Music Monday - The Kinks

Again this week I'm going to ask you to vote, I'm featuring one of my favorite groups from the 1960's The Kinks.

The Kinks first gained prominence in 1964 with the hit single "You really got Me", written by Ray Davies (it was their third single). The band's name came from their "kinky" dress sense of leather capes and boots worn on stage. The group's original line-up consisted of Ray Davies on Vocals & rythem guitar, Brother Dave Davies on Lead Guitar, Peter Quaife on Bass and Mick Avory on drums.
The Davies brothers were known to be allways at war with each other and the increasingly deteriorating relationship, and a string of unsuccessful records brought a eventual break-up of the band in the mid-90s. Rumours of Kinks reunion are vague and bandmembers have since embarked on solo careers.
Ray Davies who is currently performing successfully as a solo artist, recently commented that he is very willing to reform the band; however, his morbid relationship with his brother is still an obstacle to an eventual reunion.
Whatever the band's fortunes, however, their influence on emerging artists has been a constant. During the New Wave era, groups such as The Jam, The Knack, The Stranglers & The Pretenders covered Kinks songs and Britpop acts such as Blur, Oasis & Supergrass have cited them as a major influence. Many modern bands such as The Killers, The Libertines and Franz Ferdinand also acknowledge The Kinks and Ray Davies' expert songwriting skills. As self-professed Kinks fan Pete Townsend said for The History of Rock 'n' Roll: "The Kinks were much more quintessentially English. I always think that Ray Davies should one day be Poet Laureate. He invented a new kind of poetry and a new kind of language for pop writing that influenced me from the very, very, very beginning."

For the record The Kinks had many chart hits especially during the golden years 1964 to 1972 including 3 chart toppers & no fewer than 10 others making the top 10.

Anyway I'm posting 5 of my favorite Kinks songs (although I could add a lot more)and todays choice which do you prefer :-
(You can vote on my sidebar)

1. Waterloo Sunset

2. Sunny Afternoon

3. Celluloid Heroes

4. Lola

5. All Day and all of the night