the gymnasium and we were able to go for free. I of course knew of the Kinks but even then thought it odd they would be playing there as it seemed like a totally impromptu gig. Maybe it was a rehersal ?!?
The performance did in fact happen as I was there. I didn't see anything about the UCI Kinks performance even in the UCI online history. When doing further reading before finishing this comment to this explosive and much appreciated video history of the Kinks I ran across a header called Notes: in Wikipedia and the last entry was an uconfirmed account of a gig the Kinks did in Decanter Illinois at a "Gymnasium".
So I don't know if anyone knows more about this, but it definitely happened and it could not have been any later than 1966. The University of California at Irvine officially opened in October of 1965.
Good Grief, I'll be 72 in June and just wonder where did it all go?!? What a Wild Ride it has been !
Great story, great memory. I was in my Mom’s belly, born in Dec. 1965.
Great video. I've always loved the Kinks and felt that they didn't get the respect they deserved here in the US.
I love The Kinks. ‘Shangri La’ is, arguably, the greatest song about the post-war decline of the English working class - that they traded the ‘lavatories in the backyard’ for a suburban ‘paradise’ but lost their identity and community. Quite a bleak song in many ways - Ray was a visionary. I wonder what he thinks of England now?
What was their identity ? Britain was pretty violent in many cities in the 1950s -1960s . So shit outdoor toilets and poverty is better than decent hoses outside the central area ? 🤦♀️🤫
Living on a thin line
@@WxW-v1h Brilliant track about the desperation of English nationalism.
@@WxW-v1h Written and sung by Dave.
besides, "waterloo sunset" turned out to be arguably the greatest, most quintessentially british pop song of all time.
I’ve heard about this disaster tour for 40 years now- never got any important info. You just told the full story in objective journalistic detail. Thanks much. Yeah I’ll subscribe!
Terrific job of this, Mr. Hargreaves. Thank you!👍😄
This was fascinating, thank you for posting!
Cool info on my favorite band The Kinks. Mind blowing how many great songs Ray has written. The Kinks music is part of my DNA.
That was extremely well-presented, thanks so much. Showing the books you get the info from, that's great. Very comprehensive and made it come alive.
Thank you for a great video sir. Great memories. My band regularly opened for many great bands in the mid 1960's. One of those bands was The Kinks [in an Ice Rink of all places] back in the summer of 1966 and backstage we would mix and chat. The guys seemed warm and friendly and I saw no such bad behaviour. Thanks again for sharing. Regards E.
What an absolute deranged comment! You definitely didn’t open for the kinks brah…jeez
I always thought it was the Davies brothers that argued. Didn't realise it was that bad that it spilled over to the rest of the band. Great video.
I saw the Kinks in Minneapolis in the early 70’s. They were splendid.
Thanks so much for this. I really appreciate you filling in the gaps on why the Kinks were banned from US touring in the 60's. Great job.
The Kinks played on the floor of the gym, along with their largely dancing audience, at the university I attended after HS - SUNY Binghamton - in 1973 or 4. I have warm memories of that, of my being a very naive and impressionable 17 y.o., the band and my dancing peers, and of walking up to one of the Davies 'boys', Ray probably, during a respite period, and chatting it up with him, as much as a youthful introvert might. Is this what R & R was all about? A cool evening, for sure.
This would have been around the same time (Feb. '74) that I attended a YES concert at the local arena. I sat in the penalty box. Also a very memorable experience, including not ever getting back at least some of the hearing loss received (awful the next day!) I bring this up as it is about two very different incidents from the (back end? of) British invasion. Being open-minded, or restrained from making and acting upon any judgements I might have had/felt... well, I enjoyed them both, and I have good memories of them both.
First-rate retrospection of little-known episode in Kinks history. Very knowledgable and full of minutia. You, Sir, can be proud of your presentation skills. Immediately subscribed to your cannel. ❤
I saw the Kinks at the Finsbury Park Rainbow, in the late 1970's. A really great gig. I'm 72 and still enjoy their music.
i was not aware of all this negative stuff.....i have always loved the kinks since my life on the west coast....i have 90 minutes of them on cassette.....i really like ape man....was my anthem for a long time....at 73 years old i can still rock out with them...
My Kinks anthem is Low Budget. 🤣
I love movies about musicians, no matter what century. I would love to see a docu-drama about the Kinks. The godfather's of Punk-Rock. So many epic rock'n'roll stories. So many great songs, albums, and performances. Their legacy will make one of the best Rocku-Dramas' of all time.
if ever there was a band that, in passing, invented heavy metal with *that* riff, it was the kinks.
Saw the band twice, and Ray solo once on their various Australian tours. Every gig was memorable. Waterloo Sunset is one of the greatest songs ever written. The beautiful song he wrote for his late sister, Come Dancing is very moving and just about as good. Absolutely loved the video.
Saw them in a relatively small venue in Austin, Texas in 1980 or so. The crowd was into the music. The band seemed to really be enjoying themselves that night and put on a great show.
On the infamous cymbal story, although Mick downplays the incident in this clip, Chris Dreja of the Yardbirds claimed that Mick Avory hit Dave with his high hat cymbal and stand , wielding the stand like an axe. Afterwards Ray came running after Mick yelling, "you've killed my brother!".
Excellent telling of events that made The Kinks the Finest English Group Ever, those DAYS returned to haunt the USA, when Ray wrote & performed 'Hollywood Boulevard' it Really was a kick in the USA pants. I sang it as I walked down the Boulevard - Passing a star, 6 down on Vine Street, S.West of the Apollo X1 star, Broncho Billy Anderson (he was one of the early western Stars - bloody amazing to see my own name there, THANKS Ray), You Really Got Them back Good Style..
I love this. MOJO Magazine type of research. The Kinks, Dylan, and Marillion showed this 1980's teenager what songwriting could be. High standards. Hopefully you could do one on the chaos that was the original lineup of Public Image Limited?
"This is what you want, this is what you get "
Great video, thanks very much. Jim Morrison admitted to being a great Kinks fan and maybe the Doors plagiarised "All Day and All of the Night" with "Hello, I Love You" but Ray Davies said he didn't mind.
Thanks for your insightful video. I’d heard about the Kinks problems with the American unions, but not in this depth. I had to laugh at the pronunciation of Decatur, GA. When I was living in Atlanta my British girlfriend came for a visit and she pronounced it the same way. For future reference, the second syllable is stressed. De-KAY-tur.
Beautiful memorable band!!! Thank you for sharing!! 👍🙂
Amazing video, I was hanging on every word. Good on ya, man!
Fantastic video and research man! Gives me a whole new perspective on the Kinks American experience. I always knew it was bad, but never knew it was this disastrous.
I actually think Noel got a lot of inspiration from the Kinks - as the Kinks brand was being British working class lads. Also he maybe got the lyric 'Supersonic' from 'Supersonic rocket ship' and the Kinks have a song called 'Definite Maybe'..... just saying
Noel said he once brought up "Village Green" with Ray Davies. Ray got extremely impatient, saying something like "Oh, for F-s sake! That was years ago!" Noel has said that Ray, of all his heroes except for John Lydon, has been the most difficult.
Nice to see The Kinks on the channel. I first picked up guitar at about 14 and The Kinks were one of my obsessions during my school years , along with The Who, Small Faces, The Jam and the Sex Pistols.
Autumn Stone by The Small Faces ; incredible .
Low Budget Tour of USA in 81 was great, fantastic, loved it.
This makes THIS IS SPINAL TAP a victory tour! Well told, clear informative and even handed, reality is always more interesting to me as much as I did like the movie. Thanks much
Love the Kinks,thanks for the video James
Excellent work. Thank you.
Full circle. Kinks were raucous early rockers and had wonderfully introspective and socially aware lyrics by Ray. They had it all.
The Kinks and the Zombies were the first big name rock bands I ever saw play. It was in the 60's and I was in Jr. High School. They played in a municipal building in a public park in the small town where I lived that was large enough to house a basketball court. I loved the show. And I've been listening to rock and roll ever since.
The American Musician's Union also stopped The Yardbird's 1st US tour that same year after two just gigs. They ended up playing private parties in the Hollywood Hills. -God Save the Kinks!
Years after all the controversy had died down with the Kinks, I finally got to attend a Kinks concert at the Tower Theater in Philadelphia. By that time, it was definitely an older crowd, more mature and laid back from all the Marijuana smoking at the venue. Ray played the piano and Dave seemed to be in good spirits from the warm reception the Philly fans gave the band. Since that date, I have only been able to attend separate solo concerts in the Phildephia environs by Ray and Dave years a part. My letters and emails to them together and separately, begging them to re-unite for the hungry US fans, have fallen on deaf ears. Both Pete and Mick have now passed away, and it seems more hopeless than ever that the brothers will return to the studio together and tour. I will go anywhere and spend whatever money it takes to see the Davies boys back together on stage. We're here on the other side of the pond, dreaming of that day. God save the Kinks.
*Immediately goes searching for any recording of 40 minutes of You Really Got Me* that sounds f***ing amazing!
I knew Pete Quaife in 1965. I was also a bass player and I was very envious that he was a Kink. Sounds like I was well out of it!
I first saw the Kinks as the “warm up band” for the Hollies.
Great job - appreciate that you avoided sensationalism and simply told a great story
As an American radio DJ in the ‘70s and a lifelong musician, I always held the Kinks (and the Who) in higher esteem than the Beatles and Stones. I think I liked the grittiness of the music and the more clever lyrics. As a songwriter myself, my theory is that solo songwriters like Davies and Townshend could write more personally, than the “teams” of Jagger/Richards and Lennon/McCartney tended to be a bit more “production line” and make their work more commercial by nature. All those bands produced great stuff but, sonically, it was a bit more vanilla when written by duos.
Sonically vanilla? That doesn’t make much sense. If Keith Richards was involved in crafting the riff of a song, wouldn’t that make it sonically better? And Paul and John did write their own songs by themselves and just got input from the other. Nothing cookie cutter about either band.
As a twelve year old fan at the time I had no idea this craziness was going on
Good presentation. Love the Kinks. Growing up in the 80s I had no interest in contemporary pop music, the only thing that sounded good was the occasional B&W clip, so I made a conscious effort to remember the name of the next good b&w band I heard, which happened to be The Kinks
Omfg I’m eating GOOD tonight with this video! Thank you so much James 🫡
One of the most underrated bands of all time. Brilliant, original sound.R.I.P THE KINKS
We didn't underrate the them .
No entiendo. I never mentioned the them,only the Kinks
That $5.75 top ticket price in 1965 for the Hollywood Bowl show translates into just under $57 today (per a Google search). Can you imagine getting top-tier bands today on the same ticket for $57 ??
When people are laid off...I often them, "I've been laid off twice in my life....each time was ultimately a blessing and I was glad it happened. Now I look forward to my third time.".
The Kinks are one of the most important bands ever. Ray is a premier song writer and will go down in history as such. I was lucky to see them a few times in the 70s and 80s.
That was a great re-evaluation of the Kinks history of their first American tour. It's any wonder that they stayed intact & produced some truly awesome music after that disaster. The fact that Ray Davies turned to write songs that were descriptive of his life & experience as an Englishman is fascinating. Yeah, I agree. Brit Pop wouldn't have existed if not for that. I was lucky to see the Kinks at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium during their second tour. I think it was in 1970. Lola was a huge hit in Los Angeles.
Great video! Now I FINALLY know what the hell happened with that ban!
Excellent work. I never knew this but it makes sense. I’ve always felt that the Kinks should have been much more popular. Even though they were banned to tour here in the US early on their music was popular and received a lot of airplay. I love how Van Halen covered You Really Got Me and Where Have all the Good Times Gone. A nod of approval back from a huge American rock band who was also influenced by this oddly British music.
Fantastic different drummer style outfit, o love the Kinks.
I’ve been blessed with the presence to go for their shows when they appeared at the Tower theatre out Upper Darby.
Behind the scenes in a league with our Doors.
Great video. The Kinks 60s singles are incredible.
They pronounce their surname Davis not Davies.
Correct .
Ray has pronounced it both ways, and Dave has stated that it's DAY-veez, not DAY-viss.
It's the accent. Like the word "daisies" might come out sounding like "daze-izz."
Strangely enough, the brothers each pronounce the name "Davies" differently.
@@total.stranger I had heard it is pronounced "Davis" in England, but to us Americans who don't know any differently, it is pronounced as it looks. If that is true, I wonder if Ray and Dave, overtime, just accepted the American pronounciation.
In June of '65, The Kinks took flight,
Across the Atlantic, a new world in sight.
But fate conspired with a cruel, harsh hand,
And the seeds of chaos began to expand.
With guitars tuned and spirits high,
Ray and Dave, the band would try,
To conquer the States, to make their mark,
But the journey ahead was ominously dark.
In Cardiff, a clash set the tone,
Dave and Mick fought, one with a bone.
A cymbal crash, a hospital stay,
Their American dream seemed to sway.
Promoters flaked, tickets went unsold,
Their frustration grew, their actions bold.
Shortened sets, extended riffs,
In protest of pay, they gave the crowd short shrifts.
San Francisco missed, a show they skipped,
Their patience frayed, their reputation slipped.
On NBC’s stage, Ray’s temper flared,
A punch was thrown, the band's future snared.
A ban was set, four long years,
Their US hopes, drowned in tears.
While Woodstock flourished, The Kinks were barred,
Their golden years, forever scarred.
Yet from the ashes, a lesson learned,
In the fires of failure, resilience burned.
Their influence spread, despite the ban,
Changing UK music, reshaping the plan.
For though they stumbled, their legacy grew,
In every riff and rebellious hue.
The '65 tour, a cursed endeavor,
But its echoes linger, in music forever.
The Kinks’ saga, a tale so stark,
Of a band that dared to leave a mark.
Through trials faced and battles fought,
Their story endures, with lessons fraught.
Great!!!!
I love the kinks around 71-71 they were a “college” band.
A thinkers music.
I never missed a tour in the 70’s the last Lps IMHO are masterpieces
I’m buying Rays solo stuff on CD.
I wonder if that 'missing' guitar was ever found or put up for sale, promptly seized and the owner arrested for theft especially if it's provenance is revealed. Otherwise whoever has it will need to be buried with it.
Good one that one James. Knew some of the stories but you've done a good job putting them in chronological order. I was wondering if the Gacy bit would come in and it did lol.
James, thanks for this very detailed story. I saw the Kinks in 1970 Philly Electric Factory. they were touring to support The Arthur LP. They were terrific!
I remember the Kinks playing at the Seattle Coliseum on July 10, 1965 with a lot of other groups. The place was packed and it was a good event. I remember the Kinks had outrageous hair and did a good act. Maybe it didn't make news because it went well.
A fascinating video. Thanks. Small connection: A friend of mine sold a house to Dave Davis!
Many thanks for this. It's the first time I've seen this episode in the kinks' career explained properly. In any account of this period, the reason for the US ban is covered only vaguely. I've even seen interviews with Ray Davies where he was asked directly what exactly happened and he just said something like 'Union problems' and wouldn't elaborate. Perhaps the memory is still too painful for him.
Great video with great detail of the 1965 tour from hell that led to their US ban.
Wow! John Wayne Gacy promoted a Kinks gig? I’m 65 years old and I never heard this!
Only a few say it’s true, Ray’s memory of it became clearer as the years went by, meaning he may be confusing it with another gig or maybe just going along with the narrative.
The Federated Music folks say the show didn’t happen and there is no hard proof the show actually happened. So who knows?? It was a time of heavy drug use, stress and misery so I would take anything said about the time with a grain of salt.
@rapman5791 it's definitely true I was there I don't appreciate people like you thinking you know everything
Great stories about the greatest band ever. God Save the Kinks
They sure are.
Enjoyed that thanks JHG and of course; The Kinks
Finally got to see The Kinks here in Brentwood Essex, in the 90's. After a very dodgy start, with Ray take'n the piss with "Essex Man-Essex Girl" Joke's & BOO'S from the audience IT WAS A FANTASTIC GIG!!!!! THANK YOU KINKS.
Thanks for the explanation. Didn’t know they were so rowdy. Now I see why their music changed, and I agree something good did come out of it because of the music change was wonderful.
Great video! Thank you so much.
Regarding Ray Davies; his Storyteller album should be listened to by anyone who is interested in his story. Masterful, intimate music by a journeyman musician and songwriter.
God save the KinGs!
The Kinks didn’t have any of their records from late 66 to 1970 😮chart at ALL in America thanks to that ban!!!
When they did finally come back in fall 1969, they had to open up for other bands like “Spirit”. I was lucky enough to catch them in 1972 and they were so great! Ray a treated us like we were watching a theatrical play and sprinkled in old standards like “Mr Wonderful” and “The Bananna boat song”! Such a funny and confident frontman and the band was tight! Thank you for such an excellent detailed. story!
All the records were released during the period. I 26:43 this to be true as I bought them.
"Don't get too upset. They're just a bunch of spirited boys, that's all." - Jack Elam
Years later Blur had a similar first U.S tour and came back and recorded Modern life is rubbish
Add the Stranglers' early US experiences, and their songs "Dead Loss Angeles" and "Big in America". Stranglers were another all-time great band that should've been much better known globally.
It’s a shame that Americans missed out on the kinks. I’d put them in the top 5 British bands of the 60s I’m sure had they been allowed to tour again in America they’d have been a success even with the music that gravitates more towards British culture
MUST WATCH THE END FROM @24:00! The story of the tour is fascinating, well told, and not too long... bit the last four minutes are gold!
I won't spoiler it.
Thanks so much. I never knew this, but those songs are what put Ray Davies and the Kinks into the top-echelons. Influencing Oasis counts as major, but the earliest which comes to mind is Pink Floyd and Syd Barrett.
Silver lining, all right! :D
Great and informative video providing so much insights on a very interesting subject!
Give The People What They Want was the first album i bought with my own money. Money made with a bicycle newspaper route
Always knew they did not get the recognition they should have due to fights, etc. However, they sure have some great tunes. Sleepwalker is a fantastic album.
great video man! the kinks produced a real british music in the sixties and seventies..
Just ordered 'The story of the Kinks' off Amazon.Really thorough video BTW.
One of the best! Saw them in Detroit every time they played!
One of my other Kinks favorites besides "Sunny Afternoon" is "Victoria"
I feel they were also a big influence on just good, solid, punk rock and roll. Not Pistols style, but maybe The Jam. I saw them in London on a "We're SO happy to be home again" show around Christmas time in something like 1982 maybe? I have been to literally hundreds of shows from Boston to San Francisco and that night was something very special. I've seen all the big bands and rah rah rah the KINKS show was definitely the greatest rock show I've seen save one or two here and there. Definitely in my top five all time shows. I loved this look at the '65 tour and just wanted to add my name to a very long list of Kinks lovers. Their music will live forever!
Yeah, good point: as unfortunate as their experience in the US was, it led to Ray Davies becoming one of the great musical chroniclers of post-war English life.
The tour may have been a disaster but The Kinks certainly aren't/weren't - they're one of the top bands to come out of the UK ever. Eye-opening and thanks for uploading. Liked and subscribed.